Tamil

A farmer owns a hen that lays one golden egg a day. Growing greedy, he ignores his wife’s advice and cuts the hen open to get all the eggs at once. There are none inside, and he loses even the daily golden egg.

On Deepavali night, a tiny clay lamp left unsold in a potter’s shop feels too small to matter. A girl named Gowri buys it, lights it and places it at the dark doorway of a lonely elderly neighbor, whose face lights up. Even a small light can brighten someone’s heart.

An ancient banyan tree, “Grandpa Banyan,” shades the village. When it’s marked to be cut for a road, the children draw pictures, write posters and appeal to the village head, who reroutes the road. Today children still swing from its aerial roots.

After a stormy night, Kathir finds a fallen sparrow’s nest with three chirping chicks. He and his father place it in a basket and tie it to a strong, high branch. The mother bird returns, and later the young birds sing at Kathir’s window every morning.

Two stubborn goats meet in the middle of a narrow bridge and refuse to back down. They butt heads until both fall into the cold river. The next day, one lies down so the other can step over, and both cross happily.

Riya loves stars and planets. One night a glowing spaceship takes her on a tour: bouncing on the Moon, passing red Mars, seeing Saturn’s rings and Jupiter’s Great Red Spot, and finally the beautiful blue Earth. She wakes up determined to become a space scientist.

Arjun plays ball indoors against his mother’s wishes and breaks her favorite vase. He hides the pieces and is tempted to blame the cat, but instead confesses and apologizes. His mother hugs him, saying his honesty matters more than any vase.

Karthik’s red kite soars high and complains that its string holds it back. When the string is cut, the kite tumbles into a tree. Karthik ties a new string, and the kite realizes the string is what helps it fly high.

During a stormy night the power goes out and Aadhavan and his little sister Siya get scared. Grandma lights a traditional brass lamp and tells them about her childhood village without electricity — counting stars and watching fireflies. Her lullaby sends them to sleep.