The Best Weapon Story 

Once there was a discussion going on in King Akbar’s court. King Akbar wanted to know which was the best weapon to be used for protection. Some courtiers named the sword. Some said the knife and others named the spear. Then King Akbar asked the same to Birbal.

Birbal replied, “Your Majesty if there was the best weapon then everyone would be using the same weapon. I believe that the weapon that comes in hands in a dangerous situation is the best weapon.”

King Akbar said, “I don’t agree with you at all.”

Birbal decided to prove this to the King. The next day Birbal had already made preparations to prove his point. As he and King Akbar were walking through the city, Birbal directed the King through a very narrow street. As they walked, suddenly the King saw a mad elephant rushing towards them.

As the elephant came nearer, the King panicked. He started to take out his sword but he knew that the sword was not enough to stop the raging elephant. There was no time to run back through the narrow street. Just then Birbal saw a pup lying by a wall. He picked the pup and threw it at the elephant.

The pup was scared at being thrown this way. As it landed on the elephant’s trunk, it held on tightly to avoid falling. As its teeth and claws clung tighter, the elephant panicked. He started walking backward to get rid of the pup. He could not swing his trunk in the narrow street. As the elephant stepped back, King Akbar wiped the sweat from his forehead. He heaved a sigh of relief.

Then Birbal said, “Your Majesty, in this situation the young pup was the handy and protective weapon to save ourselves. Do you think that the pup is a weapon? Now, do you understand what I was saying?”

King Akbar realized and gave his pearl necklace as a reward to Birbal for saving his life and teaching him the lesson about weapons.