Maharashtra Board Class 5 English Balbharti Unit Two Chapter 10 Three Sacks of Rice PDF Download

10. Three Sacks Of Rice

You may have read many stories about three brothers. Usually, two of them – the elder ones are strong, clever but unkind. They laugh at the youngest one because he is too simple and soft-hearted.

Our story also has three brothers who lived in a small town but they were all three of them honest, kind and hardworking. The elder one ran a shop, the middle one was a priest and the youngest one had just finished his education. He had started taking up odd jobs to earn some money and to learn a trade. All three of them were fond of their mother. She had worked hard to bring up the three of them after the sudden death of their father.

One day, their father's friend visited the mother. He said, "Sister, you know that I have a very prosperous business. I'll marry my daughter to one of them but before that I have a plan."

He discussed the plan with her and she agreed quite readily.

The next day, the friend went to each of the three brothers one by one. He gave them each a sack of rice and said, "My dear boy, I am going away for a few months for some necessary work. Please look after this sack of rice till I came back."

The friend went away. Many months passed but he did not return. It was nearly a year before he came back. He visited the eldest brother first. The eldest brother welcomed him and gave him a small purse full of money. "Uncle, you had left a sack of rice with me. After a few months, I was worried that it may get spoilt. Therefore I sold the rice to my customers. Here's the money I got. Please accept it."

"Thank you, my boy, you are such an honest person !"

But now I am getting old, and my only daughter is of a marriageable age. I am looking for a son-in-law who would be a good husband to my daughter and who would also handle my business well. I like all your sons. If you permit,

Teacher's Note

This story teaches us to be honest and kind like the three brothers. In India, many families teach children to work hard and help others. Just like these brothers helped their mother and the friend.

Exam Trick

Remember: Each brother did something different with the rice. The eldest sold it. Think about what the middle and youngest brothers did. The exam may ask what each brother did!

Points to Remember

The three brothers were honest, kind and hardworking.

Their father's friend gave each of them a sack of rice to look after.

The eldest brother sold the rice because he was worried it would get spoilt.

Honesty is the best way to do business.

Then the friend went to see the middle brother, who was a priest. The priest greeted him with joy and affection. He said, "Uncle, remember you had left a sack of rice with me, on your ago ? I had kept it for many months, but then I was worried that it may get spoilt. I distributed the rice among the poor in your name. They all blessed you for satisfying their hunger. However, I did that without your permission and I am willing to pay you back for the rice."

He had a confession to make. "The sack of rice was lying with me for a long time. But then I had an idea. I often go to a neighbouring farm to help with the work. I borrowed an unused plot of land from the farmer. I exchanged the sack of rice for paddy and sowed the paddy in the plot. Fortunately, the crop grew well and yielded twenty-five sacks of rice. I have kept back five of the sacks and sold twenty of them. Here's the money. If you allow, I would like to keep a part of it as my share considering the labour and money I spent to get it all done."

"No, my boy, you acted wisely and kindly. The blessings that I got from the poor people are enough for me. Please don't even think about the money any more."

When the friend went to visit the youngest son, he, too, welcomed him with love and respect. But he said that

A wide smile spread on the friend's face. He had found his future son-in-law.

Teacher's Note

The middle brother was very kind. He gave the rice to poor people. In India, we call this "seva" which means helping others. This is very good.

Exam Trick

Remember: Middle brother = gave rice to poor people. Youngest brother = made rice grow and become more! Three different choices. The exam will ask which brother did what.

Points to Remember

The middle brother gave the rice to poor people and felt blessed.

The youngest brother was smart and made the rice grow into 25 sacks.

All three brothers were honest but they made different choices.

Hard work and kindness both bring good results.

Things To Do:

1. Find the opposites of the following words from the lesson.

begin, bought, reject, eldest, lent, earned, narrow

2. Answer the following questions.

(1) What common qualities did the three brothers have ?

(2) What was the businessman looking for ? Why ?

(3) How did the middle brother use the rice ?

(4) Was it right for the youngest brother to ask for a share in the money ? Why ?

3. Language Study (See Pages 84-88.)

(1) Read the highlighted words.

All three of them were honest, kind and hardworking.

You are such an honest person.

The highlighted words are adjectives.

Now find at least five other adjectives from the lesson.

(2) List as many words as you can that will go with the given adjective. (At least 3 each.)

Example: sudden – sudden change, sudden shower, sudden fall

simple, odd, only, honest, long

Teacher's Note

Adjectives are words that describe things. In English, we use many adjectives. For example: "That is a big, red ball" – here 'big' and 'red' are adjectives.

Exam Trick

Remember: Adjectives describe nouns. If you see a describing word in the exam, it is probably an adjective! Words like "honest," "kind," "old," "small" are all adjectives.

Points to Remember

Adjectives are words that describe nouns.

They tell us about size, color, feeling, or quality.

In this story, "honest," "kind," and "hardworking" are adjectives.

We can make many phrases with one adjective.

4. Activities

(1) Imagine you are one of the three brothers. Write in short what you did with the rice.

(2) Find any other story of three brothers or three sisters and rewrite it in your own words.

(3) Find out how rice is cultivated. Describe the process with the help of pictures or diagrams.

Teacher's Note

Activities help you learn better. When you write the story in your own words, you understand it more. This is how we remember lessons for a long time.

Exam Trick

Remember: Teachers love when students rewrite stories in their own words. This shows you understand the story well. Write simple sentences and you will get good marks!

Points to Remember

Activity 1 helps you think about the story.

Activity 2 makes you a better writer.

Activity 3 teaches you about real farming.

All activities help you understand the lesson better.

5. Group Work

Form a group of 4 or 5. Make a 'storyboard' for the story 'Three Sacks Of Rice'.

Arrange the story in the form of a sequence of pictures.

Decide what you will show in each picture; what words/lines you will write with each picture to explain what happens in it.

You can also add 'speech balloons' for the people in the pictures.

Teacher's Note

Group work teaches teamwork. In India, group projects are very common. When you work with friends, you learn to listen to others and share ideas.

Exam Trick

Remember: Storyboard = pictures + words + speech balloons. This is like making a comic book! Teachers love storyboards because they show you understand the story very well.

Points to Remember

A storyboard is a story told in pictures.

Each picture shows one important moment from the story.

You write short words or sentences with each picture.

Speech balloons are like comic books where people talk.

Group work teaches you to work together.

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