Tit for Tat
Tit for Tat :
Simki suffered from poverty. He was very poor. For days there was nothing to eat in his home. His wife Rozia always told him to use his head and work hard. But poor Simki was very simple and innocent. Everywhere he got cheated. Many a time he would not get the wages for his labour. Others took full advantage of his simplicity.
One day, Rozia suggested that he should go to his rich friend Fazri and ask for some work. At least he won't cheat his friend Simki. He had many fields, horses and cattle. He could employ Simki in field work or in taking care of animals. Rozia thought that Fazri would help them make a living.
Simki agreed to his wife's idea and went to his friend Fazri. By now, Fazri had become very cunning and selfish. He showed sympathy to Simki and spoke, “Alright I will give you a field. You shall till it. We shall share the harvest half and half."
Simki was very pleased. He ran home and gave the good news to his wife, Rozia. She was also happy. Rozia thought, “At last, our good days are not far. We shall no more be short of money.’
The next day, Simki went to Fazri to take charge of the field. Fazri showed him a big field and informed that Simki would till that field and work hard. Fazri was to supply manure and seeds. He also promised to advance some money for domestic expenses of Simki. The harvest was to be shared equally.
Simki agreed to the arrangement. But Fazri insisted, ’Friend! We must have the agreement in writing. The harvest above ground will be yours. And whatever grows underground would be mine.’
Simki readily said, “Done' I accept it.'
Simki started working from the very next day. He sowed the seeds Fazri had given. The plants came up in a few days and soon the field had a rich green harvest. Simki put in more hard work and dreamt of things he would do with the money his share of the harvest would bring. At last the harvest was ready. Simple Simki had no idea of the trick of his friend, Fazri.
On the harvesting day, Fazri arrived at the field. According to the agreement the above ground of the harvest belonged to Simki and the underground one to Fazri. Fazri had given the turnip seeds to Simki to sow. The harvest was loaded on two bullock carts.
Fazri went to market with his harvest of turnips. He made good money.
Simki too reached the market but found no buyers for the leaves of turnips. A few people took them away as cattle fodder for a few coins. It was a dead loss.
Sad Simki reached home in tears. He told his wife the entire story. Rozia felt angry at the dishonest trick of Fazri. But she could do nothing. It was useless to try to teach any trick to simple Simki.
After a few days, Simki again went to the field for new harvest. This time Simki said that this time he would take underground harvest on the same fifty-fifty share basis Fazri agreed to it
As before, Simki sowed the seeds supplied by Fazri. He worked hard. When the harvest was ready it was found that the harvest this time was of wheat Simki was tricked again. Fazri cornered all the wheat grains and left lower stalks and roots for Simki. Again a dead loss for Simki.
Simki got the dry stalks chopped and sold it as fodder. Fazri became richer with wheat sale.
Fazri's tricking greatly angered Rozia. This time she decided to take matters in her own hands. She made a plan to teach a lesson to Fazri. She went to Fazri with Simki. Again the fifty-fifty share of the harvest agreement was signed.
Simki opted for the underground produce. Everything was decided upon in the presence of Rozia.
Rozia and Simki went to the godown of Fazri for the seeds. Rozia got the seed bag given by Fazri changed with another one of her choice and the seeds were sown.
As usual Fazri didn't come to the field to watch the work done in the field or the crops growing up. Simki and Rozia worked hard in the field. Due to their care the field yielded a bumper crop.
When the crop was ready for harvesting Fazri came to see the field feeling very happy and cockey. The heavy crop delighted him. But when his accountant whispered into his ears the type of crop it was, Fazri got a shock.
Fazri was at a loss to understand how the seeds of wheat supplied by him had grown into a harvest of potatoes? But he could say nothing. Rozia was sweetly smiling.
Harvesting work began. The produce was loaded into carts as before. This time it took many carts as the harvest was really bumper. Simki got the potatoes as the underground product. Fazri got the potato plants. Simki got very good money for the potatoes in the market. Rozia had also gone along to see that no one tricked Simki in the market.
Simki and Rozia returned home very happy. On the other hand potato plants found no buyer in the market. It was not fit for the animals even. This time Fazri had been outwitted. He had met one better in Rozia. It was tit for tat. Fazri was burning with anger and wanted to settle the score in the next harvest.
He made a clever plan and sent his servant to the house of Simki to tell him to meet Fazri for the arrangement of the next harvest.
Rozia sent a message that Simki had stopped cultivating on fifty-fifty share basis.
They no more needed to Because with the money Simki had earned from the sale of potatoes they had bought a small field of their own The husband and wife put all their labour in their field and lived happily. Now no one could trick them
And Fazri rubbed his hands in despair.
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