The Magical Sticks

Image generated using ChatGPT 4o from the prompt: image of an older, clean-shaven Birbal holding a bunch of tiny sticks, surrounded by servants in a merchant's house.

A wealthy merchant told Beerbal that a thief had stolen all his possessions. The merchant suspected one of his servants and invited Beerbal to his house. The latter visited the merchant's house the following day. Beerbal summoned all the servants and gave each a stick of the same length. 

"These are magical sticks, and they will help us nab the thief," he said. "The culprit’s stick will grow by two inches overnight. Meet me tomorrow morning with your stick."

Beerbal arrived at the merchant's house the next day to collect and inspect the sticks. One of the sticks was two inches shorter than the others.

Beerbal immediately realized that the thief was the owner of the shorter stick. Fearing that his stick would grow by two inches during the night, the thief foolishly cut his stick shorter by two inches. In reality, the sticks weren't magical at all.