The Clever Painter

One day, Emperor Akbar challenged Birbal to prove his cleverness through art. Smiling, Birbal accepted and promised to create a painting more valuable than gold. He took a blank canvas and painted a simple image of a tree. Beneath it, he attached a note: "Whoever can make this tree grow without touching it will own this masterpiece." When Akbar saw the painting, he laughed, remarking that the task was impossible. Birbal, however, explained that the value lay in the mystery and challenge itself. Sometimes, he said, the real worth isn’t in what’s visible, but in the curiosity and intrigue it inspires. Akbar, impressed by Birbal’s creativity, acknowledged the cleverness behind his “priceless” artwork.

Summary : Birbal painted a simple tree and added a note stating the tree's owner would be whoever could make it grow without touching it. He explained that the challenge, not the image, made it priceless.