How Krishna and Balarama stole butter

Mother Yashoda was standing in the kitchen of her home in Vrindavan, carefully stirring milk in a large clay pot to keep it from boiling over.

Krishna and Balarama were sitting nearby, watching her with curiosity and whispering to each other. Krishna occasionally cast playful glances at the pot of butter, clearly planning something interesting.

Looking sadly at Balarama, Krishna said: “Mother is so busy with her chores, and I want butter right now!”

Grinning, Balarama replied: “Let’s call our friends together and work something out!” “That’s right! I have an idea! Let’s go quickly!” Krishna said cheerfully.

Krishna and Balarama gathered their friends and went to the house of one of the gopis.

There, they hid quietly and listened to what the cowherd girls were talking about.

“I have hidden the butter in the highest pot. Let’s see how Krishna can reach it now!” one of the gopis said sternly. “Yes, but have you seen how cunning He is? Last week He climbed up the ladder and ate everything!” another replied seriously.

Shaking their heads indignantly, the gopis entered the house, not noticing that Krishna, Balarama, and their friends were hiding nearby.

Whispering, Krishna said: “That’s the butter over there! We must climb up and get it.” Balarama asked anxiously: “But how? The pot is so high!”

Enthusiastically, one of Krishna’s friends suggested: “Let’s make a pyramid! I will stand at the bottom, Balarama will stand on top of me, and you, Krishna, will climb to the top.”

Krishna climbed up, stood on the shoulders of Balarama and their friend, and quickly opened the pot of butter. Licking His fingers, He exclaimed: “Oh, what delicious butter! Here, I’ll share it with you!”

The boys laughed and began eating the butter together. Laughing, Balarama said: “Krishna, You’re getting all dirty!”

Soon after, they ran home to play. When the cowherd girls returned, they saw that the butter had disappeared. “Krishna again! I know for sure it was Him!” one of them said angrily. “Look, His footprints lead to Yashoda’s house. Let’s follow them!” said another.

The cowherd girls followed the footprints to Yashoda’s house. Mother Yashoda was sitting in the courtyard, and Krishna and Balarama were playing nearby when the gopis approached her.

“Yashoda, your son has eaten all our butter again!” one of them said indignantly. Turning to Krishna, Mother Yashoda asked sternly: “Krishna, is this true?”

Innocently, Krishna replied: “Mother, I didn’t do anything. I was playing with Balarama all day long!” Grinning, Balarama added: “Yes, yes, we don’t know anything!”

Mother Yashoda frowned and looked thoughtfully at Krishna and Balarama. She noticed Krishna’s lips trembling slightly from a suppressed smile, and Balarama averted his eyes, trying to look serious.

“Hmm... if you didn’t eat butter, why do You have a spot on Your cheek?” said Yashoda, gently wiping Krishna’s cheek where a small trace of butter remained.

Krishna quickly wiped His cheek with His palm and cleverly replied: “That’s not butter, Mother, that’s... that’s from a flower I was smelling in the garden!” Balarama stifled a laugh, covering his mouth with his hands.

Mother Yashoda narrowed her eyes but decided not to argue: “Very well, if you are so innocent, then help me churn new butter.”

Quietly turning to Balarama, Krishna whispered: “Looks like we managed to outsmart them again!”

Laughing, Balarama replied: “But we must be more careful next time, or Mother may find out and punish us!” Everyone laughed, and Krishna happily licked His fingers, still tasting the delicious butter.