Once there was a boy called Farhan. He had a huge collection of toys that he had received every year as his birthday gifts from his relatives.

All his friends were jealous because of his amazing toys’ collection but Amir, who lived next door, was the most jealous one! So, he planned to steal a few of them somehow.

After school time, Amir used to go along with Farhan to his house and look for a chance to steal a toy when he was in Farhan’s room -- but Farhan was always with him! A few times Farhan had seen Amir picking up a toy and looking around as if he wanted to take the toy without being seen.

So one day Farhan decided to test him. He told Amir that he was going to Lahore with his parents for a week to attend a cousin’s wedding ceremony. They were to leave the next day at 10am.

Hearing this, Amir started thinking and planning. The house would be empty and he could get in through a small window, that was never locked, at the back of the house. The next day as soon as Farhan and his parents left, he jumped over the wall from his side and got into Farhan’s house. He got in through the small window which opened into a passage next to Farhan’s room. Amir went straight into Farhan’s room and opened the cupboard where Farhan kept all his toys. He got a shock of his life, because instead of the toys he found Farhan sitting there.

“What are you doing here? You were supposed to go to Lahore in the morning?” said a startled Amir.

“I wasn’t going anywhere. I was just testing you as I thought you wanted my toys,” said Farhan who was dismayed at his friend’s behaviour. “You could have asked me to give you a toy instead of stealing it. I would have given one to you gladly.

Stealing is very bad Amir. Promise me you will never do such a thing again. You could have got into trouble if you had been caught by someone else in the house but my parents aren’t here, they had to go to the bank and I just went with them to the nearby store and came back in a couple of minutes to see the ‘real you’!”

Amir begged Farhan not to tell his parents as they would be very upset with him. Farhan said that he would give him another chance, because he was his friend.

Amir was very ashamed of himself and promised never to steal anything again. Amir was ashamed at his behaviour and kept his promise and both the boys became very good friends after that.

Opinion

Editorial

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