The Old Woman on the Moon

Mona was a young girl who lived in Mumbai. One night she saw the lull moon rise, climbing slowly across the sky. The moonlight was flooding her father’s corn fields. It was so very beautiful that she praised God for all the wonderful things around her.

For her the moon seemed to be at a far distance. She looked at the moon and felt that somebody was sitting in it under the shadow of a tree. She had heard, “There was an Old Woman who lived there. How lonely she must be,” Mona thought for a while. She felt so sad to think of her.

Suddenly a moonbeam danced right into her room and bowed low and said, “The old woman on the Moon has read your thoughts and invites you for a visit. Won't you come with me? I shall bring you back in a few days.”

Mona's parents were away on a visit and only the old servant was in the house. She joyfully accepted the invitation and said, "But how shall I get there? The moon is miles away."

"I shall take you there. All you do is to touch this magic moon rays and sit on my buck and by sunrise tomorrow we shall be to the moon.’’

Quickly Mona touched the magic rays and away she flew with the dancing. They crossed oceans and continents and Mona who knew her geography saw the outline of the world lade away. Higher and higher he moonbeam ascended. Stars and planets swirled past. She was so excited that she urged the moonbeam to fly faster and faster.

It was dark and the outline of the moon was clearly visible. The light grow brighter and brighter and Mona was almost blind by the shining glow. She could see deep valleys and craters and high mountains. She knew that no humans lived on the moon because there was no air and no living things grew there. She wondered how she would breathe and how the old woman lived. Doubtless, she had some magic powers. She knew that the glorious Sun reflected its light on the moon.

At last they reached the summit of a mountain and the exhausted moonbeam circled low and gently landed at the entrance of a beautiful castle made out of moon-stones. Each gem glittered in every hue and the enchantment of the scene fascinated the girl.

A very old woman, her white flowing hair almost touching the ground, gently greeted the girl and bade her welcome. "You are the first human whom I have ever met. Are they all like you? I have watched the earth for millions of years. Tell me all you can about it. It. is so lonely for me here."

"But how do you live here without air and water?" asked Mona.

"My child, once you touch the magic moonstone, you need nothing. You can live here forever and not want anything."

Mona was a gentle and kind girl and had great compassion for the old woman. Every day she sat with the old woman and told her stories of life on earth. She described the snow-capped mountains, the wide oceans, the green valleys, the bright meadows, the various beasts and the songs of the birds and the laughter of the children. But she sadly concluded that the earth was not all bliss as there was so much discord between different countries and much despair in the hearts of men.

The old woman listened carefully and said that humans would soon reach the moon too. Already she had seen strange shapes circling the hills. "Of course, those are the space capsules. They are piloted by men called astronauts and I know that one is actually going to land on the moon very soon. They don't need to touch the magic moonstone to survive here. They have oxygen tanks and all sorts of scientific instruments to help them."

The next morning, Mona was exploring a crater, looking for pretty gems when she heard a strange whirr and was astonished to see an unfamiliar contraption land bumpily near her. She knew it was some kind of a space capsule and gazed at the young astronaut with wonder. He in turn was so astonished to see a pretty young girl hopping among the craters that he nearly dropped his instruments.

"Who are you and how did you land here?" asked the astronaut.

Mona laughed and told her story. "But don't you want to go back to earth? I can take you with me."

“Oh yes…I would like to return. But first I must say good-bye to the dear Old Woman on the Moon.' She will be so lonely without me."

She bade the old woman a fond farewell and flew back to the beautiful earth with all its life. The old servant shook Mona awake with a hard shake and said to her, "Wake up Mona, you have slept the whole day and now it is night again and the moon is shining bright. Come and have your food."

Mona at once got up from her sleep and she jumped out of bed. She went to the window and saw if the old woman was still there. But she saw nothing but deep shadows. She sighed and said, "Oh dear, I've only been dreaming!"

Later on, Mona participated in a competition of story writing in her school. Mona had written about her wonderful dream and narrated the story very nicely. The judges liked her imagination and also selected her for the first prize. Mona was very happy and she shared her joy with her parents. Mona's parents were also very happy at what their daughter achieved and encouraged her to write on many things. Soon Mona became a writer and wrote many good stories with facts for children.

The Old Woman on the Moon - The Old Woman on the Moon - The Old Woman on the Moon

MORAL : One should make use of one's hidden talents.

