The Flying Machine

Once Betal joked, "Vikram, I think you need a flying machine to catch me." Saying this he began narrating a story about a flying machine.

A girl called Chandraprabha had decided to marry a great scholar, a warrior, or an inventor. Her family began searching for grooms to fit her choice. Her father met warrior who had won many medals for his show of courage. Impresed, he promised to marry his daughter to the warrior. At the same time, her brother met a brilliant scholar and herhttp://www.kidsgen.com/fables_and_fa...ng_machine.jpg mother an inventor, and both offered Chandraprabha's hand.

One day, all the three suitors decided to meet Chandraprabha. While the warrior and the scholar came walking, the inventor flew down in his newly made flying machine. An argument started among the father, the brother, and the mother as to which man among the three was the best. Suddenly, they heard loud screams and rushed to see what had happened. They found a huge demon speeding away with Chandraprabha on the flying machine.

While Chandraprabha's parents panicked, the scholar and inventor stood watching helplessly. The warrior attacked the demon with his sword and saved her. Now Chandraprabha wondered which suitor to choose.

So Betal asked Vikram, "Which man did chandraprabha finally marry?" Vikram said, "The warrior, because he risked his life to save her while the other two did nothing ." Hearing the answer, Betal flew away like the flying machine.

The fall of Drona

The fourteenth day of the battle of Kurukshetra was drawing to a close. Drona was unhappy because neither could he capture Yudhisthira nor could he save Jaidrath. So he attacked the Pandava soldiers with more force than ever. Krishna told the Pandavas that http://www.kidsgen.com/fables_and_fa...l_of_drona.jpgDrona could be killed by a trick. Krishna asked the Pandavas to spread the false news that Drona's son, Ashwatthama, had been killed. Bhima killed an elephant named Ashvattama and shouted, "I have killed Ashvatthama." When Drona heard this, he was full of sorrow. He asked Yudhisthira whether it was true; he knew that Yudhsthira would never lie. Yudhisthira replied, "Yes, Ashvatthama is dead, but the elephant not your son." But Krishna asked the drummers to beat the drums when Yudhisthira spoke the last part of the sentences, so Drone couldn't hear it. He sat mourning his son's death and Dhrishtadyumna who had been born to kill Drona, cut his head off .

The End of Jaidratha

Arjuna came to know that his son, Abhimanyu, had been killed against the code of war. He was told that Jaidratha was resposible for it. Arjuna was grief-stricken and furious. He took a vow- either he would end Jaidratha's life before the sun set on the fourteenth day or kill himself. On the fourteenth day the Kaurava army was so arranged as to protect Jaidratha. But Arjuna cut through the array of soldiers and reached Jaidratha. But just as he was going to kill him. there was darkness. The Kauravas were happy that the sun had set and Arjuna would now have to kill himself. Arjuna was sorrowful, but Krishna told Arjuna to be ready. The sun reappeared for a few minutes and Arjuna killed Jaidratha.

The Dreamer

Once again, Vikram picked up Betal and put him on his shoulder. Betal began a story. There was a rich man called Dhanilal. his http://www.kidsgen.com/fables_and_fa...the_deamer.jpgrelative, Chandu, lived with him. Chandu was young but lazy. One afternoon when he was sleeping, he dreamt that he was a rich man and Dhanilal his servant. In his sleep he spoke, "Dhanilal, you are my servant, come here." Dhanilal, who was nearby, heard this. He got very angry and threw Chandu out of the house. Chandu then went to a sage and asked him to make him rich. The sage gave him a mantra and said, "Whenever you dream of something, if you want it to become true, chant this mantra." Chandu was happy ; he went to sleep. He dreamt that Dhanilal was saying sorry and wanted Chandu to marry his daughter. Chandu woke and chanted the mantra.

At once, his dream came true. Chandu became Dhanilal's son-in-law and started living in his house. Dhanilal gave Chandu some money with which he started a business. One night he dreamt that he had become a rich businessman. He woke up and chanted the mantra. His business flourished and he earned a lot of wealth. But the other businessman did not respect him. One day Chandu dreamt that he had become king. When he woke he didn't chant the mantra. He went to the saint and gave back his boon. Betal asked , "Why did he do that?" Vikram replied, "Chandu had realised that without hard work he could earn money but not the respect of others." Betal said, "You are right, but you spoke , so here I go."

The Devoted Student

Sage Dhoumya lived in his ashram or hermitage in the forest. He had three students- Aruni, Upmanyu, and Ved. Aruni lived in the ashram.
One day Aruni was returning to the ashram after collecting firewood http://www.kidsgen.com/fables_and_fa...ed_student.jpgfrom the forest. It was a cold and windy day. It was raining heavily and the fields were full of water. While he was crossing the field, Aruni saw that at the far end, a barrier of earth had been built to stop water from entering the fields and destroying the crops. But to his dismay, there was a gap in the barrier and water was leaking through it.
Aruni realised that if the leakage was not stopped immediately, the water would enter the fields and destroy the crops. He decided to rush to the ashram, leave the firewood there, and then come back and tried to put some mud and straw in the gap. But the pressure of the water was very strong and washed away the mud.
Meanwhile, in the ashram, sage Dhoumya was worried that it was getting dark and Aruni had not returned. At night, along with the other students he set out to look for Aruni . As sage Dhoumya called Aruni's name, he heard a faint reply. They reached the spot and found Aruni lying on the mound of earth to stop the water from leaking . He was shivering with cold. His teacher was very happy to see his act of devotion. Sage Dhoumya took Aruni back to the ashram and made him warm and comfortable. He declared that he would be famous for his act of devotion.

