The Brahmin’s Wife

There lived a short-tempered Brahmin in Akbar’s kingdom. One day, he found a strand of hair in his food and shouted at his wife, “This should never happen again, or I shall punish you!” After a week, the Brahmin found a strand of hair in his food. “Enough! Your hair shall be shaved today!” he said, and rushed to bring home a barber. The Brahmin’s wife and her brother went to Birbal for help. Birbal said, “Arrange for some wood.” Then he whispered in the brother’s ear. They went to the Brahmin’s house and began making a pyre. Just then, the Brahmin arrived with the barber. The brother caught hold of the Brahmin and laid him on the pyre. The Brahmin screamed, “I am not a dead body!” Birbal said, “According to Hindu custom, the wife’s hair can be shaved only after her husband has died.” The Brahmin cried, “I’m sorry! I shall control my anger.”