King Yayati’s witty Minister, Veer | Folktale of India

King Yayati had many loyal ministers in his kingdom, and He was very grateful to all of them. But his favorite Minister was Veer. Minister Veer and King Yayati studied in the same gurukul, and their friendship grew from strength to strength. 



Minister Veer’s loyalty was well-known in the kingdom. King Yayati often asked Minister Veer to accompany him on confidential and dangerous missions, like fighting with malevolent forces to save their kingdom. Sometimes, he would order Minister Veer to go alone on these missions. Minister Veer was very brave. These missions never frightened him. In fact, he enjoyed them and loved saving his kingdom from enemies. 

One day, King Yayati ordered Minister Veer to go check lands on the outskirts of his kingdom and submit a report to him. Minister Veer first headed to the north. This site was covered with dense forests. He went inside the forest for three days with an Adivasi group. He was touched by their hospitality and enjoyed his stay. He made a detailed report of their requirements. Once the report was finished, he looked up in the air and made a peculiar sound. Soon, the pigeon arrived.

He clutched the report in the string on his neck.
‘Go, my dear friend pigeon, give this to King Yayati,’ said Minister Veer. 

King Yayati read it carefully. Minister Veer mentioned the humble Adivasi group and their requirements- clothes, food, education etc. King Yayati ordered his royal servants to make the arrangements. The Adivasi group was very happy to receive food, clothes etc. King Yayati took them under his care. Soon this story became very famous. 

Minister Veer was still travelling from the North to the South side of the kingdom. It had been a month since he left the royal palace upon receiving the King’s order. Finally, he arrived on the outskirts of the south side. He saw a huge mountain, assumed nothing was beyond that, and started leaving. It started raining. He and his horse took shelter under a huge tree. He and his horse witnessed something very magical. With each water droplet, the land transformed into an enchanted garden. 

Flowers were talking with each other, birds were singing and dancing, and trees generously offered fruits to birds. Minister Veer looked at it very mesmerized and entered the garden. He saw a lake, he went near it, he put his hands into it, to drink it, along with water came a handful of diamonds, the second time to put his hand into it, came a handful of pearls along with water. He was mesmerized. 

He wrote a detailed report on his experience. Once the report was finished, he looked up in the air and made a peculiar sound. Soon, the pigeon arrived.

He clutched the report in the string on his neck. 

‘Go my dear friend pigeon, give this to King Yayati,’ said Minister Veer. 

 King Yayati read it carefully. Soon, the news of the mysterious land and lake started spreading. It reached the ears of goons. They reached the south of the kingdom. Minister Veer, who was still there, caught several wanted goons he had tried to arrest for a long time. 

Minister Veer revealed that there was no mysterious land or lake. He made the story to attract and catch goons.

Minister Veer was praised for his bravery and wit.

Moral of the story- Not every story is a true story.

Happy reading!

Check out Nisha B Thakur's highly appreciated novel, The Unexpected Trail.

Folk Stories for Kids | Minister Veer of Vijaynagar Kingdom

Minister Veer was one of the most respected chiefs of the Vijaynagar kingdom. His job was to administer and ensure the smooth functioning of the royal palace. He usually started his mornings doing yoga in the royal garden. He loved its serene environment and found it a perfect place to begin his day. 


Managing the royal garden was part of his job, and its beauty often fetched Veer praise from the royal guests and King Krishnadevaraya. The fragrant flowers of the garden not only made the air aromatic but also filled Veer with fragrant pride. 

He was very proud of gardener Ramu, who worked hard to maintain it. Whenever someone praised Veer for the garden, he never forgot to mention Ramu’s name. Ramu, too, was happy to work under Veer’s leadership. 

Ramu stayed with his family in the small hut made in the garden. Veer often visited him in the hut after doing yoga. Today, Ramu was not home; Veer was received by his daughter Rohini. Rohini was a beautiful girl and very generous too. She offered Veer buttermilk while he waited for Ramu. When Ramu came home, Veer expressed his desire to marry Rohini. Elated, Ramu accepted the proposal for his daughter but with one condition. 

‘Tell me your condition, Ramu,’ said Veer.

‘Sir, I will soon retire from the post of royal gardener. My family has been serving the royal palace for the last three generations. I want to continue this tradition. If you promise to hire my son in my place when I retire, I will marry my daughter to you,’ replied Ramu.

Veer made the promise. Rohini and Veer were pleased. 
After a few months, the time came to honour Ramu’s promise. Veer went to visit the King to get his permission. But Veer was informed that King Krishnadevaraya had already hired a royal gardener. Disappointed, Veer came to meet Ramu. Hearing the news, Ramu became very angry and accused Veer of dishonouring his promise, and he called off Veer’s marriage with Rohini. Veer tried to convince Ramu. But he didn’t hear anything. 

In weeks, he fixed Rohini’s marriage with a farmer. Upset, Veer decided to take a break from the royal palace’s work. He mounted his horse, Badal, and went to the outskirts of the Vijaynagar kingdom. He waited for the boatman’s arrival. The boat arrived with a passenger. Veer was about to board it when he saw two goons attack passengers. He jumped to rescue them, put up a tough fight, and successfully saved a passenger’s life.

‘Thank you, nobleman, for saving my life,’ said the passenger.

Veer boarded the boat and left. When he returned to the Vijaynagar kingdom, he was surprised to see the same passenger working as a royal gardener. He remembered King Krishnadevaraya saying that he had already hired someone. 

