One day, Akbar and Birbal were strolling along the banks of the Yamuna. Suddenly, they heard people shouting. When they went near, they saw some people standing around a man. The man bowed and said, “Your Majesty, my wife left home in the morning to bring water from the river. She has not returned. I am looking for her.” One of the men in the crowd said, “I heard a woman shouting for help a while ago. Look for her in the forest near by.” Another man said, “Look for her in the market.” The man was confused. Birbal said, “If someone heard her shout, she might have fallen into the river. It flows downstream; go there. Hurry up or she will be drowned!” The man jumped into the river and began to swim downstream. He found his wife holding on to the branch of a tree and saved her. They thanked Birbal for his presence of mind.
The Lost Woman
