Once, Akbar and Birbal happened to pass through some cabbage fields while riding on their horses. Looking at the cabbages, Akbar said to Birbal, “What a delicious vegetable the cabbage is! I like it very much.” Birbal immediately seconded Akbar’s opinion and said, “Huzoor, You have a royal taste in vegetables as well. The cabbage is the king of the vegetables. It ideally befits your status.”
Some days later, they rode past the same cabbage fields again. This time Akbar frowned at the very sight of the cabbages and said, “This cabbage is such a tasteless vegetable! I wonder how people swallow it down their throats.” Birbal replied, “I agree with you Huzoor, It is indeed difficult to even look at such a tasteless vegetable.”
Just then, Akbar remembered that the last time they had been there, Birbal was all praise for the vegetable and now he had totally changed his opinion. He asked Birbal, “Birbal, I don’t understand. Last time when we came here, you said that the cabbage was a royal vegetable, and today you are saying that it is even difficult to look at such a tasteless vegetable. What do you mean by that?”
Birbal bowed his head and said, “Huzoor, it means that I am your servant, and not of the cabbage.”