Tenali Ramakrishna stories are like moral stories that teach us ways to deal with life challenges with humor, intelligence, strategy, dharma, and affection.

Once upon a time, in the kingdom of Vijayanagar, there lived a clever and intelligent man named Tenali Ramakrishna, better known as Tenali Rama. His sharp intellect and sense of humor made him a close confidant of King Krishnadevaraya, and he earned many rewards and honors from the king for his clever solutions to difficult problems. As a result, it was no secret that Tenali Rama had accumulated considerable wealth through the generous gifts he received from the king. This fact soon caught the attention of thieves who were always looking for easy targets.

One evening, a group of these thieves gathered in a dark corner of the forest. They were plotting their next move when one of them said, “Why don’t we break into Tenali Rama’s house tonight? He is close to the king and must have plenty of gold, jewels, and valuable gifts stored in his home. It’s the perfect place for a big haul!”

The others agreed eagerly. Under the cover of darkness, the thieves crept toward Tenali Rama’s house, hiding in the bushes just outside the backyard. From their hidden spot, they could see Tenali Rama and his wife inside the house, finishing their dinner.

Later that night, Ramakrishna came out to the backyard, pretending to wash his hands, but in reality, he had sensed something was amiss. He had noticed a strange rustling sound earlier and suspected that thieves were lurking around. As he was a clever man, he quickly planned to trick the thieves.

He called out loudly to his wife, who was inside the house, “Darling, I’ve been hearing rumors that the number of thieves in our kingdom has been increasing lately. We should take the necessary steps to safeguard our wealth. Take all the jewelry and valuables we have, put them in a box, and we’ll hide the box in the well at the back of the house. That way, the thieves won’t be able to steal anything even if they break into our home.”

His wife, though puzzled by his sudden statement, sensed that her husband was up to something. She knew that there weren’t any valuable jewels or gold in the house, as most of the gifts Tenali received from the king were modest, and they lived a simple life. But Ramakrishna gave her a meaningful look, and she quickly understood that her husband had a plan to trick the thieves.

From their hiding place, the thieves overheard the conversation between the couple. Their eyes lit up with excitement, thinking they had struck gold. They couldn’t believe their luck! All the treasure they had been hoping to steal was going to be stored in one place – the well. They decided to wait patiently until Ramakrishna and his wife went to bed before making their move.

Meanwhile, Ramakrishna quickly gathered a box of stones, sand, and broken pottery. The box was heavy and appeared as if it were filled with valuable items. He locked the box tightly and called out to his wife, “Let’s go, my dear, help me carry this box to the well. We must keep it safe.”

Together, the couple carried the box outside, and with much effort, they lowered it into the deep well in their backyard. As they did so, Ramakrishna spoke loudly for the benefit of the eavesdropping thieves, “Remember, my dear, no one must know about this! If the thieves find out, they’ll steal everything we have.”

The thieves could hardly contain their excitement. They observed the weighty box disappear into the depths of the well. Once Ramakrishna and his wife went back inside, the thieves waited for some time, ensuring the household was quiet before they made their move.

With each passing hour, the thieves’ figures grew larger against the backdrop of the moonlit well. However, as they approached, they realized that lifting the heavy box out of the deep well would not be an easy task. One of the thieves, who appeared to be the leader, said, “Friends, the well is too deep to simply lift the box out. We’ll need to remove the water first. When the water subsides, we can get the valuables.

The others nodded in agreement, and they immediately set to work. Using buckets and whatever tools they could find, they began drawing water from the well. It was hard labor, but the thought of the treasure kept them motivated.

Unknown to them, Tenali Ramakrishna, who had been watching the entire scene from the shadows, was silently laughing at their efforts. He knew the well was deep, and it would take a long time to drain all the water. Amused by their persistence, he decided to let them tire themselves out.

As the thieves continued to work, they began to grow weary. Hours passed, and they were exhausted from lifting bucket after bucket of water from the well. Finally, one of the thieves said, “We’ve done enough for now. Let’s take a quick breather.”

They sat down to rest, panting and sweating from the backbreaking effort. Meanwhile, Ramakrishna took advantage of the situation. While the thieves rested, he quietly slipped back into the backyard and began watering his plants with the water the thieves had drawn from the well. The thieves were so focused on their task that they didn’t notice him.

After some time, the leader of the thieves urged his companions, “We need to hurry! Before dawn breaks, we must get the box out of the well.”

They resumed their work, now more determined than ever to retrieve the treasure. But as they continued to pull out water, Tenali Ramakrishna, who had grown tired of their antics, decided to end the charade.

He called out loudly from the shadows, “Oh, dear thieves! Please stop your work. You’ve already removed enough water to last us for days.

Thank you for helping with the well, but there’s nothing valuable inside. You may go now!”

Upon hearing Ramakrishna’s voice, the thieves were struck with terror. They realized they had been tricked! Without a second thought, they dropped everything and ran for their lives, vanishing into the darkness, afraid of being caught or punished.

The next morning, Tenali Ramakrishna shared the entire incident with King Krishnadevaraya and his courtiers. The king, greatly amused and impressed by Ramakrishna’s cleverness, burst into laughter. “Once again, you’ve shown that wit and intelligence are more powerful than brute force,” the king said, patting Ramakrishna on the back.

For his quick thinking and his unique way of dealing with the thieves, King Krishnadevaraya presented Tenali Rama with a handsome reward, praising him for his wit and skill in protecting his home without any violence.

The story of how Tenali Ramakrishna outsmarted the thieves soon spread across the kingdom, and once again, he proved that no matter the situation, cleverness, and quick thinking are always the best tools in any challenge.

Moral of the Story:

1. Intelligence is often more powerful than brute force: Tenali Rama’s clever strategy outwitted the thieves, proving that intelligence can overcome physical strength.

 2. A little patience can go a long way: By waiting and observing the thieves’ actions, Tenali Rama is able to catch them in their own trap. Patience is often rewarded.