The Half-Brother of Akbar Story 

King Akbar had a nurse when he was an infant. She used to take care of him and also used to feed him her own milk. Even as a great king he respected his nurse who he called Dai Ma.

Dai Ma also had a son.

King Akbar considered him to be his half brother. He felt as they had been nursed by the same woman who was a mother figure for him, so her son would be like a brother to him. Each time his half brother would come to meet the King, he would be welcomed with great lunch and many gifts. Many times the King would not even attend court as he was busy entertaining him. This habit used to irritate the courtiers and Birbal, too. They did not like the King’s absence from the royal court for such a petty reason.

One day King Akbar asked Birbal, “Like my loving half brother, you, too, must be having one, Birbal.”

“Yes. Your Majesty, I also have a half brother.”

“Well, why don’t you bring him to the royal court? We would all like to meet him.”

“But, Your Majesty, he is very young to come here.”

“But you can surely bring him along.”

Birbal agreed to the King’s words. The next day everyone was shocked to see Birbal pulling a young calf into the royal court. The king was amazed too. He enquired, “Birbal, have you gone out of your mind? Why have you brought this calf here?”

“Your Majesty, I am merely following your order. Since I have been a baby, I have been fed on cow’s milk. The cow is kept in our shed. As I have had her milk, she is like a mother to me. So her calf is considered my half brother. Isn’t it so, Your Majesty?”

King Akbar understood what Birbal was hinting at. He laughed out loud. In spite of that, King Akbar never stopped loving and welcoming his half brother each time he visited the palace.

This is one of the rarest collections of stories related to Birbal. Birbal shows his wit in a naught manner to point out how the King is making fun of himself and the royal court. Although the king realized his mistakes, he (the king) continued to feed his half-brother.