Teach to live

Ramu and Balu are brothers who lived in a small town. A beggar named Pichu came everyday begging to their house for some food.

Pichu was as very thin as you can see ribs in his body. He was shabby with torn clothes and dirty brown uncut hair.  Ramu, the elder son, he always gives away the leftover food to Pichu. Pichu was happy to take the food in his broken bowl and sit under a banyan tree near the lake and eat it.

Balu doesn’t like encouraging the beggar, when he is fit to do all the work. Balu scolds Ramu “Ramu! Don’t give him food and  make him lazy”. But Ramu doesn’t mind Balu words he always pitied Pichu and gave food.

On a fine day, Pichu came to Ramu’s house. When he started calling out, Balu came out of the house and holded Pichu’s hand and took him to the store room. In the store room, there were so many unwanted things dumped inside, from those he found out a fishing rod and gave it to Pichu.

Balu took his bicycle made Pichu sit behind and rode to nearby lake. Pichu asked him “ayya, where are you taking me? I just came to collect the leftovers. If you don’t like, I will not come again to your home.

Balu was silent.  They reached the lake.

Balu commanded Pichu “Get down! Keep your things aside and come with me”

Pichu did as he was instructed. For an hour or two, Balu taught him, how to fish.

 “From now on, never beg. Start fishing, catch one, cook and eat” Balu said and left the place.

Then years passed. A rich man came in a bullock cart. In those days, rich people will have tonga or bullock carts for traveling purpose.

A man came out of the cart. He was a healthy and average height man. He was wearing white silk shirt, white dhoti with silk border.  He wore gold chains and finger rings. In his hand, he carried a small fishing rod made out of Gold.

Ramu came out of house and to his surprise he found out that the man is Pichu, the beggar.

Pichu asked “Ayya, please call Balu, I want to give him a small gift”.

Ramu said “Gift! You mean that gold fishing rod. Ah! You should give it to me because I am the one who gave you food when you cried with hunger”.

“Ayya, that’s true, but Balu is the one who made my living. He taught me how to fish and he is the reason behind my life”.

Balu heard Pichu and came out. Balu was very happy to see Pichu again. He happily received the gift from Pichu.

Lesson: Teach a skill to a person who is in need, may be that could help his/her future.

*ayya - calling someone with respect -Tamil language