Page 56 - English Class 04

“Perhaps I can,” said the poor man, smiling, “For I am Ram! What do you want
of me?”

Then, the farmer told the whole story, and Ram, taking pity on him, gave him

a conch shell and showed him how to blow it in a particular way, saying,
“Remember! Whatever you wish for, you have only to blow the conch that way,

and your wish will be fulfilled. Only be careful of that moneylender, for even

magic is not proof against his wiles !”

wiles : cunning tricks
jauntily : gleefully, cheerfully
trifles : things of very small
or less value

The farmer went back to his village rejoicing. In fact, the moneylender
noticed his high spirits at once and said to himself, “Some good fortune must

have befallen the stupid fellow, to make him hold his head so jauntily .”
Therefore, he went over to the simple farmer’s house and congratulated him on

his good fortune, in such cunning words pretending to have heard all about it,
that before long the farmer found himself telling the whole story — all except

the secret of blowing the conch, for, with all his simplicity, the farmer was not

quite such a fool as to tell that.

Nevertheless, the moneylender was determined to have the conch by hook

or by crook and as he was villain enough not to stick to trifles , he waited for a
favourable opportunity and stole the conch.

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