You Reap What You Sow

Nandu and Chandu were friends since their childhood days. They lived close to each other in their small village of Devapura. They were both farmers and their farmlands were close to each other. As their friendship grew they decided to do farming together. As other members of their respective families were friends too, they all used to live like one big happy family. By the corner of their farmland, they had cultivated vegetables and fruits as well. They used to go on the night vigil together in order to protect their fields from stray animals. They were happy to spend those dark, cold nights in each other's company and kept themselves entertained by telling stories and cracking jokes with each other. After harvesting, they went to the market together for selling the cereals and vegetables and then divided the money equally among themselves. And in this way, their friendship grew even close.

One day Chandu's brother-in-law, who was a farmer living in the adjacent village, came to visit him. He told Chandu about the chemical fertilisers and pesticides which can be used to increase the productivity and prevent the loss of crops due to insects and pests attack. And the increase in crop production means increased flow of money into his kitty. Chandu liked the idea very much. He had absolutely fallen for it and even started dreaming of becoming rich. After his brother-in-law has left, he called Nandu and discussed the idea with him. Nandu was alarmed when he came to know about it.

"Don't you know how harmful they are!" He said in utter disbelief, "We are farmers Chandu. We provide food for the people and not venom. And don't forget we also eat a share of what we are cultivating."

"Don't be an emotional fool Nandu," Chandu shrugged casually, "everybody is using these things to increase productivity and make more money. As for us, we will cultivate cereals and vegetables separately for our family using bio-manure. And we will be safe."

Nandu stared at him in utter disbelief with a widely gaped mouth.

"Think of it Nandu," Chandu's mean eyes fixed themselves on him, "Don't you wish to give your family a luxurious life. Don't you want to give your kids better education and a bright future. We need money for all that!"

"Of-course, "Nandu nodded, "I do wish to do so, but not by serving death in the form of food."

"Fine!" Chandu burst out, "you can do what you wish to, but on your land. I am going to do what I have already decided."

"What?" Nandu said in a teary voice, "are you going to break all bonds with me? How could you do so, Chandu? How could you be so mean?"

"I will definitely do what I feel is right. And if you don't find it worth accepting then you can leave."

"Okay," Nandu said as he drew a deep breath, "but don't forget one thing Chandu - you will reap what you sow!"

With these last words the friends walked out on each other. Chandu brought huge sacks of chemical fertilisers and mixed them deliberately with the soil of his land. His productivity multiplied by many times that year and his crops were being envied by the whole village. His vegetables grew larger than their usual size owing to the effect of the fertilisers and fetched him more money as they weighed more. And in this way, within a few years Chandu became the richest man in the whole village. He was now addressed by the villagers as Lord Chandrashekhar Iyyer. Nandu and his family continued the old agricultural practices and hence had to satisfy with a meagre income. But Nandu was proud of himself that he didn't do anything wrong, out of greed.

They grew old as years passed by and their children grew up. Nandu went to invite Chandu for his daughter's marriage but had to face sneer contempt. Chandu strictly instructed his family members not to take part in the marriage of the daughter of a "poor farmer". On his son's wedding, Chandu didn't even card to invite Nandu who lived so close to him.

Two more years passed and it was the first birthday of Chandu's grandson. Everyone was busy with the preparation of the celebration. And hence, no one noticed when the baby crawled out of the house and went to the store in the backyard. The store was full of numerous sacks of poisonous chemical fertilisers. As the baby was hungry and all others were too busy to feed him, he pulled open one of the sacks. He saw white coloured powder spill down on the floor near him. His eyes glowed out of pleasure as he thought it was sugar. The baby happily ate it all.

When it was time to cut the cake, everyone enquired for the baby. They searched every nook and corner of the enormous bungalow but there was no sign of him. As they were thinking of reporting to the police, they saw the door of the store room lying ajar. They all rushed into it, at once. But it was too late by then. They all burst out crying as they found the baby lying dead on the floor due to poisoning.

At that very moment, Chandu realised his mistake. He ran back to Nandu and fell on his feet. Nandu pulled him up, hugged him and shed a few tears himself out of the grief of losing the innocent baby.

"You were right Nandu," Chandu said sobbing on his shoulder, "today I have reaped what I have been sowing all these years!"

Afterwards, Chandu never made use of poisonous chemicals to grow crops. He used only the biomanure. They both started farming together once again and were happy like those good old days.