Are you the one, who is looking for the Tenali Raman stories for kids, then this blog is for you. These stories are not only packed with humor but also teach the moral lesson of life. Tenali Raman was known for his wit and cleverness which has been cherished by readers because his stories are filled with humor, wit, cleverness, and smart solutions.
Stories of Tenali Raman are a great example of teaching kids important moral lessons along with hooking them with fun adventures.
So, in this blog, I will walk you through some best tenali raman stories for kids that make your child’s learning session valuable and enjoyable.
So let’s start reading Tenali Raman tales….
A Handful of Grain or A Thousand Gold Coins
In the Vijayanagara Kingdom, there lived a woman named Vidhyulatha. She was highly skilled in the fine arts and prided herself on her intelligence. Her arrogance grew with her accomplishments, and one day, she decided to put up a challenge for anyone who dared to prove themselves wiser than her.
On a board outside her house, she boldly announced that whoever could defeat her in wit, intelligence, and knowledge of ancient books would be rewarded with a thousand gold coins. Many scholars came forward to challenge her, but none could surpass her.
Days passed, and no one succeeded. One day, a man selling firewood came to her street, shouting loudly to advertise his goods. His voice grew so persistent that Vidhyulatha became irritated. She went outside and asked him to sell her some firewood. The man, however, refused to sell his firewood for money. Instead, he demanded a handful of grain as payment.
Confused, Vidhyulatha agreed, and she told him to dump the firewood at her backyard. But the man insisted that she had misunderstood his request. He said, “If you cannot give me the exact price of a handful of grain, you must give me the thousand gold coins and also remove the board challenging others to outwit you.”
Vidhyulatha was furious at what she thought was nonsense. “What kind of absurd demand is that?” she exclaimed.
The man calmly replied, “It’s not absurd. You’ve failed to understand something so simple. And since you have failed, you’ve lost the battle of words.”
Her anger flared up, and after a heated exchange, Vidhyulatha decided to take the matter to court. The judge listened carefully to both sides. When he asked the firewood seller what he wanted, the man explained that he had simply asked for a handful of grain, meaning a quantity of grain that would fill the palm of her hand. Since she had failed to grasp the meaning of his request, he argued, she was not as wise as she claimed to be. He demanded that she remove the challenge from her house and pay him the thousand gold coins.
The judge was impressed by the seller’s wit and ordered Vidhyulatha to pay the gold coins and take down the board. It turned out that the firewood seller was none other than Tenali Raman, who had disguised himself to teach Vidhyulatha a lesson in humility.
Moral of the Story:
Humility is a valuable quality, and one should never boast about their intelligence or achievements. True wisdom lies in being humble and understanding the perspectives of others.
The Greedy Brahmins
King Krishnadevaraya’s mother was a deeply religious woman. One day, she approached the king with a request to offer ripe mangoes to the Brahmins the following morning. The king, wanting to fulfill her wish, instructed his attendants to gather mangoes for her. However, the very night before her plan, the king’s mother passed away. The king was heartbroken, but he remembered her last wish.
After performing all the necessary rites for his mother, the king decided to honor her final request. On the last day of the ceremonies, he invited several Brahmins to seek their advice on how to best fulfill his mother’s wish. The Brahmins, known for their greed, took the opportunity to make an outrageous suggestion. They told the king that his mother’s soul would only find peace if he donated mangoes made of gold to them.
The king, eager to please, agreed to their demand and invited the Brahmins to receive the gold mangoes the next morning.
Tenali Raman, who had overheard the conversation, immediately saw through the Brahmins’ greedy scheme. Wanting to teach them a lesson, Tenali invited them to his house the next day.
When the Brahmins arrived at Tenali’s house, they were expecting him to offer them something grand, just like the king had done. But to their surprise, Tenali was standing with a hot iron rod in his hand.
The Brahmins were shocked and asked, “What is this, Tenali Raman?”
With a serious expression, Tenali explained, “My mother suffered from rheumatism before she passed away. She always wished to ease her pain by burning her legs with a hot iron rod. To fulfill her last wish, I now plan to burn your legs so her soul can rest in peace.”
