1. Where was Lencho’s house situated?
Lencho was a farmer. His house was the only one in the valley. It was situated on the top of a low hill overlooking the valley. From this height, he could see the river. He could also see his fields of ripe corn dotted with flowers. The flowers always promised a good harvest.
2. What did Lencho and the earth need immediately?
The only thing the earth needed was rain. Lencho, being a farmer wished for a heavy rain. At least, a shower was necessary. His fields needed water immediately otherwise the crop would be completely ruined. So he would constantly look at the sky towards the northeast.
3. How did the rain come as predicted by Lencho and how did he receive it?
Lencho’s wife was preparing supper. The older boys were working in the field. It was during the meal, in the north-east huge mountains of clouds could be seen approaching. Then, as Lencho had predicted, big drops of rain began to fall. Lencho went out to have the pleasure of feeling the rain on his body. To, him the rain drops were like the new coins.
4. Why were the rain drops like new coins for Lencho?
Lencho had been impatiently waiting for the rain. The earth needed a downpour immediately. At least, a shower was necessary to save the crops. Fortunately for Lencho, in the north-east huge mountains of clouds could be seen approaching, big drops of rain began to fall. Every drop was precious for the fields and the crops. The bigger drops were worth ten cent pieces and the little ones were fives.
5. Why did Lencho’s happiness change into deep concern?
As Lencho had predicted the rain did come. At the meal time it came in the form of big drops. Naturally, the rain gladdened his heart. He could see better prospects of a good crop. However, his happiness was short – lived. Suddenly a strong wind began to blow. The rain turned into big hailstones for an hour completely destroyed everything – leaves, trees and the standing crops. Naturally such a heavy loss put Lencho into a deep concern.
6. Describe the loss caused by the heavy fall of hailstones in general and to Lencho in particular.
For an hour, the hailstones rained on the house, the garden the hillside and the cornfield. Actually the whole valley was covered with them. Leaves and flowers were destroyed Lencho’s fields were covered with a white layer. The hail had left practically nothing. There was no chance of any corn that year for Lencho.
7. Why did Lencho write a letter to God?
Lencho’s crops were completely destroyed by hailstorm. He wrote a letter to God to seek help because he was the only source of hope for him. He asked God to send hundred pesos. So that he could sow his filed again and support his family.
8. Why did Lencho think of writing a letter to God? What did he write in the letter?
The hailstones completely destroyed Lencho’s cornfields. They would have no corn that year. Having lost all hopes, Lencho thought of writing a letter to God. He requested God to send him a hundred pesos to sow his fields again. He wrote that he needed money to live until the new crops came. If God didn’t help, his family would face starvation.
9. What was the address written and how was the letter sent to God?
Lencho had an unshaken faith in God and His mercy. Therefore, he decided to write a letter to God for help. He wrote ‘To God’ on the envelope and put the letter inside. He went to the post office and placed a stamp on the letter. Finally, he dropped it into the mailbox.
10. How did the postmaster react when a postman showed him the letter to God?
When a postman received Lencho’s letter, he laughed heartily and took that letter to the postmaster. The postmaster looked at the letter to God and laughed heartily too. However, he soon grew serious. He was impressed with the sender’s faith in God who tried to correspond Him. “What a faith”! he could utter only such words
11. Why did the postmaster decide to answer Lencho’s letter?
After laughing at the very idea of a letter to God, the postmaster became serious soon. He was impressed with the unshaken faith of the sender in God. He wished he had the faith of the man who wrote that letter to God. So, in order not to shake the writer’s faith in God, the postmaster decided to answer the letter.
12. How did the postmaster answer Lencho’s letter by sending in the money?
The postmaster didn’t want to shake the writer’s faith in God and so decided to help him. It needed something more than the goodwill. So he collected money from his employees and himself contributed a part of the salary. He could collect only seventy pesos. He put the money into the envelope and put a single word ‘God’ as signature and posted it to Lencho.
13. Why did Lencho go a bit earlier than unusual to the post office the following Sunday?
Lencho had firm faith in God and His mercy. He did expect a reply from him. So, on the following Sunday he went to the post office a bit earlier than usual. The postman handed over the letter to Lencho. The postmaster was only contented to perform a good deed.
14. Why did Lencho show no surprise on seeing the money?
Lencho had a firm faith in God. He didn’t show any surprise when he received the sum of seventy pesos. He believed in the mercy of God and expected. A definite help from Him. So, he showed no surprise when he received the money.
15. Why was Lencho angry after he counted the money?
Lencho had demanded a sum of hundred pesos as an immediate help from God. He did hope in God’s mercy and help. However, his happiness was short lived when he counted the money. The sum was short by 30 pesos. Lencho believed that God did send him a hundred pesos but the dishonest post office employees embezzled the money.
16. Why did Lencho ask help from God? Did he receive it?
Lencho had written a letter t o God requesting him to send a sum of one hundred pesos. This money was necessary to sow his fields again and to live until the new crop came. The help did come in the form of 70 pesos. Actually it was not God but the kind-hearted postmaster who had collected the money and sent to Lencho by post signing God.
17. What did Lencho write in his second letter to God ? Why did he ask him not to send the rest of money by post mail?
Lencho wrote to God that he received only 70 pesos out of the 100 that he had asked for. He asked God to send him the rest of the money as he needed it very much. He even asked God not to send the money through the post mail. He said that the post office employees were dishonest and ‘a bunch of crooks.’
18. Lencho has a great faith in God. Does he have the same kind of faith in man? Taking examples from the story describe his attitude towards God and man.
Lencho’s crop was totally destroyed. He had great faith in God. He wrote a letter to God asking for a hundred pesos as help. The postmaster and the employees collected seventy pesos and sent the money to him. Lencho thought that the employees had stolen 30 pesos. He wrote another letter to God asking for 30 pesos more but not through the post office. He called the employees ‘a bunch of crooks’. This highlights Lencho’s attitude to God and man. He had full faith in God but doesn’t have any faith in man.
19. What is the ironical about the ending of the story?
The end of the story is rather ironical. The postmaster was greatly impressed by Lencho’s faith in God. He collected a sum of seventy pesos from his employees and contributed a part of his salary. However, his great act of charity was not recognised and appreciated by the man who received the help. On the contrary, the helpers were ironically called ‘a bunch of crooks’.