Foreword . . . . .

iii
A Note for the Teacher . . . . . v

1. A Tale of Two Birds . . . . . 1

2. The Friendly Mongoose . . . . . 4
3. The Shepherd’s Treasure . . . . . 7
4. The Old-Clock Shop . . . . . 11
5. Tansen . . . . . 15
6. The Monkey and the Crocodile . . . . . 20
7. The Wonder Called Sleep . . . . . 25
8. A Pact with the Sun . . . . . 28
9. What Happened to the Reptiles . . . . . 33
10. A Strange Wrestling Match . . . . . 43
 A Tale of Two
Birds 11
• A mother bird and her two young ones lived in a forest.
• The mother was killed in a storm and the young birds were
separated from each other.
• Each found a different home.

THERE once lived a bird and her two new-born babies in a

forest. They had a nest in a tall, shady tree and there the
mother bird took care of her little ones day and night.
One day, there was a big storm. There was thunder,
lightning and rain, and the wind blew down many trees. The
tall tree in which the birds lived also came down. A big, heavy
branch hit the nest and killed the bird. Fortunately for the
baby birds, the strong wind blew them away to the other side
of the forest. One of them came down near a cave where a
gang of robbers lived. The other landed outside a rishi’s
ashram a little distance away.
 2/A Pact with the Sun

Days passed and the baby birds became big birds. One
day, the king of the country came to the forest to hunt. He
saw a deer and rode after it. It ran deep into the forest
followed by the king. Soon the king lost his way and didn’t
know where he was.
He rode on for a long time till he came to the other side of
the forest. Very tired by now, he got off his horse and sat
down under a tree that stood near a cave. Suddenly he heard
a voice cry out, “Quick! Hurry up! There’s someone under the
tree. Come and take his jewels and his horse. Hurry, or else
he’ll slip away.” The king was amazed. He looked up and saw
a big, brown bird on the tree under which he was sitting. He
also heard faint noises issuing from the cave. He quickly got
on to his horse and rode away as fast as he could.

• The king was amazed to hear a similar voice again.

• He came to know the birds’ true story.
• He met the rishi who explained the behaviour of each bird.

Soon, he came to a clearing which looked like an ashram.

It was the rishi’s ashram. The king tied his horse to a tree
and sat down in its shade. Suddenly he heard a gentle voice
announce, “Welcome to the ashram, Sir. Please go inside and
rest. The rishi will be back soon. There’s some cold water in
the pot. Please make yourself comfortable.” The king looked
up and saw a big, brown bird in the tree. He was amazed.
‘This one looks like the other bird outside the cave,’ he said
to himself aloud.
“You are right, Sir,” answered the bird. “He is my brother
but he has made friends with robbers. He now talks as they
do. He doesn’t talk to me any more.” Just then the rishi entered
the ashram.
 A Tale of Two Birds/3

“Welcome, Sir,” he said

to the king. “Please come
inside and make yourself
at home. You look tired.
Rest for a while. Then you
can share my food.”
The king told the rishi
the story of the two birds
and how each had behaved
so differently though they
looked so alike. “The forest
is full of surprises,” he said.
The holy man smiled
and said, “After all, one is known by the company one keeps.
That bird has always heard the talk of robbers. He imitates
them and talks about robbing people. This one has repeated
what he has always heard. He welcomes people to the ashram.
Now, come inside and rest. I’ll tell you more about this place
and these birds.”

Questions

1. How did the two baby birds get separated?

2. Where did each of them find a home?
3. What did the first bird say to the stranger?
4. What did the second bird say to him?
5. How did the rishi explain the different ways in which
the birds behaved?
6. Which one of the following sums up the story best?
(i) A bird in hand is worth two in the bush.
(ii) One is known by the company one keeps.
(iii) A friend in need is a friend indeed.
 4/A Pact with the Sun

The Friendly
Mongoose 2
• A farmer, his wife and their small child lived in a village.
• There was also a baby mongoose in the house, who they believed
would be their son’s companion and friend in future.
• One day the farmer and his wife went out leaving the child alone
with the mongoose.

ONCE a farmer and his wife lived in a village with their small
son. They loved him very much. “We must have a pet,” the
farmer said to his wife one day. “When our son grows up, he
will need a companion. This pet will be our son’s companion.”
His wife liked the idea.
One evening, the farmer brought with him a tiny
mongoose. “It’s a baby mongoose,” said his wife, “but will
soon be fully grown. He will be a friend to our son.”
 The Friendly Mongoose/5

Both the baby and the mongoose grew. In five or six

months the mongoose had grown to its full size — a lovely
animal with two shining black eyes and a bushy tail. The
farmer’s son was still a baby in the cradle, sleeping and
crying alternately.
One day, the farmer’s wife wanted to go to the market. She
fed the baby and rocked him to sleep in his little
cradle. Picking up the basket, she said to her husband, “I’m
off to the bazar. The baby is sleeping. Keep an eye on him.
Frankly, I don’t like to leave the child alone with the mongoose.”
“You needn’t be afraid,” said the farmer. “The mongoose
is a friendly animal. It’s as sweet as our baby and they are
the best of friends, you know.”
The wife went away, and the farmer, having nothing to
do in the house, decided to go out and take a look at his
fields not far away. He ran into some friends on the way
back and didn’t return for quite some time.

• The farmer’s wife returned home from the market carrying a

heavy basket.
• She found the mongoose at the entrance of the house with blood
on his face and paws.
• She jumped to the conclusion that it was her son’s blood, and
the mongoose was the guilty one.

The farmer’s wife finished her shopping and came back

home with a basketful of groceries. She saw the mongoose
sitting outside as if waiting for her. On seeing her he ran to
welcome her, as was customary. The farmer’s wife took one
look at the mongoose and screamed. “Blood!” she cried. The
face and paws of the mongoose were smeared with blood.
“You wicked animal! You have killed my baby,” she
screamed hysterically. She was blind with rage and with all
her strength brought down the heavy basket full of groceries
6/A Pact with the Sun

on the blood-smeared
mongoose and ran inside
to the child’s cradle.
The baby was fast
asleep. But on the floor
lay a black snake torn
and bleeding. In a flash
she realised what had
happened. She ran out
looking for the mongoose.
“Oh! You saved my
child! You killed the snake! What have I done?” she cried
touching the mongoose, who lay dead and still, unaware of
her sobbing. The farmer’s wife, who had acted hastily and
rashly, stared long at the dead mongoose. Then she heard
the baby crying. Wiping her tears, she went in to feed him.
(a story from The Panchatantra)

Questions

1. Why did the farmer bring a baby mongoose into the

house?
2. Why didn’t the farmer’s wife want to leave the baby alone
with the mongoose?
3. What was the farmer’s comment on his wife’s fears?
4. Why did the farmer’s wife strike the mongoose with her
basket?
5. Did she repent her hasty action? How does she show
her repentance?

