Friend-Detector

Story: N. Chokkan, N. Nangai, N. Mangai

Illustrations: Pratham Books

Illustrations Courtesy: Pratham Books

Released In “Creative Commons – Attribution”

Once upon a time, there was a kind farmer named Keshav.

He liked helping everyone in need.

One day, while he was going to a nearby village in his bullock cart, he met a person on the way.

That person saw Keshav and jumped with joy. ‘Oh, Keshav, is that you?’ ‘Yes!’ answered Keshav, ‘But, how do you know my name?’ ‘Keshav, you forgot me, didn’t you?’ that man asked, ‘I am Rajesh, your childhood friend.’

But, Keshav couldn’t recognize Rajesh at all.

He thought hard, really hard. But, even after checking every corner of his brain, he couldn’t remember even seeing this person before. He looked at him with a puzzled face.

Finally, Keshav decided, ‘He may really be my friend, I guess my memory is just bad.’

So, Keshav invited Rajesh to come and stay in his home for few days.

Rajesh agreed and hopped on to the bullock cart.

Keshav’s wife Mathi welcomed them and served a tasty meal. Rajesh ate well and slept. After that, Keshav discussed his confusion with his wife. ‘Do you really think he is my friend?’ Mathi thought for few minutes and made up a plan to test their unknown guest. She asked her husband to go and bring a goat. ‘Why do you need a goat?’ asked Keshav. ‘You will know soon’ she told with a mischievous smile.

Mathi went inside and took her favorite trumpet. She started blowing it.

Rajesh woke up from his sleep and looked around. He saw Mathi and asked her ‘Why are you making such a big noise?’

Mathi told him, ‘Sorry to wake you up. This is a magic trumpet. Whenever I blow it, I would get whatever I wish for!’

Rajesh looked at that trumpet with greedy eyes. He asked her, ‘Are you serious? What did you wish for now?’

‘I wished for a goat. Let us go out and see if I get it.’

They both came out of the hut and saw Keshav coming with a goat.

‘Wow, this really works!’ told Rajesh. ‘Will you sell that Magic Trumpet to me?’

‘Of course, not’ told Mathi, and locked the trumpet carefully.

That night, after Keshav and Mathi went to sleep, Rajesh woke up and went near the box where the trumpet was kept. He took out an iron rod and inserted it in the lock hole. He twisted it in all directions and suddenly, the lock opened. With a nasty grin, he opened the box and looked inside.

Out came a fierce looking dog. It was locked there by Mathi, when Rajesh went for his evening walk. The dog jumped on Rajesh, who ran for his life. Keshav and Mathi woke up from their pretended sleep and started laughing. ‘Hahaha, Our dog will ensure that he will never enter our village again!’