The child who told the truth

Told in English, Telugu.

In a little village beside the Godavari river, there lived a girl named Chinni. Chinni was four years old. She had two small plaits, a red ribbon, and a big round ball.

Chinni lived with Amma, Nanna and her Ammamma. Ammamma had a clay pot. It was round and brown, and it sat in the corner of the kitchen. Every morning Ammamma filled it with cool water. "Water from this pot tastes the sweetest," Ammamma always said.

One afternoon, Amma said, "Chinni, play with your ball outside, in the yard." But the sun was very hot. So Chinni played inside. Bounce, bounce, bounce went the ball. Bounce, bounce, and then, oh no! The ball rolled into the kitchen. It bumped the clay pot. Crack! Water spilled all over the floor. Splish, splash.

Chinni's heart went thump, thump. She looked at the cracked pot. She looked at the water. Then she looked at Pilli, the grey cat, sleeping near the door.

A little thought came into Chinni's head. "I could say Pilli did it," she whispered. "Pilli cannot talk. Nobody will know."

But Chinni did not feel happy. Her tummy felt heavy, as if a stone was sitting inside it. Then she remembered the little song Ammamma always sang to her. Tell the truth, tell it true, and your heart will feel light too.

Just then, Ammamma came into the kitchen. "Ayyo! What happened to my pot?" she said.

Chinni looked at Pilli. Pilli opened one sleepy eye. Chinni took a big, brave breath. "Ammamma," she said in a small voice, "I played with my ball inside. The ball hit your pot. I broke it. I am sorry."

Can you guess what Ammamma did? She did not shout. She knelt down and hugged Chinni tight.

"Thank you for telling me the truth, my bangaram," said Ammamma. "A pot can break, and we can buy a new pot. But a true heart is worth more than all the pots in the world."

And guess what? Chinni's tummy did not feel heavy anymore. It felt light, light as a feather. Tell the truth, tell it true, and your heart will feel light too.

Together, they wiped the floor. Chinni helped with a small cloth, rubbing round and round. Pilli watched them with her sleepy eyes, and then went back to sleep.

On Sunday, Ammamma and Chinni walked to the village market to see Ramayya the potter. He had so many pots, big ones and small ones, all in neat rows. Chinni chose a new round brown pot for Ammamma.

Ammamma told Ramayya how Chinni had spoken the truth. Ramayya smiled a big smile. "Such a brave girl deserves a gift," he said. And he gave Chinni a tiny clay pot, just her size.

When they came home, Chinni filled her tiny pot with water and put it next to Ammamma's big one. "From now on," said Chinni, "I will play with my ball in the yard." Ammamma laughed and kissed her forehead.

That night, Ammamma sang the little song again, soft and slow. Can you sing it with me? Tell the truth, tell it true, and your heart will feel light too.

Now close your eyes, little one, light as a feather. Good night.