The Crow Count
- 2 minute read
- Ages 6-10
- Moral Stories
Akbar and Birbal were walking in the palace gardens when a flock of crows went over.
Akbar watched them and, for no particular reason except that he liked setting Birbal impossible things, asked a question.
"How many crows are there in my kingdom?"
The whole court behind them went quiet, because this was clearly the day Birbal would finally have to say he did not know.
Birbal did not even pause.
"Ninety-five thousand four hundred and sixty-three, Your Majesty."
Checking
Akbar turned round.
"You cannot possibly know that."
"Have them counted."
"And if there are more than that number?"
"Then some crows have come to visit relatives from the neighbouring kingdoms," said Birbal. "That happens a great deal in this season and cannot be helped."
"And if there are fewer?"
"Then some of ours have gone to visit relatives elsewhere," said Birbal. "They will come back."
Akbar opened his mouth and then closed it again.
He thought about it for the rest of the walk, and could not find a way through it, and eventually started laughing and gave up.
Moral of the story
Birbal's answer cannot be proved and cannot be disproved, which is exactly what he built it to be. Some questions do not deserve a real answer.
Questions and answers
- What did Akbar ask Birbal?
How many crows there were in his entire kingdom.
- Why did the court go quiet?
They assumed the question was impossible and that Birbal would finally have to admit he did not know.
- What number did Birbal give?
Ninety-five thousand four hundred and sixty-three.
- What did he say if a count found more crows?
That visiting crows had come from neighbouring kingdoms.
- Why could Akbar not defeat the answer?
Birbal had provided an explanation for every possible result, so no count could prove him wrong.
Word meanings
- flock
- A group of birds flying together.
- kingdom
- The land ruled by a king.
- relatives
- Members of your family.
- disproved
- Shown to be false.
Questions about The Crow Count
What is the moral of The Crow Count?
That an unanswerable question deserves an unfalsifiable answer. Birbal treats a joke as a joke rather than pretending it deserves serious effort.
Is Birbal lying?
Not exactly. He makes a claim that cannot be tested, which is a different thing, and Akbar recognises it immediately, which is why he laughs.
Why is this story so popular?
It is one of the shortest Akbar and Birbal tales and the twist is easy for young children to understand and repeat.
Can this idea be discussed with older children?
Yes. It is a very approachable way into talking about claims that are built so that no evidence could ever contradict them.