Veer shared his story with the passenger. The passenger promised to hire Rohini’s brother as his assistant gardener. Thrilled, Veer ran to Ramu’s hut and shared the news. Ramu accepted his mistake and happily married his daughter Rohini to Veer. 


Moral - Sometimes, you have to let things go. Sometimes, you have to stop caring for a minute. The bottom line is this; when one person stops being a part of your life, another will fill that empty space. Leave the ones who left right where they belong in the past, and never look back. They would come back to you if they were yours.

Happy reading!

Check out Nisha B Thakur's highly appreciated novel, The Unexpected Trail.

Face Reader in the Town | Children Short Stories

Kamala worked as a housekeeper in Kolhapur to make ends meet. When her husband’s factory job was transferred to Nashik, she had to leave her job. After they relocated to Nashik, she started looking for a housekeeper job. 

Initially, ladies were reluctant to hire her as she didn’t have any credentials or references. Luckily, Bani hired her, and she restarted her work. Bani was pursuing her MBA. Her mother was ailing. Soon, Kamala became a family member for her. 

After a few months, she got a few more households to work as house help, not to forget Bani’s reference. Days passed; she knew many families and their secrets. 

‘We have a great face reader coming to our town this week,’ said Kamala.

This aroused Bani’s mother's interest.

‘Please invite him to our house, Kamala,’ she begged.

Bani refused to believe this hocus-pocus, but she didn’t intervene.

Anything that makes Mom feel better.

The next day, the face reader arrived, and Bani's mother welcomed him. When neighbours heard about the face reader's arrival, they invited themselves to Bani’s place.

The face reader was made to sit on a grand sofa. A plate of fresh fruits and sweets was offered to him. He amazed everyone with his readings. Everyone offered him money for his readings. Instead, he asked them to give him the gold jewellery they were wearing now. People mesmerized by his antics didn’t refuse and obediently agreed. 

Bani entered the room along with a policeman.

‘He is no face reader. He is Kamala’s husband, Ramu,’ said Bani.

‘How do you know?’ asked his mother.

 ‘Don’t you remember Mom Kamala showing us her family picture when she joined us,’ said Bani.

‘They are seasoned thieves. They did their first robbery in Kolhapur. After which, they came to Nashik. Kamala works as a house help and gathers information. Husband poses a face reader and tricks people,’ said the Policeman.

The policeman arrested Kamala and Ramu. Bani received lots of appreciation from their neighbours and her family.

Moral - Staying alert always helps and saves one from trouble.

Happy reading!

Check out Nisha B Thakur's highly appreciated novel, The Unexpected Trail.

College Love Story | Injurious Love

Nishant was in the second year of his engineering college when he first saw Sharda. Sharda was his super-senior and was infamous for changing boyfriends too frequently.


This fact didn’t deter Nishant’s love for her. Initially, he thought he was attracted and infatuated to Sharda. But then he realized he was in love with Sharda. He spent hours in the college library waiting for her to come. Sharda spent most of her time at the library as no one used to talk to her. Courtesy, her last boyfriend, was the college’s most popular guy. When Sharda broke up with him, he bullied the entire college not to speak to her. Anyone spotted talking to Sharda was severely beaten. Sharda was considered a jinx in college.

One day, Sharda was waiting at the main gate for her car to come and pick her up. The college premises were entirely vacant at this time. Nishant walked up to her and attempted to give his introduction to her. She looked away and didn’t speak to him. 

The next day, Sharda was browsing books at the bookstore when her gaze fell on Nishant, and she walked up to her. 

‘I am sorry about not talking to you yesterday. I had no choice,’ said Sharda.

‘It’s okay. I understand,’ said Nishant. He was happy to finally speak to Sharda.

‘My last boyfriend won’t let anyone come near me; they could have injured you badly,’ said Sharda.

Nishant introduced himself to Sharda, who said she knew him. She told me about seeing him in the college library. Nishant thought the college library was finally useful to him.

Nishant immediately forgave her, and they became friends. Nishant and Sharda talked about books. She offered to share notes with him. Nishant spoke about his family. Sharda realized that their families knew each other. Instantly, they became a friend. Nishant was happy. This was the best day of his college life. But he couldn’t reveal his happiness to anyone. 

During college hours, they behaved like strangers, and after college, they used to meet in a bookstore. Nishant was relieved that Sharda was nothing like she was rumoured to be in college. He hated her last boyfriend for maligning her character. Even girls in the college were not allowed to talk to Sharda. Sharda missed her best friend, Sheena.

Sheena and Sharda used to speak only on phone calls. Sharda introduced Sheena to Nishant. Nishant and Sheena hated Sharda’s ex-boyfriend. 

After a few months, Nishant proposed to Sharda to be his girlfriend, and she said yes. 

To date, they have never met in college. No one in the college knew that Nishant and Sharda were dating. They always met at the bookstore or at a coffee shop. They enjoyed going to the movies at the theatres. But in college, they behaved like complete strangers because it was an Injurious Love for Nishant.

Moral- Love is magical.

Happy reading!

Check out Nisha B Thakur's highly appreciated novel, The Unexpected Trail.

Folk Stories on Magic | The Story of Witty Radha

Once upon a time, there lived a farmer called Murli. Murli’s life revolved around his wife, Radha.

He loved her and worked hard to give her a decent life. 


