Monkey Who Liked Indian Kheer

In a peaceful village in Gujarat, there lived an 80-year-old lady with white hair and one tooth. She loved making kheer, a delicious Indian dessert made of rice, sugar, and milk. Every day, she would place the kheer under a mango tree to cool. But a clever monkey in the tree always stole the kheer when she wasn't looking. This made the old lady very upset.

One sunny day, the old lady decided to confront the monkey. She looked up at the tree and said, - Why do you keep stealing my kheer? The monkey just chattered and jumped around. - This has to stop, the old lady said firmly. She had to find a way to stop the monkey once and for all.

The next day, the old lady made her kheer as usual. She set it under the mango tree and hid behind a bush to watch. The monkey soon scurried down and began to eat the kheer. - How can I stop him? she wondered. Her first attempt to scare him away with a broom failed miserably. The monkey just laughed and ran back up the tree.

Frustrated, the old lady considered giving up. - Maybe I should just stop making kheer, she sighed. But she loved kheer too much to quit. - There has to be another way, she thought. She sat under the mango tree and pondered for a long time. The monkey watched her curiously from the branches.

Suddenly, an idea lit up her mind. The next day, she made the kheer and placed it under the tree again. But this time, she also heated an iron skillet and placed it next to the bowl. The monkey came down as usual and, thinking the skillet was a patlo, sat on it. - Kheer khadhi kuley dajee! he cried, jumping up and running back to the tree.

From that day onwards, the monkey never stole the kheer again. The old lady could enjoy her favorite dessert in peace. - Justice is served, she chuckled. The villagers heard about her clever trick and praised her wisdom. The old lady and the monkey became friends, and he never troubled her kheer again.