Durga and the Buffalo Bully

Long, long ago, there lived a big, grumpy bully named Mahisha. He was as stubborn as a buffalo, and he stomped from village to village, shouting, "Get out! This is all mine!" Everyone ran from their homes, and the chickens flapped away in a hurry.

Even the gods in the sky were worried. They peeked out from behind the soft white clouds. "He won't listen to anyone," they whispered. "What can we do?"

Then the gods had an idea. Each of them had a special light inside, red and blue, gold and white. They stood in a circle and joined all their lights together, and the lights swirled into one big, shining glow.

From that glow came Maa Durga, riding a big golden lion. She had kind eyes, a calm smile and eight gentle arms, holding a lotus, a conch and a little bell. "Don't worry," she said softly. "We will stand together."

For nine days Mahisha huffed and puffed and shouted. But Durga did not get scared. She stayed calm and brave. On the tenth day, Mahisha sat down on a rock with a big sulky sigh, and his bullying was over. Everyone walked happily back home.

That tenth day is the happy day of victory. In Nepal it is Dashain, when grandparents give red tika and green jamara, children swing high on bamboo swings and kites fill the sky. In India it is Dussehra, with fireworks and the big Ravan Dahan. When good hearts stand together, no bully is too big.