Sunday, December 30, 2001

T0179. Birbal Gathers the Fools

The emperor is tired of wise men. "Bring me the ten greatest fools!" he commands, so Birbal goes out to find the fools. Man carrying bundle on head to spare donkey. Man with arms spread, lying out ground; "I can't move my arms or I won't know how big a pot to buy." Man running from mosque to hear his voice. Men fighting over nonexistent boons from God: tiger and buffalo. Passerby is so indignant at the fools that he drops his pot and the oil spills: that makes six. Birbal finds a man looking for ring in moonlight where the light is. Another man searching for a ring in the sand: "I buried it right under a cloud to mark the spot." Plus Akbar makes eight for sending him on this errand, and Birbal for agreeing. That makes ten!

Notes: All of these stories of "fools" appear as Nasruddin stories. :-)



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