 

The Poor Farmer

There was a small village wherein several rich farmers were settled and only one poor man who was therefore called THE POOR FARMER. He had not even a goat, nor the money to buy any though he and his wife would have been extremely happy to have one. One day he said to her, "A good thought has just struck me. The carver can make us a lamb out of wood and paint it brown so that it will look like any other. In time perhaps it will grow big and become a goat". This proposal pleased his wife. And the carver was instructed accordingly and he cut out the lamb, painted it as it should be and so made it that its head was bent down is if eating.

The next morning the goats were driven out to pasture and the farmer called the shepherd and said, "See… I have here a little lamb. But it is so small that it must as yet be carried." The shepherd said, "Very well" and taking it under his arm, carried it down to the meadow and set it among the grass. All day the lamb stood there as if eating. The shepherd said to himself, "See how it is eating! It will soon grow big and go alone." In the evening when he wanted to drive his flocks home, he said to the lamb, "If you can stand there to eat all the time, you must also be able to walk upon your four legs and I shall not carry you home in my arms."

The poor farmer stood before his house door waiting for his lamb. The shepherd drove his herd through the village. The farmer asked him about the lamb. The shepherd replied, "It is still standing there eating. It is not listening to me". The farmer exclaimed, "Eh! What? I must have my lamb!" and so both of them went together down to the meadow. But someone had stolen the lamb and it was gone.

The shepherd said "Perhaps it has run away itself", but the farmer replied, "No, no, that won't do for me." The shepherd was dragged before the Mayor. He was sentenced for his negligence to give the poor farmer a goat in the place of the lost lamb.

Now the farmer and his wife possessed the long-desired goat and were very glad. But having no fodder they could give her nothing to eat. So, very soon they were obliged to kill her. The flesh they salted down and the skin the poor farmer took to the next town to sell and to buy a lamb with what he got for it.

On the way he passed a mill where a raven was sitting with a broken wing and out of compassion he took the bird up and wrapped it in the skin he was carrying. But the weather was very bad with a great storm and rain so he was unable to go further and turning into the mill, begged for shelter. The miller's wife was at home alone and said to the farmer, "Lie down on that straw" and gave him a piece of bread and cheese. The farmer ate it and lay down with the skin near him and the miller's wife thought he was asleep. Later, a man came and she received him very cordially. She gave him a grand feast and the farmer was vexed on having been treated only with bread and cheese.

The woman went inside the kitchen and brought well-fried chicken, rice and salad. As they were sitting down to eat, there was knock outside and the woman exclaimed, "Oh! Gracious! That is my husband!" In a great hurry she stuck the chicken in the oven, the salad under the pillow, the rice upon the bed, while her guest stepped into the cupboard where she kept the linen. After doing all this she let in her husband and said, "God be praised! You have returned again! What weather it is, as if the world is coming to an end!"

The miller noticed the man lying on the straw and asked what the fellow did there. His wife said, 'Ah, the poor fellow came in the wind and rain and begged for shelter so I gave him some bread and cheese and showed him the straw."

The husband said he had no objection and asked her to bring some food for him. The wild said, "I have nothing but bread and cheese" and her husband told her with that he should be contented and asked the farmer to come and share his meal. The farmer did not let himself be twice asked but got up and ate away. Presently the miller noticed the skin lying upon the ground in which was the raven and asked, "What have you there?"

The farmer replied, "I have a truth-teller therein". "

Can it tell me the truth too?" asked the miller.

"Why not?" said the other "but he will only say four things and the fifth he keeps to himself."

The miller was curious and wished to hear it speak and the farmer squeezed the raven's head so that it squeaked out.

The miller then asked, "What did he say?"

The farmer replied, "The first thing is under the pillow lies the salad".

"That is a rare thing!" said the miller and went and found the salad. The farmer made the raven croak again and said, "Secondly, he declares there is roast chicken in the oven." "That is a good tell-tale!" cried the miller again and opening the oven, he took out the roast chicken. Then the farmer made the raven croak again and said, "For the third thing, he declares there is rice on the bed." "That is wonderful!" exclaimed the miller and he found the rice. Then the farmer made his bird croak once more and said, "For the fourth thing, he declares there are boiled eggs under the bed". "Oh! I like it.” said the miller while he went and found as it said.

The two men now sat down together at the table, but the miller's wife felt terribly angry and went to bed taking all the keys with her. The miller was very anxious to know the filth thing. But the man said, "First let us eat quietly these four things, for the other is somewhat dreadful!"

After they had finished their meal, the miller bargained as to how much he should give for the fifth thing and at last he agreed for three thousand rupees. Then the farmer once more made the raven croak and when the miller asked what it said, he told him, "He declares that in the cupboard where the linen is there is an evil spirit!"

