In which the story today features a child with an elephant's head

Ganesha Around the World (India)

Ganesha was a sweet child, even though he had the head of an elephant. 

One day Ganesha and his brother were fighting over a peach. 

Their parents, Shiva and Parvati, said, “Why don’t we solve this with a contest?  You two boys can race around the world.  Whoever gets back first may have the peach.”

The brothers both thought it was a good idea.  Ganesha climbed on his steed:  a tiny mouse.  His brother’s steed was a magnificent peacock. 

They started the race.  Ganesha’s brother flew off on the peacock, raising a cloud of dust behind him.  He was out of sight in an instant.

Ganesha smiled.  He slowly rode his little mouse around his parents seven times. 

Then he bowed to them very respectfully and held out his hand for the peach.

“What?  Ganesha, you haven’t even left on your journey yet,” said his mother.

But Ganesha bowed again and said, “Mother and Father, you are the whole world to me.  I walked around you, and thus I walked around the whole world.”

Parvati and Shiva laughed.  “Son, you are wise.  The peach is yours.”

Readers are welcome to forward the link to this page, copy/paste the text, re-tell this story over the campfire or the watercooler, and otherwise help it move out into the world.  Please remember that it came to you from Haiku Farm, with love.