Storieo

Category: Children’s

  • Listen to the monsoon songs

    Listen to the monsoon songs

    I heard the katydids singing in the trees, the owls making their hoots, the waterfall climbing down from my rusty tin roof and saw the paper boats swinging themselves in the city floods far somewhere a drain was clogged with things no more needed, the manhole was blocked. Dreams, aspirations and desires and lastly failures conglomerated there, but none to pick them up, again, and none to dare.

    I heard the children through the water logged streets, laughing jolly showing their teeth, the water parted by the force of joy from their ever running feet, cutting the air and the aqua in two like Noah but with no Bible to read. God left their side, but their hearts show no spite.

    I saw the wind blowing the drizzle growing, making it rain rain, washing away stain and the alley cat’s pain.

    I felt the smell of water polluted, soil well soiled and the coiled, and the trash floating around.

    Look there is me and look there is you.

    Something burnt the sky and it screamed, was it the one we call God?

    Or was it just us scared to hear our own yells?

    The ceiling fan stood still, the bulb faded its light, but still I smelled the electricity, somewhere deep inside.

    The water is seeping through, now it is my turn, it rot the bed, the cupboard, grazed the mirror. I could not see my own reflection, there is no candle to burn.

    Die away, rot away, o human heart, o human body, o human soul.

    Die away, rot away, close your eyes let us not see anymore, let us not dream anymore.

    Die away, rot away, but yes with music still reaching your ears, as your last parting gift from your feeble life.

    Listen to nature play her last beat.

    Listen to the monsoon songs.

  • The Fall and Rise of a Merchant

    The Fall and Rise of a Merchant

    Once there lived a merchant named Vardhamana. He was very rich and prosperous. He was widely known. The king was also aware of his abilities therefore he appointed him as the administrator of the kingdom. Vardhamana have the abilities to keep others happy by his intelligence. He keeps common happy and at the same time he also impressed the king.

    Days passed away and there comes a day when the merchant’s daughter gets married. He arranged a grand reception. He invited king and the queen along with entire royal family. He also invited all the respected people of the kingdom. He arranged all the facilities for their guests and also ensured about it. In respect for their guest for attending the reception party he also gave them return gift.

    After some time a servant of the royal palace come there and sat on the seat reserved for nobles. He was not invited in the party. Seeing the servant the merchant got very angry. He insulted him and thrown him out.

    The servant felt very insulted and want to revenge from the merchant. He thought if he can do such a thing by which the faith of the king from merchant gone away. Thinking in such a way he made a plan.

    After many days the servant got the opportunity. He was sweeping the floor of the king’s room. He knew that the king was still awake so he started mumbling, ‘‘Oh god what happened in this palace. The merchant has now become so carefree that he dared to embrace the queen.” The king got angry after listening it and shouted on the servant. He asked him whatever he said was it true. Have you seen it with your own eyes?

    The servant starts pretending. He fell on the feet of the king and said forgive me my king for whatever i said. I don’t know what I have been mumbling. I was gambling all night so i did not sleep at night. And now i feel very drowsy. The king did not say any words to the servant but he thought that it can be true. The servant knew that he done his job. He sowed the seed of distrust.

    After that day the king did not trust the merchant and filled with jealousy and anger. He ordered the guards not to enter the merchant in the palace.

    One day when the merchant was trying to entering the gate of the palace guards stopped him. The merchant got surprised that suddenly what happened to the king. Why he did so. The servant was present nearby he mockingly shouted on the guards, “Ho Guards! What you did. You did not know he is a powerful person and king’s favourite also. He has the power to people arrested or released. He even thrown out peoples just like he thrown out me of his daughter’s reception.

    After hearing this merchant understood the whole matter. He felt very insulted and returned home. He made a plan and invited the servant to his home. He flattened him with gifts and garments and treated him as a respectable person. He apologised for his misbehaviour of that day. He said kindly, “O friend, that day I did not have you thrown out due to anger, but it was due to you to occupy the seat reserved for the royal nobles. They felt very insulted, and out of compulsion I had to throw you out. Please forgive me.”

    The servant got flattened by the merchant and felt very respected. He forgave him. He ensured the merchant that he made the king as before towards him. And the servant went back home.

    Next morning when he sweeping the floor of the palace he waited for the king half awake. After few moments he got the opportunity and he started mumbling again as before, “Our king is crazy, he eats cucumber in the lavatory!”

