Gopal accepted a king's challenge to bring a Hilsa fish to the court without mentioning the fish. Gopal disguised himself by becoming half-shaven, smearing ash on his face, and wearing torn clothes so that everyone who saw him was distracted, talking about his unusual appearance instead of the fish. When guards stopped him, Gopal started singing and dancing to divert their attention further. Through his clever disguise and antics, Gopal succeeded in bringing the Hilsa fish to the court without directly speaking of it.