Yesha Desai

Once upon a time, there lived a herd of eighty thousand elephants at the bottom of the majestic Himalayas. Their leader was a majestic white elephant who was extremely kind-hearted. He dearly loved his old and blind mother and took great care of her.Each day, the white elephant would go deep into the forest in search of the best of wild fruits to offer his mother. He used to send fruits for his mother through his messengers. The messengers were a bunch of greedy elephants. They used to eat the fruits themselves and never gave anything to the white elephant’s old mother. The white elephant was completely disappointed with his herd.Then one day, he decided to abandon the herd and go with his mother to Mount Candorana to live in a cave beside a beautiful lake that had lovely pink lotuses.It so happened that one day, a forester from Banaras lost his way in the forest and was absolutely terrified to find himself alone in the thick woods. He was weeping bitterly and desperately looking to find some help. The white elephant took pity on the man and promised to help him. He knew every inch of that dense forest and showed him the way out to Banaras city. The forester thanked the white elephant and happily went home.Then after some days, the forester got to hear the news that king Brahmadutta’s personal elephant had died and he was looking for a new elephant. The forester thought that if he would tell the king about the majestic white elephant that he had seen on Mount Candorana, he would certainly get a reward. So, he went and told the king about the white elephant. The king decided to go in the search of that white elephant the very next day.The forester then led the king and his men to the place where the white elephant lived. When the white elephant saw the forester, he realized that it was he who had led the king’s men to him. He was very upset at the man’s selfishness and ingratitude. He decided not to put up a fight because it would have led to unnecessary bloodshed. So, the white elephant went along with the king and his men to the Banaras city.That night when the white elephant did not return home, his mother was very worried. She had heard all the commotion outside and had guessed that the king’s men must have taken away her son. She just lay down in her cave and cried bitterly.Meanwhile, the white elephant was led in to the beautiful city of Banaras where he was given a grand reception in the royal elephant shed. The keepers had laid out a feast for him and decorated the stable with fragrant flowers. But, the elephant neither touched the food nor seemed to be impressed with the beautiful and comfortable shed. He just sat there with a sad expression on his face.The matter was reported to the king. The king came to visit the white elephant and to find out what ailed him. On questioning, the white elephant told the king about his blind old mother. He expressed a desire to go back to her as in his absence she would not be able to sustain herself and die.The compassionate king was touched by the elephant’s story and asked him to return to his blind, old mother and take care of her as he had been doing all along. The happy elephant went running home as fast as he could. His mother could immediately recognise the scent of her son and was overjoyed to have him back. She blessed the kind king with peace, prosperity and joy till the end of his days.The white elephant took good care of his mother till the day she died. The king often used to come and visit him in the forest. And when the white elephant died himself, the king erected a statue of him by the side of the lake and held an annual elephant festival there in his memory. Moral:Always give affection and care to your dear ones. Always respect other’s feelings.

This is a classic story from Jataka tales.This is a story of elephant and king.Mora(s) of the story: caring and compassion

The King’s white elephant

Pallavi Hota

Bible is the collection of 66 books written by different authors describing the God's action and purpose with all creations. Bible contains life stories of Jesus. The bible gives the messages God has desired for us to understand. Following is a story from “The Bible”. When Mary Magdalene and two others went to anoint Jesus’ body with spices, they found that the stone to the tomb had been rolled over. When they went into the tomb, there was a young man in a white robe. He told them, “If you are looking for Jesus Christ who was crucified, He has risen from the dead!” The women ran away, but were too afraid to say anything to anybody. Jesus then appeared to some of His other followers. Thomas, also called Didymus (twin), was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus, was not present, and so he refused to believe until he was able to put his finger in Jesus’ wounds. Jesus appeared to Thomas and allowed him to do just that. Thomas then believed that Jesus had risen, but Jesus said: “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” Moral:God blesses those who have faith without needing to see tangible proof.

