NCERT Chapter Summary: A Game of Chance

NCERT Chapter Summary: A Game of Chance

A fair was organised every year on the occasion of Eid. The fair lasted for many days and one could buy anything from there. Rasheed’s uncle took him to the fair along with their domestic help Bhaiya. There was a big crowed at the fair. His uncle met a few of his friends.

His uncle went away his friends, but warned Rasheed neither to buy anything nor to go far away. Rasheed promised that he would wait for him. The shopkeeper was a middle-aged man. He seemed neither too smart nor too lazy. There were discs on the table with numbers from one to ten facing down. One has to pay 50 paise and pick up any six discs, add up the number on the discs and find its total. The article marked with that number will be given to the person. An Old Man and a Boy tried their Luck so did Rasheed.

An old man paid 50 paise and got six discs. He got his number and given a beautiful clock. The old man did not want the clock so the shopkeeper gave him 15. A little boy tried his luck and got a comb worth comb 25 paise. The boy tried his luck again and got a fountain-pen worth 3. The boy tried his luck for the third time and got a table lamp worth more than 10. The boy became happy.

He paid 50 paise and took six discs. He was not so lucky and got two pencils. He tried again and this time he got a bottle of ink. Rasheed took a chance for the third time, but he was not lucky. He hoped to win a big prize, but failed every time. The shopkeeper was kind to him. Rasheed spent all his money. People were laughing at him and were not sympathetic to him. He and Bhaiya went to the place where his uncle has left him. His uncle came and asked the reason behind his sadness.

Rasheed’s Uncle Came to Know About the Incident

Bhaiya told him everything. His uncle was neither angry nor sad. He bought Rasheed a beautiful umbrella, biscuits, sweets and other things. His uncle told Rasheed that the shopkeeper has made him fool. This happened not because of good or bad luck. The old man and the boy, who got costly things, were friends of the shopkeeper. They were playing tricks to tempt Rasheed. They wanted his money and got it. His uncle told him to forget the incident and move forward.