Little Pinky was admiring the fun activities of the squirrels dancing on the tree and ground. Squirrels were chirping merrily picking up food grains from the ground which her mother Sunita had sprinkled on the ground for the birds. But before any bird could see the grains squirrels came hopping and started gobbling the grains.
Pinky was excited to see them filling their mouths continuously. Her mother Sunitha approached along with Chintu. Chintu lived two houses away from them. He was of same age as of Pinky. Together they played almost everyday.
"Pinky see what I found near my gate." Saying so he produced a peacock feather in one hand and grains to feed the birds in another. Bit almost all the grains had slipped from his hand
"Ahaa.. it's so beautiful." Pinky clapped gaily. " What is in your other hand I cannot see anything. You think with your tiny hands you can feed the birds. And that too with only two three grains" she mocked.
He was disheartened yet he came forward and said "They are so cute. I love their backs as they have those beautiful lines on which I feel like riding my cycle. "
And they both laughed in their joke.
He further added " I always feel as if my cycle has created those lines on their back. Exactly the way my tyres mark the ground after rains. I could carry grains on cycle to feed them."
Sunitha was hearing their conversation, she wanted to make them understand the importance of effort so she smiled and asked them "that is interesting Chintu. But, do you know, how the squirrels got those three stripes on their back?"
"No, please tell na ?" Unitedly both asked.
She sat beside them " As per legend when Sita was abducted by demon Ravan, Rama reached the tip of the land. With the help of Hanuman he knew that Sita was across the ocean. All the vanars started building a bridge on the ocean by adding large rocks aa a bridge.
Seeing all this a little squirrel came there and she too wanted to help. As she had played a lot with Sita when they were in the forest. In those times squirrels were with plain back. They were in single plain colour.
That squirrel started picking pebbles and started adding them to the bridge. She kept on working day and night. Looking her work all the vanars started making fun of her.
"Look at this squirrel, she is picking such tiny pebbles and throwing in the ocean and she thinks she is building the bridge. Ha ha ha..."
Of course she was disheartened with thier words. She really wanted to help but she could not pick large rocks as the vanars could. She started crying silently and sat away from them.
Prabhu Shri Ram was watching all this he went near her and said " why are you crying. Your work is equally important. No work is big or small. Let them say whatever they want to say. They do not know how precious and important your small pebbles are to the bridge. Because of your small pebbles their big rocks are getting support as it is filling the space between them." Saying so he picked her up gently and made her sit on his lap. And then he gently stroked her back with his fingers. And rewarded her with three beautiful stripes in return.
And as per the legend, that is how she got her stripes."
"Yes mummy now I understand every work is important. Said Pinky
Chintu loved the legendary story. He now knew even his work was important.
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