This is a story of Mary, Thomas, and Jesus Christ

The Resurrection

Nishita Sanghvi

A pack of jackals roaming around in the forest suddenly saw a big elephant. They got excited thinking how good it would be to feast on him, but for that they had to find a way to kill him. They knew that if they managed to kill him, they would not have to look for food for several days. They could feast on its meat continuously. But it was a difficult task to kill such a big animal.The old jackal made a smart plan and went on to meet the elephant. He said hello to the elephant in a very courteous way and started the conversation, “O’ Mighty elephant! O’ King of kings! May you live long!” The elephant asked, “What is the purpose of your visit, dear jackal?”To which, the jackal said, “I represent a small pack of jackals. It is becoming difficult for us to live without protection in this jungle. We need an able King like you for us. The elephant was completely flattered. The jackal requested the elephant to come along. The elephant immediately agreed as the jackal added to his story that according to his astrologers, crowning ceremony should happen that day itself.The elephant was taken near a swamp and as expected, the elephant soon started sinking in the swamp due to his heavy weight. The terrified elephant moaned and cried for help but there were only deaf ears around him. The jackal laughed at the elephant’s misery, saying that he was foolish enough to believe him.The elephant sank and died. The jackals pulled him and feasted on his meat for many days. Moral:Never trust strangers and fall for flattering words.

This is a story of hitopadesha tales, elephant, fox and forest.Moral(s) of the story: betrayal

The Shrewd Jackals and The Elephant

Ravina Sewani

A long time ago, there lived a Brahmin by the name of Deva Sharma with his wife. They were blessed with a son. The baby used to be alone for most of the time as the Brahmin went out to conduct religious rituals and the Brahmini got busy with the household work. The Brahmin, thought of buying a pet animal for the baby who would not only protect the child but also give him company when both the parents were busy. The Brahmini was reluctant but agreed to have a pet later. The next day, the Brahmin bought a mongoose for their child from the market. Soon, the Brahmin couple started loving the mongoose as their own child. Yet, the Brahmini sometimes feared that the mongoose could harm her son. After all, it was just an animal!One day, the Brahmini had to go out of the house to fetch water from the nearby pond. The Brahmin had also left early for the temple. With a little apprehension, she left the child with the mongoose. Soon after she left, a cobra entered the home. The mongoose sensed the danger to the Brahmin’s son and attacked the cobra. It fiercely fought the cobra and killed it.When the mongoose heard the footsteps of the Brahmini, it joyfully went out to greet her. The Brahmini was terrified to see the blood stains all over the mouth of the mongoose. She concluded that the mongoose had killed the child.Without a second thought, she threw a heavy box on mongoose which killed it instantly. The Brahmini stormed into the house to see the condition of her child. To her great surprise, she found her child peacefully sleeping in the cradle.Then she saw a snake torn into pieces lying near the cradle, she realized that the mongoose had saved her child. The Brahmini was full of sorrow and repentance at her hasty action. Moral:You must never act in haste. You will always have to repent for your action taken in haste. You must think twice before taking any action that cannot be undone.

This is a classic story from panchtantra.This is a story of mongoose and snake.Moral(s) of the story: repentance

The mongoose and the brahmin’s wife

Shina Utavani

When Krishna grew up, he saw milk, curds, and butter all around in Gokula, the land of 'Gopalas' or cowherds (a person who tends to cows). He was always showered upon by the love by Gopis. He had watched them clean the greasy vessels using mud after they were emptied of the butter and always wondered if his stomach also needed to be similarly cleaned.He sat and started to put mud into his mouth and started eating it. His brother, Balarama, and other children around saw this strange sight and demanded to know what he had in the mouth. His mouth was filled with mud so he couldn’t say anything.His brothers took him to Yashoda. He kept shaking his head when Yashoda asked him if he had eaten more butter. Angrily, she took a stick and asked for his mouth to be opened. Krishna opened his mouth wide open, and Yashoda was unable to believe her eyes! What she saw was the entire universe, with Gokula in clear detail, and a glimpse of herself before the Krishna child.She closed her eyes to clear her own head and saw the little fellow seated in front of her as if nothing had occurred. That was when she discovered that he wasn't a regular baby. However, the innocent and amused look of Krishna made her keep this discovery to herself.

