NCERT Class 5 English Santoor Chapter 08 The Decision of the Panchayat PDF Download

Chapter 8: The Decision of the Panchayat

Let us Read

Once upon a time, there lived a farmer in a small village. He had two fields. He used to work very hard. When he prospered, he bought another field. There was a well next to it. Since the farmer needed a source of water for his fields, he bought the well from his neighbour.

The neighbour was a cunning man. He thought of a plan to cheat the farmer.

The next day, when the farmer reached the well, he found the neighbour standing there. He refused to let the farmer take water from the well. On asking why, he replied, "I sold only the well to you, not the water. The water still belongs to me. You cannot take it."

The worried farmer didn't know what to do. So, he went to the village chief and told her about his case, and said, "He is not letting me take the water."

The village chief fixed a day for a meeting of the Panchayat.

The day came, and the members of the Panchayat gathered under the banyan tree in the centre of the village. Both the farmer and his neighbour were summoned. Most of the villagers were present.

The farmer explained the situation to the gathering. The chief asked the neighbour why he was not letting the farmer draw water from the well. The cunning man said the same thing again, "I sold only the well to him, not the water in it. The water still belongs to me. So, he cannot take my water."

The members of the Panchayat, as well as the villagers, tried to reason with him, but he was adamant. Finally, the Panchayat members discussed the matter among themselves. Then they stood up to give the judgment. The villagers also stood up.

The village chief began, "After hearing both sides, we agree that it is correct to say that only the well was sold." The neighbour gave a satisfied smile. "However," continued the village chief, "if you have NOT sold the water and the water is yours, then you have no business keeping your water in his well. Remove the water or use it all up immediately. If not, the water will belong to the owner of the well."

The farmer was relieved and gave a shout of joy. The cunning neighbour realised that cheating will not lead anywhere. He had to pay a fine as well as apologise to the farmer. The villagers praised the wisdom of the Panchayat.

New Words

panchayat - adamant - cunning - apologise - wisdom

Teacher's Note

Notice how the Panchayat's judgment uses logic against the neighbour's own argument. He claimed the water was his, so the Panchayat simply said: if the water is yours, you cannot keep it in someone else's well without permission. This kind of clever reasoning that turns someone's argument back on them often appears in stories and exams. When you read a solution to a problem, look for how each side's claims lead to the final decision.

Let us Think

A. Answer the following questions.

1. Why did the farmer buy the well?
2. Why did the farmer become upset?
3. How did the Panchayat solve the problem?
4. What was the final judgment given by the Panchayat?

B. Think and discuss

1. Do you think the decision of the Panchayat was correct?
2. You have an extra painting box which you wish to share with your friends in the class to complete an activity. Two of your best friends, Radha and Sita, fight for the box. How would you deal with the situation so that you are fair to both of them?
3. Who said to whom:
   • a. "I sold only the well, not the water."
   • b. "Remove the water or use it all up immediately."
   • c. "He is not letting me take the water."

Teacher's Note

The third question asks you to trace who spoke each line. These dialogue tags help you follow the story carefully. When you study a story in class or for an exam, marking who says what makes it easier to understand the plot and remember the characters' actions and motives.

Key Points

• A Panchayat is a village council that listens to both sides of a dispute and makes a fair judgment based on reason and fairness.
• The neighbour's trick fails because his own claim - that the water belongs to him - means he cannot leave it in someone else's well without permission.
• Wisdom and clever thinking can solve problems that stubbornness and cheating cannot.
• In a Panchayat meeting, villagers come together to support justice and community decisions.

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