SAVED BY FRIENDS

SAVED BY FRIENDS

Gundu Ram was a young boy who loved eating. His house was surrounded by fields of green vegetables and juicy fruits. But Gundu loved French fries, chocolates, icecreams, samosas, cutlets.... ad he ate them all the time.

Soon Gundu was very big and fat. Many in school teased him. One day, he escaped into the fields, ad sat down there, sulking.

Suddenly, before him stood a radiant lady. She was green in color and wore clothes and jewels  made of vegetables! She said, "I am Shakambari, the Goddess of the Gardens."

Gundu shared his problem with her. She said, "Let me introduce you to some friends. They have helped many children become strong and healthy. They will help you too. For some time, you will be able to hear them talk! Come along!"

She first walked him through a tomato patch. The cheery red tomatoes greeted him excitedly, "Hello Gudu! We are rich in Vitamin C. If you have us, you can avoid colds, coughs and many other problems. 

Next they crossed a patch that looked empty. Shakambari said, "This is a veggie patch - the potatoes are below the ground". Suddenly Gudu heard them, "Hi, Gundu! Everyone loves us. But most people make a mistake. They like us fried but that way we lose all the good in us. When boiled or baked, we have lots of potassium, calcium, iron, iodine, vitamin C and many more good things."

Gundu felt bad - he had eaten so much of potatoes, but he had missed all the good in them. he told them, "From now on I will eat you in the right way.

Shakambari led him further to the pumpkin patch. The pumpkin spoke to him, "I have countless vitamins in me. My juice cleans the stomach and throws out the fat. So if you eat me, in time you will lose your extra fat!".

Shakambari and Gundu visited vegetable after vegetable. Each had a wonderful tale to tell. Finally Shakambari gave him a juicy hug and said to him, " I have to go now and help other children like you. Keep enjoying your friends from the fields. Soom you will be healthy and happy." And she vanished.

Once again the vegetable patches became silent. But now Gundu knew that the veggies were his best friends. He began to enjoy vegetables - boiled, baked and raw. He also enjoyed chips and chocolates but he ate them less that before. Soon, by eating right, he became taller, slimmer and stronger.