The miller said, "The evil spirit must walk out!" and tried to open the door. But it was locked and the woman had to give up the key to the farmer who unlocked it. The unbidden guest at once bolted out and ran out of the house while the miller said, "Ah, I saw the black fellow that was all right!" Soon they went to sleep. But at daybreak the farmer took three thousand rupees and made himself scarce.

The farmer was now quite rich at home and built himself a fine hut. Hence his fellows said, "The poor farmer has certainly found the golden fortune of which he has brought away a basketful" and they summoned him before the Mayor that he might be made to say how his riches came.

The man replied, “I have sold my goat’s skin in the city for three thousand rupees".

And as soon as the others heard this they also desired to make a similar profit. The farmers ran home, killed all their goats and taking their skins off, took them to the city to sell them for a good price.

The Mayor, however, said. "My maid must go first" and when she arrived at the city she went to the merchant. But he gave her only three hundred rupees for the skin. And when the rest came he would not give them so much, saying, "What should I do with all these skins?"

The farmers were much vexed at being outwitted by their poor neighbour and bent on revenge, they complained to the Mayor of his deceit. The innocent, poor farmer was condemned to death unanimously and was to be rolled in a cask full of holes into the sea. He was led away. Then they sent for a priest who should say for him the mass for the dead. Everyone else was obliged to move to a distance and when the farmer looked at the priest he recognized the guest whom he had met at the mill.

So he said to him, "I have delivered you out of the cupboard. Now deliver me from this cask”. Just at that moment the shepherd passed by with a flock of sheep and the farmer, knowing that for a long time the man had desired to be Mayor, cried out with all his might. "No. no! I will not do it…even if the entire world asked me I would not do it! No, I will not!"

When the shepherd heard this he came up and said, "What are you doing here? What will you not do?"

The farmer replied, "They will make me Mayor if I remain in this cask…but no…I will not be here!" "Oh", said the shepherd, "if nothing else is required to become the Mayor. I am willing to put myself in the cask!

"Yes, you will be the Mayor if you do that", said the farmer.

Then he got out of the cask and the shepherd got in and the farmer nailed the lid down again. Now he took the shepherd's flock and drove it away while the parson went to the judge and told him he had said the prayers for the dead. Then they went and rolled the cask down to the water and while it rolled, the shepherd called out, "Yes, I should like to be the Mayor!"

They thought it was the poor farmer who spoke and said. "Yes, we understand it. Only you must first go below there."

Then they sent the cask right into the sea.

When that was done the farmers returned home and as they came into the village so came also the poor farmer, driving a flock of sheep quietly and cheerfully. The sight astounded the others and they asked, "When did you come? How did you come out of the water?" The farmer said. "I sank deeper and deeper till I got to the bottom where I pushed up the head of the cask and, got out. There were beautiful meadows upon which many lambs were grazing and I brought this flock of them up with me.”

"Are there any more?” inquired the farmers.

"Oh yes!" replied he, "more than you know what to do with!"

Then the farmers agreed that they would go and each fetch a flock for himself. But the Mayor said, "I must go first."

So they went together down to the water and there happened to be a fine blue sky with plenty of fleecy clouds over it which were mirrored in the water and looked like little lambs. The farmer told them, "Look there! We can see the sheep already on the ground below the water!" and the Mayor pressing quite forward, said, "I will go first and look about me and see if it is a good place and then call you."

So saying, he jumped in plump and as he splashed the water about, the others thought he was calling "Come along!" and so one after another the farmers plunged in a great hurry.

Thus was the whole village cleared out and the "Poor Farmer", as their only heir, became a very rich man.

MORAL : Quick-wittedness helps one overcome one’s dangers.

The Six Swans

A king was once hunting in a large wood. He pursued his game so hotly that none of his courtiers could follow him. But when evening approached he stopped and looking around him perceived that he had lost himself. He sought a path out of the forest, but could not find one and presently he saw an old woman with a nodding head who came up to him. “My good woman", said he to her, "can you not show me the way out of the forest?"

“Oh, yes, my lord king", she replied; "I can do that very well. But upon one condition which, if you do not fulfill, you will again get out of the wood, but will die of hunger."

“What then is the condition?" asked the King.

“I have a daughter", said the old woman who is as beautiful as anyone you can find in the whole world and well deserves to be your bride. Now, if you will make her your queen, I will show you your way out of the wood."

In the anxiety of his heart the king consented and the old woman led him to her cottage where the daughter was sitting by the fire-place. She received the king as if she had expected him and he saw at once that she was very beautiful. But yet she did not quite please him for he would not look at her without a secret shudder. However, after he took the maiden upon his horse, the old woman showed him the way and the king arrived safely at his palace where the wedding was to be celebrated.

