A King's Tricky Question
Emperor Akbar sat on his big, comfy throne. He had a sparkly crown and a long, curly mustache. Birbal, his cleverest friend, stood nearby. \"Birbal,\" said Akbar, \"tell me, how many crows live in our whole kingdom?\" Birbal blinked his eyes, but a tiny smile played on his lips. He didn't even look out the window. \"Your Majesty,\" he said right away, \"there are exactly twenty-one thousand, five hundred and fifty-four crows!\" Akbar's eyes grew wide. How could Birbal know so fast without counting?
The Emperor's Challenge
\"Twenty-one thousand, five hundred and fifty-four?\" Akbar boomed, his mustache wiggling. \"That's a very exact number, Birbal! But how can you be so sure? Did you count every single 'caw-caw' crow?" Birbal chuckled quietly. \"No, Your Majesty, I did not count them one by one. But this number is very true!\" Akbar raised an eyebrow, a playful glint in his eye. He didn't quite believe Birbal's speedy answer. He wanted to see how Birbal would prove it.
Birbal's Clever Idea
\"Your Majesty,\" Birbal began, \"if you do not believe my count, we can check!\" He clapped his hands together with a soft *thwack*. \"Send your royal guards out into the kingdom. Tell them to count all the crows they see!\" Akbar stroked his beard, thinking. That would be a lot of counting and a lot of guards! But Birbal looked so sure. What if he was right? It was a very big number.
A Smart Backup Plan
\"And what if the guards count more crows than your number, Birbal?\" Akbar asked with a twinkle. \"Or what if they count fewer?\" Birbal's smile grew wider. \"Ah, Your Majesty, that is the best part!\" he said. \"If there are more crows, it means some of our feathered friends are visiting from other kingdoms. They came to see our wonderful land!\" He paused, letting Akbar think.
The Perfect Answer