Radha was a modest girl who never complained to Murli about anything. Together, they celebrated every small moment. They never desired to live luxuriously. All they wished for was a happy life.

Every morning, Murli used to get flowers to make a gajra (flower hair accessory) for Radha. This morning was no different. Radha was cooking a flower meal as she eagerly awaited Murli’s arrival. 

Suddenly, the room was filled with an unusual fragrance, and Radha knew flowers were there.

Murli immediately sat on the mat and started making gajra with those flowers. Radha looked impatiently like a child. Her wait to get hold of gajra always amused Murli.

‘My gajra is here. Where do you get these exclusive flowers for me?’ asked Radha.

‘There is a small river in the jungle. It is magical. Anything I put in that water becomes fragrant. I buy these flowers for you from the village and then go to the river, splash some river water on these flowers,’ answered Murli.

‘How do you know about that river?’ asked Radha.

‘An astrologer used to stay there. I served him very faithfully for two years. He told him about the magic in that river,’ said Murli. 
She wore the gajra and thanked Murli for it. Happily, they ate their breakfast. Murli went to his farms, while Radha went to the weekly village fair.

When she reached the village fair, most ladies complimented her for her fragrant gajra. Queen Damini was making purchases from the village fair. She, too, noticed the unusual fragrance of Radha’s gajra. Delighted, Radha came back home. 

Queen Damini, too, reached the royal palace and told King Veer about the unusual fragrance of Radha’s gajra. She demanded that King Veer gift her a gajra made from the fragrant flowers. 

King Veer reached Murli’s hut. Surprised, Murli and Radha welcomed King Veer and offered him fruits. Their hospitality touched King Veer. He, too, noticed the unusual fragrance of Radha’s gajra and asked Murli about them.

Murli didn’t want to reveal the truth and promptly said, ‘I got these flowers from a local shop.’

‘How come they are so fragrant?’ asked King Veer.

‘When my wife touches any flower. It becomes fragrant,’ said Murli in haste.

Murli’s reply made King Veer very angry. He ordered his soldier to arrest Murli. He said Radha should come to the royal court the next morning and make the ordinary flowers fragrant.

Radha understood Murli’s intention behind lying to King Veer. She knew Murli lied to protect their small happiness. That night, she couldn’t sleep. 

The next morning, Radha went to the river and stored some magical water in a small bottle. She then reached the royal court and was presented with some ordinary flowers. 

Radha sneakily sprinkled magic water on her hand, and she touched the flowers. Flowers became fragrant. King Veer realized his mistake and freed Murli. 

Murli and Radha lived happily ever after.

Moral of the story- Life is about owing your happy moments.

Happy reading!

Check out Nisha B Thakur's highly appreciated novel, The Unexpected Trail.

Nimmo- The SUPERSTAR! | Bedtime Stories for Kids

Television entertains all. It always has something amusing in store for its lovers of all age groups. Smiling faces on the TV screens engage us unconditionally. 



The reality of working in the television industry is long, tedious hours. They have to spend long hours in the shooting location. One such entertaining and famous face of television was Nimmo. The cute twelve-year-old boy became extremely popular in no time. He was highly appreciated for his performance as an angel in a TV show. Nimmo enjoyed his newly found stardom, but he missed playing with friends.

Nimmo was a talented student who managed his work and studies with ease. His mother helped him manage and plan his routine. Nimmo, too, understood the importance of the rare and fabulous opportunity that had been bestowed upon him. But he wanted to enjoy a normal childhood. He tried to concentrate on his studies, too.

His father disapproved of Nimmo entering the entertainment industry so early. His father was an engineer, and he wanted Nimmo to be an engineer, too. Actually, his father was very liberal. He wanted him to study and enjoy his childhood like a normal boy. He wanted him to decide his career choice rather than having his mother choose it for him.

But his mother was hellbent to make Nimmo a superstar.

‘Dad, I want to play with my friends,’ said Nimmo.

Seeing Nimmo missing his friends, he quickly arranged for them to visit his place. Nimmo played with them. Seeing him smile, his mother realized Nimmo loves being with his friends and enjoys school life more. She called the TV show producers and told them about their decision to quit the show. 

Nimmo’s father was incredibly proud of his wife for accepting her mistake and amending it rightly.

The next morning, when Nimmo heard about his mother’s decision to quit the show, he felt significantly hurt. His father and mother thought he would be happy, but Nimmo looked sad. When his father asked him about his sadness, he said, "I enjoy being on set, performing my role."

His father was completely surprised to hear this. He said, "When I saw you playing with your friends, I thought you were missing them."

"I do miss them, but I also love my work," said Nimmo.

His father, too, accepted his mistake.

Just because you love one thing doesn’t mean you can’t love another.

Nimmo’s mother and father understood his love for acting. They called the show’s producer and informed them about Nimmo’s decision. Nimmo enjoyed his acting stint while simultaneously concentrating on his studies. He enjoyed his free time with his family and friends. His parents supported him in making decisions. 

Nimmo’s parents were incredibly proud of him. Nimmo was clear that he wanted to be a superstar. He was lucky to have found his passion. He, too, was incredibly proud of having parents like them, and he loved them dearly.

Moral of the story- Never shy away from accepting mistakes.

Happy reading!

Check out Nisha B Thakur's highly appreciated novel, The Unexpected Trail.

