The Rain in the Pot

One dry afternoon, Emperor Akbar placed an empty clay pot in the middle of the royal garden. The sky was clear, and the air was hot. He turned to his courtiers and said, “Let’s see who among you can fill this pot with rain by tomorrow.”

The courtiers, confused but eager to impress, tried everything.

Some danced and chanted ancient rain songs.
Others brought priests to perform rituals.
One even shouted commands at the sky, demanding clouds to form.

Yet, by nightfall, the pot remained dry and the skies, cloudless.

Birbal, however, did nothing. He simply placed his own empty pot beside Akbar’s and sat quietly, watching the horizon.

The next morning, as dawn broke, the skies turned grey and gentle rain began to fall. The once-empty pots began to fill.

Akbar smiled and asked, “Birbal, why did you do nothing while others worked so hard?”

Birbal replied calmly, “Jahanpanah, I knew no spell could summon the rain before its time. Nature listens to patience, not pressure. Some things are not moved by effort, but by trust in their timing.”

Akbar nodded in agreement, “Indeed, wisdom often waits where noise rushes.”

Moral: Patience achieves what force cannot some things bloom only in their season.