In our village, Chaudhary Ji took great pride in his intelligence. He believed that every problem—big or small—had a clever solution, and he preferred using his mind more than his muscle. Whenever someone praised his wisdom, he would proudly twirl his mustache and smile.
One day, alarming news spread that a large snake had appeared in his field. The farm workers immediately stopped working and stood at a distance, watching nervously. The snake was coiled up on the ridge of the field, hissing occasionally. No one dared to go near it. Since it was now a matter of reputation, Chaudhary Ji was called to handle the situation.
He arrived carrying a sturdy stick, but instead of charging forward, he stood at a safe distance and carefully observed the scene. The snake was indeed long and thick—confronting it directly would be risky. After a moment of thought, an idea flashed in his mind. He asked one worker to bring some kerosene and another to gather dry grass. The crowd looked puzzled, unsure of what he intended to do.
Maintaining a safe distance, Chaudhary Ji had the dry grass set on fire. Soon, thick smoke began to rise and drift toward the snake. Irritated and restless, the snake slithered away from the smoke and hurried into a nearby pit. That was the opportunity Chaudhary Ji had been waiting for. He quickly ordered the workers to fill the pit with soil. To ensure the snake couldn’t escape, they poured water over it as well.
For a few tense moments, there was complete silence. When no movement came from the pit, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. The workers burst into applause and praised Chaudhary Ji’s cleverness. One of them joked, “You didn’t even have to use your stick!”
Chaudhary Ji smiled confidently and replied, “When you have brains, you don’t need to break your stick.”
That day, the entire village talked about how he had solved the problem without risking himself. His reputation grew even stronger, as people admired how he had handled the danger wisely—defeating the threat without harming himself in the process.
RAJEEV VERMA 