Animal Stories for Kids | Friendship of Parrot Hira and Mani

Once upon a time, there lived a poor man named Mani. Today, he was sorrowful and cried beside the river, which was situated on the outskirts of the village. 


He wanted to commit suicide by drowning himself in the water. Hira, a parrot, came to drink water from the river. Parrot saw Mani crying and asked him why. Mani answered, ‘My family removed me from the house as there were already seven people.’

Hira tried to console Mani. Mani said he wanted to die. But Hira explained that he should earn a good life instead of breaking. Inspired by Hira’s words, Mani decided to give life a try. Mani ate apples offered by Hira. Mani drank water and decided to search for work. Hira told Mani about fortune-telling via parrots. Mani said, but he didn’t know anything about it. Hira taught Mani about fortune-telling via parrots, which he had learned from his master. Mani soon started earning with the help of Hira.

Mani bought a small hut in the village, and his family members were jealous of him. Soon, Mani earned enough to buy a big house. He then married Hema. Mani and Hema lived a happy life. 

Soon, Mani was blessed with a boy. When Hira said that now he should leave, Mani was disappointed. He asked Hira to stay for two years to save enough money to raise his boy nicely. Hira agreed to stay back. 

After a few years, Hira again said he wanted to leave. Disappointed, Mani asked Hira to stay more than five years to save enough money to fund his boy’s education. Hira agreed to stay back.  

Mani’s son got a proper education from the village school. Again, Hira said he wanted to leave. Disappointed, Mani asked Hira to stay for another six years until he saved enough money to fund his boy’s marriage. Hira agreed to stay back. 

Mani’s son got married lavishly, and Mani was pleased. Again, Hira said, "Now your life is settled, so let me go." Mani said, "Please wait until I have enough money to ensure a decent lifestyle for my grandchild." 

Hira started laughing and said, "This will go on and on." Hira said, "Because you wanted to earn money, I was not able to see several scenic places in the world. Now I am old, and I can’t fly."

 Mani left bad for Hira. He decided to help Hira, just like he helped him. He thought for days and finally found a way to express his gratitude to Hira. Mani made a cage for Hira. Mani asked Hira to live in a cage. He would hold the cage and walk, exploring different places. Hira was pleased to hear that his friend would accompany him. Mani and Hira both left for Bharat Darshan. They decided to see as many places as they could until they were alive. 

Their friendship inspired the villagers. We have spent all our lives running behind in money. Earning to give your family a good life is necessary, but we must also give time to ourselves. 

Moral of the story: The greatest gift of life is friendship.

Happy reading!

Check out Nisha B Thakur's highly appreciated novel, The Unexpected Trail.

Folk Stories | The Astrologer's Wife

Once upon a time, there lived an astrologer’s son called Deva. He was the astrologer’s only son. Deva loved food and always accompanied his father to puja, a Hindu ritual of praying to the Almighty God. 


These pujas were usually held at the homes of wealthy merchants and villagers. Deva’s father used to perform these pujas and earn Dakshina. Deva’s family lived modestly in their village hut. Deva ate at these pujas to his heart’s content. He loved the puja food offered to him. He never missed a chance to treat his taste buds with them. 

In his early years, Deva’s father taught him to read kundalini. His father was incredibly proud of Deva. Deva learned astrology proficiently and started earning, too. Deva wanted to lead a luxurious life, unlike his father, who lived humbly. He was very ambitious. He secretly wished to marry a rich man’s daughter and stay at his father-in-law’s house. 

Deva was very talented, and soon, his astrology skills became popular. People from nearby villages started coming to consult him. He was slowly gaining popularity. His father started looking for a girl for Deva. Deva held high regard for his father. He never disobeyed him. His father, who wasn't aware of his secret wish to marry a rich man’s daughter and stay at his father-in-law’s house, decided to marry him to his friend’s daughter. 

Deva was very angry with his father’s decision but could not do much. He got married to Bela. Bela was a traditional girl. She was a perfect daughter-in-law. She worked hard all day doing chores. She took care of her family very lovingly. Deva hated Bela and ill-treated her. Bela couldn’t understand Deva’s behaviour, but she never complained to anyone. 

One fine day, a royal minister came to Deva’s house. He invited Deva to the royal palace, as King Yayati desired to meet him. Deva was pleased. His father said that Bela was lucky for Deva. He ordered him to take Bela along with him. Deva was angry with his decision, but he couldn’t say no. 

Deva and Bela reached the King’s palace. Both were in awe of the palace. Deva and Bela were offered to stay in the royal guest room. They were served with the best of the food. King Yayati consulted Deva the next morning. Deva didn’t want to leave a luxurious life quickly and thought of a plan to stick at the royal palace for a longer time. He told King Yayati that making a complete kundalini would take him a month. King Yayati waited for Deva. Deva enjoyed a royal stay for the whole month. 

Again, he thought of a plan to stick longer and suggested that King Yayati should get Kundalini made for his whole family. King Yayati agreed with Deva’s suggestion and was happy with Deva’s dedication. Thus, Deva lived there for six months. 

Then, the day came when Deva read the future prediction of King Yayati and his family members. King Yayati was happy with Deva and offered him gold coins. Deva was not pleased as his job was now over. He had no excuse to stay there. Deva and Bela were leaving when Queen Padmini asked Bela to stay back forever. King Yayati offered Deva the position of a royal astrologer. All credit goes to Bela. During their stay at the royal palace, Bela and Queen Padmini became good friends. Deva was happy to hear the news. He apologized to Bela for his behaviour. They lived happily ever after.

