Once upon a time, there lived a man called Bholu, in a small village. Bholu was illiterate and also belonged to a low caste. However, he was blessed with a power to perform a miracle. Whenever he would stand below a mango tree and utter a charm, the tree would get filled with sweet and ripe mangoes. When the mangoes fell on the ground, Bholu would pick them up and eat some of them and the rest he would distribute to the poor people in the village.
One day, a young boy called Keshav met Bholu and came to know about his charm. Although Keshav belonged to a higher caste, he fell on Bholu’s feet and asked him to teach him the charm. Initially Bholu was reluctant, but later he agreed to teach Keshav the charm on the condition that he would never use the charm to satisfy his greed. He also told Keshav that the charm would only work as long as he does not tell a lie.
Keshav used the charm every day to get large quantities of fresh and juicy mangoes. Soon he became extremely rich by selling those mangoes.
The news of this charm spread very fast and reached the ears of the king. The king called Keshav to his palace and asked him, “From where did you learn the charm?”
The young boy was embarrassed to confess to the king that he has learnt the charm from a lower caste man. So he replied, “I have gained my knowledge by studying very hard in a famous university, under extremely educated scholars.”
The king ordered Keshav to perform the miracle. “Let me see the power of your charm,” said the king.
Keshav was taken to the beautiful royal orchard by the king and his ministers. There was a big mango tree in the orchard. Keshav recited the charm below the mango tree, but to his dismay, not a single mango grew on the tree. Keshav remembered what Bholu had told him and realized that his power was taken away as he had told a lie. Sad and humiliated, Keshav told the truth to the king.
The king became extremely angry and told him, “Go and apologise to your master immediately, for you have been ungrateful to him because of your pride, and perhaps you might get back your power.”
Keshav apologised to Bholu, but he never got back his power as he had misused it by becoming greedy and telling a lie.
For more such interesting Indian Folk Tales for Kids, go to: Indian Folk Tales.
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