THE SWEAT OF THE FARMER

WRITTEN, ILLUSTRATED AND PUBLISHED BY: BodhaGuru Learning Private Limited VERSION: 0.8 Copyright 2012 by BodhaGuru Learning Private Limited

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Thank you for downloading this book. This book must not be reproduced, copied or distributed in any form or means, without the prior permission from the author. Your support and respect for the hard work of the author is appreciated. This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons - living or dead, places or events is purely coincidental. We hope you and your child enjoy the story as much as we enjoyed writing it.

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Children Fun and Learn Book Subject: Science Topic: Work, force and energy

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CHAPTER 1 Aman reading his school book

One day in a village, a small boy Aman was sitting on the bed and reading his school book. His grandfather called from outside, Aman! Come for the dinner, son. Aman replied, Grandpa, you carry on. I am studying now.

Grandfather came inside the room and sat next to Aman. Grandfather asked, What are you studying Aman? Aman replied, Grandpa, I am trying hard to understand this topic on force, work and energy.

Grandfather said, Oh! This is my favourite topic. I will explain you - but first let me tell you a story - a true story, my son! Aman asked excitedly, True story? Grandfather said, Yes. It is about my friend Ramlal who was a rich grain merchant with huge farms in our village. Grandfather started narrating the story. CHAPTER 2 - The test for the three brothers

Many years ago, there lived an old man named Ramlal. He lived in a big house with a beautiful garden. The back of the house had a big storage room.

He had three sons. The eldest one was Maujiram. He didnt like village life and used to waste his fathers money in the city. He wanted to become a hero.

Next was Mastram. He was just like his name, enjoying his life. He didnt like to do any work and used to just waste his time with friends.

The youngest was Mehnatram, who was studying in the college. Ramlal was getting old and was worried about which son he should hand over his business. So he decided to test all of them.

He called each of them and said, Maujiram, Mastram, Mehnatram .Can you all come here for a moment? His three sons came and stood in front of him. Ramlal said, Come my sons. From this harvest season, all the bags of wheat are sold except 300 bags which are kept in the storage area. Each of you can take 100 bags. You can do anything with it. But when I ask you have to return me those bags. Mehnatram said, OK father, as you wish. CHAPTER 3 Planning in progress

All the three sons went to the storage area and looked at their bags aligned nicely in three different stacks. All the sons started thinking, what to do with the bags. Maujiram thought, What should I do with these bags? I can take money from father whenever required. And anyways I am having fun in the city. Why to waste my time in doing anything with these bags. Let it remain here. Mastram thought, I can sell these bags now and keep the money in locker that way I dont need to worry about these bags. Whenever father wants those bags, I will buy new ones and give him back. Mehnatram thought, We have so much of the land that is lying unused now. I should sow all the wheat in one of those lands.

And then Maujiram left the bags as is in the storage and went to the city.

Mastram sold those 100 bags and kept the cash received from that sale in his locker. CHAPTER 4 The ploughing of the field

Mehnatram had other plans. Mehnatram went to their unused land in the village.

He started ploughing the soil using the tractor. He watered his farm regularly.

Then, Mehnatram took wheat bags from the house and sowed the wheat in the farm.

He continued to water the farm well. As the time passed by, slowly the wheat plants started growing.

One day, he saw a goat eating the crop. Mehnatram shouted, Go away, you are eating my crops and the goat ran away. He thought, I should put a fence to keep these animals away.

He then put fence around the crop to protect the farm from grass eating animals.

One day he saw bird eating the crop. On seeing this, Mehnatram put a scarecrow in the field to drive away the birds. He thought, Now my crops are safe from birds.

After few days, his crops were ready for harvest. On seeing the crops, he said happily, Now my crops are ready.

CHAPTER 5 - The call for returning the bags

One morning, Ramlal called his sons outside his house. He said, Maujiram, Mastram, Mehnatram. I need those wheat bags that I gave to you last year. I need to sell it to a customer who is ready to pay some good price. Can you get them?

Maujiram thought, Oh! What did I do with those bags? It has been a long time. Yes, I remember now. It is kept in the store.

Maujiram went to the store at the back of their house.

Mehnatram thought, I should go and get my bags. Mastram thought, I will buy 100 bags today and give it to father. Mastram took out the money from his locker and went to the market.

After sometime, Maujiram came back from the storage. He was very scared. Ramlal asked, What happened, Maujiram? Why are you looking so scared? Maujiram said, Father, all bags got spoilt by rats, insects and moisture. I am sorry Father. I didnt take care of them. Ramlal gave a sad concerned look to his son.

Soon Mastram came in a tractor with few wheat bags. Mastram said, These are my bags father. Ramlal asked, Why only so less bags son? What happened to the rest?

Mastram said, I am sorry father. I had sold the wheat in the market the day you gave it to me. I put the money I got in the locker. But today when I went to the market to buy the wheat bags, I found that the price has hiked substantially. I could only get half the bags from that money. Sorry father. CHAPTER 6 - The indisputable winner

By this time, Ramlal had become very anxious and disappointed seeing the poor performances of his two sons. Soon Mehnatram came in. Looking at Mehnatram, he asked, And what about you son?

Mehnatram said taking out a bundle of money, Father, outside there is a truck load full of wheat bags ready to be sold to the market. And one truck load I have already sold. Here is the money from it. It is all yours because I sowed all the wheat which you gave me.

Ramlal looked at the truck outside his gate full of wheat bags. Ramlal was very pleased with Mehnatram. He said with a twinkle in his eyes, I am so happy, son. With your hard work, our wheat got multiplied by many more times. CHAPTER 7 - Aman understands the lesson

Aman was listening carefully to his grandfather. Grandfather asked him, And so Ramlals decision was made. He handed his entire business to his youngest son Mehnatram. Aman said, Absolutely Good decision! The youngest son was both intelligent as well as hard working. Grandfather agreed, Yes Aman. As this was a true story, you must be curious to know who the youngest son is. Aman was anxious and asked, Tell me, tell me. Do I know him?

Grandfather said, Yes! You have met him. He is the head of our village Mr. Mehnatram.

Aman said, Oh yes, I can see now why our village is prospering under his leadership. Grandfather said, So what you learn from this story is what you sow, so shall you reap. Now coming to your topic, this also means if you put all your energy, then you have the force to do anything and then all what you wanted to do i.e. the work gets done perfectly. Aman agreed, I agree Grandpa. This was an inspiring true story. Moral of the story: Hard work always pays off CHAPTER 8 - Food for thought 1. Do you think Ramlal would have handed over his business to Maujiram if he had taken proper care of the stored bags? 2. Would Mastram have succeeded or failed, if he started a business with the money he got by selling wheat? 3. Mastram and Maujiram were happy with their life. Then, why did Mehnatram took so much of hardship instead of living like his other two brothers? 4. Machines save our hard work. Can we carry out any work using machine without any effort from our side? 5. If the crops that Mehnatram harvested got spoiled in heavy rain, would Ramlal still choose him to take care of his business?

6. Do you think Mehnatram did the best with the wheat? Do you have any idea to use those wheat bags in better way? 7. If the wheat price at the time of buying back was lower than the price at which Mastram sold it earlier, Mastram would have made a profit. Let us say he returned 200 bags to his father - whom would have Ramlal chosen - Mehnatram or Mastram? Feel free to imagine, generate new questions, think and discuss the answer to all the questions with your friends, teachers and parents. Have Fun! ***** THE END *****