Works of R. Tagore
  Gitanjali
  Sadhana

 Major Works
  Kautilya's Arthashastra
  Vatsayana Kama Sutra

 Stories of India
  Tales of Panchatantra
  Indian Fairy Tales
  Stories of Birbal
  Stories of Tenali Rama
  Vikram Betal Stories
  Arabian Nights
  Alladin & Wonder Lamp
  Voyages of Sindbad

 Telugu Literature
  Ramayanam - Telugu
  Mahabharata - Telugu
  Telugu Novels (online)
  Telugu Stories (PDF)
  Moral Stories (PDF)
  Telugu Magazines

 Tamil Literature
  Tirukkural(english-tamil)



 
Stories of Birbal
Red Hot Test

<< Go back to the index of Birbal Stories

One day, one man wanted to punish a man named Hasan. He accused him of stealing his necklace, and reported this theft in the police. The case was brought in the Judge's court. Judge knew Hasan very well, and he also knew that he was not a thief.

So he asked the man, "Why do you think that Hasan has stolen your necklace?" The man replied, "Your Honor, I have seen him stealing the necklace." Hasan said, "I am innocent, Your Honor. I do not know anything about his necklace."

The man then said, "All right, if he is innocent, let him prove his innocence. let me bring the hot iron, and if he can hold it in his bare hands, then I will agree that he has not stolen my necklace, and he is speaking truth."

The man said, "It means that if I am speaking the truth, then I will not burn my hands with that red hot iron?"  "Yes, you are right. God will protect you."

Now Hasan could not do anything but to hold red hot iron in his hands to prove his innocence, and that he was speaking the truth. He asked judge to give him one day to look for that necklace again. The judge gave him permission. He went home.

He took advice from Birbal. He returned next day he came back and said, "I am ready for that, Sir, if you think so. But the same thing should apply to him too. If he is speaking the truth, then the red hot iron should not burn his hands also. So let him bring that red hot iron holding in his both hands, then I will hold that iron in my bare hands."

Now the man was speechless. He told the Judge that he would go and search his necklace again in his house, maybe it was misplaced somewhere there, bowed hastily and went away.

 

<< Go back to the index of Birbal Stories

home      contact us