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The hen that land the golden eggs
Tina was a little chubby girl. She belonged to a poor family.
Though she was very poor, yet she was very charitable. She would
give away even her bread to anybody who needed it. A magician
was very pleased with her goodness. He gave her a fat hen. Tina
was very happy to have the hen. She could now get an egg every
day to eat.She waited for the next day excitedly.
Early in the morning, she went to the hen to get egg. The hen
had laid an egg. But to Tina's surprise, it was not an ordinary
egg. It was made of gold. Tina picked up the egg and gave to her
mother. She was also thrilled at the sight of a golden egg. They
sold the egg to the jeweller.
As Tina and her mother got enough money for the
egg, they went to the market and bought fine clothes and lovely
shoes for themselves. Tina bought cakes and chocolates too. Tina
began to get a golden egg from the hen every day. When Tina got
quite rich, she began to behave like other rich people. She did
not help the poor any more.
One day, she even rebuked a little poor boy who
asked her for a piece of bread. The poor boy went away weeping.
The magician was very angry at this great change in Tina. He
thought of setting her right.
The next day, when Tina went to the hen to
collect the golden egg, she was shocked to find two fried eggs
in place of the golden one.
She lost her temper and shouted at the hen, "Where
is the golden egg?"
Seeing Tina angry, the hen shouted back, "Cluck,
cluck!" At this Tina took the broom and began to beat the hen.
She said, "You bloody idiot! What have you laid?
Is this a golden egg? I shall beat you to death." The hen ran
for its life. But Tina followed it and left it half-dead.
Next day, the magician came to Tina and said, "Why
did you beat the hen?"
"It laid fried eggs instead of a golden egg."
"It is not its fault. You are responsible for
this. Don't you know how ill- mannered and haughty you have
become? I will take the poor hen back. Or, you must change
yourself." Tina realized her mistake. She said, "I'm sorry. No
doubt, I deserve this punishment. I shall remember that once I
was also a poor girl."
The magician left without taking back the hen.
Tina searched out the poor boy whom she had rebuked the other
day. She gave him food to eat and new clothes to wear. The hen
again began to lay golden eggs and Tina began to help the poor. |
