Whitest and Brightest Story 

Once during a discussion in the royal court of King Akbar, it could not be decided as to which in the world is the whitest and brightest. Some courtiers named cotton. Others said that milk was the brightest. A courtier named snow to be the whitest and brightest of all. But Birbal remained silent.

At this King Akbar inquired, “Why, Birbal, which do you think is the whitest and brightest of all?”

“It is sunlight, Your Majesty.”

“Well…you’ll have to prove it to me.”

Birbal agreed to prove his words. The next afternoon it was very hot. King Akbar entered his chamber to rest. He ordered all doors, windows, and curtains to be pulled close to keep the light out. The darkroom felt really cool to sleep in. In the evening when King Akbar awoke, he went towards the closed door. He tripped on a vessel that had milk in it. The milk soon spread on the floor. King Akbar opened the door and sunlight lit up the doorway. The King saw that some cotton puffs were also lying on the floor. Just then Birbal came to the door.

King Akbar asked him, “Birbal, who placed this milk vessel and cotton near the doorway?”

“I did Your Majesty,” came Birbal’s reply.

“Why did you do this?”

“Merely to prove my point….If milk is the whitest then why couldn’t you see it in the dark? Why did you not see the bright cotton kept here? Only when you let the door open and sunlight came in, then you could see. Thus, you now know that sunlight is the whitest and brightest of all.”

King Akbar agreed with Birbal who had proved his point cleverly.