Little Hanuman and the Sun

Long ago, in a green forest at the foot of a mountain, there lived a little boy named Hanuman. His mother was Anjana, and his father was Vayu, the wind. Hanuman was full of giggles and energy, and he was blessed with great strength, though he did not know it yet.

One morning, Hanuman woke up hungry. His tummy went grumble, grumble. He looked out at the pink morning sky and saw something big, round and golden, glowing like the sweetest, ripest fruit in the world. “Breakfast!” he thought.

(Stretch your arms higher each time you say “up”.)

He bent his knees, took a deep breath, and jumped! Up, up, up he flew, higher than the trees, higher than the hills, higher than the birds, up through the soft pink clouds.

The sun was hot and bright, but little Hanuman felt cool and happy. He was glowing with joy, and his father’s cool winds wrapped around him like a blanket. The sun smiled down. “Hello, little one,” it seemed to say.

Far below, Indra, the king of the gods, looked up and saw a small child flying towards the sun. “Oh my! He might get hurt!” Very gently, he tapped Hanuman’s chin with his thunderbolt. Tap! And the child floated down, down, down, soft as a feather, onto a quiet mountain top. That is why he is called Hanuman, the boy with the special chin.

(Whisper this page, very slow and very still.)

But Vayu, the wind, was so upset to see his child fall that he pulled all the winds into a cave and stopped blowing. The leaves stopped moving. The rivers went still. Nobody in the whole world could feel even the tiniest breeze.

(Make a soft “swish, swish” wind sound with your child.)

The gods hurried to the cave. “Please, Vayu, blow again! We promise Hanuman will be safe.” And they gave Hanuman their gifts: strength to lift mountains, speed like the wind, courage in his heart, and a gentle mind to use it all kindly. Vayu smiled, and out came the winds, swish, swish, sweet and cool.

(Slow right down for the last page.)

Hanuman grew up to be a brave and loyal helper. And to this day, when a soft breeze touches your cheek on a warm evening, you can remember the little boy who tried to catch the sun, and how the wind still loves him. Close your eyes. Feel the breeze. Goodnight.