The Brahmins quickly realized that Tenali was mocking them. Ashamed of their greed, they returned the gold mangoes to Tenali and hurriedly left his house. Tenali then returned all the gold mangoes to the king and explained how the Brahmins had attempted to deceive him.
Moral of the Story:
Greed blinds one’s sense of morality. It is important to be content with what we have and not let greed dictate our actions.
The Secret of Weaving Invisible Fabric
In the grand capital of Vijayanagar, King Krishnadevaraya ruled with wisdom and grace. One day, a mysterious woman entered his royal court, catching the attention of everyone present. She was a striking figure, and she had an unusual proposition for the king.
After exchanging formal greetings, the woman presented a small box from which she took out a delicate, almost invisible sari. She held it up for all to see, and it was so fine and transparent that it barely covered the tip of a finger.
With a confident smile, she addressed the king, “Great King, I have a group of expert weavers who possess the secret to creating the most exquisite, celestial fabric—so thin and delicate that it cannot be seen by the naked eye.”
She continued, “With your financial support and blessings, my weavers can work wonders and create this miraculous fabric for you to see. It will be fit for gods.”
Impressed by her words and intrigued by the idea of such a fine and invisible fabric, the king decided to invest in her claim. He allocated funds and gave her one year to complete her work.
Over the next year, the woman and her weavers stayed at the royal guest house, enjoying the luxurious treatment from the king. However, when a year passed, there was still no fabric to show for all the promises. The king, growing anxious, sent his men to investigate.
The royal inspectors arrived at the guest house and were greeted by the woman, who led them to where the weavers were supposedly at work. To their shock, the weavers were sitting silently, pretending to weave, with no looms, threads, or even spools of thread in sight. They were simply miming the act of weaving.
The woman, seeing their confusion, explained, “This celestial fabric can only be seen by those with pure hearts and pure lineage. I’m sure you can all see the beauty and intricacy of this fine fabric.”
Fearful of being branded as unworthy or sinful if they spoke the truth, the inspectors pretended to see the invisible fabric. They praised the weavers for their craftsmanship and returned to the king, reporting how magnificent the work was.
The king, now even more eager to see this divine fabric, called for the weavers to present their creation in the royal court. The royal court was packed with spectators, all eager to witness the miraculous fabric.
When the weavers entered, they announced, “This fabric has been made from divine materials. It is invisible to those who are impure in heart or lineage.” Silence fell across the court, as no one could see anything in front of them. But, unwilling to appear unworthy, every single person in the court began to praise the nonexistent fabric, applauding its beauty and delicacy.
King Krishnadevaraya, sensing something was amiss, called on his trusted advisor, Tenali Raman, to reveal the trickery of the weavers.
Tenali, ever sharp and quick-witted, devised a clever plan. Turning to the lady, he spoke with admiration, “My lady, the king is eager to see you in such a beautiful fabric. The king of kings would love to witness your radiance in this glorious attire.”
The lady, now realizing that Tenali had uncovered her deceit, knew she could neither refuse the king’s request nor stand naked before the court. She fell at the king’s feet, begging for forgiveness.
Through his cleverness and insight, Tenali had once again saved the day, exposing the fraud and preserving the king’s honor. The woman’s false claim was exposed, and her deceit unraveled in front of everyone.
From that day forward, the term “wearing divine clothes” became a playful reference to being exposed or standing in the absence of truth.
Moral of the Story:
Beware of deceit and pride. Those who try to fool others with false claims will eventually be exposed.
Tenali Raman and the Weightlifter
One day, Tenali Raman and his wife were traveling to Hampi when they stopped in a village to rest. As they arrived, they saw a large crowd gathered to watch a weightlifter showcase his strength. With his muscular arms, he easily lifted a 200 kg bag of rice, impressing everyone around.
Tenali, always quick with his wit, was amazed and said, “You are truly strong! But I can carry something even heavier than that! I will carry a whole hill on my shoulders!”
