The Broken Window Mystery

One bright morning in the Mughal palace, Emperor Akbar was strolling through the corridors when he noticed something unusual one of the large, ornate glass windows was shattered.

Alarmed, he summoned the guards. “Who broke this window?” he demanded. But the guards all denied any knowledge. No one had seen or heard anything suspicious.

Frustrated, Akbar turned to his most trusted advisor. “Birbal,” he said, “once again, I need your wisdom. Find out who did this.”

Birbal bowed and began his quiet investigation. He examined the broken window and noticed it was at ground level just the right height for a ball to strike. Without saying a word, he placed a large mirror next to the broken window, positioning it so it would catch the attention of anyone who passed by.

The next day, Birbal returned to find the mirror shattered as well.

He smiled slightly, his suspicion confirmed.

That afternoon, he asked all the palace children to gather in the courtyard. Without accusing anyone, he arranged for them to walk past another mirror whole and clear.

As the children passed, one little boy nervously looked away and quickened his pace. Birbal gently called out, “Why do you avoid your reflection, child?”

The boy froze. Tears welled up in his eyes.

“I… I was playing with my ball,” he whispered, “and it hit the window. I didn’t mean to… I was scared.”

Birbal placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “You’ve done wrong, but honesty redeems you.”

Emperor Akbar, who had witnessed it all, nodded with admiration. “Brilliant, Birbal. Once again, you’ve shown that truth can be revealed not by force, but by wisdom.”

Moral: A guilty conscience reflects itself even when words do not.