Skip to content
fluentbyear
🇮🇳 Hindi · Fluency Level 2

PART 1 · LESSON 5 OF 30 · 30 MINUTES

How Many Crows in Delhi

Saturday at the club, a Birbal tale: keep the end for the end, Akbar asks Birbal how many crows there are in Delhi, Birbal says without looking up ninety-five thousand four hundred and sixty-three, and if more turn up, suddenly the whole garden is quiet, then crows from other towns have come to visit relatives, and in the end, Akbar laughed and it turned out the question was the joke, a hundred of the goldsmith's, one of the blacksmith's.

Audio instruction: English

Report a problem with this lesson

This lesson needs a subscription.

The first 2 lessons of each level are free. One subscription unlocks every other lesson, in the app and on the website.

See the plans

Already subscribed? Sign in. Or listen to lesson 1 for free.

THE STORY

Upstairs at the bookshop-cafe in Hauz Khas Village, Saturday at six, Noah telling a tale of Akbar and Birbal, the folk pair of a thousand Indian stories; Kavita ji says the familiar you to Noah, and he says the polite you to her and to Verma ji.

Flashcards

The words and phrases of this lesson, one card each. Best after you’ve listened.

Create your account.

Create a free account and confirm your email to keep the cards you like and the decks you make.

Already have an account? Sign in

Words and phrases

The lesson is for your ears. Open this afterwards, to see what you learned.
आज बीरबल की कहानी. अंत को अंत के लिए रखो.aaj beer-bal kee ka-haa-nee. ant ko ant ke li-ye ra-kho.Tonight a Birbal tale. Keep the end for the end.
अकबर बीरबल से पूछता है, दिल्ली में कितने कौए हैं?ak-bar beer-bal se poochh-taa hai, dil-lee men kit-ne kau-e hain?Akbar asks Birbal: how many crows are there in Delhi?
बीरबल कहता है, पचानवे हज़ार चार सौ तिरसठ.beer-bal keh-taa hai, pa-chaan-ve ha-zaar chaar sau tir-sath.Birbal says: ninety-five thousand four hundred and sixty-three.
और अगर ज़्यादा निकले? अचानक पूरा बाग चुप.aur a-gar zyaa-daa ni-ka-le? a-chaa-nak poo-raa baag chup.And if more turn up? Suddenly the whole garden is quiet.
तो दूसरे शहरों के कौए मिलने आए हैं.to doos-re sha-ha-ron ke kau-e mil-ne aa-e hain.Then crows from other towns have come visiting.
और अंत में?aur ant men?And in the end?
पता चला किpa-taa cha-laa kiit turned out that
अंत में अकबर हँसा. पता चला कि सवाल ही मज़ाक था.ant men ak-bar han-saa. pa-taa cha-laa ki sa-vaal hee ma-zaak thaa.In the end Akbar laughed. It turned out the question was the joke.
सौ सुनार की, एक लोहार की. एक जवाब, और दरबार खत्म.sau su-naar kee, ek lo-haar kee. ek ja-vaab, aur dar-baar khatm.A hundred of the goldsmith's, one of the blacksmith's. One answer, and the court was done.