Grandma and the Great Gourd: A Bengali Folktale

**Lisa Bueno** (0:00)
Okay, our friends, so today we are going to continue on our Stories Around the World book series that we're doing. We are finding folk stories and famous tales and fables and mythologies and all kinds of things from different parts of the world.

**Philip** (0:19)
And today we are heading over to a little village in India.

**Philip** (0:25)
Off we go, and I cannot wait to share it with you. So, today we are going to be doing a Bengali folk tale.

**Philip** (0:33)
It's called Grandma and the Great Gourd.

**Philip** (0:38)
This story was retold by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni.

**Lisa Bueno** (0:43)
It's illustrated by Susie Pilgrim Waters.

**Philip** (0:46)
And it is read today by Mommy and…

**Philip** (0:51)
Philip!

**Lisa Bueno** (0:52)
Once upon a time, in a little village in India, there lived an old woman whom everyone called Grandma. She loved gardening and had the best vegetable patch in the village.

**Philip** (1:07)
Grandma lived by herself, in a little hut, at the edge of the village next to the deep, dark jungle.

**Lisa Bueno** (1:14)
At times, she could hear herds of elephants lumbering on forest paths, thump, thump, thump, where giant lizards slithering over dry leaves.

**Lisa Bueno** (1:27)
Krr, krr.

**Lisa Bueno** (1:29)
But she didn't mind because she had two loyal dogs, Kalu and Bholu, to protect her.

**Philip** (1:37)
They also helped her with garden tours.

**Lisa Bueno** (1:39)
One day, Grandma received a letter from her daughter, who lived on the other side of the jungle.

**Lisa Bueno** (1:44)
Please come and visit me, said the letter.

**Lisa Bueno** (1:46)
I haven't seen you in so long.

**Philip** (1:49)
I miss you. Grandma missed her daughter too and decided to visit her.

**Philip** (1:55)
She was a little scared about traveling through the jungle, where so many fierce animals lived.

**Lisa Bueno** (2:02)
But then she said, What's life without a little adventure? So she packed her things and said goodbye to her dogs.

**Lisa Bueno** (2:12)
Don't worry, boys, she told them.

**Lisa Bueno** (2:15)
I'll be back soon. Don't forget to take care of my garden.

**Philip** (2:21)
Cue, cue, said the dogs.

**Lisa Bueno** (2:23)
We won't forget.

**Lisa Bueno** (2:24)
We'll chase away all the wild animals and we'll listen for you. If you get in trouble, just call for us.

**Lisa Bueno** (2:34)
As grandma was traveling through the jungle, kut, kut, kut, she came upon a clever red fox. Ah, Grandma, he said, burying his pointy teeth and smacking his lips.

**Lisa Bueno** (2:54)
How nice of you to arrive just when I'm so hungry.

**Lisa Bueno** (3:02)
Grandma's heart went dip, dip, but she didn't let the fox see how scared she was.

**Lisa Bueno** (3:13)
You're planning to have me for breakfast, she said.

**Lisa Bueno** (3:18)
That's a terrible idea. See how skinny I am.
I'll be a lot plumper on my way back from my daughter's house because she's such a good cook. You can eat me then if you like.

**Philip** (3:33)
That sounds good, said the fox, and he let her go.

**Lisa Bueno** (3:39)
Grandma walked deeper into the jungle.

**Philip** (3:44)
In a while, she came upon a shaggy black bear.

**Lisa Bueno** (3:51)
Ah, Grandma!

**Lisa Bueno** (3:55)
He said, flexing his claws and sharpening them on a nearby rock.

**Lisa Bueno** (4:00)
How nice of you to arrive just when I'm so hungry!

**Lisa Bueno** (4:08)
Grandma's heart went thunk, thunk, but she didn't let the bear see how scared she was.

**Lisa Bueno** (4:15)
If you're planning to have me for lunch, she said, That's a terrible idea!
See how thin I am? I'll be a lot fatter on my way back from my daughter's house because she's such a good cook. And you can eat me then if you like.

**Philip** (4:34)
That sounds good, said the bear, and he let her go.

**Lisa Bueno** (4:42)
Grandma walked into the deepest part of the jungle, and suddenly she came upon a sleek, striped tiger.

**Philip** (4:54)
Uh, Grandma!
He said crouching low and swishing his tail. How nice of you to arrive just when I'm so hungry.

**Lisa Bueno** (5:09)
Grandma's heart went doom, doom.

**Lisa Bueno** (5:12)
But she didn't let the tiger see how scared she was.

**Lisa Bueno** (5:15)
If you're planning to have me for dinner, she said, that's a terrible idea. See how bony I am.
I'll be a lot juicier on my way back from my daughter's house because she's such a good cook. You can eat me then if you like.

**Philip** (5:36)
That sounds good, said the tiger, and he let her go.

**Philip** (5:41)
Wow.

**Philip** (5:43)