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KRISHNA IS LET DOWN
Taken from the book "The butter thief"

Now Krishna became somewhat bigger. One day Yasoda told Him, “It’s your birthday today. Go and bring a female calf here, and worship her.“ Krishna became so happy. He went out and chose a very beautiful she-calf, who was as snow-white as a swan.

The calf was very healthy, and stout and strong, and was jumping here and there. Krishna wanted to catch her, but He couldn't, because she was jumping so much. After a great struggle, He managed to hold her, and then He wanted to bring her in to the courtyard. He tried to tie up her four legs, but the calf refused to let Him tie her, and they had another wrestling match. Somehow or other, Krishna managed to bring her into the courtyard, and as He was doing so, He suddenly noticed a pot hanging from a rope. He could immediately understand that this pot must be full of sweet butter. In an instant, Krishna’s intense greed for the butter made Him forget that He was supposed to bring the calf in. But how could He reach the butter? It was hanging high up in the rafters, and there was no ladder, or anything to stand on. When He was with His friends, He would climb on their backs, one by one, higher and higher, until He could reach the butter.

However, none of His friends were there, and He had no stick. What to do? After considering carefully, Krishna thought, “I can reach the butter very easily if I stand on this calf.“ He managed to climb up on the calf’s back, and when He stood upright, sure enough, He was high enough to put His hand into the pot.

Just at that moment, however, the calf suddenly jumped away. Little Krishna had put His whole arm into the pot, so when the calf ran away, He was left dangling there. Now He called out fearfully, “O Mother! Mother! Mother!“ and cried bitterly. Mother Yasoda was churning, and when she heard Krishna weeping and crying for her, she smiled and ran out to help Him. As soon as she saw Him hanging high above the ground, she understood what had happened. “You stay like that!“ she told Him. “I’m not going to touch You. And I’ll punish You for being naughty, as well. I’ll never help You!“ Krishna began to weep more loudly: “Mother! Mother! Mother! Mother!“ and of course, Yasoda brought Him down. Krishna was extremely naughty in His boyhood, and that is why He garnered so much love and affection from all the gopis, and especially from His mother.