Moral: Astrology is a boat that helps a man cross over the sea of life.

Happy reading!

Check out Nisha B Thakur's highly appreciated novel, The Unexpected Trail.

Fairy Story | Fairy Godmother and King Surya

Once upon a time, there lived a fairy named Tara. She was very pretty and kind-hearted, too. She lived in a fairyland with the Fairy godmother and other fairies. The fairy godmother loved Tara, and she, too, loved and respected her fairy godmother.

One fine day, the fairy godmother lost her magic wand. Tara and the other fairies started searching every nook and corner of Fairyland for it, but no one could find it.

The fairy godmother was extremely sad about losing her magic wand. She said it must have fallen to the earth. She asked Tara to go to the earth and find it. This was Tara’s first trip outside Fairyland, and she was very nervous. After receiving a fairy godmother’s blessing, she embarked on her journey to Earth.

She was awestruck to see the beautiful earth—green hills, sown-filled mountains, beautiful houses. She also got to taste various delicacies on the planet. Earth was completely different from fairyland. She remembered how fairies and fairy godmothers warned her to stay away from ordinary people. Tara liked them. She loved kids. She kept searching for the wand at various places.

She reached Uttarakhand. She was searching for a wand in a very dense forest. She saw someone running toward her, a sword in one hand. She was about to get into defensive mode when she saw the man bleeding heavily. With her magical powers, she created a small room and put him to rest. She got food with her magic. Soon, the man regained consciousness and introduced himself as King Surya.

King Surya fell for Tara and proposed to marry her. Tara, too, was smitten by King Surya and said yes. They both reached the village temple to marry. Tara forgot about her mission and only thought about life with King Surya. Fairy godmother arrived at the temple angrily. She scolded Tara for forgetting her mission. Ashamed, Tara apologized to the Godmother. King Surya asked Tara what her mission was. She told him about the fairy godmother’s lost wand. King Surya said he would find it for her. King Surya promised his fairy godmother and Tara that soon he would come to fairyland with the wand.

Tara and the fairy godmother returned to fairyland. On reaching the fairyland, Tara saw a magic wand in the Fairy godmother’s hand. Deceived, she asked why she had lied about losing her magic wand. The fairy godmother said she found it two days back, and she lied to King Surya to test him if he was worth Tara.

King Surya started looking for a wand. The fairy godmother created a fake wand and kept it near the dangerous forests of the Himalayas.

Fairy godmother went to King Surya and told him that she had seen a magic wand in the dangerous forests of the Himalayas through her magical power. Kind Surya immediately left. They encountered several witches and deadly demons. King Surya bravely got back the fairy godmother’s fake magic wand. The fairy godmother accepted that King Surya was perfect for Tara.

Tara and King Surya got married, and they lived happily ever after.

Moral: God’s plan is the ultimate plan. Trust the God.

Happy reading!

Check out Nisha B Thakur's highly appreciated novel, The Unexpected Trail.

King and Queen Story | Queen Padmini and the Magic Mirror

Every year, King Yayati’s birthday was enthusiastically celebrated in his kingdom. His country people prayed for him, and the royal court was filled with gifts. 



On his birthday, he would visit the temple and then offer food and other items to the needy ones. When he reached the royal palace after his temple visit, Queen Padmini took him to the treasure hall to check the gifts he had received. King Yayati was not interested in seeing them. But on Queen Padmini’s insistence, he went there. Queen Padmini started looking at gifts. The treasure hall was filled with precious items like rare clothes, ornaments, jewels, accessories, etc. 

‘These gifts are of more use to you than to me,’ complaining said King Yayati.

‘I know, and I love it. It’s your birthday, but I have a feeling it's mine,’ Queen Padmini said teasingly, inspecting each item. She was happy to see gifts that were of more use to her than to King Yayati. Every year, this happened to King Yayati.

One thing that caught Queen Padmini’s attention was a huge mirror with a beautiful wood carving border. It was kept in the corner of the room. King Yayati liked it, too, and thought of keeping it in his room.

‘I want to keep it in my chamber,’ said Queen Padmini.

King Yayati said that on his birthday, he received just one gift that he liked, which Queen Padmini wanted for herself. 

Both fought for a while and then decided to keep the mirror in the treasure hall.

The next morning, Queen Padmini went to the treasure hall to get her favourite bangle. She was shocked to see it empty.
She ran to King Yayati’s chamber, and together, they came to the treasure hall. King Yayati saw that the entire hall was empty; only the mirror was still there.

The mirror started shining, blinding Queen Padmini and King Yayati. Inside the mirror, they saw a wizard. 

The wizard said that he had all the ornaments, money, gold, diamonds, and other precious stones. King Yayati asked him what he wanted. The wizard asked King Yayati to free him by chanting a mantra in front of the mirror. King Yayati refused and left. The wizard tried to coax King Yayati by telling him that he would stay nice and not trouble people in his kingdom. But King Yayati left the treasure hall.
The entire kingdom started suffering as they had no money.

King Yayati didn’t want to free the wizard as he would create more nuisance once he was out. Queen Padmini couldn’t see the condition of the Kingdom and went to the treasure hall. She chanted the mantra in front of the magic mirror. The wizard was happy to be free. He proposed to Queen Padmini to marry her. Queen Padmini sensed an opportunity in the proposal. 

