November 2012 - National Book Trust India

Gopi
Abhishek A. Lad
There was a boy named Gopi who lived
in Rampur. He was orphan. He used to
work at a general store for one rupee a
day.
Once he saved one rupee by not eating
any thing. The next day he was hungry so
he walked into the market where he met
his friend Ranji who had a beautiful flute.
Gopi liked
the flute so
he asked
Ranji if he
c o u l d
exchange the
flute with
that coin.
Ranji
saw the coin
and figured out that it was an old queen
Victorian silver coin. He took it to the
jeweler. The jeweler told him that he could
give only ten rupees for it. Ranji became
happy, took the money and went away.
On the other hand, Gopi went to the
river which flowed nearby. There
his friends were fishing. Gopi
couldn’t catch the fish so he stood up
and tried to go away. But his leg slipped
and he fell into the river. He was soaking
wet so all his friends began to laugh at
him. He started walking towards the
market.
Along the road, as Gopi walked he
also played the flute beautifully. Gopi
passed walking
the jeweler’s
shop. The
jeweler’s
daughter was
sick. Nothing
entertained
her. She heard
Gopi playing
the flute and
got up as if the melodious sound had
given her a new lease of life. The jeweler
called Gopi and told him to give his
flute. The jeweler was ready to pay any
amount for the flute.
Gopi only asked for one silver coin.
The jeweler had a daughter, but no son.
He became so impressed by his honesty
that he adopted him as son.
Readers’ Club Bulletin November 2012/17