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The Magic Beads Chotu loved sweets. He spent his entire allowance on chocolates, candies, cakes and pastries. So as you can imagine, Chotu was not 'chota' at all. He was fat. Very fat indeed. His friends teased him by calling him Chotu Motu and his teachers punished him for eating in class. His teeth were black because he would never brush them. His mother would be shouting at him every night, telling him to finish his vegetables and brush his teeth. But it was no use. He simply wouldn't change! Days flew by and Chotu grew fatter and fatter. A few months later, one bright Monday morning, Chotu awoke earlier than usual. He was excited! It was his ninth birthday. He was having a party in the evening and there was going to be lots of delicious stuff to eat, candy and a huge chocolate cake "yummmm" He got ready and left for school with a huge smile on his face. His dad had bought him a brand new red bicycle as a birthday present and he was riding it to school, huffing and puffing, with his bag going rickety-rack as it bounced on the carrier. As he rounded the bend into the woods, he heard a tiny voice say, "Chotu, Chotu, slow down! You're hurting me!" Chotu looked around in surprise.
Who said that? He couldn't see a soul. He must have imagined it.
"Who is it? Where are you? Why can't
I see you?"
Oh my Goodness! The voice was coming from his school bag! Chotu slowly picked it up and carefully, very carefully, lifted the lid. In it, sitting on top of the books and looking very cross indeed, was the tiniest man he had ever seen. He was dressed in a funny yellow kimono, and had a long, white beard. "Wow!" exclaimed Chotu. "Who are
you?"
Chotu was confused. "What?"
"Open your eyes Chotu, open your
eyes." Jungoo said in his sing-song manner.
"Is this for me?" He asked.
Chotu was shocked. "What? But, why?"
"B-but I don't want to come! I have school, parents, friends I don't want to leave them." "And you won't, if you stop eating so many chocolates and brush your teeth every morning and night. But you only have three chances. All the best Remember, if the fourth bead disappears it is 'Welcome to Nodland! Welcome to Nodland my boy!' Oh, oh, time for me to go. I have to pay a visit to Sultana in Egypt. It's her ninth birthday also today" he sighed, and was gone. "Wait! WAIT!" Chotu shouted, running forward. He tripped, and bumped his head on a rock. "Wake up beta or you'll be late for
school. Wake up" Chotu opened his eyes slowly. His mother was kissing
his forehead. "Happy Birthday darling."
He told his mother all about the dream. About Jungoo, the magic beads "What's for breakfast, ma? But first, I have to brush my teeth!" She laughed and kissed him. "There's no such place as Nodland, son, but I'm glad you've learnt a lesson. Now hurry up and get ready," she said, closing the door behind her. "Coming!" Chotu threw off his blanket,
and gasped. Four beautiful beads were glowing on his bed. He picked them
up and stared at them, feeling goose bumps on his arm.
And in another land, far, far away, a cheery little man opened a treasure chest and took out four glowing beads. "Time to go, to go to work," he sang as he scratched his long, white beard, winked, and vanished.
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