The Magic Bowl

While the Pandavas were in exile, one day, the sun god gave Yudhisthira the bowl of plenty (akshaypatra) and said , "Give this to Draupadi. Once a day, she can take out as much food as she http://www.kidsgen.com/fables_and_fa...magic_bowl.jpgwants until she herself has eaten. Till then, this bowl will not run empty."

One day, Sage Durvasa and his disciples were passing through the forest. They came to the hut and asked Draupadi for some food. Draupadi had already eaten and she knew that the bowl wouldn't yield any more food.

Draupadi did not want to turn away the holy sages without food and prayed to Krishna, who came and said, "Give me some food." Draupadi said, "This is no time for jokes, please help me feed the guests." Krishna said, "That is why I ask for food." One grain of rice was left in the bowl, Which she gave to Krishna. Krishna was satisfied, and surprisingly the guests too were satisfied. They left without asking for food.

The Great Sacrifice

Shibi Rana was a great king. He was famous for his truthfulness, justice and keeping his word.

One day the gods decided to test him. Once, the king saw an eagle http://www.kidsgen.com/fables_and_fa..._sacrifice.jpgchasing a dove. The dove was frantically looking for a place to hide and came and settled in the king's lap. The dove said "Oh king, please save my life." The king had take a vow to protect anyone who took his shelter. Shibi Rana hid the dove in his lap. When the eagle saw this, he said, "Oh king, you have hidden my prey. Please leave the dove and let me satisfy my hunger."

The king wanted to protect the dove but at the same time, he did not want to deprive the eagle of his prey. He offered to give the eagle the same amount of meat in return. The eagle demanded flesh from the king's right thigh on the condition that not a tear should fall from his eye while his thigh is cut. The king thought that cutting away a little flesh from his body would not kill him and the dove would also be saved at the same time, so he agreed. The dove was placed on one side of a balance and the king's flesh was added, the dove was always heavier. A small tear appeared in the king's left eye. When the eagle confronted him, the king explained that the left thigh. At this, the eagle and the dove vanished.

Shibi Rana had passed the test and the gods blessed him.

The Great Teacher

One day the princess' of Hastinapur were playing together and their ball fell into a well. Then a ring, too, fell into the well The princess peered into the well but didn't know how to get them out.

Acharya Drona, who was standing nearby saw all this and said , " It is a shame that princess like you are not able to do such a small thing ." He picked up a blade of grass and shot it at the ball in the well. The blade got stuck to the ball. Then he shot another blade, which stuck to the end of the first blade. In this way, he made a chain of grass blades, which reached the top of the well.

He then pulled out the ball with it. Then he shot an arrow at the ring in the well. The arrow sprung back, and brought the ring with it. The princess' were very happy .

Bhishma felt that Acharya Drona was skilled enough to teach the princes archery and warfare and later made him the princes' teacher.

The Greatest Sacrifice

As Vikram carried Betal, Betal started telling him another story.

Once Virsen the king's guard, saw a woman crying. He asked her the reason, and she replied, "I am the goddess who protects the king. A http://www.kidsgen.com/fables_and_fa..._sacrifice.jpgdemon has defeated me, so I will not be able to protect the king anymore. His life can be saved if you sacrifice your son to Kali ." Virsen told this to his son who was ready to be sacrificed, so Virsen cut his head in front of Goddess Kali's idol. Virsen's wife was so heartbroken that she killed herself. Virsen was left all alone so he killed himself too. When the king heard about this, he felt guilty and killed himself .

Betal asked Vikram, "Whose sacrifice was the greatest?" Vikram replied, "The king's. The son died because it was his duty, Virsen and his wife died because they lost their son, the king however had no reason to die." Betal heard this and flew away.

The Honest Girl

Vikram put Betal on his shoulders and Betal started a new story. A king wanted his son to marry the princess of the neighbouringhttp://www.kidsgen.com/fables_and_fa...onest_girl.jpg kingdom. He asked him to disguise himself as a merchant and find out if she loved someone else. The prince went to the kingdom and stayed at an inn, but he fell ill. The innkeeper's beautiful daughter looked after him. The prince fell in love with her. But he wanted to fulfil his task. He told her, "The prince of the neighbouring kingdom is my friend. He wants to marry the princess. Ask her if she loves someone else." When the innkeeper's daughter asked the princess, she said that she didn't love anyone else. The girl came to know that the merchant was really the prince, she could have told him that the princess was in love with someone else, but she told him the truth. Betal said , "Vikram did the prince marry the girl?" Vikram replied, "Yes, because she had been honest." Betal said, "That is the right answer but you spoke, so here I go."