. St. Nicholas [serial]. igh word, that none might gainsay,was life and death over millions, ever he soughtthe welfare of those whom he ruled, still mind-ful that while the land is the kings, the peopleare Gods. Though of the proud blood of theMoguls, that nation of conquerors, and born inthe faith of Mahomet which brooks no rival, hewelcomed men of all races and all creeds, eventhose from oversea, giving equal justice and tol-erance to all, greatly to the scandal of the bigotsof his court. Thus it was that while he cherished the friend-ship and valued the counsel of those wise broth-ers, Abuf
. St. Nicholas [serial]. igh word, that none might gainsay,was life and death over millions, ever he soughtthe welfare of those whom he ruled, still mind-ful that while the land is the kings, the peopleare Gods. Though of the proud blood of theMoguls, that nation of conquerors, and born inthe faith of Mahomet which brooks no rival, hewelcomed men of all races and all creeds, eventhose from oversea, giving equal justice and tol-erance to all, greatly to the scandal of the bigotsof his court. Thus it was that while he cherished the friend-ship and valued the counsel of those wise broth-ers, Abufazl and Faizi, who were of his ownpeople and faith, yet did he love above all othersone of an alien and conquered race —Rajah Bir-bal the Brahman, wit, poet and scholar, clear ofbrain to solve hard doubts and merry of tongueto lighten heavy hours. Now the great Mogul lords were vexed thattheir emperor showed favor to a Hindu and aBrahman, and oft did they scheme to bring thegood rajah into disgrace, subtly hinting hard. questions and heavy tasks by which he might betested; and such questions and tasks did Akbar,in pure sport, often put upon his friend, whoseready wit never failed to win him greater honor. Thus did the Rajah Birbal live safe among hisenemies, like the tongue among the thirty-twoteeth, turning malice into jest, drawing wisdomfrom folly, and honor out of hate; and his deedsand his sayings are to this day ever in the mouthsof his people of Ind. HOW BIRBAL CAME TO COURT Hardly was the Emperor Akbar, by dint of keenswords and soft words, firmly seated upon thethrone than there came to the royal city of Agrahe that is now famed as the Rajah Birbal; butat that time was he known as Mahesh Da, andsmall fame and less wealth was his, for he wasbut a wandering minstrel from the North, withnaught but a lively wit and clever tongue betweenhimself and want. Truly he was poor as thoughhe carried a begging bowl and there were seventyholes therein. As was the wont of his caste,
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Keywords: ., bookauthordodgemar, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1870, bookyear1873
