Birbal Stories - Mullaa uses his head

One time it happened so that the Mullaa Nasruddin displeasured the Sultan, so the Sultan asked one of his men to slay him and bring him his head.

The Mullaa was very upset with this. He went to Birbal and asked him how to save himself. Birbal said, "It is a difficult situation but let me try. Rest is your luck." And he told him how to act.

The Mullaa, however, could persuade the man to take him alive to the court. Sultan was very furious seeing Mullaa alive in his court. He asked the soldier, "Didn't I tell you to bring Mullaa's head to the Court, not the Mullaa himself?"   The Mullaa Nasruddin said politely, "It is not his fault, Huzoor. I asked him to do so. You know whenever you want anything done; I don't trust anybody else lest it is badly done. So I thought let me do it myself. So I decided to bring my head myself on my shoulder. My head is here, Huzoor."

Akbar was very pleased with this defense that he allowed Mullaa to keep his head on his shoulder.