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Summary
Nagendra was an orphan. He was jobless but very clever and had learned many things by observing his father. One day a brilliant idea struck him. He went to the town and hired a small place to set up a shop. He hung a board over his shop which said ‘Wisdom for sale’. Also, he called out that all kinds of wisdom were available at reasonable rates. But, people who heard him laughed at him and did not buy even a single piece of wisdom.
One day, Babu, the son of Gupta, a rich merchant, passed by Nagendra’s shop. He heard Nagendra’s shouts. Babu was a foolish boy. He did not know the meaning of wisdom. He thought it was a vegetable or a thing. And, he asked Nagendra what it would cost per kg. Nagendra replied that he did not sell wisdom by weight, but he sold it by quality. Babu put down a nickel and asked Nagendra to give him a nickel’s worth of wisdom.
YOU ARE READING: THE BOY WHO SOLD WISDOM Chapter 2 Summary OF Karnataka Board Class 8 English Prose
Nagendra wrote, “It is not wise to stand and watch two people fighting” on a piece of paper and gave it to Babu. Babu went home and showed his father what he had bought for a nickel. His father scolded him for wasting money on a useless thing. He went to Nagendra, scolded him, and demanded his money back for he had cheated his son. He even threatened to call the police. Nagendra said he would return the money if Gupta gave back his wisdom.
Gupta threw a scrap of paper at him and asked him to give back the money. Nagendra said, it was only a piece of paper and not the advice he had given Babu. He told Gupta that if he signed a document to the effect that his son would never use his advice and that he would stand and watch people fighting, he would return the money. Gupta did so and went back.
The King of that land had two queens. There was a rivalry between them. Their maids also hated each other. One day the two maids went to the same shop and wanted to buy the same pumpkin. A quarrel started and it became very fierce. Babu, who wanted to honor the contract, went there and stood watching the quarrel. The two maids saw him and each of them asked him to be her witness.
YOU ARE READING: THE BOY WHO SOLD WISDOM Chapter 2 Summary OF Karnataka Board Class 8 English Prose
The maids went back to the palace and reported the matter to their mistresses. The queens complained to the king. Each of them sent word to Babu that he was the witness on her side. They even threatened to get his head chopped off if he did not speak in their favor. Babu and his father were frightened. They went to Nagendra and asked for his wisdom. Nagendra took five hundred rupees and advised Babu to pretend insanity.
When the king sent for him, Babu went to the court. He behaved as if he was mad. When questions were asked he uttered nonsensical words. The king lost his patience and sent him away. Babu was very happy. He told everyone about Nagendra’s wisdom. Nagendra became very famous.
Gupta was worried that his son had to behave like a mad boy always. If not, the king would find out the truth and punish him. So, he went with his son to Nagendra and sought his help. Nagendra took another five hundred rupees from them. He advised Babu to go to the king when he is in a good mood and tell him the truth. Babu found the king in a happy mood and told him everything. The king laughed and forgave him.
The king, who came to know about Nagendra, sent for him and asked him if he had any wisdom to sell. Nagendra replied he had plenty of wisdom and would sell it to the king for a hundred thousand rupees. The king paid him the money. Nagendra wrote on a paper ‘Think deeply before you do anything and gave it to the king.
YOU ARE READING: THE BOY WHO SOLD WISDOM Chapter 2 Summary OF Karnataka Board Class 8 English Prose
The king got the advice embroidered on his pillow and engraved on his cups and plates. After a few months, the king fell ill. The minister and one of the queens had been planning to kill the king. They bribed the doctor and asked him to poison the king’s medicine. The doctor mixed poison in the medicine and brought it to the king in a golden cup. The king lifted the cup and saw the words engraved on it. He looked at the medicine thoughtfully for a long time.
The doctor felt nervous. He thought that the king had come to know of his treachery. He fell at the king’s feet and begged for mercy. The king, who came to know about the conspiracy, banished the doctor and awarded a death sentence to the minister and his queen. He realized that Nagendra’s advice had saved his life. He made Nagendra his minister and honored him.