The king had been married once before and had seven children by his first wife – six boys and a girl whom he loved above everything else in the world. He became afraid, soon, that the stepmother might not treat them very well and might even do them some great harm. So he took them away to a lonely castle which stood in the midst of a forest. This castle was so hidden and the way to it so difficult to discover that he himself could not have found it if a wise woman had not given him a ball of cotton which had a wonderful property. When he threw it before him, it unrolled itself and showed him the right path. The king however went so often to see his dear children that the queen noticed his absence became inquisitive and wished to know what he went to fetch out of the forest. So, she gave his servants a great quantity of money and they disclosed to her the secret and also told her of the ball of cotton which alone could show her the way. She would now have no peace until she discovered where this ball was concaled and then she made some fine silken shirts and as she learnt from her mother, she sewed within each one a charm. One day soon after the king had gone out hunting, she took little shirts and went into the forest and the cotton ball showed her the path. The children seeing someone coming in the distance thought it was their dear father and ran out towards her full of joy.

Then she threw over each of them a shirt which as it touched their bodies changed them to swans and they flew over the forest. The Queen then went home quite contented and thought she was free of her stepchildren but the little girl had not met her with the brothers and the Queen did not know of her.

The following day the king went to visit his children. But he found only the little girl.

“Where are your brothers?" he asked.

“Ah, dear father,” she replied, "they have gone away and left me alone", and she told him how she had looked out of the window and seen them changed into swans which had flown over the forest and then she showed him the leathers which they had dropped in the courtyard and which she had collected together.

The king was much grieved. But he did not think that his wife could have done this wicked deed and as he feared his only daughter might also be stolen away, he took her with him. She was however so much afraid of the stepmother that she begged him not to stop more than one night in the castle. However, the king comforted her and made her stay with him since he did not want to part her again. In spite of the king's presence and without his knowledge, her stepmother did not spare any opportunity to torment her. Years passed and the little girl grew into a beautiful maiden but still her pains continued.

The poor maiden thought, to herself, "This is no longer my place. I will go and seek my brothers." And one night she escaped and went quite deep into the wood. She walked all night long and a great part of the next day until she could go no further due to weariness. Just then she saw a rude hut and walking in she found a room with six little beds. But she dared not got into one but crept under and lying upon the hard earth, prepared to pass the night there. Just as the sun was setting, she heard a rustling and saw six white swans come flying in at the window.

They settled on the ground and began blowing one another until they had blown all their feathers off and their swan's down stripped off like a shirt. Then the girl knew them at once for her brothers and gladly crept out from under the bed and the brothers were no less glad to see their sister. But their joy was of short duration.

"Here you must not stay,” said they to her,

"This is a robbers' hiding-place. If they return and find you here, they will murder you."

"Can you not protect me, then?" inquired the sister.

"No", they replied…"for we can only lay aside our swan's feathers for a quarter of an hour each evening and in that time we regain our human form. But afterwards we regain our changed appearance.'

Their sister then asked them with tears, "Can you not be restored again?"

"Oh, no,' they replied, "The conditions are too difficult. For six long years you must neither speak nor laugh and during that time you must sew together for us six little shirts of star-flowers and should there fall a single word from your lips, then all your labour will be in vain."

Just as the brothers finished speaking, the quarter of an hour elapsed and they all flew out of the window again like swans.

The little sister, however, made a solemn resolution to rescue her brothers or die in the attempt and she left the cottage and penetrating deep into the forest, passed the night amid the branches of a tree. The next morning she went out and collected the star-flowers to sew together. She had no one to converse with and for laughing she had no spirits, so there, up on the tree she sat, intent upon her work. After she had passed some time there, it happened that the king of another country was hunting and his huntsmen came beneath the tree on which the girl sat.

They called to her and asked, “Who are you?" But she gave no answer.

“Come down to us", they continued,”We will not do you any harm."

She simply shook her head and when they pressed her further with questions, she threw down to them her gold necklace, hoping therewith to satisfy them.

They did not, however, leave her and she throw down her girdle, but in vain and even her rich dress did not make them desist. At last one hunter climbed the tree and brought down the girl and took her before the king.

The king asked her, "Who are you? Why were you sitting on top of the tree?"

But she did not answer and then he asked her in all the languages that he knew. But she remained dumb to all as a fish. However, since she was so beautiful, the king's heart was touched and he conceived for her a strong affection. Then he put around her his cloak and placing her before him on his horse, took her to his castle. There he ordered rich clothing to be made for her and although her beauty shone as the sunbeams, not a word came off her mouth. The king placed her by his side at table. There her dignified mien and manners so won upon him that he said, "This girl will I marry and no other in the world” and after some days he was united in her.

