Dark Skinned Birbal

Birbal kept himself a low profile and answered falteringly,

"Yes.. Yes. I do my beloved lord."

"How is it that a wise person like you have a dark skin?" Quipped Akbar.

Birbal at first felt himself embarrassed. He also knew that Akbar in his vanity was not at all on the line of having any sort of verbal duel.

However, Birbal was to answer, lest that would annoy his master's ego. He had to make reply.

"Your highness! When god distributed qualities of men at birth, he asked all of us to choose fair complexion or dark complexion.

'But wait," said God,

'If you choose fair, you will be ignorant. If black, you will be witty.'

So I can't but choose the second option."

He ended his answer, and Akbar praised the way Birbal indirectly commented on the vanity of colour men have to them. After all, humility is the badge of wisdom in great people.