Tenali Rama - Indian

Hello there! My name is Tenali Rama, and long ago, I served as a poet and advisor to the great King Krishnadevaraya in the beautiful city of Vijayanagara. My home was filled with lovely things, but I knew some people might want to take them. One warm evening, I heard a rustling in the bushes and suspected that thieves were hiding nearby, waiting for my family to fall asleep. I knew I couldn't fight them, so I had to outsmart them! This is the story of how I used my wits to trick some greedy robbers, a tale people now call 'Tenali Rama and the Thieves'.

Peeking through my window, I saw two shadowy figures hiding behind the trees. I smiled to myself and called out loudly to my wife, so the thieves could hear. 'My dear,' I said, 'there are too many thieves in our town! We must hide our chest of gold and jewels. The safest place is surely the well in our garden. No one will ever think to look there!' I watched as the thieves' eyes widened with excitement. They saw as my wife and I carried a very heavy wooden chest outside. With a great heave, we pushed it into the well, and it made a loud 'SPLASH!' as it sank into the water. Once my wife and I were back inside, the thieves crept to the well. They grabbed the bucket and rope and began to pull water out, one bucket at a time. All night long, they worked, pouring the water onto my nearby garden beds. They worked and worked, dreaming of the treasure they would find at the bottom.

As the sun began to rise, I saw the thieves were exhausted. The well was almost empty, but there was no chest of gold. Just then, I walked out into my garden, looking refreshed. 'Oh, thank you, gentlemen!' I said with a cheerful smile. 'I have been meaning to water my thirsty plants for days, but my back was too sore. You have done a wonderful job!' The thieves stared at me, confused. I pointed to an identical chest sitting on my porch. 'The chest you heard me drop into the well was filled with heavy stones,' I explained. The thieves realized they had been tricked. They had spent all night doing my chores for me! Embarrassed and tired, they ran away as fast as they could. This story was told by parents and grandparents all over India to show that being clever is often more powerful than being strong. Today, it still reminds us that the best solutions to our problems can come from a little bit of creative thinking, inspiring cartoons, books, and plays that make everyone smile.