Marytale
The Crow Count
- 2-3 min read
- 13 pages
- 6+
The crow count, an Akbar and Birbal story to read aloud. How many crows are there in the city? Birbal gives an exact number.
Akbar and Birbal were walking in the palace garden when a great many crows went over, and the emperor watched them and had an idea.
«Birbal,» he said, «how many crows are there in this city?»
It is the sort of question that cannot be answered. There are too many crows, they do not stay still, and half of them are on roofs you cannot see. The court behind them went quiet, waiting for Birbal to say that he did not know.
He did not say that. He looked up at the birds going over for about as long as it takes to count to five.
«Ninety-five thousand, four hundred and sixty-three,» said Birbal.
Akbar turned round. «And if I have them counted and there are more?»
«Then the extra ones are visiting,» said Birbal. «Relatives from the next city. Crows do visit.»
Text source: Traditional Indian folk tale about the Mughal emperor Akbar (1542–1605) and his minister Birbal. Public domain. The text was written anew for Marytale — it is not a reprint of anyone else's version.
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