Do you have a pet — a cat or a dog? If not, would you like

one? How would you look after it? Are you for or against
keeping birds in a cage as pets?
 The Shepherd’s
Treasure 3
• A poor shepherd once lived in Iran.
• Though uneducated, he was very wise and helpful.
• The king decided to meet him in disguise.

IN a village in Iran there once lived a shepherd. He was very

poor. He did not have even a small cottage of his own. He
had never been to school or learnt to read and write, for
there were very few schools in those days.
Though poor and uneducated, this shepherd was very
wise. He understood people’s sorrows and troubles, and
helped them face their
problems with courage and
common sense. Many
people came to him for
advice. Soon he became
famous for his wisdom and
friendly nature. The king of
that country heard about
him, and thought of
meeting him.
Disguised as a shepherd
and riding on a mule, one
day the king came to
the cave where the wise
 8/A Pact with the Sun

shepherd lived. As soon as the shepherd saw the traveller coming

towards the cave, he rose to welcome him. He took the tired
traveller inside the cave, gave him water to drink and a share of
his own meagre meal. The king rested for the night in the cave
and was greatly impressed by the shepherd’s hospitality and
wise conversation.

• The shepherd was able to make out that his visitor was none
other than the king.
• The king made the wise shepherd governor of a small district.
• Other governors became jealous of the new governor and called
him dishonest.

Though still tired, the king decided to depart the next

morning. He said, “Many thanks for your kindness to a poor
traveller. I have a long way to go. Permit me to leave.”
Looking straight into the eyes of his guest, the shepherd
replied, “Thank you, Your Majesty, for paying me the
compliment of a visit.”
The king was astonished as well as pleased. ‘He is indeed
very wise,’ he thought to himself. ‘I need people like him to
work for me.’ And the king appointed this humble shepherd
the governor of a small district.
Although he rose to power and dignity, the shepherd
remained as humble as ever. People loved and honoured
him for his wisdom, sympathy and goodness. He was kind
and just to one and all. His fame as a fair and wise governor
soon spread throughout the country.
Now the governors of other provinces grew terribly jealous
of him and began to talk to the king against him. They said,
“He is very dishonest, and keeps for himself part of the money
that he collects as tax from the people.” Why did he always
carry with him, they added, an iron chest? Perhaps he carried
in it the treasure that he had secretly collected. After all,
 The Shepherd’s Treasure/9

they said mockingly, he was an ordinary shepherd and

could behave no better.

• The new governor was called to the palace.

• He was ordered to explain why he always carried an iron chest.
• The chest contained no gold or silver.

At first the king did not pay attention to these reports,

but how long could he ignore these governors and their
endless stories about the shepherd? One thing was certain,
the king discovered. The new governor did carry an iron
chest with him all the time.
So, one day, the new governor was summoned to the
palace. He came riding on his camel, and to everyone’s
delight, the famous iron chest was there fastened securely
behind him on the camel’s back.
Now the king was angry. He thundered, “Why do you
always carry that iron chest with you? What does it contain?”
The governor smiled.
He asked his servant to
bring in the chest. How
eagerly the people stan-
ding around waited for
the shepherd to be found
out! But how great was
their astonishment, and
even of the king himself,
when the chest was
opened! No gold or silver
or jewels but an old
blanket was all that
came out. Holding it up
10/A Pact with the Sun

proudly, the shepherd said, “This, my dear master, is my

only treasure. I always carry it with me.”
“But why do you carry such an ordinary blanket with you?
Surely, you are the governor of a district?” the king asked.
To which the shepherd replied with quiet dignity, “This
blanket is my oldest friend. It will still protect me if, at any
time, Your Majesty should wish to take away my new cloaks.”
How pleased the king was, and how embarrassed the
jealous governors became to hear the wise man’s reply! Now
they knew that the shepherd was indeed the humblest and
the wisest man in the land. The king made him the governor
of a much bigger district that very day.
(an Iranian folktale)

Questions

1. The shepherd hadn’t been to school because

(i) he was very poor.
(ii) there were very few schools in those days.
(iii) he wasn’t interested in studies.
Choose the right answer.
2. Who visited the shepherd one day, and why?
3. Why did the other governors grow jealous of the shepherd?
4. Why was the new governor called to the palace?
5. Why was everyone delighted to see the iron chest on the
camel’s back?
6. (i) What did the iron chest contain?
(ii) Why did the shepherd always carry it?
(iii) Is it an example of the shepherd’s humility or wisdom
or both?
7. How did the king reward the new governor?
• It’s Christmas Eve, and closing time for shops.
• Ray’s old-clock shop is still open.
• Two shoppers call at this late hour.

CHRISTMAS Eve had arrived. As last-minute shoppers were

going home, a thick, white sheet of snow lay over Salt Lake
City, USA. Yet the lights were still burning in the old-clock
shop, as Ray, its old, deaf owner, worked on a clock he had
sold that day.
 12/A Pact with the Sun

Having finished his work, Ray stood up and was on his

way to the back room when a cold rush of air from the front
door hit the back of his neck.
He turned to meet a last-minute shopper, but his old, wise
eyes told him that this was not a shopper. He saw two men,
one in his twenties, the other closer to fifty. The younger man
remained at the door. The older man approached the counter
with no sign of friendliness in his eyes. Ray was able to hide
his growing fear as he slowly pushed a notepad and a pencil
across the counter.
He smiled at the unfriendly face, then pointed to his ears
and shook his head from side to side. A quick look of surprise
changed the man’s face as he studied the notepad, then
turned and said something to his friend.
Ray used the chance to look closely at the man, paying
attention to the shape of a gun and a restless hand in the
man’s right coat-pocket. Anger boiled within him, but it was
kept down by an inner voice that said, “Be still.” He wrote on
the notepad, “May I help you?” For the first time the older
man looked directly at Ray and smiled. A cruel, mocking smile.
They both understood why he was there, why his friend
remained at the door. They looked like men who were down
on their luck, and were now ready to try something they would
later be sorry about.

• Ray knows that his visitors are in need.

• He accepts an old watch in exchange for a good sum of money.
• The message of peace and goodwill spreads everywhere as the old
clocks chime Merry Christmas.

The clocks ticked on. Ray calmly wrote another message.