    After hearing this king got angry and shouted at the servant, “What nonsense do you talk about. Have you ever seen me doing such thing yourself?” Once again the servant fell on his knees and requested the king, “O king, please forgive me if I said something improper. I was gambling all last night and didn’t sleep. I feel drowsy and I don’t know what I have been mumbling.”

    The king thought this servant is a fool. Whatever he mumbled about me is ridiculously false. Then it was sure that whatever he mumbled about the merchant was also false. It is not right to mistreat the trusted merchant. He thought the merchant has done a lot for the kingdom. He control the whole administrative system efficiently and without him it has become diminished.

    Thus the king invited the merchant to the palace and flattened him with gifts, jewels and other precious things. He reappointed him at his post and favoured him as before.

    The wise indeed say:

    One should treat all with respect even the lowest.

     

  • The foolish sage

    The foolish sage

    Once upon a time there lived a sage named Deva Sharma. He lived in a huge temple that was present in the outer area of a town. He was widely known and a respectable person. People often visited him for his blessing. They offer him many things such as gifts, food, money. The sage did not caring the emotions of peoples and sold the things which were not of his use.

    Nobody knew that he did not trust any person. He kept all his money in a bag and carried it with him all time.

    One day a swindler came across the sage and he realised that surely this bag contain a lot of money. He planned for stealing the bag but he did not get a suitable idea for stealing the bag. So he decided to charm the sage by his sweet words and to convince the sage to accept him as his disciple. He thought when he win the confidence of the sage he also get an opportunity to steal the bag.

    After few days the swindler approached the sage with the words Om Namah Shivaya. He fell on the feet of sage and said please guide my Gurudev. I distracted from the right path of the life please help me. I want peace in my life. After listening these words the sage blessed him and assured him to guide him.

    This was the opportunity the swindler was seeking he said to sage that please accept me as your disciple, Guruji. I will do whatever you tell me to do. The sage accepted him as his disciple on one condition that he wanted to spend the night alone without company. As at night he mediate also. So you will not be allowed to enter the temple at night. You will spend his night at the gate of the temple in a hut. The swindler agreed.

    The sage initiated the rituals and took the swindler as his disciple. The swindler proved himself as an obedient disciple. He helped the sage in all the work of the temple along with massaged his hands and feet. The sage very happy with his disciple but the swindler could not get enough success in his aim.

    Days passed away and swindler started getting frustrated and thought that he did not trust him enough to leave the bag with him.

    He thought if he kills the sage he got success in his motive. Suddenly he saw a young boy who visits the sage. He was the son of one of the sage’s disciple. He came to invite the sage for a ritual ceremony at his home. The sage accepted his invitation.

    After some time sage started off for the town with his swindler. On their way they came across a river and the sage want to relieving himself. He hid the bag in his robe and asked the swindler to look after the robe until he came back.

    This was the opportunity for which the swindler was seeking for a long time. As soon as the sage went behind the bushes, the swindler ran away with the bagful of money. After some time when the sage came back he did not find his disciple around. He got shocked and anxious after not finding his bag. He lost his control and fell down and shouted in anger, “where are you rascal. Why you robbed me”.

    The sage started to follow the footsteps of the swindler but he did not succeed. He understands that he will not be able to catch the swindler. He reached the town and stayed the night in the town. Next morning he returned the temple disappointed, full of sorrow.

    The wise indeed say:

    Do not believe in the sweet words of a swindler.

  • The fighting Goats and the Jackal

    The fighting Goats and the Jackal

    One day while a sage was going through a jungle, he saw two golden rams fighting each other. Even though both were wounded heavily and blood oozing out from their heads and bodies but they did not stop fighting.

    After sometime a jackal was passing by there he was very hungry. He saw bloods around there he suddenly started sucking the blood from the ground. He was so hungry and in too much hurry that he did not caring about the fighting goats.

    After seeing this the sage got surprised and thought that this jackal is such a fool he was so in hurry that he did not care his life. The fighting rams might harm him. But still he continued to licking the blood. After sometime the jackal came nearer to the fighting rams and suddenly they got hurt the jackal. They stuck the head of jackal and he fell down. After few moments jackal lost his life due to severe injuries.

    The wise indeed say:

    Do not close your eyes to the approaching danger due to greed.

