The little helper

Told in English, Telugu.

In a little village beside the Godavari river, there lived a girl named Chinni. Chinni was four years old. She had two small hands, two bright eyes, and one very big heart.

It was Sankranti morning. The whole house was busy, busy, busy.

Amma was sitting at the front door, drawing a beautiful muggu with white powder. "Oh dear," said Amma. "My bowl of powder is far away inside the house."

Chinni ran inside. She carried the bowl very carefully, step by step, and she did not spill a single pinch. "Here, Amma!"

Amma smiled. "Thank you, Chinni. Now I can finish my muggu."

And Chinni sang her happy little song. Small hands, big heart, Chinni always does her part!

Can you sing it with me? Small hands, big heart, Chinni always does her part!

Next, Chinni went to the cowshed. Lakshmi the cow was mooing. Moo, moo! She was hungry. Nanna was holding a big bundle of grass in both arms, and he could not open the little gate.

Chinni pushed the gate open. Creeeak! Nanna gave Lakshmi her grass, and Lakshmi munched happily. Munch, munch, munch.

"Thank you, Chinni," said Nanna. "Now Lakshmi is not hungry anymore."

Small hands, big heart, Chinni always does her part!

Then Chinni found Ammamma in the garden. Ammamma was picking jasmine flowers for the puja. But the flowers on the low branches were hard for her to reach, because her back was tired.

Chinni bent down low. She picked one, two, three, four, five little white flowers, and she put them gently in Ammamma's basket.

"Thank you, Chinni," said Ammamma, and she kissed the top of her head. "Now we have enough flowers for the puja."

Small hands, big heart, Chinni always does her part!

Out on the street, Chinni saw her friend Ravi. Ravi looked sad. His kite string was all tangled, like a big ball of knots. Chinni sat down beside him. Together they pulled gently and slowly, this way and that way, until the string was straight again.

Up, up, up went Ravi's kite into the blue sky! "Thank you, Chinni!" shouted Ravi.

Small hands, big heart, Chinni always does her part!

In the evening, Chinni wanted to make gobbemmalu to put on Amma's muggu. But oh, she was so tired. Her little legs were sleepy. Her little hands were sleepy too.

"I cannot make them all by myself," she whispered.

And then, guess who came? Amma came, with a plate of yellow pumpkin flowers. Nanna came, and helped shape the gobbemmalu. Ammamma came, with a string of jasmine. And Ravi came running, holding the basket.

Together they placed the gobbemmalu on the muggu, each one with a little yellow flower on top. It was the prettiest muggu in the whole street.

"You helped all of us today," said Amma, giving Chinni a big hug. "So now, we all help you."

Chinni smiled a sleepy smile. Now she understood. When you help others, love comes back to you, just like a kite coming home on its string.

That night, Amma gave her warm, sweet pongali. And Chinni fell asleep in Amma's lap, singing softly, small hands, big heart, Chinni always does her part.

Goodnight, little helper.