THE SHREWD BOY - Story in English

In the forests on both sides of the river Chambal in Madhya Pradesh there lived a gang of acoits. During the day the dacoits used to hide themselves in the forest and at night they went out with arms attacking the villagers, burning their houses, looting their property and killing them.

Therefore the villagers led a fear-stricken life. In the neighbourhood of Chambal there lived a wealthy land-lord Ramsingh. One morning a Police Officer visited him and said “I have news that a gang of dacoits remain sheltered in
the neighbouring forest. They are likely to attack your house tonight. You must be careful. I have also alerted my officers to take care of you and the village”. So saying the police officer went away. “Shut all the doors and windows before it gets dark”, shouted Ramsingh to his servants. In the evening when the servants were getting ready to shut the doors and windows of the house there came a hungry boy and he stood in front of the house. “I am very hungry, give me some food and shelter for the night,” pleaded the boy. “We won’t give you anything,” shouted the servants. “We suspect you to have been sent by the gang of dacoits. Go away or else we will kill you”, said the servants angrily. Ramsingh heard the noise of his servants and came out.”What’s the noise here?” he asked them. “This boy wants food and shelter,” replied the servants. “Dear boy, I will give you food but you can’t stay here,” said the landlord.

The boy ate the food and went away. As it had turned dark he could not find his way. Hence he located a small tree, climbed it and sat on one of its
branches. He decided to spend the rest of the night there. When it was midnight the boy heard the voice of some men under the tree. He listened carefully. One of the men said,
”The police men are not here, we can go and attack Ramsingh’s house”. After a few minutes he heard the commotion in Ramsingh’s house. “The landlord is kind-hearted. He fed me when I was hungry. I must save him and his property now. Let me run to the policemen and inform them about this,” said the boy to himself.

Quickly he came down the tree and found the policemen and told them how the dacoits had been attacking the house of the land lord. The policemen and the boy ran to the house of the land lord as fast as they could. In the meantime the dacoits tried to break open the main door of the house.

The policemen overpowered them. “You have saved our lives and property,” said Ramsingh thankfully. “You don’t need to thank us. You must thank this young boy. It is he who informed us of the dacoits,” said the police officer and then left. Looking at the boy  cheerfully, Ramsingh said, “I gave you only food but in return you have saved not only my life and property but the entire village.

I am not going to ask you to go away. You can be with us and work in my house”. The boy lived there happily ever after.