The Trees Testimony

King Akbar walks on the ways of his kingdom with few fellows. He notices too many crows on the way and says that the number of crows has increased a lot in the kingdom. One man talking with him agrees with the king, and adds that they add to much noise also.

King says that the number of crows in the kingdom is impossible to find out. Birbal responds that nothing is impossible. Akbar asks him that if that was possible could he tell him the number of crows in the kingdom. Birbal agrees and asks for few days for the same.

As always Kind Akbar agrees and says that he will be keenly waiting for his answer.

A man knocks on the door of Birbals home and asks if he could talk with king Birbal. He apologies for taking the valuable time of him, to which Birbal responds with politeness and asks him, how he can he helpful to the man.

The man says that he is a poor peasant and would be ruined, if he does not get help from him. Birbal assures him, and asks him to tell is tale. The peasant says that he used to save the money that cold be helpful in his old age and used to hide it in a vessel, which he use to bury, beneath a tree in his house compound.

The peasant continues his story that three months ago he decided to go on pilgrimage and decided to out his savings with his friend Kishorilal. 'Kishorilal is wealthy man'' he continued, 'but a vey good friend of mine, thinking this I reached his home.

On reaching he tells his friend that he had decided to go to pilgrimage and decided to meet him. The friend encourages him and asks him to remember him at the holy places. The poor man says he will, and asks him if he would take care of his savings, till he returned from the pilgrimage. Kishorilal, the wealthy man accepts it. The peasant leaves with gratitude.

The peasant completes his pilgrimage and returns to village. He goes to Kishorilal's home, the next day in hope to recover his hard earned savings. He gives prasad to him, the wealthy man accepts it and says that since he was busy with work, the peasant should leave and not disturb him. The poor peasant replies meekly that he also had come to get back his hard earned, life long savings.

The wealthy man responds with harsh coolness, what savings and further asks the peasant if he was in his senses. The poor man meekly tells that it is hard earned savings,that took his life time. The wealthy man responds with anger that did he not had enough wealth that he would asks for money from a poor peasant? And drives him away with anger.The poor man leaves with his head bend down.

He spent a night in agony, thinking of recovering the lost money, and thought of meeting Birbal on this subject came to his mind, and thus he was here. Birbal, thinks for a moment and asks him if there was any witness of giving the money to Kishorilal. The peasant denies, and continues that, when he was giving the money to him there was none present there. Birbal asks him not to panic with respect. He continues that if had given money to Kishorilal he will surely get the money, and tells him to be present at the kings court, next day along with Kishorilal.

The man leaves with gratitude.

In the king's court, Birbal tells Akbar, that a man wanted justice, he had visited him at is home the previous day, and if the king agrees he would like to present his case. The king agrees, both the kishorilal and Nekiram the peasant are called in the court, where they bow to the king.

The king asks who the complainer was, Nekiram, the poor peasant presents his case to the king. The king asks the accused if that was true. The man denies the charges saying that his good behavior with the peasant was his mistake and due to that he consider himself as his friend and now wants to dishonor him. He did not have anything to do with such a poor man.

The king turns to Birbal, He tells that Nekiram will have to get a witness, Nekiram is scared at this and said there was none. Birbal continues that there must be someone present when he gave money, a child, plants, trees. He orders Nekiram to go and not to return without a witness.

The scared Nekiram tries to tell something to the king, to which the king does not allow him to speak and tells him to leave the court and not to return without something or someone, who could prove that he was true.

Nekiram leaves disheartened, and Kishorilal feels happiness on sensing his victory.

The king asks about the number of crows in the kingdom, which Birbal was suppose to answer. He responds that according to him there were ten thousand nine hundred and five crows in the kingdom, to the amazement of everyone present in the court.

The king asks him if he was sure, and what, if he was wrong. Birbal says that he was sure, and if there were more or less than that number, it would be because either crows from neighboring kingdom are visiting this kingdom or the crows of the kingdom are visiting the neighboring kingdom.

The king congratulates him at the witty answer.

Than Birbal wonders why Nekiram was taking so long to bring anything or anyone as witness. Kishorilal mocks that Nekiram would be finding it difficult to bring the huge peepal tree in the court. Birbal instantly asks the king to penalize Kishorilal. He said how come Kishorilal tell about the peepal tree, surely he must have taken the money neat the peepal tree, that made him respond in such manner.