Shalmali was playing with her five year old daughter Manu, but she was engrossed in some other thoughts. For her office project, she was supposed to go for a 2 days outstation visit next week. She was afraid of Manu’s probable reaction after announcement of her travel plan. “Mom, Look here, tell me a story of a Prince” Manu demanded for a new story. Still in the same thoughts in mind, Shalmali started.
“Long long ago, there was a cute little Prince. He was very sweet, loving, helping but he had a bad habit. He would continuously stay around his mother. Wherever he would go, would want his mother with him. Because of that, she would never finish her work in time. People would call her a ‘slow’ Queen.
One day, the King, Prince’s father, gets angry. He keeps the Prince and the Queen in a separate house and tells the Prince, “Now stay here with your Mom only. You are not allowed to leave her and come out of this house.”
Little Price feels very happy. He continuously talks, plays, sings, dances with his mother for first two days. But on the third day, he gets bored. He misses his father, friends, Grandparents…. and his school, his favorite ice cream parlor, Pizza corner, and so on.
Then he realizes, that though he is very much fond of his mother, it is not good to revolve around her only. He likes his father, friends and all other fun too. Little Prince then tells so to his father. The King is very happy to hear it. He hugs the cute Prince and takes him to his favorite ice cream parlor. As the Prince starts staying with other people too, his mother gets time to finish her work. Nobody ever would call her ‘the slow Queen’ again and everyone stays happily ever after.”
Story was over. After a small pause Manu said, “That cute Prince was a bit stupid-ish, wasn’t he Mom? I never behave like him”
**
In due course, Shalmali announced her travel plan. Manu did not resist at all, instead, asked her Mom to bring a famous sweet from that place. Shalmali realized that Manu had taken proper message from the story. In her mind, she thanked Aesop and all other moral story-writers.
Then this ‘Creating a Story’ became a regular pastime for them. Manu would demand for a story about any new thing happening around and Shalmali would create and narrate an instant story. They had limitless subjects. ‘Story of a girl who always laughed, ..of a boy who kept always weeping, ..of a girl who liked mangoes, Story of Mr. Angru who would always be angry… and so on. Manu was fond of such instant stories and Shalmali was happy as well. She had found an easy tool to convey messages and morals indirectly.
Next month, Shalmali’s schedule was very busy as her project deadline was approaching. “I will come early today, honey..”, she would promise Manu every morning, and would return home late every evening, feeling guilty and saying ‘Sorry, dear”. She would then hug and pamper her sullen Manu.
Following the pattern, today also Shalmali came home late. She was feeling guilty but for her surprise, Manu was excited and eagerly waiting for her. As she entered, Manu rushed and clung to her and said, “Mom, I myself have ‘Created’ a story today, come, sit, I will tell it to you.”
“Ohh. Great. Whose story is it?” Shalmali hugged her and asked.
“Story of a mother who promises to come early and breaks the promise every day” Manu innocently replied and started narrating her ‘Creation’.
***