She agreed to marry him, and the wizard was very happy. She asked the wizard to return the treasure, and he did. The treasure hall was now the same as before, filled with jewels, gold coins, artefacts, etc. 

Wizard asked Queen Padmini to come with him. She agreed. Before leaving with him, Queen Padmini wanted her favourite bangles and started looking for them. 

Wizard also started looking for bangles to impress Queen Padmini. Queen Padmini started crying. She accused the Wizard of leaving the bangles inside the magic mirror. The wizard returned to get the bangles, and Queen Padmini put the huge cloth and covered the magic mirror. Once again, the Wizard was trapped inside the magic mirror. Thus, Queen Padmini saved her kingdom and King Yayati.

Moral: Wit and presence of mind are your biggest assets.

Happy Reading!

Check out Nisha B Thakur's highly appreciated novel, The Unexpected Trail.

Children's Bedtime Stories | King Vikram and the Beekeeper

Once upon a time, there lived a King named Vikram. He was a very generous King, and his countrymen were pleased under his leadership. King Vikram regularly conducted open meetings at his royal court. 



His countrymen were allowed to discuss their problems directly with the King in these open meetings. 


King Vikram was recognized for his just decisions. Once, a beekeeper named Bhola came to meet him. He presented honey as a gift to King Vikram. 

‘It’s delicious,’ said King Vikram when he tasted it.

Bhola’s happiness knew no limits on hearing words of appreciation from King Vikram.

‘Your majesty, I got this special honey for you from my bee yard,’ replied Bhola.

King Vikram was known for expressing his kindness. He regularly gave a prize in gold coins and jewels to his country's people, whose talents and unique skills left him in awe.

Bhola, too, had intentions of earning gold coins or jewels from the King. He eagerly waited to learn about the prize King Vikram would honor him with.

‘Bhola, I want you to teach young boys the art of collecting honey from beehives,’ said King Vikram.

‘Sure,’ said Bhola.

To Bhola’s disappointment, King Vikram left without honouring him with any prize. Bhola left the royal court in anger. Back home, he told the whole story to his wife. His wife, too, was waiting for him and was left disappointed like Bhola.

A few young men from the royal court visited Bhola’s bee yard the next day. 

Bhola, jilted with King’s Vikram behaviour, refused to show them the bee yard.

When King Vikram heard about Bhola’s behaviour, he became furious. Queen Padmini asked King Vikram to calm down and requested that he send gifts to Bhola’s house.

King Vikram ordered his minister to send Bhola priceless gifts. When they received them, Bhola and his wife gladly accepted them. 

The next day, the same group of young men from the royal court came to visit Bhola’s bee yard again. 

Bhola again refused to show them the bee yard.

When King Vikram heard about Bhola’s behaviour, he got confused. He again consulted Queen Padmini. She asked King Vikram to meet Bhola. King Vikram went to Bhola’s house.

Bhola welcomed King Vikram inside the house. He offered him a drink and sweet dishes made from honey. King Vikram relished the cuisine. Bhola's sweet gesture vanished his anger.

King Vikram asked Bhola to show him the bee yard. Bhola gave King Vikram a tour of the bee yard. King Vikram was surprised by Bhola’s contradicting behaviour and decided to ask Bhola directly.

‘Why didn’t you let royal men see your bee yard?’ asked King Vikram.

Bhola expressed his insecurity in teaching the skill to young men who would risk the possibility of leaving a decent lifestyle.

King Vikram laughed at Bhola’s innocence and assured him that teaching young people and generously sharing your talent is a good cause. 

Bhola realized his mistake and promised King Vikram that he will never be insecure from now.

King Vikram was happy to hear Bhola’s change of mind. He bought many bottles of honey from Bhola to gift his friends and the Kings of other kingdoms. Soon, Bhola’s honey became very popular, and he generously started teaching kids without any inhibitions.

Moral: When you teach others, you learn a lot. Always share your knowledge.

Happy Reading!

Check out Nisha B Thakur's highly appreciated novel, The Unexpected Trail.

Bedtime Stories for Kids | King Yayati and his Talking Horse

King Yayati was a brave and just king of Mathura. He was travelling back to his kingdom after a visit to a neighbouring kingdom called Amber Kingdom. King Yayati had a great time at the marriage ceremony of his best friend and Prince Rajratna, the prince of the Amber kingdom. 


Amber Kingdom has a special place in history owing to its picturesque surroundings. Pioneering organized tourism, this kingdom celebrated and popularized its scenic beauty. Organized tourism helped them mint money from it. The Amber Kingdom was one of the prosperous destinations of that time. People from nearby as well as faraway places desired to visit this magical land. 

King Yayati always took a chance to visit the Amber Kingdom. He enjoyed his stay there, exploring various scenic spots. He was happy for his friend Prince Rajratna, too. King Yayati always visited his friends' places alone, which was a concern for his royal ministers. But he preferred travelling alone. He trusted Prince Rajratna blindly. Prince Rajratna, too, trusted King Yayati, and their friendship was growing stronger and stronger.

Mounting his horse, Sakha, he was only a few hours away from his kingdom. Had he got some other horse, reaching his destination would have taken him lots of time. But with Sakha, things were different. Sakha was trained to run like a jet. King Yayati enjoyed his company just like a true friend. What made the horse Sakha truly special was that it was gifted to him by Prince Rajratna. 

