Sep 21, 2014

Daily Story

A boy named Peter was the only son of his parents. He displayed extraordinary artistic talent. He used to draw perfect pictures, make marvellous models and carve realistic images. His father was a bad-tempered drunkard and did not appreciate the boy’s works of art. He used to scold him and beat him for wasting his time and paper for such ‘useless’ works. But his loving mother encouraged him. 

One day, the boy scratched a beautiful picture on the table in the house using the tip of a sharp knife. The father returned from his work in a fully drunk state. He was furious to see the scratched figure on their only table and violently thrashed the boy mercilessly. The mother intervened, but she too got a few blows. The boy ran away from home, crying aloud, unable to bear his father’s cruelty. He was so angry and sad that he did not return to his home. His parents later searched for him everywhere, but could not locate him. They were very sad. The mother could not stop her tears and soon fell ill.

Peter boarded a train and landed in a distant city. After doing some menial jobs with meagre wages, he joined an advertising agency which painted display boards and erected them around the city. His artistic talents made him a success in his new profession and gradually he earned sufficient money to meet his needs. He grew up and became a healthy young man and a good artist.

Peter often thought about his family and felt sorry for deserting his parents in their old age. He wrote several letters addressed to his mother, but could not get any reply. Finally he returned to his native village, repenting for his action and wishing to be reconciled with them. Reaching the spot where they lived, he was surprised to see a new posh house in place of his old hut. The owner of the new house told him that he had bought the land from the Peter’s father when he left the place. He added that Peter’s mother died soon after her son deserted them. The neighbors had no idea about the present whereabouts of Peter’s father.

Unable to bear the sad news of his mother’s untimely death and his role in the tragedy, Peter returned to his work place. Later his firm opened a branch in the city near Peter’s native place. Peter was offered a transfer to the new unit and he readily accepted it. Reaching the new place, he stayed in a rented house. As he had only a little money with him, he decided to buy some cheap furniture for his house. He visited a shop selling used furniture.

While examining the articles, he was surprised to see an old table with a scratched figure on it. He observed carefully and discovered that the figure was the one he scratched on his table when he was a boy. Thus he could easily identify this table. Rushing to the owner of the shop, he asked from where and rom whom he got the used table. The owner thought for a while and recollected his purchase of a few pieces of used furniture from an old drunkard’s hut. He was very poor and sold the furniture as he had no money to buy food. He remembered the hut and gave the directions to Peter to reach the hut.

Peter ran to the hut and met his old father there, who appeared very emaciated after years of illness and poverty. Peter fell upon his father’s feet and sought his pardon for deserting him. He carried the sick father to the hospital and gave the necessary medical care. He carried his father to his house and by his loving tender care the old man became healthy and happy. They lived there peacefully.

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