One day, Akbar and Birbal were taking a stroll in the garden. Birbal was narrating a funny story and Akbar was enjoying it. All of a sudden Akbar found a piece of bamboo lying on the ground. He got an idea to tease Birbal. Showing the piece of bamboo to Birbal he aksed, “Can you make this stick shorter without chopping it?”
Birbal looked into Akbar’s eyes. Akbar smiled mischievously. Birbal understood that Akbar was in a testing mood for some fun. An odd question should have an equally odd answer. Birbal looked around. He saw a gardener walking around with a long bamboo stick in his hand.
When the gardener came near, Birbal took the stick from him and held it in his right hand. In his left hand he took the other stick. “See,” said Birbal to the Emperor. “Your stick now looks shorter ! I have not chopped it, yet it  became shorter.”
Akbar was pleased to hear the witty comparison and patted Birbal.