The Story of a Spoonful of Milk and a Fistful of Rice…

Hi there! Today story is an unknown story to many. It is about Lord Ganesh and how he demonstrates to all that he blessed his devotees and forgave all. Let's go!

It was festive times and the whole village was colourful. The occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi was upcoming, and everyone was on their toes day and night, making sweets, decorating their houses, buying new saris and kurtas, all to pray to Lord Ganesha, the God of Wisdom.
They all had made such delicious sweets, that Ganesha himself could smell their aroma all the way from Mount Kailasha! He closed his eyes and let out a sigh. "Ahhhhh!!! Such beautiful smells!!! I wish I could just go and eat them all up!!! But, alas!!! I have to wait for my birthday!!!! Why couldn't Ganesh Chaturthi come earlier?!?!? I want to fill my stomach to the brim with sweets!!!!"
The village kept on raving about how their dresses were the most gorgeous in the world, and how their sweets were to die for. All of them were boasting. All but one. An old, poor woman, who was too frail and weak to do an elaborate pooja. She didn't have much, but she still lived contently. She was completely devoted to the gods and was an ardent devotee of Lord Ganesha. She had only a plate for fruits that she could offer and a few sacred plants. She knew that she couldn't do such amazing offerings, but she hoped that Lord Ganesha would accept it.

The day of Ganesh Chaturthi arrived faster than the villagers had hoped. They scampered around, borrowing sugar and spices from their neighbours, plucking juicy fruits from the top of tall trees too. They all got set for the awaited time of the pooja.
Ganesha decided to have some fun with the bragging people of the village. He knew that he wanted to play a little prank on the villagers, trying to find out which one of them would be his most devoted devotee.
He flew down to the village in the form of a little, poor boy, who had two things in his hands: a spoonful of milk and a fistful of rice. He shouted throughout the village, "Please can someone make me some kheer, please?? I have a spoonful of milk and a fistful of rice!! Can someone please make me some kheer?? Please?!?!?! I have the ingredients!!! A spoonful of milk and a fistful of rice!! A spoonful of milk and a fistful of rice!!! Can someone make me some kheer?? Please?!?!?" He roamed around the village, pleading each and every villager that passed him eyes. They all got really annoyed with the poor boy. Whoever heard the boy, immediately got annoyed. What a wishful thinking. Some of them thought," How dare this boy dream of getting a bowl of kheer from such a meagre quantity of rice and milk. Simply unthinkable!!"
So none of the villagers came to his help or offered him any sweets to eat. They simply shooed him away. But the boy was very determined, he kept on ranting about his spoonful of milk and a fistful of rice.

Ultimately, as the sun slowly dipped beyond the horizon, the old lady called the poor boy into her small hut and offered to make him his kheer. The boy was overjoyed to hear this!! He asked the woman to get a very big vessel to prepare the kheer. The old woman laughed at such a suggestion, "A big vessel? What for? The quantity of rice and milk is so less, that it won't even fill a bowl!!!" But the boy was adamant, he kept on asking for the biggest vessel. Finally, the woman relented and went to a neighbouring house and got a very big vessel. The milk and rice were carefully poured into the vessel. A little bit of sugar was also added to give it some sweet taste.

In the meantime, while the kheer was getting cooked, the boy asked the old, frail woman if he could go out and play. The old woman agreed, seeing that the boy looked very innocent and desired to play with the boys of the village. But, there was one catch: The boy made the old woman swear that she would not eat the kheer before he ate it. Reluctantly, the old woman replied, "Okay, I will wait for you to come home,"

The old lady waited for one hour. 

Then another. 

Then another hour.

So much time had passed, that the old lady fell asleep while watching the kheer cook!!

A long time passed. The small wooden hut was soon filled with a delectable aroma, which suddenly woke up the old lady. She went to look at the little quantity of kheer she made when she saw the big vessel was filled to the brim with kheer!!!! She gasped in amazement!! She knew that this was the blessings of Lord Ganesha. As soon as the kheer cooled down, she scooped some into a bowl and offered it to Lord Ganesha. She kept it in front of the small photo of him that she had in her prayer room. As she kept the kheer down, she licked her lips. She thought, "Ohh!! The kheer looks so delicious!! I wish I could just gobble it all up!!!!" But, she saw that the poor boy hadn't come back!! It was late in the night!!!!! She got worried, but then she thought, " Oh, he'll be alright. But one thing's for certain: I gave my word to him, and I don't want to break my promise. What should I do?!?!?" She stroked her chin in frustration and pondered over what she should do.

Unable to contain her hunger anymore, the old lady helped herself with a bowl of the mouthwatering dish. It was so delicious that she went for a second helping.

 Then a third.

 Then a fourth.

Then a fifth.

And so on until she is unable to take anymore. But she saw the pot in front of her, and what a sight!! She had eaten soo much of the kheer, but the pot was full to the brim!!!! It hadn't gone down even a little!!! The pot was full, and it was without a trace of the old woman's indulgence.

Soon after she had finished eating, the boy returned. He saw her lying on the floor with a grin on her face. The old lady soon changed her grin into a frown. She felt very guilty and ashamed of herself. In an instant, she blurted out, "I am so sorry, my little child. I tried some of the kheer before you came!!! I am very, very sorry. Do what you wish with me. I shall be content with my punishment," Suddenly, the boy replied, "No, ajji! You have already fed me with the best kheer I have ever had!! Don't worry!! You haven't broken your promise!!!" The old woman was stumped!! She had no clue how she had fed the boy. She traced her steps, going from the time when the boy came to her, until now. She couldn't recall when she fed him!!!! She pleaded him, "But how, my child?! You were outside until now!! I haven't even given you a drop of the kheer!!" Suddenly, the boy turned into Lord Ganesha, with his elephant head and his human body. The old woman wept with joy and touched Ganesha's feet. She was ecstatic and jumping with joy, for her prayers had been answered. Seeing her kindness, Ganesha asked her, "What do you wish for, ajji?!" Being the human she was, the old lady asked, "I would like to look beautiful and have all the riches I could ever have!!!" Ganesha smiled and proclaimed, "Turn around, ajji!!! I shall give you your wish," She turned around. In a flash, Ganesha pushed the old lady onto the wooden floor!!

The Old lady got up, angry and turned around to ask Ganesha why he did that. But, when she got up, she saw that she was in a palace, with beautiful jewels and ornaments donning her shining sari. She felt her face and saw that it wasn't wrinkly and saggy - It was beautiful and light-toned!! She bowed down to Ganesha, who was standing behind her and said, "Thank you, O Ganapati! You have fulfilled my lifelong wish!!" Ganesha blessed her and flew back to his house atop Mount Kailash.

Thus, the spoonful of milk and the fistful of rice gave the old woman her wish

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