The Brahmin and the Goat

Dadi: "Guddu beta, have you ever believed something just because many people told you the same thing?"

Guddu: "Like what, Dadi?"

Dadi: "Like if one friend said your shirt was inside out, you might check. But if three different friends all said it was inside out, you'd probably believe them without even looking, right?"

Guddu: "I guess so... because why would three people all say the same wrong thing?"

Dadi: "Exactly! That's what a Brahmin in today's story thought too. And three clever crooks used this against him."

Guddu: "Tell me what happened!"

Dadi: "A Brahmin named Mitra Sharma was planning a special religious ceremony. For this, he needed a healthy goat. He traveled to another village where a kind devotee gave him a fine, well-fed goat for the ritual."

Guddu: "So far so good..."

Dadi: "Mitra Sharma was happy! He put the goat on his shoulders and started walking home. But three hungry crooks saw him on the road. They wanted that goat for themselves, but they couldn't just steal it - the Brahmin would fight back, and besides, stealing from a holy man was very bad karma."

Guddu: "So what did they do?"

Dadi: "They made a plan. The first crook ran ahead and waited on the path. When the Brahmin approached, he looked shocked and said, "Sir! Why are you carrying a dirty dog on your shoulders?""

Guddu: "A dog?! But it was a goat!"

Dadi: "The Brahmin got angry. "Are you blind? This is clearly a goat - a sacrificial goat for my ceremony!" He walked on, shaking his head at the foolish stranger."

Guddu: "Smart Brahmin!"

Dadi: "But wait. A little further, the second crook was waiting. He exclaimed, "Oh my goodness! Sir, why are you carrying a dead calf on your back? That's shameful for a Brahmin!""

Guddu: "A dead calf?! That's completely different from a dog!"

Dadi: "The Brahmin was annoyed now. "First someone calls it a dog, now you call it a dead calf? This is a perfectly healthy goat!" He walked on, but now there was a tiny doubt in his mind..."

Guddu: "Two different people said two different wrong things..."

Dadi: "Then came the third crook. He gasped dramatically and said, "A donkey! You're carrying a donkey on your shoulders! How strange!""

Guddu: "But... none of them said the SAME thing!"

Dadi: "Exactly, beta! You're smarter than the Brahmin was. He should have noticed that too. But the poor man was now completely confused. Three different people had all told him the animal wasn't a goat. Each one saw something different!"

Guddu: "Wait, that doesn't make sense. If it was really something other than a goat, they should have all seen the SAME thing!"

Dadi: "Very clever thinking! But the Brahmin panicked. He thought, "Three different people see three different animals? This must be a goblin - a shape-shifting demon that appears different to everyone!""

Guddu: "Oh no..."

Dadi: "Terrified of carrying a demon, the Brahmin threw the goat down and ran away as fast as he could!"

Guddu: "And the crooks?"

Dadi: "They calmly walked over, picked up the perfectly normal, perfectly healthy goat, and had a delicious feast that night."

Guddu: "That's not fair! Poor Brahmin!"

Dadi: "It's a sad story, but it teaches us something important. What do you think the lesson is?"

Guddu: "Hmm... don't believe everything people tell you?"

Dadi: "That's part of it. But look more carefully, beta. Did ANY of the crooks tell him the same thing?"

Guddu: "No! One said dog, one said calf, one said donkey!"

Dadi: "So if they were ALL lying, their lies didn't even match! The Brahmin should have trusted what he could see with his own eyes - a goat. Instead, he let the confusion of others shake his own certainty."

Guddu: "He knew it was a goat! He shouldn't have doubted himself!"

Dadi: "Exactly. The crooks didn't convince him by telling the truth. They confused him with repeated lies. And here's the scary part, beta - in our world today, this happens all the time."

Guddu: "It does?"

Dadi: "If someone repeats a lie often enough, people start to believe it. On the internet, on TV, among friends - false information can spread and spread until everyone thinks it's true."

Guddu: "So how do we protect ourselves, Dadi?"

Dadi: "First, trust your own senses and judgment. The Brahmin KNEW it was a goat. He should have held onto that truth. Second, check if the stories match. Three different descriptions should have been a red flag! Third, ask yourself: who benefits if I believe this? The crooks wanted the goat - of course they would lie!"

Guddu: "I should think about WHY someone is telling me something!"

Dadi: "Very wise, beta. And finally - don't be so easily scared that you abandon what you know to be true. Fear made the Brahmin imagine a goblin where there was just a simple goat."

Guddu: "Dadi, this story is like a superpower for my brain!"

Dadi: "*laughs* It is! It's the power of critical thinking. Don't believe blindly. Ask questions. Check facts. And most importantly, don't let confusion make you abandon common sense."

Guddu: "Next time someone tries to confuse me, I'll remember the Brahmin and the goat!"

Dadi: "And you'll hold onto your goat tightly, won't you?"

Guddu: "*laughs* Yes, Dadi! No crooks are getting MY goat!"

Dadi: "That's my smart boy!"