  • RACHEL’S NEW SCHOOL

    RACHEL’S NEW SCHOOL

    It was a new day and a new beginning but Rachel however was not very excited about going to her new school. She has been to many schools as her dad gets transferred a lot. So as her every day ritual she woke up got dressed and went down for breakfast. Her dad, Mr Melvin Jameson was preparing pancakes and she smelt some of them burn even before she came into the kitchen.

    She shared a very special bond with her dad and it became strong since her mom Pamela died a few years ago.

    As she saw her father singing to the radio and getting on with the pancakes she smiled and went around the table to help him. When she was done she picked up her neatly stacked bag and jacket and was off to the first day of the new school.

    #

    No matter how many times she changed schools Rachel was never tensed about the terrible first day, but today she had this uneasy feeling inside her stomach and she was frankly very nervous. She blocked her thoughts, got out of the car and went inside only to find the well-constructed, clean and crowed corridor. She silently made her way through the excited kids looking around for her classroom, and spotted it to her right. As she entered, she saw that a few of the kids were already in their seats and chatting with their friends, so she took a good glance and took a seat by the window.

    As the class began Rachel had made a friend, Jessica Norman. When Rachel was scanning the room for an empty seat Jessica waved at her to the one next to her. Rachel had nothing interesting to say about her but Jessica was good at making a conversation so Rachel had no problem since she wasn’t expected to talk much. The class ended soon and Jessica came by and offered Rachel a tour of the school, which Rachel accepted gladly.

    #

    Both the girls were tired of all the walking and sat down to relax by the old bench at one corner of the field. Rachel learnt a lot of things about Jessica and was beginning to like Jessica not only because Jessica was nice to her but because she saw Jessica as an independent and kind hearted girl.

     More about Rachel, coming soon

  • The Story of my Life

    The Story of my Life

    A kiddie girl studying in 5th standard comes…She tells,

    “Sissy, I want to write a Story like the one given in my Book. It should have two ‘Honest’ Thieves and a King.”

    So, I start to think, scratch my head and finally after a 10 minute gap, brought in my ideas and started with my story.

    I wrote a line, scratched it off, wrote another line and scratched it off.

    This kiddie upon seeing this said, “Sissy, why do you keep scribbling?”… All I could do was only laugh. Then, I started off by writing, “There were ‘2’ Thieves…”.She stopped me again and said “Sissy, it’s not ‘2’ it’s ‘TWO’ “. I smiled again. But, bit embarrassed with my current situation.

    Few minutes passes by, she said, “Sissy, You can even give brand names.”. So I said, “Shall I give NAC GOLD?”…She was like, “No, No Sissy…How will NAC GOLD be in a village”. All I could do was to smile and divert her from making me more embarrassing.

    Finally after arguing so much, she agreed with ‘Malabar Gold’ and hence before concluding the Story I wrote…”So Raju and Shankar…”, She stopped me again and said, “Sissy, Why are you giving the names again?. Simply use a pronoun instead.”

    And that’s the end of ‘ME’, I couldn’t stop laughing, my friend’s upon seeing this kept smiling. And that’s where I realised, here comes the “Generation Gap”!

    The way she talked, the way she responded instantly, the way she acted…Seriously, I never did that when I was young. I was literally amazed to see her talk like that.

    This made me feel like…”Gosh, I’M GROWN now”.

     

    Moral:

    Never under estimate your Opponent, She/he may be Small, Large…But, they turn out to be the Boss.

  • Siblings

    Siblings

    It was a pretty nice day.

    My brother and I had the whole house to ourselves as our mother had gone out for some work in the insurance office and father had gone with her. Our parents had locked us inside the house to prevent us from wandering out, riding horses of our imagination. While mother was in the house she kept telling us to behave, not to make a noise, et al., to which we had managed to respond with a straight face.

    As soon as the door got locked and our scooter left the parking lot, we ran to the balcony, I carrying my kitchen set with me. My brother ran and brought some lady’s fingers from the kitchen and chopped it up. Then we lit small miniscule rolls of paper from our notebooks to make a fire- we were playing cavemen. On went the small steel saucepan from my kitchen set. We poured oil, put the small pieces of lady’s finger, and waited for it to get fried.

    What we conveniently forgot was that the rims of the tiny steel burner, and the utensil were made of plastic! By now, the plastic had melted and had mixed with oil and the vegetable.