“Have you come to pick up a clock or watch?” Then he
pointed to the ‘loan’ board filled with hanging clocks and
 The Old-Clock Shop/13

pocket watches. He was not a pawnbroker, but at the same

time couldn’t say ‘No’ to the needy people who placed their
old watches or clocks before him for anything they could get.
He loaned more than he should. They would be there when
the owners wanted them back ... at the same price he had
paid, with no interest.
Then the older man seemed to feel a little easier, took out
his hand from his pocket and quickly looked at the watch on
his wrist. “How much will you give me for this?” the
man wrote.
Ray noticed a little shame in the grey eyes looking at him.
The watch was nothing special and yet had great powers. It
was something to exchange, a way out of a bad situation.
Knowing that great need had brought the man to his shop in
the first place, Ray asked, “How much do you need for it?”
The reply came back on the notepad: “Whatever it’s worth.”
Ray reached into his cash-box, pulled out a fifty-dollar
note and passed it into the man’s hand. As they shook hands,
Ray looked into the man’s eyes; they seemed to say, “Thank
14/A Pact with the Sun

you!” They both knew the watch wasn’t worth that much.
Before turning to leave, the man wrote, “I will be back to pick
it up as soon as I can. Merry Christmas!”
The little story ended on the half hour with the clocks
striking all together. The timepieces, which had been looking
on silently all the while, rang out the time with such feeling
that even Ray thought he could hear them. Their sweet,
musical message was filled with hope. The timeless message
of ‘Peace on earth, goodwill towards all’ was felt by the three
men who stood in the old-clock shop.

Questions
1. What made Ray think the visitor was not really a shopper?
2. Why do you think he had come to the shop?
3. How did Ray communicate with him?
4. What do you think the man said to his friend who waited at
the door?
5. Ray was not a pawnbroker. Why then did he lend money to
people in exchange for their old watches and clocks?
6. “The watch was nothing special and yet had great powers.”
In what sense did it have ‘great powers’?
7. Do you think the man would ever come back to pick up the
watch?
8. When did “the unfriendly face” of the visitor turn truly
friendly?
• Tansen was the only child of his parents.
• Naughty but talented, he imitated the calls of birds and
animals perfectly.
• Once he tried to frighten a group of travellers by roaring
like a tiger.

YOU may have heard the name of Tansen — the greatest

musician our country has produced.
A singer called Mukandan Misra and his wife lived in
Behat near Gwalior. Tansen was their only child. It is said
that he was a naughty child. Often, he ran away to play in
the forest, and soon learnt to imitate perfectly the calls of
birds and animals.
 16/A Pact with the Sun

A famous singer named Swami Haridas was once travelling

through the forest with his disciples. T ired,
the group settled down to rest in a shady grove. Tansen
saw them.
‘Strangers in the forest!’ he said to himself. ‘It will be fun to
frighten them’. He hid behind a tree and roared like a tiger.
The little group of travellers scattered in fear but Swami
Haridas called them together. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Tigers
are not always dangerous. Let us look for this one.”
Suddenly, one of his men saw a small boy hiding behind
a tree. “There are no tigers here, master,” he said. “Only this
naughty boy.”

• Tansen learnt music from Swami Haridas for eleven years.

• He stayed with a holy man called Mohammad Ghaus.
• He married Hussaini, one of the ladies in the court of
Rani Mrignaini.

Swami Haridas did not punish him. He went to Tansen’s

father and said, “Your son is very naughty. He is also very
talented. I think I can make him a good singer.”
Tansen was ten years old when he went away with Swami
Haridas. He lived with him for eleven years, learning music,
and became a great singer. At about this time, his parents
died. Mukandan Misra’s dying wish was that Tansen should
visit Mohammad Ghaus of Gwalior. Mohammad Ghaus was a
holy man. Mukandan Misra had long been devoted to him,
and often visited him. While living in Gwalior with Mohammed
Ghaus, Tansen was often taken to the court of Rani Mrignaini,
who was a great musician herself. There he met and married
one of the ladies of the court. Her name was Hussaini.
Hussaini also became Swami Haridas’s disciple. Tansen
and Hussaini had five children who were all very musical.
 Tansen/17

Tansen had, by this time, become very famous. Sometimes

he sang before Emperor Akbar, who was so impressed by
him that he insisted Tansen should join his court.

• Tansen became a favourite in Akbar’s court.

• Once he was asked to sing Raga Deepak.
• Tansen asked his daughter and her friend to sing Raga Megh
after Raga Deepak to counteract the effect of the latter.

Tansen went to Akbar’s court in 1556, and soon became

a great favourite of the Emperor. Akbar would call upon
Tansen to sing at any time during the day or night. Quite
often he would just walk into Tansen’s house to hear him
practise. He also gave him many presents. Some of the
courtiers became jealous of Tansen. “We shall never be able
to rest till Tansen is ruined,” they declared. One of the
courtiers, Shaukat Mian, had a bright idea.
“Let us make him sing Raga Deepak,” he said.
“How will that help us?” asked another man.
“If Raga Deepak is properly sung, it makes the air so hot
that the singer is burnt to ashes. Tansen is a very good singer.
If he sings Raga Deepak, he will die, and we will be rid of him.”
Shaukat Mian went to Akbar and said, “We don’t think
Tansen is a great singer. Let us test him. Tell him to sing
Raga Deepak. Only the greatest singers can sing it properly.”
“Of course he can sing it. Tansen can sing anything.”
Akbar said. Tansen was afraid, but could not disobey the
king. “Very well, my lord,” he said, “but give me time to prepare
myself.” Tansen went home. He had never been more
downcast and unhappy. “I can sing the Raga,” he told his
wife, “but the heat it gives off will not only set the lamps alight,
it will also burn me to ashes.”
 18/A Pact with the Sun

Then he had an idea. “If someone sings Raga Megh at the

same time, and sings it properly, it will bring rain. Perhaps
our daughter, Saraswati, and her friend, Rupvati, could do
it,” he said.
He taught the two girls to sing Raga Megh. They practised
night and day for two weeks. Tansen told them, “You must
wait till the lamps start burning, and then you start singing.”

• Both Ragas were sung according to plan.

• Akbar punished Tansen’s enemies.
• Tansen died in 1585.

The legend goes that on the appointed day the whole town
assembled to hear Tansen sing Raga Deepak. When he began
to sing, the air became warm. Soon people in the audience
were bathed in perspiration. The leaves on the trees dried
up and fell to the ground. As the music continued, birds fell
dead because of the heat and the water in the rivers began
 Tansen/19

to boil. People cried out in terror as flames shot up out of

nowhere and lighted the lamps.
At once Saraswati and Rupvati began to sing Raga Megh.
The sky clouded over and the rain came down. Tansen was
saved. The story goes that he was very ill after this, and
Akbar was sorry that he had caused him so much suffering.
He punished Tansen’s enemies. When Tansen got well, the
entire city rejoiced. Tansen remained Akbar’s court singer
till 1585 when he died. He composed several new ragas.
Tansen’s tomb is in Gwalior. It is a place of pilgrimage for
musicians.