This is a story of Yashoda and Krishna when she discovers the truth about Krishna.

Yashoda Discovers about Krishna

One day, a hungry jackal was looking for food in an old battlefield. Suddenly he heard a strange noise coming from a distance. He wondered what could be the source of that frightening noise. At first he decided to run away from there and save his life. Maybe it was a monster who was making such a loud noise. The jackal started running but then he suddenly stopped. He thought that it was unwise to run away without investigating the incident. He gathered courage and slowly walked towards the sound. When he reached very close to the sound, he hid behind a rock and peeped. The jackal saw a big drum lying near a tree. Due to a strong wind, the branches of the tree were rubbing against the drum and making that noise.The jackal had a hearty laugh at himself. He was happy to solve the mystery of the noise. He tore open the drum, thinking that perhaps there was some food inside it but was extremely disappointed to find nothing. Though the jackal did not find anything to eat inside the drum, he was happy with himself for being brave and not running away like a coward. Moral:Be brave and you shall overcome all your obstacles.

This is a classic story from panchtantra.This is a story of jackal.Moral(s) of the story: bravery

The jackal and the drum

Once, a shepherd used to live in a village. He was the owner of a large flock of sheep. Every morning, he used to take his flock out for grazing. Once, because of some work, he had to go to the city for two to three days. So, he called his son, Ramu and told him that he would have to take care of the sheep for the two-three days that he would be away. “Take good care of the sheep, Ramu,” his father warned him. “There are many wild animals like tigers and wolves in the forest nearby who might kill our sheep. Keep them safe, son. They are your responsibility.” Ramu assured his father that he would follow his advice. The next day, Ramu took the flock of sheep to the hillside for grazing. While the sheep were grazing, Ramu started feeling bored. Being a mischievous boy, he wanted to have some fun. He thought of an idea. He stood up and started shouting, “Help! Wolf! Wolf!” Ramu’s cry for help was heard by the villagers. Carrying big sticks with them, they rushed to the spot to help the boy. But, on reaching, they found that there was no wolf. Ramu laughed and said, “There is no wolf here. It was just a joke I played on you.” The villagers went back to their homes, irritated.Next day, the same thing happened. The villagers heard Ramu crying for help and went to help him but again, they found that the boy had tricked them again. This time, the villagers were very annoyed and went back to their homes, cursing the boy.On the third day, when Ramu took his sheep for grazing, a wolf actually came there. The wolf looked so ferocious that Ramu was terrified. The wolf was advancing towards the sheep. Ramu shouted, “Help! Help! Wolf!”The villagers heard Ramu’s cry and thought that it must be the boy’s silly trick once again. No one went to help him. Ramu could not keep the wolf off the sheep all by himself. The wolf killed many of Ramu’s sheep. Ramu went back to his home weeping. Moral:If you lie all the time, no one will believe you if for once you speak the truth.

This is a classic story from panchtnatra.This is a story of sheep and wolf.Moral(s) of the story: honesty

