Once, there was an old miser in Akbar’s kingdom. He had a wooden box in which he kept all his money. One day, the miser’s hut caught fire. He rushed outside and cried, “My money box! Please save it!” One of his neighbours said, “I shall save it, but I will only give you what I desire and keep the rest.” The miser agreed. The neighbour brought the wooden box and said, “I will give you what I desire and keep the rest. I am going to keep all the money.” Birbal was passing by and the miser told him about the incident. Birbal asked the neighbour to return the money box. The neighbour said, “I will give him what I desire and keep the rest.” Birbal quipped, “You desire the money inside the box and therefore you will give it to the miser.” The neighbour returned all the money without further ado.
The Money Box
