Long ago, there was a prophecy that said that a great ruler would be born, Krishna, and overthrow the current ruler. It was said that the child would be Devaki’s 8th child. The current ruler at the time was Kansa and Dekavi was his sister. He was a horrible king. He was wicked and oppressive. He cared for no one except for himself. Kansa’s servants informed him of this prophecy. This angered Kansa. Kansa feeling threatened decided to imprison his sister and her husband. The purpose of this was to allow Kansa to keep track of each time Dekavi gave birth.
Each time Devaki gave birth, Kansa was informed of it and each time he would consumed the child. This routine happened seven times. Devaki had enough of this. She was tired of seeing her children be eaten by her brother, Kansa. She decided to devise a plan with her husband. They formulated a plan to switch out her 8th child with a poisoned loaf of bread. Now King Kansa is not the brightest so they figured this plan would work and since they get a loaf of bread once a week, they figured they might as well use it. They got the poison from one of the kind servants who hated Kansa as well. Kansa did not treat his servants fairly. He mistreated them and took advantage of them. They would wrap the loaf of bread in cloth – like a child – and give it to Kansa and Kansa would consume it, thinking that it was the prophesized child, and die.
Devaki and her husband did not eat the week of the birth of their 8th child to save the loaf of bread. And on the day of the birth of their 8th child, Krishna, they hid him and replaced him with the loaf of bread before Kansa came to them.
Without looking twice, Kansa consumed the poisoned loaf of bread thinking that it was Krishna. The poison in the bread caused him to throw up the other seven children, Krishna’s siblings, he consumed. Then immediately after that he died.
Devaki and her husband went off with Krishna and raised him. Krishna eventually grew up and became the great ruler that was prophesized. He got rid of all of the problems that Kansa made during his reign. He ended hunger, animosity between kingdoms, and the poor. The people respected and loved Krishna.
| (Wrapped Bread) |
Author's Note
This story was inspired by the story of The Birth of Krishna. I kept the main idea that the ruler Kansa would be overthrown by Krishna. I changed it up a little bit by intertwining it with the Greek story about Cronus who eats his children because he was scared that one of them would overthrow him. He instead accidentally eats a rock, thinking that it was one of his children, and dies.
"The Birth of Krishna" by Cradle Tales of Hindiusm (1907). Web Source: Public Domain Edition.
Sarah. I enjoyed this story very much. I like how it is a simple story yet details the plot very well. I liked very much how you added some Greek influence as well. It’s very interesting to mix mythologies. I liked how the poison also caused Kansa to throw up all of the other children that he had previously eaten as well. Cool story!
ReplyDeleteSarah, I really enjoyed your story! I felt that your writing style would mesh well within the versions of the Mahabhrata that we have been reading in its balance of detail and simplicity. I particularly enjoyed the fact that you mixed in Greek mythology into the story. I am trying to do that as well with my storybook so this was awesome inspiration! Thank you! :)
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