Pitara Kids Home > Talespin > Stories for kids

The Good Turn

By Manisha Deveshvar; Illustration by Anup Singh

Every time Gina walked down the lane where she lived, some neighbour or the other would remark that 'The Brat' was off to some place.The six-year-old was the only child of her parents and they spoilt her totally. Even when she was a small child, her parents had never refused her anything. And she, in turn, always made sure that she got what she wanted.

One day Gina's mother, Nitya Mehta, suddenly noticed that her daughter was not ready to share anything with her friends - be it a book, a toy or something to eat.

She discovered something else as well - most children did not like to play with her daughter. They said she bossed them around and made them cry.

Gina's mother realised that it was their fault Gina was behaving like this. For, hadn't they spoilt her by giving her anything and everything she asked for? Would Gina be able to make good friends and learn to share things with them? She would soon know, for Gina was now admitted to Class I, in a proper school.

Everyone in her class admitted that Gina was very intelligent. But she had no friends until Rita joined her class. New to the city and too shy to make any friends, she did not mind being taken under Gina's wing. Though knowing Gina, it was more of bossing around! But at least she had someone to play with.

One day, the teacher scolded Rita for doing her sums without thinking. The little girl cried because the whole class had laughed at her. For, the teacher had patiently explained how to do the sums, but Rita was just not able to understand.

Gina told her mother about Rita crying in class. "Why don't you try to explain to her simply," asked her mother. "She likes you very much and if you teach her, she will understand."

"Mummy, I don't have time to waste. What can I do if she is dumb?" said Gina. "But Rita is your friend and if you don't help her, who will?" scolded her mother. Then she decided to tell Gina the story of an ant and a dove.