There are many legends connected with his boyhood, which teach his extraordinary power. On one occasion, when a mere infant, lying under Nanda's wagon, he cried for the breast, and, being impatient because his mother did not come quickly, kicked the wagon over, to the great astonishment of the bystanders. He and Balarama played with and tormented the calves to such an extent, that Yasoda became angry; and to prevent its repetition, tied Krishna to a heavy wooden mortar in which corn is threshed, and went on with her work. Krishna, trying to free himself from this, dragged it until it became wedged fast between two

Arjuna trees, and with a strong pull the trees were uprooted. The people, astonished because the trees fell when no storm was blowing, thought the place must be unlucky, and moved away to Vrindavana. The Bhagavata

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KRISHNA SLAYING BAKASURA.

says that these trees were two sons of Kuvera, the god of riches, who, owing to a curse of the sage Narada, were thus metamorphosed, and that it was for the purpose of liberating them that Krishna accomplished this feat.

[paragraph continues] Krishna and Balarama, the guardians of the world, were keepers of cattle in the cowpens of Vrindavana," until they were seven years of age, during which years, according to the "Bhagavata Purana," the boys were full of childish tricks: stealing butter from the neighbouring cowherds appears to have been their favourite pastime.

In the "Bhagavata Purana" there are legends also of attempts being made by Kansa to rid himself of his dreaded foe. One day a demon was sent who hoped to surprise him when wandering with the cattle in the woods; but the boy, seeing through his disguise, seized him by the foot, swung him round his head and dashed him so violently on the ground that he immediately died. The next day, another demon, assuming the form of an immense crane, seized Krishna with its bill; but he became so hot that the crane immediately released him: Krishna then crushed its beak under his foot. Yet another came as a great serpent, and swallowed Krishna and his companions, the cowherds, with their cows; but he was no sooner in the reptile's stomach than he expanded himself, and burst open his prison. Krishna was not always defending himself; often he benefited his companions. When Brahma stole some calves, and carried off the boys who tended them, Krishna made other calves and other boys, so that the theft was never known by the cowherds.