Questions

1. Why did Swami Haridas say Tansen was ‘talented’?

2. Why did Akbar ask Tansen to join his court?
3. How do we know that Akbar was fond of Tansen? Give
two reasons.
4. What did the other courtiers feel about Tansen?
5. (i) What happens if Raga Deepak is sung properly?
(ii) Why did Tansen’s enemies want him to sing the Raga?
6. Why did Tansen agree to sing Raga Deepak?
7. (i) What steps did he take to save himself?
(ii) Did his plan work? How?

Are you interested in music? Do you like classical music?

Name a few distinguished Indian musicians.
 20/A Pact with the Sun

• A monkey lived in a fruit tree on the bank of a river.

• He made friends with a crocodile, gave him delicious fruits to
eat and sent some for his wife.
• They met regularly and talked — the monkey in the tree and
the crocodile on the ground.

ONCE, on the bank of a river, a monkey made a home for

himself in a tree laden with fruit. He lived in it happily eating
to his heart’s content the fruit of his choice.
The monkey was happy but lonely and wanted a
companion to talk to and share the fruits with. But there
was no one around, not even another monkey, till one day a
crocodile appeared on the riverside.
“Hello, there,” said the monkey. “Do you live in this river?
Would you like to eat some fruit?”
“Good morning,” replied the crocodile politely. “I did come
here in search of food for myself and my wife. Nice of you to
offer me fruit.”
 The Monkey and the Crocodile/21

The monkey plucked some from the nearest branch and

threw them down. The crocodile found them delicious.
“Thanks,” he said. “May I have some on my next visit?”
“Certainly, as many as you like and some for your wife
too,” said the monkey. “Do come again. I’m rather lonely here.”
The crocodile visited the monkey regularly and ate the
fruits which his host threw down. He took some home for his
wife. The monkey and the crocodile were now the best of
friends. They talked and were never tired of talking. They
talked about birds and animals, about the villages nearby
and the difficulties villagers faced in raising good crops
for lack of rain.

• The crocodile’s wife was annoyed because her husband came

home late.
• She didn’t like his friendship with the monkey.
• The crocodile couldn’t altogether ignore his wife’s wishes.

One day, the crocodile stayed with the monkey longer than
usual. His wife was annoyed waiting and waiting managing
the little crocodiles that had just been hatched. She said,
“Who is this friend of yours you are so fond of?”
“Oh, he is a very nice monkey,” he replied. “He lives on a
fruit-tree. He sends fruits for you everyday. You don’t expect
me to climb trees, do you?”
“A nice monkey, I’m sure,” replied the wife with obvious
sarcasm. “If you ask me, this monkey should be my food. I
want to eat his heart so much.”
“What a foolish thing to say!” shouted the crocodile. “I
can’t kill a friend, though I won’t mind a monkey occasionally
for a change of taste.”
“You bring him here,” ordered the wife. “I want to see him.”
“So you can eat him. Never!” declared her husband.
22/A Pact with the Sun

His wife was furious and she dived in to hide herself at the
bottom of the river leaving the little ones to pester their father.
The crocodile was in a serious dilemma. He loved his wife
and was very fond of his friend too. Finally, he decided to be
on the side of his wife. She was his life-partner after all. ‘I
know it’s a sin to betray a friend, but I have no choice,’ he
said to himself. ‘I’ll invite the monkey home and hope
for the best.’
“My wife wants you over for a meal, dear friend,” said the
crocodile when he visited the monkey next. “You must come
home with me today.”
“With pleasure,” said the monkey. “I’m no swimmer, but
can ride on your back.” And they set out.
In the middle of the river, where the current was the
strongest, the crocodile could no longer hide his intention.
“Sorry, my friend,” he said hesitatingly, “but I have to go
under water now. I’ve brought you here to kill you. My wife
cannot survive without eating your heart. Good bye.”
 The Monkey and the Crocodile/23

• The monkey was thunderstruck. He knew his life was in danger.

• He kept his cool and persuaded the crocodile on a pretext to
swim back to the tree.
• He decided then to discontinue his friendship with the crocodile.

The monkey was scared and distressed. But he was sensible

and clever like all monkeys. He kept a cool head. Calmly he
said, “I’d do anything for you and your family. You are my only
friend. After all, what is a monkey’s heart compared with the life
of a crocodile’s wife? But how foolish could you be? Why didn’t
you tell me before? I’d have brought my heart along.”
“But where is your heart?” asked the crocodile innocently.
“I thought you carried it all the time.”
“Of course not. It’s there on the tree. Let’s swim back at
once and get it. Your wife must be waiting,” replied the monkey
gaining confidence.
“Oh dear! What a mistake!” hissed the crocodile. They laughed
loudly as the crocodile took a full turn to reach the tree.
24/A Pact with the Sun

On the river-bank, the monkey

jumped on to the tree and heaved a
deep sigh of relief. He plucked a fruit
or two from the nearest branch and
throwing them down said, “Let your
wife have some fruit rather than my
heart. Fresh fruits are good for mind
and body. Good bye, friend, and if you
don’t mind, we won’t meet again.”
The crocodile, sadder and wiser, shed
a few tears which were genuine and
turned back to go home. He was in a
hurry to tell his wife a thing or two.
(a story from The Panchatantra)

Questions

1. The monkey was happy living in the fruit tree, but his
happiness was not complete. What did he miss?
2. What did the two friends generally talk about?
3. Why was the crocodile’s wife annoyed with her husband
one day?
4. Why was the crocodile unwilling to invite his friend
home?
5. What did the crocodile tell the monkey midstream?
6. How did the monkey save himself?
7. What does the last sentence of the story suggest? What
would the crocodile tell his wife?
• Our body and brain recover from fatigue after a good sleep.
• We dream while sleeping, but we do not always remember
our dreams.
• During sleep, our heartbeat becomes slower and our temperature
and blood pressure go down.

WE know enough about what sleep is, though we don’t know

what exactly causes sleep. Sleep is a state of rest — an
unconscious rest. When we sleep, our body recovers from
fatigue caused by the day’s activities. After a good sleep and
the rest that it gives, we
become alert and active
again, ready for the normal
activities of the day.
When we wake up in
the morning, it is not
always possible for us to
remember what hap-
pened when we were
asleep. We may remember
a dream but the rest of
our sleep was a kind of
darkness in which
nothing seems to have
taken place.
 26/A Pact with the Sun

Several things happen to our body while we are sleeping.

As we sink deeper into sleep, our muscles relax more and
more. Our heartbeat becomes slower. Our temperature and
blood pressure go down. The ever-active brain also slows
down so that we can’t think or act consciously. But we dream.
When we wake up, our temperature and blood pressure
rise to normal. Our heartbeat and breathing also become
normal and we are fully awake, and have forgotten most, if
not all, the dreams that we had while sleeping.

• A dream is an activity of the mind when we are asleep.

• Dreams help us sleep through noise and other disturbances.
• Dreams may reveal something about one’s problems, but they
cannot tell the future.

