The tinkling Bells : Chapter -2

Chinna was a little boy who lived in a village. He studied in grade 4. He was a bright boy who liked to read storybooks and learn new things. He had many friends with whom he played. But, most of all, he loved to play with his little pet “kid” named Tara.

Tara was a five-month-old kid, milky white in colour. One day, while coming back from school, Chinna stopped at Chacha’s shop. He saw a pair of beautiful, shiny tinkling bells. He went inside the shop and politely asked the shopkeeper to show him the tinkling bells.

“Ten rupees please,” Chacha said.

Chinna liked the bells a lot. He put his hand in his pocket to take out the money.

He was shocked to find that his money was missing. “Oh! Where is the money Dadaji gave me yesterday?”

He searched all his pockets but couldn’t find the money.

Feeling sad, he returned the tinkling bells to Chacha and began walking home.

Chinna reached home.

He removed his shoes and placed them in the corner. He went inside and dropped his school bag on the study table. He sat on the chair and rested his head on the table.

His mother Kamala, who had been watching all this, came to Chinna.

She asked gently, “What happened, Chinna?”

Kamala laid her hands softly on his shoulders. At once, Chinna hugged her and started crying. On seeing this, Kamla wiped his tears. After a while, Chinna told her about the missing money.

Kamla consoled him, saying, “I’m SO sorry. dear. It’s ok, don’t cry. I’ll give you money to buy the bells. But, make sure to be careful with money in the future”.

Chinna smiled and said, “Sure Amma”.

“That’s my boy! Cheer up! Now, let’s go to the market to buy some fruits and vegetables,” Kamala said warmly.

Kamala and Chinna went to the market. They bought apples, mangoes, tomatoes and brinjals. Chinna also wanted pineapples. So, they stopped at the pineapple stall.

“What is the cost of the pineapples?” Kamala asked. “Forty-five rupees each,” replied the fruit seller.

Kamala bought two pineapples and gave him a hundred-rupee note. She asked Chinna to take the change. Then, she went to other shops to buy some more fruits.

The fruit seller gave Chinna two ten-rupee notes. Hiding a mischievous smile, Chinna ran to his mother.

“Amma, do you know? The fruit seller gave me ten rupees extra by mistake. Can I buy the bells and some chocolates?” whispered Chinna.

“Chinna, that’s very bad. It is stealing. How did you feel when you found your money missing?” asked Kamla.

“I felt very sad and angry!” replied Chinna.

“The fruit seller will also feel the same when he comes to know the mistake. Now, be a good boy,” said Kamala gently.

Chinna looked at his mother thoughtfully. He ran back to the fruit seller to return the extra money. The fruit seller was very happy. “You are an honest boy,” he praised him.

Chinna ran back to his mother.

Kamla felt pleased with Chinna’s honesty and took him to Chacha’s shop to buy the tinkling bells. Chacha was about to close his shop. ‘Wait!’ called Chinna. ‘Do you still have the bells?’ ‘Yes, I do’ said Chacha. Chinna paid him ten rupees and they both happily walked home. The bells were tinkling in Chinna’s pocket. Hearing the sound of bells, Chinna’s pet kid Tara came running out. Chinna happily tied the tinkling bells around Tara’s neck.

Also read this : Together we can : Chapter-1

Let us Think

A. Answer the following.

1. Why was Chinna upset?
Ans. Chinna was upset because the money his Dadaji gave him was missing, and he couldn’t buy the tinkling bells.

2. How did Kamala help Chinna feel better?
Ans. Kamala comforted Chinna, wiped his tears, gave him money, and spoke to him kindly to make him feel better.

3. What did the fruit seller do by mistake?
Ans. The fruit seller gave Chinna ten rupees extra by mistake.

4. How did Chinna manage to buy the bells from Chacha in the end?
Ans. Chinna returned the extra money to the fruit seller honestly. The fruit seller was happy, and later Kamala took Chinna to buy the tinkling bells from Chacha’s shop.

B. Write “T” for true or ‘F’ for false.

1. Chinna wanted to buy the bells to attach them to his bicycle. (F)

2. Chinna’s mother, Kamala, comforted him when he came home feeling sad. (T)

3. The fruit seller gave Chinna twenty rupees extra as change. (F)

4. Chinna decided to keep the extra money and bought chocolates with it. (F)

5. The fruit seller was unhappy when Chinna returned the extra money. (F)

C. Think and discuss.

1. Why do you think Chinna decided to return the money instead of keeping it?
Ans. Chinna returned the money because his mother taught him that keeping extra money would be stealing, and he wanted to be an honest boy.

2. Think of a time when you found something that didn’t belong to you. What did you do? How did it make you feel?
Ans. Once, I found a pencil that wasn’t mine at school. I returned it to my friend. It made me feel happy and proud to do the right thing.