The boy who cried wolf

Dr. BR Ambedkar is considered as the ‘Father of Indian Constitution’. He was known as a Dalit icon who dedicated all his life working for the upliftment of untouchables, women, and labourers. Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar was famously known as Babasaheb Ambedkar. He was a social reformer, politician, and jurist. He contributed largely to eradicate social problems like caste restrictions and untouchability. He fought for the rights of socially backward people and Dalits. He wanted to uplift their lives and provide them their rights. The new Congress-led government, after India's independence on August 15, 1947, invited Ambedkar to serve as the nation's first minister of law and justice, which he accepted. He was appointed Chairman of the Drafting Committee of the Constitution on 29 August and was appointed by the Constituent Assembly to write the new Constitution of India. Ambedkar had studied the constitutions of about 60 countries and was considered as a Constitutional expert. After being appointed as the chairman of the Drafting Committee, he emphasized on the construction of a virtual bridge between all classes of the society. He was successful in receiving support from the Assembly in introducing reservations for scheduled castes, and scheduled tribes in government jobs, education, and civil services. As a chairman of the Constitutional Committee, he gave shape to our country of a complete Sovereign, Democratic and Republic based on adult franchise. Dr. Ambedkar’s contribution to the Indian Constitution is undoubted of the highest order. Indeed, he deserved to be called the “father or the Chief Architect” of the Indian Constitution.

Father of Indian Constitution – Dr. Ambedkar

Mahabharata is an ancient Indian epic about the brothers, Pandavas and kauravas. It describes the battle between them in the Kurukshetra war for the throne of Hastinapura. It is an epic tale that combines war, religion, philosophy and Hindu history. Following is a story from The Mahabharata.When the Kurukshetra battle was over, Lord Krishna bade farewell to the Pandavas and went to Dwaraka. While on his way, he met his old brahmana friend Utanga. Krishna stopped and descended from his chariot and saluted the brahmana.Utanga returned the greeting and proceeded to make the usual enquiries about the health and welfare of relatives. He asked whether the cousins, Pandavas and Kauravas loved one another as brothers should and whether they were well and flourishing.The innocent brahmana had not heard about the great battle that had been fought. The Lord was astounded by this question and for a while he stood silent not knowing what to say in reply. He then softly disclosed what had happened, about how a great battle had been fought and almost all the Kauravas had been exterminated.On hearing the narrative, Utanga became very angry. He told Krishna that He had failed in His duties and asked Him to be prepared to receive his curse. In reply, the Lord just smiled asking him not to use up the fruits of his great penances. He then proceeded to show Utanga his Visvarupa form and explain to him the message of the Bhagavad Gita just as He had done to Arjuna.After this explanation, Utanga recovered his calm and the Lord was pleased. He told the brahmana to ask for any boon he desired to which the brahmana said that he did not desire anything as he had seen Lord Krishna's Universal form. When Krishna insisted, Utanga said that he should be able to find water whenever he might feel thirsty. The Lord thus blessed him and went on His way. Later when Utanga was passing through a desert he felt very thirsty and remembered the boon he had received. He decided to make use of that boon.The same moment, a nishada (shudra) appeared before him clothed in rags; he had five hunting hounds(dogs) in leash and a water bag strapped to his shoulder. He offered the bamboo spout of his water skin to the brahmana to drink from. Utanga looked at the man in disgust and told him that he was not thirsty and asked him to go. Saying this he reapproached the Lord in his mind for the boon He had given him. The outcaste pressed Utanga over and over again to quench his thirst, but it only made Utanga more and more angry and he refused to drink. The outcaste then disappeared.Seeing this strange disappearance of the nishada the brahmana reflected, Who was this? He could not have been a real nishada. It was certainly a test and I blundered miserably. I rejected the water offered by the outcaste and proved myself to be an arrogant fool. Utanga was in great anguish when a moment later Madhava Himself appeared before him with conch and discussion.ìO Purushottama!î exclaimed Utanga, ìWas it right of You to send an outcaste to offer unclean water to a brahmana like me? Was this kind?î, asked Utanga. The Lord replied smiling, O Utanga! For your sake I asked Indra to take amrita and give it to you as water. He said he would on no account give nectar to a mortal. But I prevailed upon him and he agreed to do so only if I allowed him to test you in the form of a chandala. I accepted the challenge believing you had attained that stage of understanding. But you have and made me suffer defeat at Indra's hands.

boasting stories

Kids moral stories help in improving their imagination & relate to real-world life. Here are age-specific bedtime stories for children by renowned storytellers.