Bhima at Bedtime

"Papa? Will you tell us another story please?"

Bhima looked down at his children, nestled together in a sea of furs and pillows. It was good to have them all together- Ghatotkacha, Sutasoma, and Sarvaga. Though they were different in both age and nature, they were of one mind when it came to loving stories. Even Ghatotkacha, the oldest, became a child again at the mere mention of a tale of adventure.

Standing there, Bhima looked down at three pairs of twinkling eyes - full of hope - pleading for another story. His own eyes were beginning to burn with exhaustion, but when Sarvaga lifted a small hand to pull gently at the hem of his dhoti, he knew the battle was over before it had even begun. Heaving a long and dramatic sigh, he sunk back down into the furs. Giggling, Sutasoma and Sarvaga shifted to make room for him between them. Ghatotkacha, now significantly more grown than his brothers, gathered Sarvaga onto his lap. As Bhima arranged the pillows to make himself comfortable, the children whispered amongst themselves, pleased at their victory.

"All right, you three- what will it be? Do you want to hear the story of Rama and Sita again? What about the great Hanuman?"

Sarvaga piped up, "What about a story about your adventures with Uncles Arjuna, Yudhistira, Nakula, and Sahadeva?"

"Ooh yes!" chorused Sutasoma.

"Hmmm....." Bhima thought as he gathered Sutasoma close and held him tightly. Tales flitted through his head, vying for attention. He and his brothers had no shortage of tales that qualified as an exciting bedtime story. As he sat there, he noted his contentedly full belly - stuffed with the wonderful food from that night's meal. An idea began to form at the back of his head.

"Have I ever told the three of you about the time when your uncles and I were at the court at Virata, and I became a cook.......?"

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