Sunday, October 5, 2008

TENALI RAMA AND THE NEIGHBOURS.







TENALI rama was considered a problem solver by many people.he had not only solved many crises of the kingdom through his wit,but also had helped many families in the kingdom.once when returned home from the king's court, he found his wife very unhappy.''what is the matter lalitha?''asked tenali.''what else can it be dear,''replied a depressed lalitha. ''it's our neighbours again.this time i don't know what has come up.they have been screaming at each other the whole day,''complained lalitha.
ragu and anjali were the husband and wife who had moved in a few months ago into the house next to tenali rama's.ragu was a day dreamer.he always dreamt of becoming rich one day, but did no work. whole day he would sit in his courtyard and dream.anjali also would join her husband in day dreaming.rahu's old mother would work hard in the fields. while her son and daughter-in-law would sit and dream of becoming rich.
one day having decided to do something to become rich,ragu decided to bye a cow.''anjali iam going to bye a cow which will give us lots of milk,'' said ragu.''very good,''said anjali.she went to the market and bought some earthen pot.''what are the pots for?asked ragu.''one is for milk,the other for butter milkand the third is to store ghee,''replied anjali happily.''that's wonderful!but what is the extra pot for?''he asked,''that's to send some milk to my sister''she replied.''milk for your sister?''screamed ragu.''that useless lazy woman will get none of my cow's milk,''and he broken the pot. ''why not?''iam the one to milk the cow,'' she saidangrily,''because i paid for it,''bellowed ragu andbeganto break the pots one by one.angry at her husband,anjali began to throw the vessels in the kitchen at him.
unable to bear this noise, tenali went to his noghbour's house.''what is the matter ragu?''asked tenali rama.''anjali wants to give my cow's milk to her useless sister?"on hearing the whole story tenali rama was speechless. he decided to teach the couple a lesson. he took a stick from his house and began to beat ragu.''why are you hitting me?''screamed out ragu in pain.''because the cow you are going to buy has eaten the vegetable i am going to grow in my Gorden.''explained tenali rama.ragu and his wife realized their mistake and stopped fighting.

Saturday, October 4, 2008

TENALI RAMA RIDES ON RAJGURU'S BACK.




RAJGURU thathachariar had thrown tenali rama out of his house before he had joined the king's court as a jester. tenali rama wanted to take revenge by humiliating the rajguru in the presence of others. every day, tenali rama would look for opportunities for his revenge. rama knew that thathachariar got up before sun rice and went to the river on the outskirts of the capital to have his bath. he would do this every morning.
one day tenali rama hid behind a bush and waited for the rajguru to come.as usual at dawn thathachariar came for his bath to the river.tenali rama waited,while rajaguru's back was turned on tenali rama,he quietly sneaked up to where the guru's clothes were lying,picked them up and ran back to the bus.there he waited till the rajaguru emerged out of the river. not finding his clothes where he had left them he got worried.
''who has taken my clothes?''he muttered as he looked around to see if anybody was around.''how will i got back?''he wondered as there was no one in sight.just then tenali rama came out of his hiding place laughing at the rajaguru's distress.on seeing tenali with his clothes,the rajaguru sighedwithrelief.''what are you doing with my clothes tenalirama?''he asked.''give them to me before anyone sees me like this,''he said angrily.
tenali rama laughed loudly and said,''i''ll give them to you on one condition.'' ''what is it?tell me quickly,''demanded the rajguru.''you will have to carry me on your back till the palace,''replied tenali rama.rajguru was shocked,''how can i do that?what will people think of me?i am the rajguru,''he replied.''what will they think of you when you walk back in thirstiest to the palace?''asked tenali cunningly.finding no other way out rajguru agreed.
AS tenali rama rode on the rajguru's back to the palace,all the people who saw them wondered why the rajguru was caring the court jester on his back. rajguru bent his head with shame and hurried along, while tenali rama became joyfully clinging on to his back. the king was strolling in the palace garden enjoying the coolness of the morning breeze.suddenly he spotted two men at a distance walking towards the palace.

one man was carrying another on his back,''what a strange sight,''thought the king.puzzled, the king summoned the guards, ''bring those two men to me,''ordered the king.tenali rama had seen the king call the guards. he quickly got down from the rajguru's back. ''i' m sorry for having made you carry me on your back like this,''he said,''please allow me to carry you on my back from here,''
tenalirama offered ,thinking that tenali wanted to make amends,thathachariar gladly climbed onto tenali's back.just then the guards grabbed them and brought them before the king.''why have you brought the rajguru and tenali?''asked the king .''but ''o''king,we found the rajguru riding on tenalirama's back,'' replied the guards.''it is true, my king,''tenali rama said his legs were paining and tricked me into carrying him. but on reaching the palace he insisted carrying me on his back.''
the king smiled,but he was also angry with tenali for having tricked the rajguru.the rajguru did not want to tell the king about the incident at the river as it embarrassed him.tenalirama apologized to the king. tenalirama finally had his revenge.

