Ravindra sheds his fear
Ravindra was his grandmother’s pet. He was born after many years of his parents’ marriage. So he was pampered by everyone.
Through Ravindra was now no longer a toddler, his parents and grandmother took a lot of care and never left him alone. As soon as he stepped out of the door, grandmother would say, `Dear Ravindra! Be careful. That dog may bite you.’
Ravindra wished to play with the calf tied in to cowshed. But his father would say, `My dear son! Don’t go there. The cow may butt you with her horns.’
Grandmother would not allow Ravindra to go out on a windy day. Ravindra loved to play in the rain. But when the sky was covered with dark clouds and there was under and lighting, his father would say, `Ravindra, do not be afraid of clouds, I am here with you.’
Thus, Ravindra grew to be a nervous and timid boy. He was always dependent on others for everything.
Ravindra’s mother was always worried, `I wish if Ravindra were fearless.’
One day Ravindra’s grandmother fell ill. Even after two days, the temperature would not go down. There was no doctor in the village. Who would go and cell the doctor from the nearby town? Ravindra’s father said, `Now Ravindra is big boy. He can very well go to the town to fetch the doctor.’
Ravindra’s mother hesitantly agreed. She said, `yes, he is a big boy, but is so chicken-hearted.’
However, Ravindra’s father called him and said, `Ravindra, your grandmother has been ill for the last few days. Her temperature is not going down. Go to town immediately and fetch Dr. Mohan here, will you?’
Ravindra took his bicycle and rode to the town. It soon bean to grow dark. There were huge shady trees on their either side of the road. Ravindra saw strange shapes of the trees in the dark.
Now Ravindra was scared. He trembled with fear. He didn’t have the courage to utter even a single word! How could then he shout for help?
There was a big banyan tree along the road. When Ravindra looked at it, he saw a figure. He thought that it was a ghost jumping down from the tree!
At home, Ravindra’s parents were waiting for him to return with the doctor. Horse passed, but there was no sign of Ravindra and the doctor. Ravindra’s mother was worried and she said her husband, `Listen! I am here to take care of mother. Will you please go and search for Ravindra? Go and find out what has happened to him. Why is he delayed? I am worried because he is such a chicken- hearted fellow.’
Ravindra’s father took a torch and a stick with him and went in search of Ravindra.
As he was walking hurriedly on the road to the town, he suddenly saw someone standing near the banyan tree. He stopped there and shouted, `Ravindra! Is that you?’
Ravindra was relieved to hear his father’s voice. He ran to him put his arms around him.
He said in a broken voice, `father! Oh! I am so happy to see you here. But look! Look, there is a ghost there!’
Ravindra Daddy Flashed his torch in the direction of the banyan tree. And what did he see? There were big monkeys there! They were jumping up and down the banyan tree.
Ravindra’s father said, `Look carefully, son! They are monkeys and not ghosts! So do not be frightened now. There are no ghosts. It is only an illusion.’
After this incident, Ravindra became a brave boy and was never frightened of anything.
Children! Never believe anything without verifying the fact.
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