Once, King Yayati was enjoying a sojourn in the Amber Kingdom. He wanted to see the famous huge mountain located in the north of the Amber Kingdom. Prince Rajratna offered to take Sakha along. King Yayati enjoyed his mountain trip and happily returned to the royal palace. Seeing his friend happy, Prince Rajratna gifted him Sakha. Touched by Prince Rajratna’s gesture, he promised him a lifetime of friendship and support. 

He loved to take care of Sakha by offering him water and grass at intervals during travel. King Yayati even talked to him like a friend, as if he understood him and offered him a solution. King Yayati knew nothing like this would ever happen, but he enjoyed talking to him.

‘We have reached the jungle. Let’s rest,’ said King Yayati.
King Yayati looked around and spotted a big tree. The tree’s shade and cool breeze around it was very inviting. He and his horse walked up to the tree. Suddenly, the tree started glittering, and from it fell a mango. King Yayati ate the mango and expressed his gratitude to the tree. King Yayati sat beneath the tree, enjoying its shade. Just then, Sakha started eating grass around the tree. 

‘Wow, it's delicious,’ said Sakha.

Sakha’s words surprised King Yayati, who understood he was sitting under a magical tree.

‘You thanked me for the fruit I offered you; no one ever expressed gratitude to me. I am impressed with your humility. This is my gift for you,’ said the magical tree.

Happy King Yayati returned to his kingdom with a unique talking horse.

Moral- Humility has its magical perks for the ones who practice it.

Happy Reading!

Check out Nisha B Thakur's highly appreciated novel, The Unexpected Trail.

Indian Folktale with Moral Lesson | Satyavati & The Potter

Once upon a time, there was a potter’s son named Saatvik. Potter worked hard day and night but could earn enough money to live on. Potter’s family consisted of his wife, daughter Satyavati, and son Saatvik. Saatvik desired to help his father.  His father wanted him to assist him in pottery. But Saatvik lacked the skills of a good potter, nor was he inclined to be one. He enjoyed music and wanted to learn to play the flute.

One day, Potter decided to teach him how to make a small bowl. Saatvik listened and saw him attentively. Satyavati, too, observed him. She wished her father taught her also. Her mother ordered, ‘Satyavati, go make some sweets for your brother; he is working so hard today.’

This disrupted her, and she got up and resumed her work in the kitchen.

Saatvik started practising it, but he needed help to make a small bowl. Satyavati served him sweets, but he refused to eat. Satyavati offered Saatvik help and started making a bowl. Once the potter got home, he was delighted to see the small, colourful bowl.

‘Good job, my son. I am proud of you,’ said the potter.

Saatvik revealed that he did not make it; instead, it was his sister’s hard work.

This made Potter very angry, and he threw Saatvik out of the house. Saatvik started crying and reached his uncle’s village. He stayed there for a week and then returned home. When he got home, his father was not there. His mother and sister were overjoyed to see him.

Just then, his father arrived. He looked pleased. He took his son in his arms. Elated, Potter then shared the reason for his happiness with his family.

He said, ‘King Yayati liked the flower vase I made for Minister Dhanush, and he wants me to make a hundred flower vases for each room in his castle.’ As soon as he finished the sentence, he started dancing. The entire family rejoiced, and the potter’s wife declared a small feast for dinner. The potter’s daughter, Satyavati, illuminated the lamp in a temple built inside the house. She thanked God for the life-changing opportunity. The potter looked at Saatvik with a lot of expectations.

‘I have to present a hundred flower vases in seven days,’ said the potter.

‘I will help you,’ said Satyavati. The potter ignored Satyavati’s words and turned to his Saatvik instead.

‘You and I will do it together,’ said the potter to his son.

‘I think you should take Satyavati’s help; besides, she is so good at it,’ said Saatvik.

This made the potter fume, and he took the plunge to make a hundred flower vases without help.

‘Satyavati will marry and go to her home, then who will take my business ahead,’ fumed the potter.

He worked round the clock. This had an effect on his health, and he fell ill on the second day.

Saatvik felt terrible for his father, but he was not cut out for pottery.

Seeing her father depressed and not able to recover because of anxiety, Satyavati took the onus. She started creating flower vases. Saatvik, too, helped her by sourcing mud and colours. Mother took Potter’s care. 

On the seventh day, Minister Dhanush arrived to collect the flower vases. Satyavati and Saatvik helped the royal servant load the flower vases on the horse cart. Minister Dhanush thanked Saatvik and appreciated him. Saatvik accepted the appreciation and said his sister Satyavati deserved it as she made them; he only helped her. Minister Dhanush congratulated the potter for having children like Satyavati and Saatvik. The potter realized his mistake and trained Satyavati without any inhibitions.

Moral: Inhibitions always create limitations.

Happy Reading!

Check out Nisha B Thakur's highly appreciated novel, The Unexpected Trail.

Indian Moral Fairy Tale | The Kind Apsara

Once upon a time, there lived a poor beggar. He had no one—no family, no friends. Alone, he used to walk miles and reach new villages he could. He seldom stayed there for a week. He collected alms to survive. He disliked begging, but he had no choice. 

He was malnourished and was a misfit for any kind of physical work. To collect alms without any job was a thing he hated to his core. Thus, he decided to sing and get alms. Whenever he sang, pedestrians seldom stopped and laughed at him. After a week, he embarked on another village. This was the way his life was going on. 

Once, he reached a temple on the outskirts of the village. He hadn’t managed to get decent food for a week. He drank water from the nearby river and sat on the temple premises.