    We looked at each other in dismay, blew out the fire, and carried the little utensils to the kitchen wash-basin using a paper holder as we had seen mother do.

    The utensil and the burner sizzled under cold water and we sighed in relief. After a while, we started laughing hysterically at the experiment gone wrong.

    As days passed by, these little experiments grew in frequency, always escalating on the mischief scale. As year passed, we grew close to each other bonding over mischief and staying bonded in saving each other’s skins in case anyone got caught.

    In fact, we could tell what the other was thinking by just throwing a look at the person. We knew when the other was lying and hence lied in union. Such was our relation.

    Now, as we have grown up and moved into our respective fields of study, I miss my brother. But we still find time for mischief, to irritate mother and to sneak out for a secret snack or golgappa at a nearby stall. These moments shared together, somehow give us strength to endure the outside world and to stay a child within.

  • Tale of a Naughty Monkey

    Tale of a Naughty Monkey

    Once there lived a rich merchant. He want to build a huge temple in his garden so he hired many artisans and carpenters to build the temple as soon as possible. They worked continuously the whole day with only a single lunch break in mid of the day. The days passed and temple started to be build.

    After some days there come a group of monkeys at the site when the workers went for their mid day meal. When all the workers left one of them noticed a huge log of wood. He did not want to left it as because it only half done. He decided to put a wedge in between the space to prevent the log from closed down. After few moments when all workers were gone the monkeys started coming downwards and started to jumping and playing with the pieces of woods.

    One of the monkeys was different from others. He did not play with his friends. He continuously was seeking the wedge between logs of wood. He sat down in the space between the logs of wood and started to disturb the wedge. Suddenly the wedge came out and the half split log closed in and the monkey got stuck in it. He unable to came out from trouble and finally he died.

    The wise indeed say
    One, who interferes in other’s work, surely comes to grief.

  • How jackal took a brave decision

    How jackal took a brave decision

    Once there lived a jackal named Gomaya in a jungle. One day he was very hungry and there was no food available near about him. He wandered in search of food but he did not succeed. After sometimes he reached a battlefield.

    This was a deserted battlefield where a battle was fought recently. The battlefield was full of blood and armed bodies. The fighting armies left a drum which was lying under a tree. Due to the wind the branches of leaves shattered and rubbed with the drum. This made a sharp and a strange noise. The jackal heard this noise and he got frightened. He thought he might be got into trouble and decided to run away.

    But as he start running he thought first I should find out the reason of this sound perhaps there was no need to run away. So he decided to come forward carefully. He saw the drum and realised that this was the wind that made all the noise.

    He continued his search of food and finally got much food and water.

    So the wise men say:

    Only the brave one succeed in life.

  • In the end, world lost his smartest man!

    In the end, world lost his smartest man!

    It was Sunday afternoon. A fine day, when a small private plane was out in silver sky with a doctor, a lawyer, a priest and a little boy. But to utter surprize for everyone, plane started shaking.

    The poor pilot made every effort to bring it back to normal, but failed and plane started to move with gravity of the earth. In these tense hours, the pilot decided to abandon the plane and grabbed a parachute.

    He jumped while yelling at passenger to follow him.

    But, problem was not going to end with a simple jump as there was only three parachute remaining with four living people in the plane.

    The Doctor was in real hurry. He grabbed an parachute and said,

    “Sorry folk, I’m a doctor and you people know the value of a doctor. HE IS LIFE SAVER”,

    and made a jump to the hell!

    The next person in the raw was the lawyer. As usual he made very improper argument to win the case, said-

    “HE IS SMARTEST MAN IN THE WORLD, as lawyers are always smart then the others, so he should certainly have right to live”,

    jumped to lose his next case on the earth.

    The priest was kind hearted. He cannot see a little boy to die, said in marvellous voice,

    “My son, I’m an old man now. Lived my life in service of God. Let me do my last service to gracious God, let me save you.”

    Priest grabbed the last parachute and handed over to little boy and said,

    “Take this last parachute and live a happy life”

    But the little by handed back the parachute to the priest. He said,

    “I will live a happy life, we both will do; the smartest man of the world jut took my backpack instead of parachute”

    IN THE END, WORLD LOST HIS SMARTEST MAN!

     

    Moral:

    Your job doesn’t always define you, but being a Good Human being Does.