The Exact Image Story 

One evening, as Birbal was strolling in the royal garden, he saw that the cheerful natured royal painter was standing in a pensive mood. Birbal was taken aback.

“What’s the matter, my friend?” Birbal enquired.

“Oh, I am in deep trouble. Please help me out.” The painter said.

‘Yes. Do tell me if I can help you.”

The painter took Birbal to his mansion and showed him five pictures all of them of the same person.

“These are all pictures of Amir Sardar. He challenged me to paint his exact image and I agreed. After sitting for the first painting one full day, I told him that I would return tomorrow after giving it the finishing touches. The next morning I showed him the picture but it was not his exact image. The day before he had a beard but that morning he had the only mustache. I again painted his picture and left it to give it the finishing touches the next day. I returned the next morning. After giving the finishing touches, I showed him the picture again. This time, too it was not exact because cunning Amir Sardar had shaved off his mustache. His painting had a mustache he had sported the day before. Three more times he made some changes to trouble me. Now I have wasted so much time and effort with no use. My art and talent are being questioned.”

“Oh, I understand, my friend,” said Birbal. “Just follow my advice and Amir Sardar will trouble you no more.”

The next day the royal painter went to Amir Sardar’s mansion. “Sir, here’s your exact image,” said the painter. Amir opened the package and saw his face reflected in a mirror. “You cheat! How dare you take me for a fool? This is no picture of mine. This is a mirror!”

Just then Birbal arrived and said, “Yes Amir! This is your exact image just as you wished for!”

Amir Sardar agreed that he was defeated and paid money to the royal painter. Once more Birbal saw that the royal painter was his cheerful self.