The honest girl
Sweta was a young girl. Her mother worked in a bank and her father was a doctor. Her parents loved her very much. Sweta always got whatever she asked for. Whenever her parents went to the market, they got beautiful gifts for her. She was quite a pampered child.
Sweta was a bright student. She was good in her studies. She did her work neatly and was always polite and helpful to everybody. But, her teacher did feel that Sweta was a little pampered. She always managed to get whatever she liked. If she happened to like somebody’s pencil, she was quick to give one of her own things to get the pencil. But one day Sweta realized mistake. She learnt to be happy with whatever she had.
It so happened that one morning when Sweta entered the class, all the children were gathered around Tina. Everybody was admiring her new pen. Sweta also saw the pen. It looked beautiful. She wrote her name with it. The pen was excellent. As the children were admiring the pen, the bell rang and everybody rushed downstairs, for the assembly.
While the children were making their lines for the assembly, their teacher called Sweta and asked her to bring some chalk from the classroom. When Sweta entered the class, she could not stop herself from peeping into Tina’s bag. She took out the pen to see it once more. She wanted that pen badly. Just then she heard footsteps. In a hurry, she quickly put the pen in her pocket. Turning around, she saw Vimala enter the class. She had come back because she was not feeling well. Sweta ran out with the chalk pieces in her hand and the pen in her pocket.
After the assembly when everybody settled down. Tina started searching for her pen. She told the class teacher that her pen was missing. Miss Ali wanted to know who was in the class during the assembly. Vimala was called Miss Ali searched her bag but could not find the pen. She scolded Vimala for stealing. Poor Vimala! She started crying. Sweta was too afraid to get up and give the pen to Tina. Miss Ali gave Vimala a day’s time to tell the truth.
Now, Sweta was a very sensitive child. She spent the night tossing and turning in bed. She could not sleep. The pen was still hidden under her pillow. She looked at it again, for the hundredth time! The pen no longer looked beautiful to her. She could not forget Vimala’s face when Miss Ali had accused her.
She felt bad. Vimala had been scolded for no fault of hers. She decided that she would keep the open back in Tina’s bag the next morning.
Next day, when Sweta reached school, she saw Vimala sitting alone in the class. She was very sad. `Do not worry. Maybe somebody will keep the pen back today,’ she tried to comfort Vimala.
`But everybody will think that I have kept it back,’ Vimala replied sadly.
The bell rang and the school started. When Miss Ali entered the class, she called Vimala. Before Vimala could get up, Sweta got up. `Miss, the pen is with me. I was looking at it yesterday when suddenly Vimala entered the class and without thinking I put it in my pocket. I was afraid to tell you when you were scolding Vimala. I am very sorry. I will never do it again.
Everybody was surprised. Miss Ali was the first one to speak. `Sweta, you are a brave and honest girl. You have told the truth in front of the class. We all make mistakes but we are always afraid to admit them. Say sorry to Vimala. It was because of you that she was scolded. And make a promise that you will never do something like this again.’ Saying this, she asked the class to take out their books. Everybody was happy once again. Sweta had learnt her lesson.
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