1. The hero of our story is Prince Siddhartha, the Buddha-to-be, who lived more than 2,500 years ago. His father was the Rajah of the Sakya clan, King Suddhodana, and his mother was Queen Maha Maya. They lived in India, in a city called Kapilavatthu, in the foothills of the Himalayas.
2. Siddhartha’s parents belonged to the Indian warrior caste. They lived in agreat palace in their capital city of Kapilavatthu, beneath the majestic mountainsof the Himalayas. Queen Maha Maya was beautiful, intelligent and good. KingSuddhodana was honoured and respected because he ruled well. Both of them were admired and loved by the people they ruled.