He looked outside at sunset and realized the temple was located in a lovely spot. He shut his eyes and started taking the Lord’s name. He began singing hymns very passionately, engrossed.

Apsara Urvashi regularly visited this temple. The beggar was so engrossed in his singing that he didn’t notice Apsara’s arrival. Apsara offered prayers in the shrine. Beggar’s singing was so enchanting that it created a rush of spirituality and divinity within her. Finding solace in his singing, she visited the main premises to see the singer. She spotted the beggar and stood beside him.

After the beggar’s hymns were over, he opened his eyes. Surprised to see an Apsara standing in front of him. He couldn’t speak a word. He was so fascinated by her beauty.

Apsara offered him a gold coin, but he refused, ‘All day I beg for food, but I don’t want to be a beggar in a sacred place like this temple.’

Impressed by his humility, she asked him to sing for her. They walked to the riverside. The beggar started singing, and she danced. She gave the beggar a gold coin as a token of appreciation. The beggar accepted it and bought a small house in the village. Every full moon night, the beggar came to visit Apsara, sing for her and receive a gold coin. 

Soon, the beggar could afford a good life. The beggar gave himself a name—Bhima. He made friends in the village. He married a merchant’s daughter. He started enjoying life and continued meeting Apsara. No one knew his source of income. All the villagers could see that he was becoming more affluent and prosperous. Bhima’s wife never asked him about his source of income. She trusted him completely. Soon, he was blessed with a son. He named him Surya. 

After 20 years of living a good life, Bhima was lying on the deathbed. Fearing how to maintain the family’s lavish lifestyle, he confided in his son. Bhima told Surya about Apsara. He asked Surya to meet Apsara Urvashi on a full moon night. Bhima had been unwell for six months and hadn’t met Apsara since then. After offering payers, Apsara used to wait for him in the riverside and leave disappointed. Surya reached the riverside and was so enthralled seeing Apsara that he could not speak. Numbed by her presence, he could only regain his senses when she was gone. After reaching home, he told his father about the incident. Bhima asked him to go early the next full moon night. Next full moon night, Surya got on time. Apsara arrived, and she asked, ‘Who are you?’

‘I am Bhima’s son. Father is not well. I am here...’

Even before he could finish, Apsara interrupted him.

‘Oh, so you are here to collect gold coins from me,’ said Apsara.

‘No, I am here to present you something,’ said Surya, giving her a big piece of cloth.

She opened it and saw a beautiful painting of herself in a dance pose.

‘I was here last full moon night, I saw you, but I couldn’t meet you,’ said Surya sheepishly.

‘It is so beautiful,’ said Apsara, giving him a gold coin.

She asked him to get her painting every full moon night. Surya accepted the deal.

Surya, too, started enjoying his life and continued meeting Apsara. No one knew his source of income, but all the villagers could see that he was becoming richer and richer like his father.

Moral: Believe in your talents and nurture them well. God has a mysterious way to reward you.

Happy Reading!

Check out Nisha B Thakur's highly appreciated novel, The Unexpected Trail.

Psychological Thriller Short Story | She is Wow!

An ordinary day became the best day of his life when he saw her for the first time. He wondered what was attracting him to a not-so-attractive girl. Perhaps her girl-next-door demeanour. 


He followed her, walking, matching her footsteps on the curvy roads of Parsik Hills in Navi Mumbai. He deliberately maintained a distance to pass easily as a stroller or an ardent nature admirer. He clicked on photos using a camera phone. Intermittently posing like he was enjoying the scenic beauty around him, he tried to come across as natural as possible.

She was too busy to notice- her newly found stalker. Or she was used to stalkers. Soon, curvy roads found their way to the top of the hill. She looked around to make sure no one was there. He concealed himself behind trees. It was a hot summer day in April. It was unusual for anyone to climb up the hill. She removed a blood-stained knife from her tote jute bag. Savouring the blade with her eyes, she smiled. Suddenly, the calm smile turned into hysterical laughter. He removed his mobile and started recording it. She was about to throw the knife deep into the valley. Suddenly, she stooped. Realizing she hasn’t wiped fingerprints off the blade. She calmed herself, removed a napkin from her bag, and cleaned the knife. She threw the knife away deep into the valley and stood there patiently.

A car arrived to pick her up and drove her away. He ran down the hill and reached the police station. He ran inside the premises and reached a desk. He hurriedly switched ON the computer. He browsed the criminal database and found the girl. He was right about this girl, he thought. The promotion would quickly descend on his lap if he caught the girl. He grinned ear to ear.

Her appearance in the file photo was a bit different. She sported short hair and crooked teeth, although when he saw her today, she had long hair and straight teeth. But appearance can be easily managed, he thought. She was filed in the category of serial killer. He quickly called her a havaldar.

‘Note this car number and collect every detail of this car owner,’ he said. Hawaldar took the orders and left. Determined to catch her at any cost. He started planning his steps ahead. He knew a chance to see a rare criminal like her came very rarely. After thirty minutes, Hawaldar appeared again and gave him the file. He pounced on the report file like an animal seizing on its prey. With each detail he was reading, he realized he could easily catch her this time. He smiled.

He was a senior inspector at the Crime Branch in Mumbai.

Moral: A stalker can also be an inspector.

Happy Reading!

Check out Nisha B Thakur's highly appreciated novel, The Unexpected Trail.