Intro Post

[pullybone]

Not sure exactly what to say. I'm 37, and a lot has happened over the years. So, I'll give you a story.

 

The Emperor Akbar once developed a chronic non-healing sore on his left pinky finger. It became so severe that his physicians eventually decided the whole finger would have to be amputated. The idea of losing a part of his body so upset the emperor that he sought a second opinion from his dear friend, confidant and advisor Raja Birbal.

 

Birbal told his liege, "If the doctors say it has to come off, then it has to come off."

Akbar told Birbal, "Here I am a very religious man, who makes all the proper donations at the proper times, and still God is taking away part of my body? What have I done wrong?"

Birbal replied, "Your majesty, whatever God does is for the best."

 

This remark irritated Akbar to no end. He grudgingly agreed to the operation' but decided simultaneously to teach Birbal a lesson. His opportunity came some weeks later when the two of them, out hunting with a few retainers, came across a dry well. Akbar promptly commanded his men to deposit the astonished Birbal into it. When the emperor rode over on his charger and bent over the well's rim Birbal shouted up at him, "Why are you doing this?"

 

Akbar shouted down to his friend, "Birbal, whatever God does is for the best!"

 

Then, to let Birbal stew for a bit, he rode off alone to a different part of the forest, thinking, "Now we will see what good God can do for him there!" Birbal meanwhile sat in the well, cursing his fate and wondering what was going to happen to him next.

 

All at once Akbar was surrounded by a band of ruffians. This particular pack of thieves selected only rich people as their victims, first robbing them and then offering them as human sacrifices. The highwaymen accordingly stripped Akbar of all his clothes and jewelry, and the bandit chief told him,

"Prepare yourself for death!"

 

Seeing his end approaching, Akbar began to feel Birbal's absence severely. For, Birbal had always been able to extract the emperor from otherwise hopeless situations. The gang leader meanwhile busily inspected Akbar, as he did all his prospective victims, to make sure that they carried no untoward sign.

 

When he got down to Akbar's missing pinky he shouted in dismay, "Egad! You are not whole! You are not fit to be offered to my Goddess!" Disappointed, the thug ordered Akbar to don his clothes and ornaments quickly, and to depart thence.

 

Being told that he was unfit to be offered hurt Akbar's feelings and infuriated his ruler's ego. He maintained his presence of mind, though, and as he dressed he thought to himself, "Birbal was right: had I not lost my little finger I would have been dead today.

 

He mounted his horse and rode directly back to the dry well and immediately ordered his waiting men to raise Birbal who now was wondering why the emperor had changed his mind. Akbar began by apologizing to Birbal, and then told him, I was so upset with you I was actually considering leaving you here to die, but did I ever learn my lesson! In truth, everything God does is for the best!"

 

The emperor then narrated the whole adventure to his amazed audience. Suddenly Akbar furrowed his brow and asked his friend, "But now tell me, Birbal, if whatever God does is for the best: what good came of your being in the well?"

 

Birbal told him, "Isn't it obvious, Refuge of the World? If I had not been in the well I would have been captured with you, and after the bandit had rejected you I would have been next in line for sacrifice. And since I am not missing any parts of my body he would have sacrificed me!"

 

"The Lord is truly marvelous!" repeated Akbar distractedly, stroking his beard in wonder as they rode to the palace.

[Trunk]

Akbar ... Birbal.

I think they reincarnated as Laurel & Hardy.

 

Welcome! to TTB's.

 

Trunk

[Aetherous]

Nice story...welcome.