No one quite knew how Gopal, the son of a barber from a small village, became Maharaja Krishna Chandra???s jester. Was it his wit???rumoured to be impossibly sharp? Or was it his infectious chuckle that could move the dourest soul? Whatever it was, Gopal Bhand was clearly a favourite at the court. He delighted and infuriated the king by turns, but in the end, the clever humour of this plump, benign jester carried the day, often to the jealous disgust of the king???s less favoured courtiers. But Gopal Bhand was no fool. His merry mischief was driven by a sharp intelligence and a deep understanding of human foibles. This collection of stories contains all the wit and wisdom that make the stories of Gopal Bhand so widely read and well loved.