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Mohsin says, ‘This time I will let you have it. I swear by Allah! I will give it to you. Come
and take it.’

Hamid replies, ‘You keep your sweets. Don’t I have the money?’’

‘I know what this clever fellow is up to,’ says Mahmood. ‘When we’ve spent all our money,
he will buy sweets and tease us.

After the sweet-vendors there are a few hardware stores and shops of real and artificial

jewellery. There is nothing there to attract the boys’ attention. So they go ahead—all of
them except Hamid who stops to see a pile of tongs.

It occurs to him that his granny does not have a pair of tongs. Do you think
Each time she bakes chapattis, the iron plate burns her hands. Mahmood is right
If he were to buy her a pair of tongs she would be very pleased. about Hamid’s intention?
Just a Minute!
She would never burn her fingers; it would be a useful thing Why?

to have in the house. What use are toys? They are a waste of
money. You can have some fun with them but only for a very short time. Then you forget
all about them.

Hamid’s friends have gone ahead. They are at a stall drinking sherbet. How selfish they
are! They bought so many sweets but did not give him one. And then they want him to
play with them; they want him to do odd jobs for them.

Hamid asks the shopkeeper, ‘How much for this pair of tongs?’

The shopkeeper looks at him and seeing no older person with him replies, ‘It’s not for you.’

‘Is it for sale or not?’

‘Why should it not be for sale? Why else should I have bothered to bring it here?’

‘Why then don’t you tell me how much it is!’

‘It will cost you six pice.’

Hamid’s heart sinks. ‘Let me have the correct price.’

‘All right, it will be five pice, bottom price. Take it or leave it.’

Hamid steels his heart and says, ‘Will you give it to me for three?’ And proceeds to walk
away lest the shopkeeper screams at him. But the shopkeeper does not scream. On the
contrary, he calls Hamid back and gives him the pair of tongs. Hamid carries it on his

shoulder as if it were a gun and struts up proudly to show it to his friends. Let us hear
what they have to say.

Mohsin laughs and says, ‘Are you crazy? What will you do with the tongs?’ Hamid flings
the tongs on the ground and replies, ‘Try and throw your water-carrier on the ground.
Every bone in his body will break.’

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