The Moonbeam's Gift
In a remote hillside, by the banks of a river named Chamatha, lived an old man named Appukkuttan. His entire world consisted of the river, the forest beyond it, and the beautiful flower garden next to his small house. With its many varieties of flowers and plants, the garden felt like a dream world. Yet, what Appukkuttan longed for most was a flower that bloomed only at night, one that shimmered like the moonlight itself.One early morning, as he was cleaning the garden as usual, Appukkuttan saw a wondrous sight. A seed, sparkling like a star, had floated in from the river's bank. A soft light emanated from within it. In awe, he picked up the seed and planted it in the finest soil of his garden.For the next few days, Appukkuttan cared for the seed with great attention. He watered it every morning and spoke to it. A week passed, and a small sapling sprouted. Amazingly, its leaves had a greater shine than those of ordinary plants. It grew into a large plant, but no flowers ever bloomed on it. Appukkuttan felt disappointed, but he continued to care for the plant, captivated by its beauty.On a full moon night, as the moon stood high in the sky, a beautiful sight caught his attention. A flower had bloomed on the plant! It was unlike any ordinary flower. With its white petals, the flower radiated a brilliant, moon-like light that spread throughout the garden. The garden glowed like a magical world. Appukkuttan wept with joy. His dream had blossomed.Initially, no one knew about this wonder. But one night, some travelers passing by saw the light and came to Appukkuttan's house. They were astonished by the sight. The news spread like wildfire. Within days, the villagers all gathered in Appukkuttan's yard on the nights the flower bloomed. In the flower's light, they told stories, sang songs, and laughed together.Captivated by the flower's beauty, Appukkuttan shared the seeds he got from the plant with everyone. The flower bloomed in every house's yard, and the light of love filled every heart. The moon-like flower later came to be known as 'The Moonbeam's Gift.' The light that began in Appukkuttan's garden became the hope and joy of an entire village.
In the Heart of the Forest
In a village by a small river lived a boy named Unnikuttan. His house was close to the forest. Every evening, he would go to the riverbank and play by picking up stones. But he was afraid to go deep into the forest. The giant animals and mysterious sounds he had heard about in his grandmother's stories scared him.One day, Unnikuttan woke up to a commotion. On the other side of the river, at the edge of the forest, a herd of tuskers was happily drinking water. That's when he saw a sight. Among the group, a small baby elephant stood hidden behind a tree, frightened. It didn't have the courage of the tuskers; perhaps it had lost its way. In its eyes, Unnikuttan saw his own fear.Unnikuttan slowly, fearfully, crossed the river. He held out the banana he had in his hand towards the baby elephant. The baby elephant was scared at first, but seeing the love in Unnikuttan's eyes, it came closer with courage. It took the banana from his hand. Just then, a trumpet call sounded and the herd of tuskers moved on, but the baby elephant ignored them and came to Unnikuttan. Slowly, they became friends.Unnikuttan decided to help the baby elephant find its friends. He remembered his grandmother's advice: "The forest will show you its ways; you just have to listen carefully." He paid attention to the path the tuskers had taken, following the broken branches and footprints. The baby elephant followed him. He walked forward with courage, and the baby elephant held onto his hand.After walking for a while, they reached the elephant herd. The baby elephant happily ran towards a big tusker. When the herd saw him, they nodded their heads in gratitude. The baby elephant raised its trunk towards Unnikuttan with joy. As Unnikuttan returned home, he felt a great sense of relief.After that day, Unnikuttan was no longer afraid of the forest. The forest was no longer a place of fear for him, but a place of friendship and courage. By helping a small baby elephant, he overcame his own fear.
Theyyamma's House
Under the shade of an old banyan tree lived an old woman named Theyyamma. Her house was surrounded by plants and flowers. But what Theyyamma loved most was the banyan tree that stood spread out in front of her house. The banyan tree was not just a tree for her; it was a friend. Birds and squirrels had built their nests in it.One rainy day, Theyyamma saw a small bird in her garden. Soaked in the rain, shivering from the cold, its wing was injured. It lay on the ground, unable to fly. Theyyamma felt a great sadness at the sight. She quickly went and took it in her hands. She could feel its small heart beating with fear in her palm.Theyyamma took the bird inside the house. She made a small bed for it with a piece of cloth. From the kitchen, she brought a little water in a small dish and gave it to the bird. The bird slowly drank the water. Theyyamma spoke to the bird with affection. Days passed, and the bird's fear subsided. It flew around the room. The wound on its wing was healing.One day, the bird started to flap its wings, trying to fly. Theyyamma felt great happiness seeing this. But a small sadness was also in her mind. She was afraid of being alone if the bird flew away. She opened the window. The bird flew away. Her eyes filled with tears. But the next moment, she saw a miracle.After a while, the bird that had flown away returned with a big flock of birds. The entire flock flew around Theyyamma's house. They sang a beautiful song. In that song, there was a tune of gratitude and love. Theyyamma's eyes filled with tears, but this time, it was from joy. She was not alone. The birds' song was a gift for her kindness. From that day on, every morning, many birds from the banyan tree sang songs for Theyyamma. That day, Theyyamma understood that even a small act of kindness can bring back a lot of happiness.
