THE RIGHT PRICE

Sheikh was flying a kite and enjoying every moment of it.

His mother called him and said, "Sheikh, there is no money in the house."

Sheikh asked, "So what should I do?"

His mother spoke on, "Go and sell this cock and get some money otherwise there will be nothing to eat in the evening."

These were words that sheikh hated to hear. He did not like being hungry. So he agreed to go to the marked to sell the cock.

His mother warned, "Don't sell the cock for less than two rupees. Try to get the right price, Sheikhu."

"Don't worry, Mother. I will manage, "answered sheikh confidently.

Sheikh went to the marked and sat down with the cock. He wanted to make his mother happy by selling the cock for the right price.

Amman came and asked, "I want to this cock. What is the cost?"

"I will set it only for the right price, "replied sheikh.

"I have spent all my money. I have just one rupee left, "said the man.

"Left? No. I want the right price," insisted sheikh.

The man went away. A cheat had been listening to sheikh talking to the man.

He came to sheikh and commented, "You are very clever. The man was trying to cheat you, but you didn't let him."

Sheikh agreed happily, "I can't help it. I am clever."

The cheat added, "You know what is right and what is left. Do you know the right price?"

Sheikh replied, "Of course! My right hand to make it the right price, "answered the cheat.

Sheikh looked at him blankly. All this was too much for his brain. He took the four annas that the cheat gave him.

Happy with the deal, the cheat took the cook and went away. Sheikh went home and gave the four anna coins to his mother, but to his surprise she started crying.

"I know why you are crying. You are Happy that I have sold the cock for such a lot of money, "Said sheikh.

His mother shouted, "No, you fool. I am crying because you stupid. I had told you to sell it for two rupees but you sold it for four annas."

"Four is more than two, Mother," answered sheikh.

"Sheikh. Sixteen annas make a rupee. You have sold the cook for four annas. It is a loss for us, "cried his mother.

Sheikh asked, "What do you mean?"

"I mean that you have got less money than you should have got, "explained his mother.

She started crying even more when sheikh looked at her blankly and blamed her, saying, "Mother, you don't know your sums. Four is more than two."

His mother exclaimed, "Oh Lord! What do me with this fool?"