Now, the king had a wicked stepmother who was discontented with his marriage. She spoke ill of the young queen.

"Who knows when this girl would bring ill luck?" said she, "She who cannot speak is not worthy to be a queen."

A year after when the queen brought her first-born into the world, the old woman took him away. Then she went to the king and complained that the queen was a murderess and that she had killed the baby born to her. The king, however, would not believe it and allowed no one to do any injury to his wife who sat composedly sewing shirts and paying attention to nothing else. When the second child was born, the false stepmother used the same deceit, but the king again would not listen to her words, but said, "She is too pious and good to act so. Could she but speak and defend herself. Her innocence would come to light." But again, the third time, the old woman stole away the child and then accused the queen that she had killed all the three babies born to her. The queen answered not a word to the accusation. Hence the king was obliged to give her up to be tried and she was condemned to suffer death by fire.

When the time had elapsed and the sentence was to be carried out, it so happened that the very day had come round when her dear brothers should be made free. The six shirts were also ready all but the last, which yet wanted the left sleeve. As she was led to the scaffold, she placed the shirts upon her arm and just as she had mounted it and the fire was about to be kindled, she looked around and saw six swans come flying through the air. Her heart leapt for joy as she perceived her deliverers approaching and soon the swans flying towards her alighted so near that she was enabled to throw over them the shirts and as soon as she had done so their feathers fell off and the brothers stood up alive and well. But the youngest wanted his left arm, instead of which he had a swan's wing. They embraced and kissed each other and the queen going to the king who was thunderstruck, began to say, "Now may I speak, my dear husband and prove to you that I am innocent and falsely accused.”

Then she told him how the wicked woman had stolen away and hidden her three children. When she had concluded, the king was overcome with joy and the wicked stepmother was led to the scaffold and bound to the stake and burnt to ashes.

The king and the queen forever after lived in peace and prosperity with the six brothers.

MORAL : God will reward the good ones and punish the wicked people. 

 

The Widow and Her Little Maidens

In a pretty little house, there once lived a neat old widow who wore the cleanest caps and the finest kerchief you ever saw in your life. She was very fond of washing and scrubbing and baking and sewing! Everybody who knew her used to say that she was the most hard-working lady they had ever seen and an example to the whole village.

This good woman had two little girls living with her whom she was always trying to make as clean and neat as herself. She taught them how to knead bread, cook rice and meals. She also taught them to spin fine thread on their spinning wheels. Every morning, the moment the big brown cockerel in the yard gave his first crow, she would get out of the bed, go to the room where the little girls slept and shake them until they woke.

"Get up! Get up!" she would say. "Don't you hear the cockerel crowing outside? The Sun will be shining over the hill in a moment. Nobody in this house must stay in bed when once the cockerel has crowed!"

The little girls were always dreadfully sleepy and did not want to get up in the least. But the bustling old woman would stand over them, till they got out of bed, yawning and blinking their eyes. Then she would start her household chores, telling them to wash and dress and to follow her into the kitchen as quickly as they could.

Now one of the things the little girls had to do was to feed the poultry - the big brown cockerel among the others. He was rather a greedy bird and always ate a lot of the scraps and corn that were thrown on the ground. The old lady would stand at the kitchen door to watch the feeding and the more the cockerel ate, the better she was pleased.

"Is he not a fine bird?" she would say to the little girls. "Be sure and give him the best bits of food. If he doesn't crow we would always be oversleeping, for there would be nobody to wake us in the morning!"

Then the little girls would look at each other under their eyelashes and pout. For they both hated the brown bird which tried to wake everybody at sunrise when it would be so much nicer to sleep on until eight or nine o clock.

At last, one day, when the cockerel seemed to have crowed even earlier than usual, they decided they could stand it no longer. They waited until their mother had gone to market… then they caught the poor brown cockerel and wrung his neck! After that they buried him as quickly as they could in the field on the other side of the fence. Then, rather frightened at what they had done, they set to work to cook for the lunch.

The lady came home and found that her dear bird was missing. She searched for the cockerel everywhere while the girls also pretended as much so that their mother might not suspect them.

The lady missed the cockerel very much. But when they went to bed, however, they the girls told each other how glad they were that they had killed the horrid bird at last.

"Now" they said to each other, "we shall have a little peace. How lovely it will be to sleep as long as we want to with no crowing to wake our mother in the morning!”

They cuddled down into their pillows and fell asleep. But in the middle of the night or so it seemed to them, the old lady came to their bedside in her nightcap, carrying a lighted candle!

