Sun And Shade

It was one of those days when Emperor Akbar was in a bad mood. Birbal tried to cheer him with amusing asides and light banter. But the Emperor sulked.  "A sulk doesn't go well with you, Shah-en-Shah!" Birbal remarked.
"Who are you to tell me what suits me? Remember, I'm the Badshah. I do what I like. Nobody tells me when to laugh and when to sulk," the Emperor scowled.  "Keep scowling, Alampana, and you will end up with a sour face," Birbal replied.

"How dare you call me Sour Face?" "I didn't call you by that name, Shah-en-Shah! I would never dare to do so, even though I'm afraid if you don't get out of the sulk quickly, your face will gain a sour look. The longer you sulk, the more likely you'll end up as a Sour Face," Birbal would not let go of his logic, though he chose to be polite and courteous.  "Get out, this minute. I've seen the last of you; and you, of me," Akbar exploded angrily.  "Shah-en-Shah," Birbal tried to say something, but the frosty look that the Emperor gave him was enough to send him scurrying out of the royal court.  "The vermin! The rat! The upstart! Good riddance!  Who wants a courtier who has the audacity to say that I should not sulk? Can't I sulk when I feel like sulking?  Who does he think he is to tell me what to do and what not to do? I am glad to get rid of him," the Emperor stamped his foot angrily on the carpeted floor and continued to sulk.

None could get him out of it. Not even the Begum.  It took the Emperor a whole day to get out of the sulk.

Next day, the Emperor arrived at the court. The courtiers were already there. But Birbal was missing.  "Where's Birbal?" the Emperor asked.  "He sent word, Shah-en-Shah, that he was leaving for an unknown destination. He said he would keep away from the Royal Court. He added that he would never dare disobey the orders of the Emperor," said a courtier.  "My orders?" the Emperor was taken aback.  "Yes, Shah-en-Shah. He said you had ordered him out of your presence. You had forbidden him from appearing before you ever, told him not to show his face at the palace, again," said one of the courtiers.  "Ah ha," the Emperor remembered the argument he had with Birbal the previous day. He regretted his words.  It was true that he was furious when Birbal told him not to sulk. Birbal had exceeded the limits when he had added that the Emperor would end up with a sour face if he did not stop sulking. In anger, he had ordered Birbal out of his presence, told him never again to show his face at the Court. He had not expected Birbal to take his words seriously.

Often the unexpected happened. This time, it did.  Birbal had gone away. He had not told anyone where he was headed for. He had not left any address where he could be contacted. He had vanished without a trace.  The Emperor missed Birbal very much. The Court seemed dull and boring without Birbal. The Emperor ordered a search for Birbal. Officials spread out to all parts of the empire to track down Birbal. But their efforts were in vain.

Days passed. But there was no news of Birbal or his whereabouts.

The Emperor fretted and fumed. He shouted at the chief of the police force. He screamed at the courtiers.  He became morose. He sulked most of the time. Even the Begum or the princes could not make him laugh.  Everyone knew the reason for the Emperor's bad mood. If only Birbal could be located and brought back to the Royal Court! If only!