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An old man paid 50 paise and selected six discs. He added up the numbers on them and found the total was 15. He was given the article marked 15, which was a beautiful clock. But the old man did not want a clock. The shopkeeper obliged him by buying it back for 15 rupees. The old man went away very pleased.
Then a boy, a little older than I, tried his luck. He got a comb worth 25 paise. The shopkeeper looked neither happy nor sad. He bought the comb from the boy for 25 paise. The boy tried his luck again. He now got a fountain-pen worth three rupees. Then he tried a third time and got a wrist watch worth 25 rupees. When he tried again he got a table lamp worth more than 10 rupees. The boy was happy and went away with a smile and a good deal of cash.
Then a boy, a little older than I, tried his luck. He got a comb worth 25 paise. The shopkeeper looked neither happy nor sad. He bought the comb from the boy for 25 paise. The boy tried his luck again. He now got a fountain-pen worth three rupees. Then he tried a third time and got a wrist watch worth 25 rupees. When he tried again he got a table lamp worth more than 10 rupees. The boy was happy and went away with a smile and a good deal of cash.
I wanted to try my luck too. I looked at Bhaiya. He encouraged me. I paid 50 paise and took six discs. My luck was not too good. I got two pencils. The shopkeeper bought them from me for 25 paise. I tried again. This time I got a bottle of ink, also of little value. The shopkeeper bought that too for 25 paise. I took a chance for the third time. Still luck was not with me.
I had hopes of winning a big prize and continued to try my luck again and again, paying 50 paise each time. But every time I got a trifle. At last I was left with only 25 paise. Again the shopkeeper showed his kindness. He said I could either play once more with 25 paise or settle the account then and there. I played again and the last 25 paise also disappeared.
Explanation:
An old man came to play the game in the lucky shop. He paid \(50\) paise and selected six discs on the table. The old man added up the numbers of all the six discs, and the total was \(15\), he received a beautiful clock as a gift. He did not like the clock, so he sold it back to the shopkeeper who offered to buy it back for Rs. \(15\). He went away happily. 
Rasheed tried his luck again and again hoping that his luck would become better. He continued the game by paying \(50\) paise each time, but each time he tried, he got an object with a little value. Finally, he was left with only \(25\) paise. The shopkeeper, being generous, offered him one last attempt or to settle his account. Rasheed decided to play again and he lost his last \(25\) paise as well. 
The next customer to the lucky shop was a boy was slightly older than Rasheed. The boy tried his luck, and so he got a comb worth \(25\) paise. The face of the shopkeeper looks neither happy nor sad. So, the boy sold back to the shopkeeper who offered to buy it back for \(25\) paise. Again, the boy tried and got a fountain-pen worth Rs. \(3\). When the boy tried for the third time, he got a wristwatch worth Rs. \(25\). The boy again tried his luck, and he got a table lamp worth more than Rs. \(10\). The boy got more gifts from the shop, and so he also went away happily.
25 paise
After seeing the old man and the boy winning a lot of gifts from the lucky shop, Rasheed also desired to try his luck. Bhaiya also motivated Rasheed to give it a try. Rasheed paid \(50\) paise and chose six discs from the table. He got two pencils at his first try, and it was not too good for him. The shopkeeper offered to buy it back for \(25\) paise for the two pencils. Rasheed tried again and got an ink bottle worth of a little value. Rasheed again sold it back to the shopkeeper who had bought it back for \(25\) paise. He tried again, but his luck was not good.
50 paise
Glossary from the paragraphs \(5\)-\(8\) of "A Game of Chance":
No. | Words | Meanings |
1. | Pleased | Happy, delighted |
2. | Bought | Buy/ To get something by paying money for it |
3. | A good deal of cash | A large amount of money |
4. | Obliged | To do a favour/To be helpful |
5. | Encourage | To inspire/To motivate |
6. | A trifle | An object with a little value |
7. | Kindness | Being generous |
Reference:
National Council of Educational Research and Training (2006). Honeysuckle. A Game of Chance (pp. 99-108). Published at the Publication Division by the Secretary, National Council of Educational Research and Training, Sri Aurobindo Marg, New Delhi.
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