Page 28 - Arrow Publications Pvt. Ltd.

There were many tigers in the forest nearby. Khushwant’s father was a forest officer and

often saw tigers. He told Khushwant about them. And he told his friends about them at
school.

“My father can shoot tigers,” Khushwant said. "He has three guns."

One day in class, the teacher was talking about tigers.

“Has anyone here seen tigers?” the teacher asked the class.

“I have, ma’am!”
“I have, ma’am!”

Khushwant said, “I went with my father in his jeep.

He is a forest officer, ma’am. We saw a tiger with her
cubs. They were playing near the river.”

“Oh, I see!” said the teacher, looking surprised. Then
Ranvir Singh stood up.

“My father is a woodcutter,” he said. "And he has
seen tigers. He is not afraid of them. And he doesn’t

carry guns. I am not afraid of them too."

All the boys and the teacher laughed.
“Ranvir, the Great! Ranvir, the Great!” they shouted.

“Quiet now, please. Open your books,” said the

teacher.
During the break too, the boys continued to make

fun of Ranvir.

He was glad when the bell rang at the end of the day.

The next day was a holiday. Ranvir finished his homework in the morning, ate his food and

played about outside his house. His father was in the forest. He decided to go to the pool,
three miles away, in the middle of the forest.

“Mother, I am going to the pool. I am going to swim.

“Don’t be late,” said his mother.

“And come home before it gets dark."

“Yes, I will,” said Ranvir, and walked off along the road to the pool.
It was a hot day and the thought of the cool water made him quite happy.

27 Arrow - English Plus-6