What is a dream? It is an activity of the mind that takes

place when we are asleep. Some dreams are probable
while others are not. That only means that many of the
things that happen in dreams could happen when we are
awake. Others could not. Dreams seem to be important
for several reasons. One is that a dream can help us to
sleep through noise or other disturbances. For example,
the alarm clock rings, but our mind causes us to dream
that the telephone or doorbell is ringing, and that we are
awake and answering it.
Certain doctors have found that one’s dreams often reveal a
great deal about one’s problems and that, if understood correctly,
they can provide a key to the solution of those problems. But
we must remember one thing. Dreams cannot be used as a way
to tell the future. They simply can never tell the future.
Sleep is the most common experience, but how many of
us really think about the wonder and power of sleep? Many
 The Wonder Called Sleep/27

poets have written beautiful poems about sleep. Here is one

in which the poet is describing the experience of falling asleep.
Read it aloud.

Lights Out
I have come to the borders of sleep,
The unfathomable deep
Forest where all must lose
Their way, however straight,
Or winding, soon or late;
They cannot choose.
There is not any book
Or face of dearest look
That I would not turn from now
To go into the unknown
I must enter and leave alone
I know not how.

EDWARD THOMAS

Questions

1. What is the most obvious advantage of sleep?

2. What happens to our body when we sleep?
3. Define a dream in your own words.
4. Why are dreams important? Mention two reasons.
5. Why has sleep been called a wonder?
6. Describe briefly to the class an improbable dream you
have had.
Grandmothers and mothers sing nice little songs while
rocking little ones to sleep. Such a song is called a ‘lullaby’.
Do you remember a lullaby in your own language? Tell the
class in English what the lullaby says.
 28/A Pact with the Sun

• Saeeda’s mother has not received proper medical treatment

for her complaints.
• She is denied healthy food, sunshine and fresh air.
• At last, she consults a good physician who gives her effective
medicine and sound advice.

SAEEDA’S mother had been ailing for a long time — fever, cough,
body-ache, painful joints and what not. Treated by a variety
of physicians for weeks, she often showed signs of
improvement but soon relapsed into her old, sick self, one
complaint substituted by another. Though weak and
colourless, she was forbidden normal food and was under
strict orders to remain perpetually confined to her small,
dingy room with doors and windows fastened, deprived of
sunshine and fresh air.
 A Pact with the Sun/29

When she became critical, her relatives and neighbours

persuaded her to consult a specialist even though his fee
was likely to be high. Life is more precious than money, they
said. Saeeda’s mother was poor but she heeded their advice
and sold a few trinkets to pay the doctor’s fee and the
cost of medicine.
The doctor came in a few days and examined her and
prescribed effective but costly medicine. To the question as
to what she should eat he said, “Anything you wish to eat —
chapati, vegetables, milk, fruits, etc. In addition to all this,”
he added emphatically, “leave this dark hovel and occupy a
bigger room with doors and windows open. Sit in the sun
every morning from eight to nine. Sunshine and fresh air,” he
concluded, “are more important than medicine.”
The doctor and his advice became a subject of noisy
commentary among all present. Some favoured while others
opposed it. Exposure to sun and air for someone afflicted with
chronic cough was dangerous, an experienced lady declared. A
younger neighbour nearly quarrelled with her over this. Too
exhausted to participate in the debate, Saeeda’s mother
remained quiet but determined to follow the doctor’s advice.
“Forget the consequences,” she said at last. “I’ll carry out his
instructions to the letter. Move my bed into the next room and
let me sit in the sun on my charpoy for an hour daily.”

• The sky remains overcast with clouds for a few days.

• Saeeda makes a special request to the sunrays to help her
mother get well.
• The sunrays keep their word, come down in large numbers
and give new life to Saeeda’s mother.

It so happened that the sky remained overcast next

morning. The same was the case the following day. Saeeda’s
30/A Pact with the Sun

mother was dejected. She muttered, “O Lord of mine, why

have you ordered the sun to remain hidden? How will I
ever be cured?”
Saeeda was playing with her doll nearby and she heard
her mother’s lament but kept calm. Later in the afternoon,
when she stumbled on a spot of pale sunshine in the
courtyard, she ran to her mother to say the sun was there.
“No, no”, said everybody present. “It’s too late and chilly. Your
mother can’t sit out there.” Disheartened, Saeeda returned
to her doll. There was no sun really except for its last remnant
entangled in the top branches of the family mango tree.
Now, children have at their command a secret language,
foreign to grown-ups altogether, in which they fluently
communicate with trees, flowers, animals, the sun and the
moon, perhaps even with the Almighty. Using that special
language, Saeeda addressed her remark to the last departing
ray of the sun. “Dearest sister, do come tomorrow with lots of
warmth and brightness. You see, my mother is ill and needs
your help.”
“Surely,” answered the light,
“don’t look unhappy. We’ll be here
at the fixed hour.”
Next day, early in the morning,
when the sprightly sunrays
embellished themselves for their
journey down to earth, the sun said,
“It’s our day off again. We’re staying
up here. The road to earth is
blocked by an army of thick, mucky
clouds.” The little rays so much
wanted to go down for a lark but
they remained quiet. One of them,
though, who had made a pact with
 A Pact with the Sun/31

little Saeeda said, “Sir, I can’t stay back. I’ve given my word
to Saeeda whose mother is ill and needs our help. I’ll pierce
through the clouds to reach Saeeda’s courtyard. How else
will her mother be cured?” Hearing this, all the rays nearly
staged a revolt against their father, the sun. “Fancy staying
back again,” they said in a single voice. “What will the people
of the earth say about us? That we of the heavens have
turned liars?”
The sun relented. “Please yourselves,” he said. “Mind your
clothes, though. The clouds are mucky.”
“Never mind our clothes. We can always change. But go
we must.” And the rays rushed towards the earth. The clouds
stood guard between them and Saeeda’s courtyard. The little
rays focussed their heat — and they had enough of it — on a
battalion of clouds, which had to flee from its post. The rays
got through, shooting past the bewildered clouds. They were
already late.
32/A Pact with the Sun

Saeeda saw the whole host of them approaching and her

heart leapt with joy. She shouted, “Amma, Amma! The sun is
here. Come out.” The old lady’s eyes welled up with tears of
gratitude. Her charpoy was placed in the courtyard and she sat
on it for an hour reclining against bolsters. It had been months
since she had felt the sun on her hands and face and breathed
in fresh air. She thought she was in a new world. Though pale,
her face glowed and her eyes shone bright. She saw her child
too bathed in sunlight and kissed her. The morning air brought
in a new fragrance from nearby flowers. The birds chanted a
new tune. Saeeda’s mother felt better already.
She is fully recovered now, but she still follows the doctor’s
advice — an hour of sunlight and lungfuls of fresh air every day.

