Emperor Akbar was in the habit of putting riddles and puzzles to his courtiers. He often asked questions which were strange and witty. It took much wisdom to answer these questions.
Once he asked a very strange question. The courtierswere dumb folded by his question.
Akbar glanced at his courtiers. As he looked, one by one the heads began to hang low in search of an answer. It was at this moment that Birbal entered the courtyard. Birbal who knew the nature of the emperor quickly grasped the situation and asked, "May I know the question so that I can try for an answer. "
Akbar said, "How many crows are there in this city?"
Without even a moment's thought, Birbal replied "There are fifty thousand five hundred and eighty nine crows, my lord".
"How can you be so sure?" asked Akbar.
Birbal said, "Make your men count, my lord. If you find more crows it means some have come to visit their relatives here. If you find less number of crows it means some have gone to visit their relatives elsewhere".
Akbar was pleased very much by Birbal's wit.
MORAL : A witty answer will serve its purpose.
【关键词】
1. puzzle (n.) 难题
2. courtier (n.) 朝臣
3. witty (adj.) 机智的
4. wisdom (n.) 智慧
5. glanced at (phrase) 瞥
6. grasp (vt.) 抓住
7. crow (n.) 乌鸦
8. relatives (n.) 亲戚
[9. moral (n.) 寓意
10. purpose (n.) 目的；用途
【译文】多与少
皇帝阿克巴习惯于为其朝臣出谜语和难题。他常常问一些奇怪而又机智的问题。回答这些问题十分伤脑筋。
有一次他问了一个非常奇怪的问题。朝臣们被这个问题折腾懵了，无言以对。
阿克巴瞥了一眼他的朝臣。他发现，他们一个个地低着头在苦思冥想，寻找答案。就在这时，伯巴尔进入庭院。他了解皇帝的天性，伯巴尔很快就抓住机遇问道：“我想知道这个问题，也想尝试回答一下。”
阿克巴说：“这个城市有多少只乌鸦？”
伯巴尔不假思索地回答说：“皇上，有五万五百八十九只乌鸦。”
“你怎么这么肯定？”阿克巴问道。
伯巴尔说：“让您的手下数数，皇上。如果你发现乌鸦多了，那就是说，有些乌鸦来这里走亲戚了。如果你发现乌鸦少了，那就是说，有些乌鸦出门到别的地方走亲戚去了。”
伯巴尔的机智惹得阿克巴很开心。
寓意：一个机智的应答总是左右逢源。
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