First Position Peasant Girl in School

Written by: Nasratullah Samim

Once upon a time, there was a big jungle far from the village and many animals were living in it among them were some monkeys too.

One day an old monkey, who was the doctor of the jungle animals gathered all monkeys and told them that she is too old and could not continue her job as a doctor. She said that she wants to train a doctor in a special class and she wanted the monkeys to enroll in the class. She added that whoever gets the highest score in the exam, she would be appointed as the doctor of the jungle.

Meanwhile, Sisley, the daughter of a farmer monkey arrived and asked the old monkey if she could participate in the class. Other monkeys mocked her and said that she is the daughter a farmer and she is always working with her mother in the field and she would not able to learn anything in the class but the old monkey accepted her request.

Next day, all monkeys were going to the class with notebooks and pens but Sisley did not have anything with herself. She cut a reed from the pond. Her classmates, Gray and Piebald monkeys asked about the reed. Sisley said that she does not have a pen and she wants to use the reed as a pen. Piebald asked her about the ink and notebook. Sisley said that she would prepare them too.

She prepared ink from some wildflowers and took a leaf of banana as a paper and she went to the class.

The old monkey (now the teacher) started her teaching and asked the students to write in their notebooks. All students were writing in their notebooks but Sisley was writing on banana leaf. During writing, she tore the banana leaf and she became very sad. The teacher asked to bring another leaf of banana next day and she would repeat the lesson for her.

Sisley was always with trouble with the ink and banana leaves but she was learning better than her classmates but her classmates were always mocking her for not having a pen and a notebook.

The result day arrived and all the students were waiting for the introducing of the new doctor. Gray was proud of herself and was saying that she would get the position of the doctor and Piebald was expecting the post for herself. The teacher said that Sisley has won the highest score and she introduced her as the doctor of the animals.

Sisley's classmates congratulated and appreciated her hard-working with her mother and getting the high score in the class.