The weightlifter, intrigued, asked, “How long did it take you to train for this?”
“Three months for you, but I will need six months to prepare,” Tenali replied. “And for my preparation, I’ll need a comfortable place to stay, nourishing food, and daily massages!”
The villagers, excited to see Tenali’s performance, agreed to host him and his wife. For six months, they were treated with luxury, receiving food, massages, and all the comforts they could wish for.
When the big day finally arrived, the entire village gathered to witness Tenali’s feat. Standing next to the village chief, Tenali eagerly said, “Alright, give it to me!”
“Give you what?” the chief asked, confused.
“You’re supposed to give me the hill to carry on my shoulders!” Tenali explained. “You didn’t expect me to lift it; I only promised to carry it. Do you not have someone who can place it on my shoulders?”
The chief burst into laughter, realizing what Tenali had done. “You are truly a clever man! A man of such wisdom should not be asked to carry such a lowly hill!”
Moral of the Story:
Wit and intelligence can often achieve more than raw strength.
Tenali Raman and the Red Peacock
One day, Krishna Deva Raya’s greedy minister, Chatur Pandit, arrived at the royal court with a rare and unusual gift—a red peacock.
Krishna Deva Raya, curious, said, “I have never seen such a creature!”
The courtiers echoed, “We agree! It’s astonishing!”
Chatur Pandit proudly said, “Your Majesty, please accept this gift! My servants searched the jungles of Madhya Pradesh for months to find this rare bird.”
Tenali Raman, observing the bird closely, thought, How can such a bright bird survive in the wild? It would be easily spotted by predators and killed.
Krishna Deva Raya, intrigued, asked, “Thank you, Chatur Pandit! How can we reward you for this wonderful gift?”
Chatur Pandit quickly replied, “Your Majesty, a reward of 100 gold coins would be enough. I spent that much to bring the bird here.”
Tenali Raman, ever sharp, said, “Your Majesty, I think we should observe this peacock for a while before we give Chatur Pandit his reward. I will go to Madhya Pradesh to get more birds like these.”
Krishna Deva Raya agreed, “Alright, Tenali. You have two weeks.”
But Tenali Raman didn’t go to Madhya Pradesh. Instead, he turned to his spies and said, “Find the person who painted that peacock red.”
The spies went to work and soon found the painter.
Tenali Raman, with a smile, told the painter, “Don’t worry, I won’t punish you. I just need you to paint ten more peacocks like this one.”
The painter agreed, “Ji, huzoor,” and set to work.
Two weeks later, Tenali returned to the court with the painted peacocks.
Krishna Deva Raya, impressed, said, “Bravo, Tenali! Treasurer, give him 1000 gold coins.”
Tenali Raman replied, “That is not what they cost, Your Majesty.”
Krishna Deva Raya, surprised, asked, “What is your price then, Tenali Raman?”
Tenali smiled and said, “A bucket of water, a bag of red paint, and a gold coin for this artist.”
The king’s face darkened in anger. “Chatur Pandit, I sentence you to…”
But Tenali Raman interrupted, “Your Majesty, your desire for fame led you to believe that a red peacock could exist. This entire fiasco is the result of spending on such unnecessary curiosities.”
Tenali continued, “It is better for your subjects to prosper rather than to waste money on displays of wealth. I request that you forgive Chatur Pandit and reward the artist for revealing this matter.”
Krishna Deva Raya, reflecting on Tenali’s words, nodded in agreement. “You’re right, Tenali. Chatur Pandit, I will forgive you, but you are banished from the court for a month. And you must return the gifts you received earlier.”
As the monsoon arrived, the peacocks danced in the rain, and the red color washed off, revealing their true feathers.
Krishna Deva Raya laughed, “Look, Tenali! The rain has washed away their color.”
Tenali Raman smiled, knowing his cleverness had brought the truth to light.
The people of the kingdom danced in the rain, praising their wise king. “We are lucky to have a king who is not afraid to admit his mistake.”
Chatur Pandit, on the other hand, walked home alone in the rain, his pride soaked and humbled.
