Dear Kids,
There's an old saying / sloka in Sanskrit which (approximately) means:
- Always speak the truth; Always speak pleasingly;
- Never speak displeasingly, even if you were to speak the truth!
(I vaguely remember the couplet as "Satyam Bruyaat, Priam Bruyaat, Na Bruyaat, Satyam Apriyam" - Check with your parents who know Sanskrit to get the exact quote)
How true! Read this short Birbal story to know how valuable the above advice is!
Once Akbar had a dream that his all teeth have fallen down except one. In the morning he invited all the astrologers and asked them to interpret this dream. All the astrologers sat to interpret that dream. At last they all reached on this conclusion that it meant that - all of his relatives will die before him. So they said to Akbar.
Hearing this Akbar felt very bad and got concerned about his relatives. He sent all the astrologers away without giving anything. He got restless. The whole day passed, but he could not find rest in his mind. In the evening Birbal came. Akbar told his dream to Birbal too and asked him to interpret it.
Birbal thought for a minute and said, "This means Huzoor, that you will live very long and much fufiled life than any of your relatives." Hearing this Akbar got very pleased and he rewarded him heavily.
Happy reading!
Uncle N
