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The Boys Who Never Grew Old Sage Mrikandu prayed to Shiva for a son. Shiva appeared before him and asked, "Do you want an ordinary son or a perfect son who would not live more than sixteen years?" Mrikandu thought, "If I ask for a perfect son, he would die at http://www.kidsgen.com/fables_and_fa...r_grew_old.jpgsixteen, but if I ask for an ordinary son, he would not be great." He chose a perfect son. Soon his wife gave birth to a son whom they called Markendeya. He was a handsome, wise, and kind boy, perfect in every way. A few days before his six teen birthday, Markandeya's parents told him that he would soon die. Markendeya said, "I will not die. " I will pray to Shiva." He worshipped Shiva every day. On his sixteenth birthday, Yama, the god of death, came to take him. Markandeya said, "Let me finish my prayer ." Yama got angry and threw the noose over him. Shiva appeared and ordered Yama back to his kingdom saying, "Don't return to earth." Yama went away. Nobody died on earth after that. The earth became overcrowded Goddess Earth went to Shiva and said, "I am not able to carry this huge burden. Please send Yama to earth." When Lord Shiva refused, she went to Parvati for help. When Parvati repeated the request, Shiva said, "Yama has insulted my devotee." Parvati said, "Maybe you meant that Markandeya will always remain sixteen, but that foolish Yama misunderstood." Shiva was happy. He sent Yama to earth again. Markandeya always remained sixteen. |
The Brave Man Vikram put Betal on his shoulders and started walking. Betal began another story. A woodcutter named Mohan once saw a wolf attacking a girl in the forest. He saved her and killed the wolf. She was actually a princess. Mohan was made a soldier in the king's army. Once, in a battle hehttp://www.kidsgen.com/fables_and_fa..._brave_man.jpg fought bravely and even saved the king's life. Mohan became famous for his courage. Then he got married and had children. One day, a gang of robbers entered the kingdom and started killing and robbing people. The king asked Mohan to fight the robbers but he refused. Betal said . "Tell me, Vikram , why did he refuse to fight the robbers? Vikram replied , Mohan did not lose his courage, but now that he was a married man, he did not want to risk his life." Betal said, "You are right but you opened your mouth, so here I go." Saying so, Betal flew away. |
The Broken Code of War During the battle, Drona had been ordered to capture Yudhisthira alive, so Arjuna always protected him. Once Arjuna had gone after the Kaurava warriors and Yudhisthira with his soldiers unprotected. Drona approached Yudhisthira with his soldieres arranged in the circular formation known as chakravyuh. Arjun'shttp://www.kidsgen.com/fables_and_fa...abhimanyu2.jpg son, Abhimanyu, had learnt from his father how to enter the chakravyuh but did not know how to come out of it. Only Arjuna knew how to break the Chakravyuh. But abhimanyu decided to enter the formation. Jaidhratha, the king of Sindhudesha, had obtained a boon from Shiva that he would be able to stop the Pandavas for one day. He stopped them from entering the chakravyuh to help Abhimanyu. Six warriors including Drona, Duryodhana, and Karna together attacked Abhimanyu. He lost all his weapons. Finally, the Kaurava warriors broke the code of war; they attacked the unnamed Abhimanyu and killed him. |
The Competition This time Vikram caught Betal before he reached the tree. Betal began yet another story. Bhupati was a rich man who had a son http://www.kidsgen.com/fables_and_fa.../competion.jpgnamed Chander. His servant Bhola had a son named Suraj. Chander was spoilt and did not do well in studies. Suraj worked hard and performed well. Bhola wanted to send Suraj for higher studies. For this he tried to borrow money from his master. But Bhupati refused to help. One day, Bhupati overheard a conversation between Chander and Suraj. Chander said, "Why do you want to go for higher studies. I will give you some money to start a business." Suraj replied "I don't need money for anything else." Bhupati went home and gave Bhola the money. Betal asked Vikram, What made Bhupati change his mind?" Vikram answered, "Bhupati realised that Chander was getting jealous of Suraj. If he sent Suraj for higher studies, Chander would work hard to compete with him." Betal said , "You are a genius," and flew away. |
The Goddess Durga
The buffalo demon, Mahishashur, performed tapasya and for his efforts he received a boon from Brahma that no man or god would be able to kill him. Full of power, he attacked the gods and captured heaven. The gods had to come down and wander about on earth. They were very angry at their condition and their faces began to glow. http://www.kidsgen.com/fables_and_fa...dess_durga.jpgThe light took the shape of a goddess, Durga. Each of the gods gave her a weapon. Himalaya gave her a lion . Riding the lion she began to roar. Mahishashur came out of his palace on hearing the roar. Durga killed his army of demons. Mahisha took many forms, but she defeated all of them. Finally, he took the form of a buffalo and attacked her. Durga killed Mahishashur with her trishula, and today she is worshipped as goddess Durga. |
The Girl in the Dream Betal once again narrated a story to Vikram. Manikdweep was ruled by a king named Mani Verma. His son, Sudhir, was very dutiful. When Sudhir reached twenty, Mani Verma decided to get him married to a beautiful girl. Finally, the king selected the princes of a neighbouring kingdom. That night Sudhir saw a beautiful dream of a fair, doe-eyed girl with http://www.kidsgen.com/fables_and_fa...dream_girl.jpgher arms open, waiting to embrace him. Sudhir woke up startled. Completely smitten by this dream he decided to delay his marriage and hunt for the girl. Taking permission from his father he left the palace dressed a commoner. He searched villages, towns, and cities. For three months he travelled thus but the girl was nowhere to be found. Tired he decides to take a break near a river. There he spotted a girl with her back turned to him. Curious, he went up to her. Just as she turned his heart skipped a bear-before him stood his dream girl. Excited, he proposed marriage to her. On hearing a stranger speak this way the girl complained to her father. When Sudhir came to meet him, he asked , "Who are you and why are you chasing my daughter?" Sudhir felt ashamed and kept mum. He returned home and married the princess. Betal asked Vikram, "Why did Sudhir feel ashamed ?" "He realised he was foolishly running after a dream about which he knew nothing," Vikram replied. "Right again ," cried Betal and flew away. |
