THE OBEDIENT HUSBANDS

One day Akbar and Birbal were roaming the streets of Agra, dressed like common men. Akbar would often roam t streets in a disguise to see if the people in his kingdom were happy or not, and if they had any problems.

As they were walking along, they heard a woman shouting at her husband, "You are good for nothing. Go away and come back only when you have proved your worth."

Akbar and Birbal saw that the wife was short and thin but the husband was tall and strong. Yet the husband was quietly listening to his wife's scolding.

Akbar asked, ,"Why doesn't the husband shout back at his wife?"

Birbal said, "The husband has to listen without shouting back. This is nothing new, My Lord. Please believe me. Every husband listens to his wife. This is the real truth of marriage."

The next day when the courtiers came into the court, Akbar told them, ,"All the married men come in front and all those, who are not married, stay behind."

All the married men stepped forward.

Akbar then said, "All right. Now all the husbands who listen to their wives should step to my right. Those who don't obey their wives should step to my left."

Akbar was shocked when all, but one man moved towards their right. It meant that Birbal was right.

Akbar said, "Birbal, you were wrong."

Birbal replied, "Your Majesty, let me first ask this man a question. Why did you not join the others?"

"SIR< I was about to go with the others and then I remembered that my wife had told me not to go with the crowd. So I stayed away from the crowd."

Everyone burst out laughing and Akbar said, "So you listen to your wife too. All right, I believe you, Birbal. You have again proved that you are right. All husbands do listen to their wives.