Once when The King Akbar

Fancied paintings suddenly,

He ordered Birbal to make one

Before the end of the week only.

Birbal confused but silent

Can't deny the command of the King,

"I'm just a minister, Jahanpannah!

How will I make you a painting?"

But one week later he came

With a painting in his hand,

"Your Majesty, I made this,

As per your previous command."

"But it is just a sky and a ground

Rather barren and all dry,

What this painting suggest Birbal

With just the ground and sky?"

"Oh! it's an imaginary painting

Of a grassland and a cow,"

"But where's the cow and the grass?

I want an explanation right now."

"Oh! Your Majesty, they were here

But the cow ate up the grass"

"So where's he? The cow I mean."

"I think he just left. Alas!"

"When he ate up all the grass

So what will he do here now,

Maybe that's why he left the field

And now you can't see the cow."

Akbar's anger vanished to hear

The explanation that he got,

And the painting was accepted

While the others laughed a lot.

So that's how 'The Clever Birbal'

Proved himself the smartest of all,

And with his great skills, he won

The hearts of the crowd in the hall.

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Poet's Note