Q1.
Why do you think Chinna decided to return the money instead of keeping it?
Answer
Because he remembered how sad he had felt when his own money went missing.
His mother asked him one question: “How did you feel when you found your money missing?” Chinna replied, “I felt very sad and angry!” Then she said, “The fruit seller will also feel the same when he comes to know the mistake.”
Three reasons, in order of how strong they are:
- He could feel the fruit seller’s loss, because the same thing had happened to him that very day.
- He knew it was wrong. His mother called it by its real name — stealing.
- He did not need the money. Amma had already promised him ten rupees for the bells.
Why the mother’s way worked: She did not shout at him or snatch the money. She made him imagine the other person’s feeling. Once he had imagined it, keeping the money became impossible for him.
Talk about it: In class, ask each other — would it still be stealing if the fruit seller never found out? Most children will say yes. Being honest means doing the right thing even when nobody is watching.