Moral of the Story:
It’s better to seek truth and wisdom rather than getting fooled by false appearances.
Tenali Raman and the Racing Horse
One day, King Krishna Deva Raya decided to expand his army and needed more horses. To make this happen, he came up with a plan: he would give one horse to each person in his kingdom to take care of, along with a good supply of straw to feed the horses. Everyone in the kingdom was thrilled with this plan, except for Tenali Raman.
Tenali Raman, known for his wit, had a different idea. Instead of feeding his horse properly, he locked it in a room and fed it just a little bit of straw every day at exactly nine o’clock through a small window. The rest of the straw he gave to his cows, which grew fat and healthy.
At the end of the year, the king wanted to inspect the horses. Everyone who had been given a horse proudly brought their animals to the court, but Tenali Raman did not bring his horse. When asked about this, he explained, “My horse has become so strong that I cannot bring it to the court.”
The king was surprised by this and said, “Very well, I will send my chief inspector to your house tomorrow morning at nine to inspect the horse.”
Tenali Raman agreed, and the next morning, the chief inspector arrived at Tenali’s house. The inspector had a long, bushy beard. Tenali led him to the room where the horse was kept and asked him to look through the window to see the horse. When the inspector peered inside, his beard went through the window first.
The horse, having gotten used to receiving its daily meal of straw at exactly that time, thought the inspector’s beard was the straw. It grabbed the beard with its teeth and started pulling, thinking it was food. The inspector cried out in pain and struggled to pull his beard back, but the horse was determined. It kept pulling harder, thinking it was getting its meal, until the inspector lost his entire beard!
The inspector, shocked and embarrassed, ran back to the king and reported, “Your Majesty, Tenali Raman’s horse is indeed the strongest of them all. It pulled my beard off without any effort!”
The king, realizing he had been tricked, couldn’t help but laugh at Tenali Raman’s cleverness.
Moral of the Story:
Wit and intelligence can often be more powerful than physical strength.
Subba Sastry and the Sugar
Once, there was a wealthy man who was known for being very stingy. He had plenty of money but refused to spend it on anyone or anything. One day, he became upset when he discovered ants had invaded his bowl of sugar. Instead of simply throwing it away, he decided to dry the sugar under the sun to get rid of the ants. He spread the sugar out on a large sheet of paper and left it outside. However, he was worried that his friend, Subba Sastry, might come and take some of the sugar. So, he sat nearby, keeping a close watch.
Subba Sastry, who loved sweets, noticed the sugar drying in the sun. He had a plan to take advantage of the situation. He called his son over and said, “I’m going to talk to the rich man. After five minutes, run to me, shouting, ‘Our cow is dead!'”
With the plan in place, Subba Sastry went to the rich man’s house and began talking to him. He asked the man why he looked so upset. The rich man sighed and explained that he had been facing many losses. Curious, Subba Sastry asked what he was drying outside. The rich man replied, “I’m drying mud that got wet from the rain.”
Just then, Subba Sastry’s son came running, shouting, “Our cow is dead! Our cow is dead!” Subba Sastry pretended to grieve and, as was the custom, he took a handful of what the rich man had called “mud” and put it in his mouth. He even gave some to his son. The rich man, watching in shock, shouted, “This isn’t mud! It’s sugar! Don’t eat it!”
Subba Sastry calmly replied, “You told me it was mud, and it certainly tastes like mud.” He continued eating the sugar until there was nothing left. The miserly man was left stunned and upset, having lost all his sugar.
Moral of the Story:
Lying can lead to unexpected consequences.
Also Read: Akbar Birbal Story with Moral
Final Thoughts
As you are here, after reading Tenali Raman Stories for Kids, I hope you enjoyed reading these tales.
Now you may have realised why these tenali raman tales remained favorites for generations.
From solving tricky problems with cleverness to teaching valuable morals, Tenali Raman’s tales are not just entertaining but also enriching for kids as well as for adults.
So, If you found this blog enjoyable and valuable, please let us know in the comment section and tell us which story made you laugh 🙂
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