ZAKIR HUSAIN
[translated from the Urdu and
slightly modified]

Questions

1. What did the physicians ask Saeeda’s mother to do to

get well? Did their advice help her? If not, why not?
2. What did the specialist prescribe in addition to
medicine?
3. What did Saeeda tell the sunrays to do?
4. Why were the sunrays keen to go down to the earth the
next day?

What is your own formula for keeping good health?

Who would you recommend to a patient in your
neighbourhood — the physicians contacted first or the
specialist contacted next? Give reasons for your choice.
When would you make a pact with the sun? When you
are going on a picnic, or when you are playing a cricket
match? Think of other occasions.
• Pambupatti is a peaceful village, inhabited by a variety of people.
• Prem, the narrator of the story, flees his village under unfortunate
conditions to reach Pambupatti by chance.
• An old resident of the village looks after him and tells him an
interesting story.

YOU may not believe this story. But I can tell you it is true,
because I have been to Pambupatti, a village on the edge of
the jungle. It is on a cliff, and the vast forest stretches below
like a mossy green carpet. There are many kinds of people in
the village — dark, fair, tall, short. They speak many
languages. Some eat meat, some don’t. Some pray in a small
temple at the edge of the forest. Others pray in a mosque
some miles away.
My name is Prem and I live many hundred miles away
from Pambupatti. I had heard about the village, but I’d never
been there. Then last year, something terrible happened. The
people of my own village went mad. Far, far away in a place
they have never even been to, a temple or mosque had been
burnt down, and they went mad. They started fighting with
one another. Some had to run away in the middle of the night.
And at three in the morning, as I lay in my house, half awake
to the sounds of hate and violence, there was a fire. Many
houses were burnt down in the fire. One of them was mine.
I managed to grab a few clothes, some coins, my little
Ganesh statue, and I ran! I ran for a day and a night, resting
whenever my legs would not carry me any further. I jumped
on to a train, then on a bus. No tickets. Never mind, everyone
34/A Pact with the Sun

seemed to be running. Finally, I found myself in Pambupatti,

and I saw some villagers gathered near a well. I ran to them,
and before I could say a thing, I fainted.
When I opened my eyes, I saw an old man with white hair,
white beard and shining black eyes bending over me. For the
next few days, he looked after me, putting food in my mouth
and bringing me sweet, cool water from the stream. He rubbed
my feet gently and made the pain go away. Neighbours,
strangers — everyone came to visit me.
“Tell me, Grandfather,” I said to him one day. “I have never
seen people like the villagers here! In my village, people fight
with those who pray to another god. But here ... this seems a
very strange place!”
“Prem,” replied the old man, “I will tell you the story of
Pambupatti. You can take this story back to your village.
Maybe it will heal some of its wounds, and dry some of its sores.”
 What Happened to the Reptiles/35

“Oh, Grandfather,” I said anxiously, “don’t say that. What

I have seen in my village makes me burn with shame. I never,
never want to go back there.”
“But that’s exactly why you must go back,” he said, in a
soft voice. I kept quiet. I didn’t want to argue with him, and I
wanted to hear his story.
• Very, very long ago, there were no animals in Pambupatti,
only reptiles.
• They had a meeting every month. Their leader, Makara, would
chair the meeting.
• Misusing his power, Makara ordered the tortoises and snakes to
leave the forest.

It happened a long, long time ago, he began. So long ago

that there were no schools and no teachers. Children lived in
caves with their parents and helped them to collect fruit and
berries from the forest. At that time, there were no tigers or
panthers or elephants in
Pambupatti forest. There
were only reptiles, many
kinds of reptiles. Now you
know what reptiles are.
Snakes, crocodiles,
turtles, lizards. And you
know that a reptile has
scales on its body and it
lays eggs. Every month,
the reptiles of Pambupatti
had a big meeting.
Everyone came — the
pretty excited snakes, the
slow thoughtful tortoises,
the clever quick lizards,
36/A Pact with the Sun

and the moody crocodiles, grumpy because they were out of

water. The president of these meetings was Makara, the biggest
crocodile of the forest.
All the animals thought
he was very important.
When someone is strong
and power ful, you
know, it is difficult not
to go along with what he
says or does.
Now, one day, a
strange thing happened.
It was a week before one
of the monthly meetings.
Makara sent a letter to
 What Happened to the Reptiles/37

the tortoises, asking them not to come to the meeting. Ahistay,

the big old star tortoise with black and yellow pictures on his
shell, was very angry.
“What does this mean?” he shouted. “How dare they!” But
not one of the tortoises had the courage to attend the meeting—
they were so few, the others so many!
Before the meeting, the giant Makara polished his teeth
with the red flowers of the tree by the river till they sparkled.
Everyone was waiting for him at the meeting place.
“Brothers and sisters,” he began. All the reptiles, even the
beautiful king cobras, stopped talking. Makara continued
his speech. “I have decided that we don’t need the tortoises! I
have told them not to come today. Brothers and sisters, can
you tell me why we don’t like the tortoises?”
The reptiles looked this way and that. They felt very
uncomfortable. The snakes hissed anxiously, the lizards
wriggled their tails, the crocodiles opened their jaws even
wider.
“But...” said one little lizard.
“No BUTS!” shouted Makara. There was silence.
“I think ...” said a baby crocodile.
“No I THINKS!” screamed Makara, so loudly that the fruit
in the tree above him rained down. After that, no one had the
courage to speak.
Makara cleared his throat and showed a few more teeth.
“Well,” he said, “I will tell you why we don’t like the tortoises.
They are so slow! So stupid! They even carry their houses on
their backs. Whoever heard of such a stupid thing? Now you
lizards, you live in trees. Would you ever carry a TREE on
your back? Would you?”
Small, frightened voices answered together, “No, we
wouldn’t. But...”
38/A Pact with the Sun

“No BUTS! Now, listen. I have told the tortoises that they
will have to move out of Pambupatti. When they go, we will
have more of everything. More food, more water, more space.
I want them out by tomorrow. But because they are such
slowcoaches, I have given them one week. By next Tuesday
we won’t have a single tortoise left in this jungle!”
And by the following Tuesday, they were all gone. At first
the animals were sad, but then they realised that what Makara
had said was true. There was more food, more water, and
more space for them! But soon, a strange smell began to fill
the forest. It was the smell of rot — rotting fruit on the ground,
rotting animals in the river. This was what the tortoises used
to eat. And even Makara had to go about holding his nose
with his big claws.
A month passed by, and then the same thing happened
all over again. But this time, it was the snakes. Makara wrote
them one of his letters. They were to leave the forest and,
since they could move fast, they had to go in a day!
Naga, the head of the snakes, pleaded for more time, but
Makara would not give in. At the meeting, he silenced the
others — the lizards and crocodiles — with even louder shouts
and threats. “Snakes are
slimy,” he said, “and they
make funny noises. Who
wants such weird
creatures around?”
Again, no one dared to
disagree with Makara,
and so the snakes left.
For a while, the
animals of the forest were
happy because they had
been a little afraid of the
 What Happened to the Reptiles/39

snakes. You never knew when one of them might lose his
temper and spit some venom at you! And it took only a little
poison to kill you, after all.

