Grandma's stories

I have planned a series of short stories for the young generation which has grown on a diet of Harry potter and eragon and other such stories but not that much on our own traditional stories. I have nothing against our children reading or getting exposed to stories from other countries but I feel they should also be introduced to stories from their native land so that they can connect better with the land and its people. Again here since I am familiar with only stories from South India and that too from Tamilnadu the series will contain only stories belonging to this region.

Chapter-1

It was raining heavily through out the evening and towards early night rain-god decided to take a break and Grandpa wanted to go into the garden to check on the plants. Armed with a torch Grandpa stepped into the garden with his elder grandson Dittu, aged nine, in tow. They had a small but beautiful well maintained patch of garden. The trees and the shrubs all looked fresh and clean after the heavy showers. Grandpa noticed that the jasmine creeper was'nt that lucky this time and the rope with which he had guided it to the balcony above had snapped and that the creeper was lying down. He tried to tie the two ends of rope where it had given away but failed in his attempt as the rope had frayed.

He asked Dittu," Dittu, you have a skipping rope don't You? will you bring it? I want to use it to guide this creeper on to the balcony". "Oh, no Grandpa, that's my favourite one. I can't part with it. We can buy a rope tomorrow for the creeper" said dittu. "Hmmm, you can't part with that rope is it? Do you know that there was once a king who parted with his chariot for a creeper?"asked grandpa. "Really, tell me that story Grandpa" pleaded Dittu.

Grandpa started to tell the story-" In tamil Nadu there once lived a king called Pari. He was a very good administrator and a benevelont one too. People in his kingdom respected and loved him. They lived without fear as the King took good care of the citizens in his kingdom. Pari used to visit different area in his kingdom everyday enquiring people about their welfare, their problems and passed orders immediately if any action was expected from him.

Once Pari was riding on the chariot and he noticed a jasmine creeper lying on the ground. He told the charioteer to stop and got down to inspect the creeper. There was not any tree or pole nearby so that the creeper could be guided on to. His heart went out to the creeper and he told his charioteer to bring the chariot near the creeper. He then tenderly lifted the creeper and guided it onto the chariot.

The charioteer was amazed by the king's act and told" Sir, How would you return to the palace now? Please get on to the chariot and after we reach the palace I'll come back with a few bamboo poles and build a supporting structure for the creeper".

"Let's walk back to the palace. We can not take any chance for by the time you come back what if someone had trampled on the creeper and the plant is destroyed? I can not allow such a thing to happen to anybody or anything in my kingdom. It is my duty to protect one and all in this land" said Pari and started walking back towards the palace. His charioteer follwed the king with admiration and awe in his heart. The king earned a title"Mullaiku ther kodutha Pari" which literally means "Pari who donated a chariot for a jasmine creeper".

So you see Dittu, help should come forth spontaneously for anybody in distress. This plant is in need of help and timely help will save it from distress. Don't you think so?"

Dittu ran inside and fetched his skipping rope and grandpa and grandson together helped the creeper to be back on the support of the rope.