Thursday, October 2, 2008

TENALIRAMA'S SON'S CLEVERNESS.




ONE day,tenali's young son entered the palace garden. he saw some beautiful red roses. the boy plucked a number of roses to take home to his mother. the guards of the palace caught the boy,he had some roses in his hand. they decided to take him to the king.on the way they met tenali rama.''what's the matter?''he asked the guards.''your son has stolen roses from the palace garden. we caught him with the roses in his hand. so we are taking him to the king''they replied .
''what!my son wouldn't do such a thing!''tenali exclaimed.''look at the flowers in his hand!''they pointed a finger,''my son must be punished if he has done wrong.i won't stop that''tenali said.''but, he is very clever.he will manage somehow''tenali thought.he took off the shawl he was wearing and covering will protect my son.''the boy understood what his father was trying to tell him.
he pulled the shawl about his shoulders and his face. then, unseen by the guards, he quickly ate the roses in his hand.the guards brought the boy before the king.''o king!this boy is tenalirama's son.he entered the palace garden and plucked the roses.we caught him and have brought him here''said the guard.the king asked the boy ''do you have stolen the roses?''''the boy has all the roses he plucked in his hand.you can inspect his hand,''the guard respectfully. he held out the boy's hand.''what is this?i cannot see any roses in his hand!"the king exclaimed.''my boy,tell me what happened.''
''o king!i did not do any wrong. these guards are jealous of my father.they wanted to give a bad name to him. so, they are calling me a thief!that is why they brought me to you.''the boy said cleverly. the king told tenali rama's son to go home.he scolded the guards and sent away.

TENALI RAMA AND THE GREEDY PRIESTS


Krishnadeva raya had loved his mother greatly. her death anniversary was approaching.so he thought,''i must fulfil my mother's wish,i shall consult the head priest to find out what should be done''the king sent for the head priest and told him about what he planned to do.the head priest was a greedy man. he thought that it would be a good chance for him to make money.
''o king!it is said that a dying person's soul is satisfied ONLY if his or her last wish is fulfilled. what was your mother's last desire?''he asked.''my mother wanted to eat mango.but she breathed her last just before it could be brought,''the king said to the priest sadly.''then you must give 108 gold mangoes in 108 silver bowls to 108 brahmins on the day of your mother's death anniversary.only then will her sole rest in peace.''the head priest advised the king seriously.
''i shall get the gold mangoes made at once. please will you arrange for 108 brahmins to come here next Wednesday?'' asked the king krishnadeva raya.the head priest came with 108 brimins to the palace on the appointed day.the king krishnadeva rayagave each a gold mango in a silver bowl.tenali rama's curiosity was aroused when he saw the crowd at the palace.
''what is the occasion?''he asked a guard.''don't you know?our king is giving 108 gold mangoes in 108 silver bowels to 108 peoples.his mother's last wish before she died was to eat mangos.as it could not be fulfilled then, the head priest advised the king to give this ''dhaanam''so that his mother's soul can rest in peace''the guard explained.''oh!''tenali rama exclaimed.
the next day, he went to the head priest's house,''please ,sir, my mother's death anniversary is on Tuesday,i could not fulfil her last wish before she died .so ,i want give ''dhaanam.'' i would be glad if you come with 108 persons to my house on Tuesday''he said.the head priest knew that tenali rama oten got rich presents from the king. so he felt sure that tenali would give a costly thing.''don't worry! i will come to your house'' he replied. tenaki rama welcomed the head priest and the 108 brahmins respectfully. he went to an inner room to fetch the ''dhaanams''
he came back carrying a red -hot poker in his hand.tenali rama proceeded to place it on each brahmin's hand. the head priest's hand too was burned.all are went and complained to the king, he sent for tenalirama. ''what have you done?''the king asked angrily.''o king!i was fulfilling my dying mother's last wish. she suffered greatly from pain and wanted me to place a red-hot poker in her hand. her soul will now rest in peace because her lost wish was fulfilled when you gave the golden mango!''tenali rama replied.
krishnadeva raya laughed loudly when he realised how cleverly tenali rama had shown the greediness of the head priest.