Once a renowned Pundit, who was well versed in many languages, visited Akbar's court. He challenged everybody in the court to guess his mother tongue, and if anyone could guess it right, he would leave; otherwise, the king would have to give him a box full of gold and jewels. The courtiers started guessing, but no one succeeded. At the end, Birbal spoke and said to the pundit, "Pundit ji, you must be tired. Please be our guest for the night and take rest. Tomorrow morning in the court, we will tell your mother tongue." The pundit accepted the offer happily and was sure he would leave the kingdom with the prize. During the night, when the pundit was fast asleep, Birbal sneaked into his room. Very softly, he went near him and started tickling his ear with dry grass. The pundit brushed off the grass with his hand. Birbal repeated this a few times. Finally, the pundit woke up, Birbal hid behind the bed, and the pundit shouted loudly, "Kē āmākē birakta karachē!" (Who is troubling me?) He couldn't see anyone, so he went back to sleep. Birbal quietly went out of the room. The next morning, the overconfident pundit was waiting for his prize when Birbal came forward and said, "Jahan panna, with your permission, can I tell the mother tongue of this learned man?" Akbar was also very curious and was waiting for the answer. Birbal looked at the pundit and said, "Pundit ji, we guessed your mother tongue as Bengali yesterday, but you declined the claim. You lied to us. Bengali is your mother tongue." The pundit was ashamed and heartbroken, walking out of the court without even a penny. Akbar inquired how Birbal found the truth. Birbal spoke words of wisdom, "Jahan Pannah, a man in distress, will always speak/do what is there in his subconscious mind."