Gopal and the Hilsa-Fish is an interesting story depicted through a comic story, understood through pictures with dialogues under-written for help to make the students read with interest.
Summary
It was the season for Hilsa-fish. The fishermen caught a lot of them. They sold them in the market. The prices, they said, were down. This news was discussed by all householders. They were amazed that the fish came to such a low price.
In the palace also the courtiers discussed the matter. A courtier showed the king a big fish he had caught. The king lost his temper. The courtier became silent and sad. The king realised his mistake. He told that even Gopal couldn’t stop anyone from talking about Hilsa. Gopal protested. He said he could do that. The king then challenged him to bring a big fish to the palace without anyone asking a word about it.
Since Gopal accepted the challenge, he started working accordingly. He became half-shaven and covered himself with ash. When his wife asked him the reason about his peculiar look, he said that he was dressing up to buy a Hilsa fish. His wife thought he had gone mad.
Gopal bought the Hilsa and started walking towards the palace. A child cried that the man was comical. Another called him a mad man. The third mistook him for a mystic. But no one talked about the fish.
Gopal reached the court. He told the guards that he wanted to see the king. They didn’t allow him to enter. Gopal began dancing and crying loudly. They reported the matter to the king. The king ordered to bring him to the court. Gopal introduced himself before the king. The king asked him why he was dressed up in that fashion.
Gopal explained that when he was coming to the palace not a single man spoke about Hilsa-fish. Everyone got attracted towards his peculiar look. They didn’t mind the fish. The king remembered the challenge he had thrown to Gopal. He congratulated Gopal on his achieving the impossible.