'Get up! Get up!” she said to them all in a bustle. We have no cockerel to wake us now and it will never do to oversleep! The dawn has not broken yet…I know! Bui it will break presently and without the crowing in the yard, we shall not even know that day has come. Get up! Get up! Follow me into the kitchen as quickly as possible!"

How sad and disappointed those little maidens were! But they were obliged to do as their mother told them. So they got up and stalled scrubbing and washing and spinning by candle light, sleepier than they had ever been in their lives.

And as the old lady has been too fond of that cockerel to wish to buy another to take his place, she went on waking the little girls in the middle of the night. She was insisting on getting them up to work as no single minute of the coming daylight should be wasted.

Oh, how those two blinking, yawning little girls wished that they had never killed the big brown cockerel!

MORAL : As you sow, so you reap. 

The Wise Pigeon

Once upon a time there was a king named Varsha who owned a pigeon and its name was Sibi. This pigeon was so wise that King Varsha would always consult him before attending his court. Sibi was also very good at predicting the weather and days of good fortune. King Varsha and his ministers whenever they wanted to go out hunting or on a long journey would consult the wise pigeon Sibi.

One afternoon when Sibi was sitting in the court, a flock of pigeons flew past the open door and settled noisily in some apple trees that grew in the garden. King Varsha was most surprised when Sibi turned to him and said, "Those are my people perched on the apple trees. They have come to ask me to visit the country where I was born and bred. Please give me permission to take a holiday so that I may visit my old home and see my parents and relatives again."

But King Varsha was disturbed by the pigeon's request.

"If you go away, Sibi,” he said "who will advise me and help me to make correct decisions? How do I know that you will return from that distant country where your people live?"

Sibi felt hurt that King Varsha had doubted his loyalty.

"You know King…that I never break my word", he said. "If I promise that I will return upon a certain day, you know that I will keep it. Moreover, on my return I will bring you a truly wonderful fruit which has the rare quality of giving immortality to those who eat it."

King Varsha's curiosity was aroused by Sibi's description of this rare and wonderful fruit. Although he was reluctant to part with Sibi even for a short time, he agreed to let him go for a week. Sibi flew off with a shrill scream of delight and joined the flock of pigeons on the apple trees. For a few minutes there was a great chattering in the trees and then they all rose into the air and flew off.

Sibi's father was the king of all the birds in his native country. He and his queen were delighted to see their son again. There was great feasting and rejoicing in honour of his visit. Time passed all too quickly and at the end of a week, Sibi told his parents, "I must now return to my King Varsha. He is expecting me back tomorrow and I must not disappoint him."

"Go. my son", said the king of the pigeons, "and if your king can spare you again, come and visit us next year."

"I will try to come", said Sibi. "And I have one favour to ask you… Will you allow me to carry back to my king a specimen of the fruit of immortality which grows in these forests?"

"Most certainly", said the king of the pigeons and he gave his son one of those wonderful fruits. Some hours later, while King Varsha and his Chief Minister were together in the council chamber, the pigeon flew in through the open window and settled at the king's feet. In his beak Sibi carried the golden fruit.

"A thousand welcomes, my dear Sibi!" said King Varsha caressing his beloved Sibi. "And is this the fruit of immortality of which you spoke?"

"Yes, it is", said the pigeon, laying the fruit on King Varsha's throne. "Those who eat it shall never die." All eyes in the council chamber turned enviously upon the golden fruit. King Varsha considered for a moment and then said. "This precious fruit must not be wasted. Let us plant it in the ground and raise from it a tree which will bear more fruits upon its branches. In this way, many people will benefit from it."

The gardener was sent for and he was told to plant the fruit with great care in the royal gardens. When the young tree appeared, it was to be well watered, fenced around and tended with great care.

Time passed and a plant did spring up from the fruit and began to grow into a young tree. King Varsha and the pigeon both watched its growth. Fruit began to form upon it. Then a strange thing happened. On a certain night, one of the fruits fell to the ground and was poisoned by a snake which bit the fruit. In the morning, the gardener, not knowing what had happened, chanted to pass by and seeing the precious fruit lying on the ground, picked it up, put it into a basket and took it straight to King Varsha.

The king summoned Sibi and the Chief Minister and said, "Behold, here is the first fruit of our tree of immortality." "Do not eat it your highness", said the Chief Minister. "The first fruit should be dedicated to God". The king was pleased with his advice and sent soldiers to inform the pundits that he would attend the temple the next morning.

