Ramkanai was a good man like you or me -- simple in thought and deed. Jhootharam was a bad man, on the other hand. One day the two met on the road. Jhutharam told Ramkanai, "Brother, why do we carry our luggage like stupids? Let's have them on one shoulder. You carry my sack now. On return journey, I'll carry yours. So that we both can relax on one side of the journey."
Ramkanai agreed to that like a good man.
Near the village, they both felt very hungry. Ramkanai told Jhootharam, "Let's eat. What do you say?"
Jhootharam said, "Ya. But, let's do one thing. Let's not open both our lunch-boxes. We can't eat so much now. It'll only rot that way. Now, let's both eat from yours. On the return journey, we'll share mine."
So, Ramkanai opened his box, and they both shared from that.
As they were eating, Jhootharam asked Ramkanai, "Bhai! Who are all there in your family?"
Ramkanai began talking about his family, his father, mother, sister, wife, son, daughter -- about everyone. How tall his daughter has grown, how intelligent his son has become etc etc.
As Ramkanai kept chattering on his family, Jhootharam asked him more details and took the food in gulps. Ramkanai was too happy talking talking about his family. When he finally noticed, there was only two-three grains of rice left in his box.
Jhootharam washed his hands and then very sombrely came to Ramkanai and said, "Bhai! I must tell you something. The food you gave me was so rotten and bad, I've no words to say. I never imagined you're such a bad guy. After this, I don't want to talk to you. I'm going."
Saying this, he lifted his lunch-box and sack. And quickly left for the village.
Poor Ramkanai was so hungry and tired that his head was turning. Now that Jhootharam took the other lunch-box with him, there was no hope that Ramkanai could eat something. He had no energy to move any more. So, he sat there and started crying.
Meanwhile, the Kazisahib was passing through there with his entourage. Seeing Ramkanai in such a pathetic state, he asked his people to stop and enquire what happened.
As Kazisahib's people came to him, Ramkanai told them everything. So, they took him to Kazisahib.
Ramkanai told the Kazisahib everything again. Hearing that, Kazisahib started laughing, "Hahahahahahahohohohohohawhawhaw.... never heard such a funny story before! He used you as a donkey, then ate your food and all and then left you! Where was your brain? Hahahahahahahohohohohoho... Oye who's there? Call Jhootharam!"
The sentry ran to catch him, other people ran along with him too. Within five minutes, they presented Jhootharam before the Kazisahib.
Kazisahib said, "Aha! Wait wait! Call the village headman, the village baniyas, call the head-police, doctor, village priest, head-master. Call everyone. Let them see the fun." So, within minutes everyone whoever was in and around the village, came there. It became a crowd indeed.
Then Kazisahib asked Jhootharam, "So, Jhootharam! Now you tell me what happened."
Jhootharam was already trembling in fear. He somehow mumbled, "Sir! That paaji, bad fellow knows all. I really don't know anything. He tried to poison me by giving bad food. Even now I'm feeling sick."
As he finished, Kaji got very angry and shouted, "Badmash! You spoiled my funny story! Ate food and felt sick? Is it a funny thing? Hey sentry! See what he is carrying. Seize it all. Salaa totally humorless insipid fellow! Give all his things to that Ramkanai. Whatever he said, true or false, is funny like anything. Arre.. hahahahahohohohohawhaw."
Ramkanai agreed to that like a good man.
Near the village, they both felt very hungry. Ramkanai told Jhootharam, "Let's eat. What do you say?"
Jhootharam said, "Ya. But, let's do one thing. Let's not open both our lunch-boxes. We can't eat so much now. It'll only rot that way. Now, let's both eat from yours. On the return journey, we'll share mine."
So, Ramkanai opened his box, and they both shared from that.
As they were eating, Jhootharam asked Ramkanai, "Bhai! Who are all there in your family?"
Ramkanai began talking about his family, his father, mother, sister, wife, son, daughter -- about everyone. How tall his daughter has grown, how intelligent his son has become etc etc.
As Ramkanai kept chattering on his family, Jhootharam asked him more details and took the food in gulps. Ramkanai was too happy talking talking about his family. When he finally noticed, there was only two-three grains of rice left in his box.
Jhootharam washed his hands and then very sombrely came to Ramkanai and said, "Bhai! I must tell you something. The food you gave me was so rotten and bad, I've no words to say. I never imagined you're such a bad guy. After this, I don't want to talk to you. I'm going."
Saying this, he lifted his lunch-box and sack. And quickly left for the village.
Poor Ramkanai was so hungry and tired that his head was turning. Now that Jhootharam took the other lunch-box with him, there was no hope that Ramkanai could eat something. He had no energy to move any more. So, he sat there and started crying.
Meanwhile, the Kazisahib was passing through there with his entourage. Seeing Ramkanai in such a pathetic state, he asked his people to stop and enquire what happened.
As Kazisahib's people came to him, Ramkanai told them everything. So, they took him to Kazisahib.
Ramkanai told the Kazisahib everything again. Hearing that, Kazisahib started laughing, "Hahahahahahahohohohohohawhawhaw.... never heard such a funny story before! He used you as a donkey, then ate your food and all and then left you! Where was your brain? Hahahahahahahohohohohoho... Oye who's there? Call Jhootharam!"
The sentry ran to catch him, other people ran along with him too. Within five minutes, they presented Jhootharam before the Kazisahib.
Kazisahib said, "Aha! Wait wait! Call the village headman, the village baniyas, call the head-police, doctor, village priest, head-master. Call everyone. Let them see the fun." So, within minutes everyone whoever was in and around the village, came there. It became a crowd indeed.
Then Kazisahib asked Jhootharam, "So, Jhootharam! Now you tell me what happened."
Jhootharam was already trembling in fear. He somehow mumbled, "Sir! That paaji, bad fellow knows all. I really don't know anything. He tried to poison me by giving bad food. Even now I'm feeling sick."
As he finished, Kaji got very angry and shouted, "Badmash! You spoiled my funny story! Ate food and felt sick? Is it a funny thing? Hey sentry! See what he is carrying. Seize it all. Salaa totally humorless insipid fellow! Give all his things to that Ramkanai. Whatever he said, true or false, is funny like anything. Arre.. hahahahahohohohohawhaw."
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