• The lizards were also ordered to leave, and the whole forest now
belonged to Makara and his group.
• The crocodiles faced unforeseen problems in the absence of their
fellow reptiles.
• They soon realised that their happiness lay in their fellow creatures’
happiness and homecoming.

A few weeks passed and the animals of the forest looked

tired and fed up. The RATS! Now that there were no snakes
to eat them, the rats had taken over the forest. And they were
having a wonderful time. They were everywhere, on the trees,
in the grass, in the bushes, on the ground. They ate up the
eggs of the lizards and crocodiles. There would be no babies
that year. Makara’s own nest of eggs had been chewed up.
Then Makara had a great idea. He called a meeting of the
crocodiles and said, “Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we, the
40/A Pact with the Sun

crocodiles, could have the WHOLE jungle for ourselves? No

one but us? These lizards, now, just look at them! They have
the strangest habits, and some of them even change colour!
How can we trust someone who is green one minute, red the
next? Let’s get rid of them.”
By now, the crocodiles were really scared of Makara. So
they clapped and cheered. Makara was pleased. The lizards
left the forest, some with their babies on their backs.
But now, when life should have been wonderful for the
crocodiles of Pambupatti, all kinds of awful things began to
happen. To begin with, the rats grew bolder by the day. They
became so fearless that they jumped and turned somersaults
on the crocodiles’ backs! And there were too many frogs. They
seemed to be growing larger, and there was no one to eat
them but the crocodiles. These huge frogs began to eat the
baby crocodiles. And the insects! Now that the lizards were
gone, there were millions of them, growing bigger and nastier
by the day.
It was a terrible time for the crocodiles. They couldn’t
understand what had happened to their happy forest home.
 What Happened to the Reptiles/41

Then one day, a squeaky little voice piped up at one of

their meetings, “We know why the forest has gone crazy, don’t
we?”
Suddenly everyone was silent. They looked at Makara
fearfully, but to their surprise, he looked nervous. He shook
a rat off his tail and asked the small crocodile. “Why, little fellow?”
“It all began with the tort—”
“Okay, okay”, said Makara. “There’s no need to talk so
much.” Makara didn’t want to admit he was wrong, but it
didn’t matter. All the crocodiles knew now that he was not all
that strong or powerful. Or always right. They sent urgent
messages all over the place for the tortoises, snakes and
lizards to come back to Pambupatti. And what a great day it
was when these creatures came back, family after family, with
their little ones on their backs or straggling behind, shouting
at their parents to wait for them!
42/A Pact with the Sun

In two months, the forest was back to normal. The rats

disappeared, and the insects, and the smell, and the world
finally went back to its familiar old self.
“Well, Prem,” said the old man, “have you fallen asleep?
Did my story send you off to dreamland?”
I shook my head. “No, Grandfather, I was just thinking.
Maybe it’s time I went back to my own village, because I have
a story to tell them. But what if they don’t listen to me?”
“We can only keep at it, my son — tell these stories again
and again, to more and more people. Some of them may laugh
at you or say your stories are not true. But they may remember
them one day, and understand that each of us has a place in
this strange, funny world of ours.”

ZAI WHITAKER

Questions

1. In what way is Pambupatti different from any other village?

2. Why is Prem determined not to return to his village?
3. Why did Makara dislike tortoises, snakes and lizards? Write
a line about each.
4. What went wrong when the tortoises, snakes and lizards left
the forest?
5. Why do you think Prem wants to tell the story of the reptiles
to the people of his village?
6. Do you agree that it is difficult not to go along with someone
who is very strong and powerful? Express your views frankly
and clearly.
7. If you were a baby crocodile, would you tell Makara that he
was wrong? What would you say to convince him?
 I

• Everybody believed that Vijay Singh, the famous wrestler,

was unbeatable.
• Vijay Singh was a bit boastful at times.
• Once he took it upon himself to fight a ghost.

THERE was once a wrestler called Vijay Singh. A tall man with
massive shoulders and muscular arms, he towered over
others like a giant. Vijay Singh, people said, was a born
wrestler and could beat all other wrestlers in the world.
This pahalwan had but one shortcoming which often
landed him in awkward situations. He was fond of boasting.
One day, he was sitting in the market-place surrounded by
several young men. After drinking many glasses of milk, he
 44/A Pact with the Sun

suddenly proclaimed, “Why are people afraid of ghosts? I am

not. I wish I met a stout ghost. I’d teach him a lesson.”
There were murmurs of applause as well as apprehension
among the young men. “If you walk alone at night through
the Haunted Desert,” one of them said, “you are sure to meet
ghosts. They roam there freely. Strange shrieks and moans
can be heard all over the place. Travellers have been looted
and killed. Would you really want to go there?” Vijay Singh’s
mighty heart missed a beat or two. Why did he have to boast?
“Yes, I have heard of the Haunted Desert,” he said
nonchalantly. “I think it’s just a fairy tale.”
“Oh no,” said one of his admirers, “it’s true. This place is
ten miles to the west on the road to Jaisalmer. The landmark
is an ugly black rock that looks like the head of a camel.
Beyond that there is nothing but sand and wilderness and,
of course, ghosts.”

• Vijay Singh set out to find a ghost in the Haunted Desert.

• An old woman gave him a small packet containing an egg and
a lump of salt.
• Vijay Singh met a ghost who claimed he was his friend, Natwar.

