The Riddle

One fine day Emperor Akbar was strolling in the royal garden. He was feeling very contented. Just them, Birbal reached the spot. Emperor Akbar wanted to test Birbal's intelligence. He asked him to solve a riddle. He said, "There are two lids. In between those, there are many watermelons. What finishes on its own just the way wax melts down on getting heated ? Birbal thought for a long time. But he could not find the answer. He said, "Please give me some time. I will definitely give you the answer to this riddle as soon as possible." The Emperor agreed.

Birbal knew of a farmer who was an expert in solving riddles. He lived on the outskirts of the city. Birbal went to the house of the farmer, but he was not in his house at that time. His daughter was cooking food.

Birbal asked the girl, "What are you doing ?"

The girl replied, "I'm burning the mother and cooking the daughter."

Birbal again asked, "Where is your father ?"

"He has gone to mix soil in the soil," replied the girl without moving her head, but with a smile on her face.

Birbal, however couldn't understand what the girl said. But he thought that if this girl was clever, the farmer must be cleverer. So he waited for him.

After a while the farmer returned. when saw Birbal in this cottage, he welcomed him. Birbal then, asked him about the answers given by his daughter replied that she was burning the mother and cooking the daughter. She meant she was cooking ' arhar dal ' on the flames of arhar wood. The answer to the second question was that I had gone to mix soil with soil. Actually, I had gone to the cemetery to attend the last rites to my dead friend.

Birbal was stunned at the cleverness of the farmer daughter. he stared at the little girl. He thought that the girl was a rare one of the her kind. He said to the farmer, "I have come to ask you for help. Will you solve one riddle for me ?" "Yes, sure ! What is the riddle ?" replied the farmer. Birbal told him the riddle the emperor had asked him to solve.