The king divided the fruit amongst the pundits, dedicating the two pieces to God. These portions, of course, the pundits took as usual, for their own use and no sooner had they eaten one of them than they fell into a profound sleep from which they never woke. The king was thunderstruck and immediately consulted the Chief Minister.

"Their deaths must have been caused by the fruit of immortality", said the Chief Minister.

"It appears to me that Sibi has done us a great evil by introducing this poisonous fruit into our country. It seems that he intended to kill you and your family in this way!"

King Varsha was inclined to believe his Chief Minister and summoning Sibi, he asked the pigeon. "For whom did you bring this fruit of immortality?”

"For you, O, king!" answered Sibi without any hesitation.

Then King Varsha said bitterly, "I have protected you all these years and placed you in a position of honour and trust. You have nothing but ingratitude for me and an evil plot against my life and the lives of my family and people."

Without giving Sibi a chance to say a word in his own defence, he chased the pigeon out of his palace and told him not to come back. Then the king gave instructions to the gardener to place a thorny fence around the tree and ordered that no one was to visit the spot. Sibi was full of grief and flew to his native place where his parents lived. Sibi told his parents what had happened and cried bitterly.

The king of pigeons said, "Do not worry, my son, a time will soon come and King Varsha will learn the truth. Till that time you stay here and pray to God".

Sibi was much comforted on listening to his father and prayed to God. But he refused to eat anything until the king learned the truth.

Now, there happened to be a dhobi – a washer man connected with the palace. He lived with his son who was married. Unfortunately, the dhobi's wife and the son's wife did not get along and were frequently quarrelling with each other. This brought much grief to the dhobi and his wife. So, one day they decided that they could no longer withstand it and would put an end to their lives. While discussing the matter, it occurred to the dhobi that some of the poisoned fruit from the king’s tree would serve their purpose. At night he got into the garden pushed aside the thorny fence and taking one fruit, returned home. Then he and his wife both ate the fruit and lay down as they planned to die.

But the result was very different from what they expected, for no sooner had they eaten the fruit than they suddenly became quite young again! The dhobi sprang to his feet exclaiming, "Isn't this wonderful? I feel almost like a boy again!" and his wife gave a skip and a jump and screamed, "I'm a girl. I'm a girl! I can dance and sing again!"

The strange news spread fast and reached the palace. King Varsha was amazed and very troubled in mind when he heard the story. He made enquiries and learnt, for the first time, that the fruit which the gardener had brought to him was not plucked from the trees, but picked off the ground. "That unlucky fruit must have been poisoned by a snake!" cried King Varsha in distress. "And I chased my faithful Sibi due to my own suspicious thoughts and lack of faith. My poor pigeon has been my best friend. I shall go to his native country and beg him to forgive me. He would come back to me."

Then King Varsha at once set for the native place of Sibi. Soon he reached the place where Sibi's parents lived. At once the king of pigeons who was Sibi's father came forward and welcomed King Varsha and his men. He took King Varsha where Sibi was chanting prayers. On hearing the noise around, the wise pigeon Sibi opened his eyes and said, "Oh my lord! You've come to see me". King Varsha was filled with joy. With tears in his eyes he said to Sibi, "My faithful friend! Forgive me for I suspected your conduct! Please come back to my place and stay with me. To rule the country wisely, I need your advice and help."

Sibi at once came and sat on King Varsha's hand and the king kissed his dear bird. They went back to their country and Sibi was praised by everyone. The king and Sibi ate the fruit of immortality and lived forever. The king also gave the fruit to everyone and all his countrymen praised Sibi and they lived in peace.

MORAL : Suspicion poisons friendship. 

The Wolf and the Seven Little Goats

Once upon a time there lived an old goat who had seven young ones whom she loved as every mother loves her children. One day she wanted to go into the forest to fetch some food so calling her seven young ones together, she said, “Dear children, I am going away into the forest. Be careful about the wolf. If he comes here he will eat you all up. He often disguises himself. But you can make him out by his rough voice and his black feet." The little goats replied, "Dear mother, we will be very careful and obey your words. You may go away without any fear." So the mother goat left her dear children and went into the forest. The little goats locked their house carefully from inside and shut the windows tightly.

Not long after-wards, somebody knocked at the door and called out, "Open, my dear children. I am your mother and I got something for each one of you." But the little goats found from the rough voice that it was a wolf and so they said. "We will not open the door. You are not our mother. She has a gentle and loving voice. But yours is gruff. You are a wolf.”

So the wolf went away and he ate some chalk and by that means rendered his voice more gentle. Then he came back, knocked at the door and said. "Open, my dear children. Your mother has come home." But the wolf had placed his black paws near the opening of the door, so the little goats saw them and replied, “No, we will not open the door. Our mother has no black feet. You are a wolf."

