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Once Ghanshyam and his friends decided that they should go early next morning to collect the half-ripe mangoes. Veniram said, “Let us divide mango-trees among ourselves. Whoever gets a mango-tree in his share must take half-ripe fruits only of that tree.”
Everybody liked this suggestion. They mutually distributed the mango-trees. They named the mango-trees. They decided that Veniram should go to ‘Dahiye’ mango-tree, Manchharam to ‘Bhairav’ mango-tree, Sukhnandan to ‘Katve’ mango-tree, Gauridatta to ‘Bhaduhe’ mango-tree. Thus everything was settled.

The next early morning when it was still dark, they all got up and arrived to their respective mango-trees. Ichharam was the youngest of all. He could not find his ‘Kesario’ mango-tree. He sat under a Jambul tree. Taking for granted his Jambul tree, as his mango-tree, he thought that as soon as the half-ripe mangoes would fall, he should collect them. But the Jambul tree offers only rose-apples. Can we get mangoes on it instead? Ichharam waited and waited in the hope of mangoes to fall. It was morning. All the boys returned home with half-ripe mango fruits.

They saw Ichharam. He said, “I have not got a single mango.” Ghanshyam said, “Manchharam has collected the half-ripe mangoes of ‘Kesariya’ mango-tree, which was in your share. So Manchharam should give half of the portion to Ichharam.”
“The half-ripe mangoes collected by me belong to me. I will not share it with anyone,” said Manchharam. On hearing this, Ichharam was on the point of weeping. Ghanshayam consoled him, “Don’t weep. I will collect half-ripe mangoes for you.”
Saying this, Ghanshyam went to the Jambul-tree, collected the ripe rose-apples scattered under the tree and poured them into the flap of the shirt of Ichharam.

All of them came to the river-bank. Everyone took out his own half-ripe mangoes. But, on opening the flap of his shirt, Manchharam found rose-apples instead of half-ripe mangoes. Ichharam found in his shirt-flap half ripe mangoes. Now see the fun. Ichharam began to dance with joy and Manchharam cried with a bashed face. Ghanshyam said, “No one has to cry or laugh. We are all from one family. We should live like one family. Soon the little Ichharam spoke, “I give half of my half-ripe mangoes to Manchharam.” “We all share our half-ripe mangoes. None of us shall be selfish in eating. Is it correct, Manchharam?” said Ghanshyam. “Quite right,” said Manchharam.

The compromise was reached. Everyone shared the half-riped mangoes and rose-apples, and enjoyed themselves.

This is an episode of young Ghanshyam’s wonderful acts [Leela]. A man gets anything and everything only by the will of God. This truth is expressed only by the will of God. This truth is expressed in the above episode.

 

EXERCISE

Can you answer the following questions:-

(a) Why did Ichharam not find a mango-tree?

(b) Why did Manchharam refuse to share his mangoes?

(c) What happened to Manchharam’s mangoes when he disobeyed God’s order?

(d) How did young Ghanshyam persuade his friends?