Almost the entire

village turned up that
evening to bid farewell to
Vijay Singh, who was
ready to set out west.
Just then an old woman
came forward and thrust
a small packet into his
hands, and Vijay Singh
started walking into the
red sunset of the desert.
 A Strange Wrestling Match/45

As he walked, the night deepened. The moon was bright

and the stars shone clearly in the Rajasthan sky. Still a few
miles short of his destination, Vijay Singh remembered the
old woman’s packet. He opened it and found nothing but a
lump of salt and an egg. The old woman was well-known for
her eccentricities.
As Vijay Singh stepped into the Haunted Desert, he heard
a voice. “Vijay Singh, Vijay Singh! You will get lost in the desert.
Come this way. I am your friend, Natwar.” At once Vijay Singh
realised it was not his friend but a ghost. Trying to sound
brave, he called back, “Where are you, my dear Natwar? It’s
dark and I cannot see you. Come here and show me the way.”
Like all good wrestlers, Vijay Singh wanted to size up his
enemy.
Soon the ghost appeared at his side. Vijay Singh peered
into his face and declared, “You are just a plain, lying ghost.
Anyway, now I don’t have to walk all night. I was longing to
meet you.” Not used to insults, the ghost was taken aback.
People generally started back in horror when they met him.
46/A Pact with the Sun

They often fainted. But here was this unfeeling creature

claiming he wanted to meet a ghost. It didn’t make sense.
“Really, I don’t know why you longed to meet me,” the
ghost said.
“That proves,” said Vijay Singh in a bored voice, “that you
are a stupid ghost. The least a ghost can do is to read a
man’s thoughts. However, a worthless ghost like you is better
than no ghost. The fact is, I am tired of wrestling with men. I
want to fight a ghost.”
The ghost was speechless. Marshalling his ghostly wits,
he made an attempt to look Vijay Singh scornfully in the eye.
“Frankly,” he said, “you don’t appear all that strong to me.”
“Appearances can be deceptive,” Vijay Singh said. “Take
your own case. You claim to be Natwar, though actually you
are a rascal of a ghost. If you doubt my strength, let me give
you a demonstration of it.”

Questions

1. What was Vijay Singh’s weakness? Which awkward

situation did it push him into?
2. Was the old woman’s gift to Vijay Singh eccentric? Why?
3. Why did Vijay Singh ask the ghost disguised as Natwar
to come closer?
4. What made the ghost speechless? Why?
5. Why did Vijay Singh say “Appearances can be deceptive”?
 A Strange Wrestling Match/47

II
• Vijay Singh demonstrated his strength by crushing what the
ghost thought was a piece of rock.
• The ghost avoided a wrestling bout with Vijay Singh but decided
to conquer him through cheating.
• He invited Vijay Singh to be his guest for the night.

VIJAY Singh picked up a piece of rock from the sand. “Take

this,” he offered it to the ghost, “and squeeze it hard. It is
filled with fluid. See if I am wrong.” While the ghost tried to
squeeze the rock first with one hand, then with both, Vijay
Singh stealthily took out the egg from his pocket.
Vijay Singh snatched the rock from the ghost and placed
it between both hands and squeezed. At once the yellow yolk
oozed from around his
fingers, and the crackling
of the egg-shell created
the illusion of the stone
being crushed. The ghost
was so astonished he did
not notice Vijay Singh
bending to clean his
hands with sand and
disposing of the tell-tale
shell. Vijay Singh then
picked up another piece
of rock and gave it to the
ghost. Without a word
the ghost took it, felt it,
and peered at it. Vijay
Singh put his hand into
his pocket to take out the
lump of salt.
48/A Pact with the Sun

“This is only a stone,” protested the ghost. “And anyway it

is too dark to see.”
“Never heard of a ghost who can’t see in the dark!” remarked
Vijay Singh. “That stone which you hold in your hand contains
salt. Crumble it and see.” Again the ghost tried to crush the
stone, but in vain. He handed over the stone to Vijay Singh.
The ghost was now beginning to doubt his ghostly powers.
“I can see that you’re not going to be a worthy opponent.
What’s the use of wrestling with a weakling whom I can floor
in a minute?” So saying, Vijay Singh casually crumbled the
lump of salt and let the stone drop in the darkness. He held
out his hand and commanded the ghost to taste the
powdered stone.
Mesmerised with
the pahalwan’s
extraordinary
strength, the ghost
did as he was told.
Alarm shot through
him. This man
could easily
vanquish him in a
wrestling bout in
the dark. But
perhaps, he could
be tricked in other
ways. Assuming a
servile manner, the
ghost said, “Friend
Vijay Singh, it is an
honour to meet a
man like you! I
admit to being
 A Strange Wrestling Match/49

defeated. But where will you go tonight? Rest in my house.

You can leave tomorrow.”
Now thoroughly elated, Vijay Singh replied, “I cannot refuse
your hospitality but tomorrow you will go with me as my
prisoner. I must display the trophy of my victory to my people!”
The ghost bowed in agreement, but silently vowed to kill Vijay
Singh in the night. He led him to his house in the cave.

• Vijay Singh kept awake at night. He cleverly duped the ghost

in his own cave.
• The ghost believed that Vijay Singh was unbeatable.
• He ran away leaving all his property which made Vijay Singh
wealthy for life.

The ghost fed him dry fruits and a lot of milk, and later led
him to a luxurious bed to sleep on, complete with pillows
and bolsters.
But Vijay Singh lay awake listening to the snores of the
ghost. In the middle of the night, he slipped off his bed. He
placed a bolster in the centre of the bed, throwing over it a
50/A Pact with the Sun

coverlet to make it look exactly like a sleeping man. Having

done this he crouched watchfully in a dark corner.
Sure enough, just before the break of dawn, the ghost
approached the bed armed with a stout club. He brought the
club down on what he thought was Vijay Singh’s head. Not
hearing even a groan, he smiled, pleased that he had killed
his enemy.
However, just to make doubly sure, he struck the bolster
six times more. Satisfied with his work, he returned to his
couch, and covering his head, settled down to sleep again.
Meanwhile, Vijay Singh crept silently back into bed. After a
pause, he groaned, as if in disgust, threw back his coverlet,
and sat up.
Disturbed by the noise, the ghost peeped from under his
bedclothes to see the strong man stretching his arms above
his head and yawning. For a moment the ghost turned rigid
with shock. “Friend ghost, there are insects in your cave,”
said Vijay Singh in a complaining voice. “Here I was, enjoying
the sweetest sleep I’ve had in years, and there comes this
insect to trouble me. I distinctly counted seven flappings of
its wings. Of course, it has not bitten me, but it’s most
annoying.” The ghost panicked. Those seven blows would
have reduced any other man to pulp. ‘There is no safety near
a formidable wrestler like this,’ he thought and fled from the
cave leaving behind all his ill-gotten wealth.
It took several camels from the village to remove the
property Vijay Singh had acquired. He returned much of it to
the rightful owners. He went especially to the old woman,
thanked her for her invaluable gift, and asked for her
granddaughter’s hand in marriage.
Thenceforth, Vijay Singh was more careful about boasting.
It is said that no traveller was ever troubled again in the
Haunted Desert.
INDIRA DAVID
[abridged Rajasthani folktale]
 A Strange Wrestling Match/51

Questions

1. How did Vijay Singh use the egg? How did he use the
lump of salt?
2. Why did Vijay Singh conclude that the ghost would not
be a worthy opponent to him? Was he fair in his
judgement?
3. Why did Vijay Singh ask the ghost to accompany him to
town next day?
4. What made the ghost believe Vijay Singh was dead?
5. Vijay Singh complained of insects in the cave. What
was he referring to, and why?
6. Was it really a ghost who Vijay Singh befooled? Who do
you think it was?