Ganesha circles the world (his parents)

Told in English, Telugu.

Long, long ago, high up on snowy Mount Kailasa, lived Lord Shiva and Mother Parvati. They had two sons. One was little Ganesha, with his round tummy and his kind elephant face. The other was Subrahmanya, strong and quick, with a bright shining spear.

One morning, the sage Narada came walking up the mountain. Tring, tring went his veena. In his hand he held a mango. Oh, what a mango! It was golden and round and it smelled so sweet.

"This is a very special fruit," said Narada. "Whoever eats it will become very wise. But there is only one."

Ganesha looked at the mango. Subrahmanya looked at the mango. Both of them wanted it.

Mother Parvati smiled. "We cannot cut this fruit," she said. "So let us have a race. Whoever goes around the whole world three times and comes back first will get the mango."

Subrahmanya clapped his hands. "Easy!" he said. He jumped onto his beautiful peacock. Its feathers shone blue and green. Whoosh! Away it flew, over the hills, over the rivers, over the big blue sea.

And Ganesha? Ganesha looked at his little mouse, Mooshika. Mooshika looked back at Ganesha. A tiny mouse with a big Ganesha on its back. How could they go around the whole world?

Ganesha sat down and thought. He scratched his big ear. He curled his trunk. He thought and thought and thought.

What is the world to me, he wondered. Who gives me food when I am hungry? Who sings to me when I am sleepy? Who hugs me when I fall down?

Amma and Nanna. Amma and Nanna are my whole world.

Ganesha smiled a big smile. He stood up. He folded his hands. And slowly, slowly, he began to walk around Lord Shiva and Mother Parvati.

Round and round he went. One time. Two times. Three times. Can you count with me? One, two, three!

Then Ganesha bowed down low at their feet.

Lord Shiva was surprised. "Ganesha, my son, why did you not go around the world?"

Ganesha looked up with shining eyes. "Nanna, I did. You and Amma are my whole world. Everything I love is right here with you."

Mother Parvati's eyes filled with happy tears. Lord Shiva laughed a deep, warm laugh. Narada played tring, tring on his veena. "Such a wise little one!" he said.

And Lord Shiva placed the golden mango in Ganesha's hands.

Just then, whoosh! Subrahmanya came flying back on his peacock. He was tired and his hair was full of wind. "I am first!" he called. Then he saw the mango in Ganesha's hands.

For a moment he felt a little sad. But Mother Parvati held him close and told him what Ganesha had said. Subrahmanya thought about it. Then he smiled. "Anna is right," he said. "Amma and Nanna are the whole world."

And Ganesha? He shared a sweet piece of mango with his brother, because that is what wise and loving brothers do.

So tonight, when you hug your Amma and Nanna, you can whisper what Ganesha said. Say it with me. Amma and Nanna are my whole world.

Good night, little one.