Back to: CBSE Class 6 English Summary & Notes
Table of Contents
Introduction
This chapter tells the story of a young boy named Taro and the magical waterfall he finds. Taro works hard to fulfil the wishes of his poor parents and he is rewarded in the end.
Summary
Taro lived with his old parents in a secluded hut on the hillside. He was a poor but hardworking woodcutter. He was also a caring son. He wished to fulfil all the wishes of his mother and father, but his earnings were not enough to do so.
One cold evening, Taro’s father expressed his wish to have some saké in order to feel warm. But the family was too poor to be able to afford the expensive drink. Taro felt sad and resolved to work harder in order to earn more.
The next day, Taro woke up earlier than usual and was determined to work harder than before. He cut wood all day and did not even stop for rest. After an exhausting day of labour, he felt thirsty. A sound of flowing water reached his ears and he looked around for the source of the sound. He was amazed to find a waterfall.
As he began to drink from the waterfall to quench his thirst, he found that the liquid was not plain water, but saké. Elated at his discovery of the magical waterfall, he took a pitcherful of the fine wine to his father.
The old man relished the drink. He even offered it to a visitor, who then spread the story of the waterfall in the entire village. As Taro reached the spot of the waterfall the next morning, he found the villagers gathered around it. He watched them complain about being cheated as the liquid was only cold water.
After the disappointed villagers left, Taro tasted the liquid again and found it to be the same fine saké from the previous day. On hearing about this miracle, the Emperor of Japan was impressed by the boy’s dedication and rewarded him with twenty pieces of gold. This brought happiness and fulfilment in Taro’s life.
Conclusion
This is the story of the magical waterfall that not only gave Taro a gift of fine wine, but also earned him the reward of valuable gold from the Emperor. This is because the world rewards only those who are honest and loving. It proves that the virtues of honesty and hard work are always rewarded.
