Generally known as Raja Birbal, his real name was Mahesh Das. He was minister and commander of Mughal King Akbar. He was popular in Indian subcontinent for his fold tales specially focusing on humor. He was appointed by Akbar and was one of his most important courtiers, part of a group called the navaratnas.
Once Birbal said to King Akbar that 99 out of 100 people in the world are blind. Surprised and annoyed over the claim, the king directed him to prove his words or else be prepared for punishment. Birbal said that the order would be carried out.
The next day, Birbal sat on the public road and started to become a cattle herder and brought a man with him who was ordered to prepare a list of the blind and the sighted.
In the meantime, a man came and asked what Birbal was doing.
Before Birbal could answer him, he asked his assistant to write his name in the list of the blind. Then he answered that he was becoming a cattle herder.
People kept coming and asking what Birbal was doing and getting his name written on the blinds….In the meantime, the royal caravan passed by, so the king asked what Birbal was doing.
So Birbal’s assistant also wrote the king’s name on the blinds.
Finally, a man came and asked,
“Goodness, Birbal! Why are you making this charpai?”
Birbal told the assistant to write his name among the blind and then turned to the King and said.
Your Excellency! Look at the list in which your name is also included among the blind. Everyone was seeing that I was becoming a cattle herder. But they were not sure of their own abilities, as if they were blind, so they were asking me what I was doing.
Only one person came who was confident in his own knowledge. He did not ask me for confirmation, but asked me the reason for becoming a servant.
