King Shibi and the Dove

Dadi: "Guddu beta, tonight I have a story about how much it can cost to protect someone who trusts you."

Guddu: "Is this a scary story, Dadi?"

Dadi: "It's a powerful story, beta. King Shibi was famous throughout all the worlds for one thing - he NEVER broke his word, especially his promise to protect anyone who sought his shelter."

Guddu: "That sounds noble!"

Dadi: "One day, while sitting alone on his palace terrace, a frightened dove came flying and landed on his lap. "Save me!" the bird cried. "A hawk is chasing me!""

Guddu: "Did the king protect it?"

Dadi: "He said, "You are safe. I will protect anyone who comes under my shelter." Right then, the hawk landed nearby and demanded his prey."

Guddu: "What did the hawk say?"

Dadi: ""That dove is my rightful food. I hunted it fairly. If you keep it from me, you are causing MY death. Is it dharma to save one life by starving another?""

Guddu: "Both had good arguments..."

Dadi: "The king saw both sides. So he offered a solution: "I'll give you flesh from my own body, equal to the dove's weight.""

Guddu: "His OWN body?!"

Dadi: "The hawk agreed, with one condition: "No tears from your eyes during this. A distressed gift is unacceptable.""

Guddu: "That's cruel!"

Dadi: "They brought a scale. The dove was placed on one side. The king began cutting his own flesh and placing it on the other side to balance the weight."

Guddu: "Did it balance?"

Dadi: "No, beta. No matter how much he cut - from his arms, his thighs, his sides - the dove always weighed more. The scale wouldn't balance!"

Guddu: "Like magic?"

Dadi: "Divine testing. The king cut more and more. Blood flowed. His courtiers wept and begged him to stop."

Guddu: "But he kept going?"

Dadi: "He said, "A king's dharma is to protect all who seek shelter. If I cannot protect without causing equal harm, I must bear that harm myself.""

Guddu: "What happened when there was no more flesh?"

Dadi: "Nearly his entire right side was gone, but still the scale wouldn't balance. Then a tear appeared in his left eye."

Guddu: "Oh no! The deal would break!"

Dadi: "The hawk objected. But Shibi smiled and said, "This tear is from JOY - now my left half can also participate!" And he sat on the scale himself, offering his entire body."

Guddu: "His whole self for a dove?"

Dadi: "At that moment, the hawk and dove vanished. In their place stood two gods - Dharmaraj and Indra! They had come to test the limits of the king's protection."

Guddu: "It was a test!"

Dadi: "They showered flowers from heaven and healed all his wounds. They blessed him with a son named Kapotaroma and promised him a place in heaven."

Guddu: "He passed the test!"

Dadi: "But here's what makes it meaningful, beta. Shibi didn't know it was a test. He wasn't performing for gods. He genuinely believed he might die to save a bird."

Guddu: "That's real sacrifice, not just acting."

Dadi: "The story teaches that protection isn't cheap. When someone truly trusts you with their safety, you may have to sacrifice something precious."

Guddu: "Would you sacrifice for me, Dadi?"

Dadi: "In a heartbeat, beta. That's what love is. And someday, you'll protect others too. Maybe not by cutting flesh, but by giving your time, your energy, your comfort."

Guddu: "I hope I'm brave enough."

Dadi: "Start small. Next time a younger child is scared, stand beside them. That's the same spirit as Shibi - just smaller scale."

Guddu: "I'll be a little Shibi!"

Dadi: "And may your protection bring blessings, just as his did. Now sleep, my brave little protector!"