The Tough Question Story 

King Akbar’s royal court had been adjourned. The courtiers and the King were about to leave. Just then a guard rushed in and said, “Your Majesty, a learned Pandit from South India has arrived just now. He is eager to meet you and Birbal Saheb immediately. He has come all the way to Agra for this specific purpose.”

“It’s not right to such a man waiting. Let him come into the royal court,” the King ordered.

As the guard went to fetch the Pandit, King Akbar said, “It’s late and I feel tired. You deal with the Pandit quickly.” Birbal nodded.

When the Pandit arrived, greetings were exchanged. Then he addressed Birbal and said, “Birbal, I have heard of your intelligence. I want to test you. Tell me if I can ask you a hundred easy questions or one tough question?”

Birbal thought, “The King is tired and wants to rest. There is no time to answer a hundred questions.”

So Birbal said, “Panditji, just ask me a tough question.”

The Pandit asked, “Birbal, tell me which came first - the hen or the egg?”

Birbal gave his instant reply, “The hen, Panditji?”

“How can you say that Birbal?”

“Oh no, no more questions. Panditji, you had promised to ask just a single question and your question has been asked,” said Birbal.

The Pandit understood Birbal’s cleverness. As he applauded Birbal, King Akbar and the courtiers, too, joined him.