of tongs. He remembers that his grandmother does not have a pair of tongs. Each time she bakes chapathi, she burns her fingers. If he bought her a chimta, she would be very happy.
And then she wouldn’t burn her fingers so. Where does poor Amma have the time to visit a market? Nor does she have the money. So, she burns her fingers every day.
At once Hamid bought it. Then he put it on his shoulder like a gun, and filled with pride, joined his friends. He wondered what sarcastic remarks the boys would pass, but it didn’t matter. By eleven o’clock, there was excitement in the village; the revelers were coming home.
On hearing his voice, Amina rushed forward and picked him up and kissed him. When she spotted the tongs, she was taken aback. “Where did you get this from?” “I bought it.” “For how much?” “For three paise.” Amina grew angry. What a stupid boy!
It is almost noon and you have not eaten or drunk anything. “A chimta! In the entire fair could you find nothing other than a stupid chimta?” Hamid said meekly, “You burn your fingers when you make chapatti. That is why I bought it.” The old woman’s temper changed to love.
She did not say anything for her love was silent and seeped in tenderness. What concern for others! What a big heart! The poor boy!
How he must have suffered seeing the others buying toys and eating sweets! Even at the fair, he only thought of his old grandmother! Amina’s head was too full of words. And then a very strange thing happened, stranger than the part played by the chimta.
Hamid the child was now playing the role of Hamid the old man. And the old grandmother Amina became Amina the little girl. She broke down. She spread her dupatta and beseeched Allah’s blessings for her grandchild.
Large tears fell from her eyes Unit- - Activity - - - while Hamid comforted her. How was Hamid to understand what was going on inside her! Unit- The