Idam PudamSudam” Jumpy was repeatedly chanting this when Blacky the Bear came there. He asked, “What strange thing are you saying?”
Jumpy replied, “This is a very effective chant Baba Bhootnath gave it to me and said that if I chant this 100 times, I will score very well in the school exams. He has also given me a talisman to wear around my neck.” Jumpy then showed the talisman around his neck.
Blacky had failed in the previous exam. He thought that if he seeks help from Baba, he would also score good marks. So he requested Jumpy to take him to Baba Bhootnath.
The next day, Jumpy and Blacky went to meet Baba Bhootnath. Baba Bhootnath was sitting under a Banyan tree. He was wearing a Dhoti and had applied ash on his entire body. He was sitting with his legs crossed. His eyes were closed and he was chanting something. He had already seen Jumpy and Blacky coming towards him. He asked them, “How come both of you are here?”
Blacky was stunned at this question because he wondered how Baba could anticipate that they were coming towards him with his eyes closed. Blacky really thought that Baba was a great magician.
Baba gave a talisman to Blacky in return of Rs. 100 and said that if he wore the talisman around his neck and chanted “IdamPudamSudam” 100 times a day, he would pass his exams with good marks. Blacky thanked him and returned home. He became free of tension and chanted “IdamPudamSudam” 101 times a day.
Many other classmates of Blacky also went to Baba to buy the talisman. Some shelled out from their pocket money, while some others borrowed money from friends. Cheeku the Rabbit did not believe in having blind faith or superstitions. He felt sorry that so many school students were wasting money on a talisman which they believed could fetch them good marks in the exams. His teacher and his parents had explained to him that he could score well in the exams only through hard work. He knew for sure that there was no shortcut to success. Studying hard would only help in achieving good marks.
Cheeku was surprised when he learned that even some parents had gone to Baba to buy the talisman for their children.
Cheeku wanted to make everyone realise that belief in such superstitions results in nothing. He also wanted to expose the fake Baba’s truth to everyone. So he started thinking of ideas. In no time, a very good and efficient idea struck his mind and he went to his friend Fatty the Elephant. Fatty agreed to help him with his plan.
As per the plan, Cheeku and Fatty went to Baba Bhootnath. Cheeku said, “Baba, I have an enemy. Do something so that he gets destroyed.”
Baba Bhootnath had only one solution to all the problems. And that was the talisman and the chant. Baba had to do something different as Cheeku had approached him with a different problem. Baba thus doubled the prize of his talisman and said to Cheeku, “Your problem is different, and so the talisman for you will cost Rs. 200. Also, you shall have to chant ‘Cyclones in plenty, destroy my enemy’ 202 times. Then a cyclone will strike and your enemy will be destroyed.”
Cheeku handed over 200 Rupees to Baba and took the talisman.
Cheeku said, “Baba, I will start chanting right away. I request Fatty and you to count the chants and stop me after I chant 202 times.”
Cheeku started chanting. Baba was worried now. He had thought that Cheeku would leave after taking the talisman but that was not the case. Cheeku was chanting right in front of him.
Baba had no choice but to sit there. He then thought of a plan. He thought that when Cheeku would finish chanting, he would send him to see his enemy. And as soon as Cheeku would leave, he would escape too.
No sooner did Cheeku finish chanting, than Baba said, “Go and see your enemy. He must have been destroyed by now.”
Cheeku said, “No Baba, my enemy is still alive. What you said did not happen. Your talisman and your chant are a sham. My enemy is right in front of me. I wanted to destroy you because you are my enemy.”
“What are you saying?” asked Baba.
Cheeku said, “You are a liar and a cheat and such a person is not only my enemy but the entire society’s enemy. People like you fool everyone and cheat them. You have no virtue to be called a saint. Return my money right away.”
Baba threatened Cheeku, ”You talk a lot. Leave from here or I shall turn you into ashes.”
“Oh liar Baba!” said Fatty, “Stop threatening. You are not competent enough to do anything. Let me show you what I can do.”
Fatty lifted Baba in his trunk and threw him on the nearby bush. Baba landed with a thud. By then all the animals of Champakvan had gathered there.
Baba got up and started running away from the crowd to save his life. But unfortunately, he was caught by the animals. They handed him over to the police.
Baba Bhootnath’s fraud had been exposed. All the animals were ashamed of themselves. They appreciated and thanked Cheeku and Fatty for confronting them with the truth. They also swore that they would never fall prey to such false claims and superstitions.
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