So the wolf went away and dipped his black foot in white chalk powder and turned them white in colour. Now the bad wolf went to the house for the third time and knocked at the door and said, "Open up! My young ones. Your dear mother has come and has brought with her something for each one of you out of the forest." The little goats replied, "Show us first your feet to see whether you are our mother." So the bad wolf put his feet up near the opening of the door and when the little goats saw that they were white, they thought it was all right and unlocked the door. But alas! The wolf had entered the house this time.

The little goats were terribly frightened and tried to hide themselves. One ran under the table. The second got into the bed. The third into the cupboard and the fourth into the kitchen and the fifth into the oven and the sixth into the wash-tub. Finally the seventh hid herself in the clock-case.

But the wolf found them all out and swallowed them up one after another. The wolf did not discover the one which hid in the clock-case. When the wolf was satisfied with eating all the goats, he went out and felt very heavy in his stomach. So he lay down upon the green meadow under a tree and fell asleep.

When the mother goat came home, she saw the terrible sight! The hut-door was wide open. The table, stools and benches were upside down. The wash-tub was broken into pieces and the sheets and pillows pulled off the bed. She sought her children, but could find them nowhere. She called them by name one after the other. But no one answered. At last, when she called the youngest, a little voice replied, "Here I am… dear mother, in the clock-case." She took her out and heard how the wolf had come and swallowed all the others. She wept for her poor little ones.

At last she went out in all her misery and the young goat ran by her side and when she came to the meadow, there lay the wolf under the tree snoring so loud that the boughs quivered. She saw something was moving and stirring about in his body. "Oh, God!" she said, "What a strange thing! My poor children whom he has swallowed for his dinner are yet alive!

So the mother goat ran home and fetched a pair of scissors and a needle and thread. Then she cut open the monster's hairy body and had scarcely made one slit, before one little goat put his head out and as she cut further, out jumped one after another, all six, still alive and without any injury… for the monster, in his eagerness, had gulped them down quite whole. The little goats hugged their dear mother and frisked about merrily.

But the mother goat said, "Go and pick up at once some large stones and put them in the wolf's stomach”. They put as many as they could bring and then the old mother went and looking at him in a great hurry, saw that he was still insensible and did not stir and so she sewed up the slit.

When the wolf at last woke up, he raised himself upon his legs and because the stones lying in his stomach made him feel thirsty, he went to a brook in order to drink. But as he went along, rolling from side to side, the stones began to tumble about in his body and he called out, "What rattles in my stomach?"

And when the wolf came to the brook he bent down to drink water and the heavy stones made him lose his balance. So he fell and sank in the water.

As soon as the seven little goats saw this, they came running up, singing aloud, "The wolf is dead! The wolf is dead!" and they danced in joy around their mother by the side of the brook.

MORAL : Wicked ones are always punished in the end.

The Old Witch

There was once a little girl who was very obstinate and disobedient. How could such a girl be happy? One day she said to her parents, "I have heard so much of the old witch that I will go and see her. People say that she is a wonderful old woman and has many marvelous things in her house and I am very curious to see them."

Her parents, however, forbade her from going, saying, "The witch is a wicked old woman who performs many ungodly deeds and if you go near her, you are no longer a child of ours."

The girl however would not turn back at her parents command. But went to the witch's house. When she arrived there the woman asked her, "Why are you so pale?"

“Ah!", replied she, trembling all over, "I am so frightened with what I have just seen."

“And what did you see?" inquired the old witch.

“I saw a black man on your steps."

“That was a collier", she replied.

“Then I saw a grey man."

"That was a sportsman", said the old woman.

“After him I saw a blood-red man."

“That was a butcher", replied the woman,

“But oh, I was most terrified", continued the girl, "When I peeped through your window, and saw none but a creature with a fiery head."

"Then you have seen the witch in her proper dress", said the old woman; "for you, I have long waited and now you shall give me light."

So saying she changed the girl into a block of wood and then threw it into the fire and when it was alight she sat down on the hearth and warmed herself and said, "And now for once it burns brightly!"

MORAL : One who disobeys one's parent’s words will soon get into problems.

In this story also the little girl disobeyed her parents and went on her own way to meet the witch which was considered by her parents ad wicked. If the little girl had obeyed her parents, she would have been saved from death and would have lived well for a long time. Because of the disobedience of her, she had to face the death at the hands of the witch which entertained only bad thoughts about the little girl. So the children should pay attention to their parents and heed them always. Thus they can save themselves from dangers.