Lord Shiva whose dance creates and destroys the world is married to Parvati. Long ago, Parvati wanted a child but Shiva said that all creation was their child so they had no need for another.

When Parvati continued to plead, Shiva tugged playfully at her cloak and folded it into the shape of a baby boy. "Here's a son for you to kiss and cuddle as much as you wish", he said.

"Stop teasing me", said Parvati, pressing the cloth baby against her heart as if to fill it with love. As she did so the baby wriggled and cried "Mama". Looking down Parvati saw that she was now holding a live baby. She kissed and hugged the baby in delight then held him up for Shiva saying, "Take your son, husband." But Shiva was annoyed that they now had a real baby and opened his third eye and looked at his son. Instantly, the boy's head fell off.

Overcome with grief, Parvati desperately tried to put the head back on. Even Shiva, sorry at his rash deed, could not repair the head that had met the dreadful gaze of his third eye.

So Shiva sent his messenger Nandin to find another head for his son. He told Nandin the head must be facing north, as that was the direction the boy was facing when his head came off.

Nandin travelled about the universe until he came upon the elephant of Indra, the sky god, resting with its head facing north. Nandin raised his sword to cut off the elephant's head but Indra saw and gave a shout of rage. When Nandin again made to cut off the elephant's head, all the gods attacked him with a rain of arrows. But Nandin could not be stopped. He cut off the elephant's head, breaking one tusk in his hurry, and took it back to Shiva.

As soon as Shiva placed the elephant's head on his son's body, the boy came back to life.

When angry Indra and the other gods arrived, they could not help being glad at the sight of Shiva's beautiful son. Brahma, the father of all the gods, declared that the boy should be called Ganesha which means ruler-of-all-the-hosts. Only Shiva would be a more powerful ruler of the gods.

Shiva saw how sad Indra was at the death of his elephant and told him, "Throw your elephant's body into the ocean." When Indra obeyed, his elephant rose out of the waves with a new head.

This version of the story is taken from A Tapestry of Tales by Sandra Palmer. The book forms part of the excellent REAL series, published by Collins Educational.