The Generous King Betal told another story. A benevolent king used to give huge amounts of money in charity. His minister Surya Prakash understood the value of money and advised the king to donate wisely. One day, when Surya Prakash went to the river he saw a beautiful maiden perched on a floating branch of a tree. He swam across to meet her. She said she was a nag princes and that a wicked demon had http://www.kidsgen.com/fables_and_fa...erous_king.jpgcaptured her kingdom. He would set it free only if he was given another empire in return. The minister rushed back to inform the king about her. Pained by her tale, the king gave away his own kingdom and went underwater with her. Surya Prakash blamed himself for the king's disappearence and killed himself. Now Betal asked , Who was really responsible ?" Vikram replied , "Surya Prakash , because as the king's minister he was aware of his master's overly generous nature, yet he told him of the princess's problem." |
The Game of Dice Duryodhana was jealous of the prosperity of the Pandavas and wanted to rob them of their wealth. His uncle, Shakuni, made a plan. Yudhisthira loved gambling. They would invite Yudhisthira to http://www.kidsgen.com/fables_and_fa.../dice_game.jpgHastinapur for a game of dice. Shakuni was a master of the game and would throw the dice on behalf of Duryodhana and defeat Yudhisthira and win over his kingdom. Duryodhana liked this plan and asked his fatrher Dhritarashtra to invite Yudhisthira. When Dhritarashtra hesitated, Duryodhana told him about the way Draupadi had insulted him and called him a blind man's son. Dhritarashtra gave his consent. Yudhisthira gave his consent and came with his brothers to play the game. Shakuni used a charmed dice and defeated Yudhisthira again and again. Yudhisthira lost his palace, army, and the whole kingdom. Duryodhana was not satisfied at that, he encouraged Yudhisthira to stake his brothers. One by one, Yudhisthira lost all four of his brothers and then even himself. Duryodhana's joy knew no bounds. When Yudhisthira lost everything he had, Duryodhana said, "Why don't you stake something else, maybe this time you will win and get everything back?" Yudhisthira said, "I have nothing left to stake." At this Duryodhana said, "Why, you have Draupadi, stake her. "Yudhisthira was embarrassed by his defeat; he wanted to win everything back. He took his last chance and staked Draupadi. But he even lost her. Everybody was aghast at this turn of events. The Kauravas were jubilant. |
The Fussy Brothers Vikram ran to the tree and pulled Betal down. As he began to carry Betal, Betal began narrating another story. Once there were two brothers who were very fussy. The first brother http://www.kidsgen.com/fables_and_fa...y_brothers.jpgGopal was fussy about his food; the second one Deepak was fussy about where he slept. Gopal would eat only very good and selective food and Deepak could sleep only on a very comfortable bed. Their fussiness was so famous that one day the king called them to find out who was fussier of the two. Gopal was given the best quality rice to eat. But he refused to eat it saying that the rice smelled of a cremation ground. On investigation it was found out that the rice actually was grown on a field next to a cremation ground. When it was Deepak's turn, he was given a bed with seven soft mattresses on it. But he could not sleep all night. In the morning he had a rash on his back. He said that there was something under the mattresses. On investigation it was found that there was a hair under the seventh mattress. Betal asked Vikram, "Who was the fussier among the two brothers?" Vikram replied, "Deepak was fussier because the rash was a physical proof of his discomfort. While there was no such proof in the case of Gopal . Who knows he could have asked someone about the rice?" Betal was surprised and said, "How do you manage to give the correct answer to every question I ask? But you opened your mouth, so here I go." Saying so, Betal flew back to the tree. |
The Foolish Brothers Vikram was once again carrying Betal on his shoulders while Betal narrated the story of the four foolish brothers. Once, there were four brothers, who were very foolish. People used to make fun of them, and so one day, they decided to become learned. They went in four different directions with a promise that they would meet at same place after ten years. Ten years later when they met, they discussed with each other what they had learnt. The first brother said, "I can make a skeleton out of a single bone of an animal." The second said, "I can cover a skeleton http://www.kidsgen.com/fables_and_fa...es/foolish.jpgwith flesh." The third said, "I can cover a flesh-covered skeleton with skin and hair." The fourth said, "I can put life into a dead animal." They decided to demonstrate their skills. They found a bone and first brother turned it into a skeleton, the second one covered it with flesh. The third one covered it with skin and hair. Now it looked like a dead lion. As soon as the lion came to life, it killed all the four brothers and ate them up. Betal paused and asked Vikram, "Who, according to you was responsible for the death of the four brothers?" Vikram replied, "The fourth brother was responsible for their deaths because he was foolish enough to put life in a dead lion. Without life, the lion could not have hurt them." Betal said , "O king, you are right, but you opened your mouth again, so here I go." Saying so, Betal flew back to the tree. |
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