Page 28 - CORNICE GRADE V

LITERATURE CARNIVAL•CORNICE •GRADE V
Page 23

TIGER BOY

Characters:

Neel
Viju

Ajay
Headmaster

Baba

Rupa
Ma

Narrator 1: Gupta, afraid of being caught by the police, had completely vanished from the
island with his half-finished house that stood near the tamarind tree.

Narrator 2: Viju’s father started fishing and would hunt for honey when it came for the
season and Viju came back for the last few weeks of school, and he was welcomed with
open arms.

Viju: I might as well pass out of Grade 5 with you two dummies.

Neel and Ajay: *Laugh*

Narrator 3: Meanwhile, Neel and Headmaster continued having Math sessions.

Headmaster, sometimes, got frustrated and would shout at Neel and leave the room in
pure disgust, or crumpled his paper when he got angry. Sometimes he made Neel solve
the same problem 10 times before he was sure Neel understood it.

Headmaster: Wrong! Do it again! NOW! NOW!

Neel: (*groaning*) This is probably the hardest thing I have ever done. But, I mustn’t give
up because this might be a chance to prove myself and make Baba and Ma happy by
winning the scholarship! The Headmaster will also be so proud of me if I win the
scholarship .

Narrator 1: Neel worked hard studying Maths, and with great effort, managed to untangle
some mysteries of Algebra and Geometry in his brain. The day of the exam was coming
closer.

Narrator 2: Neel and Baba went off to go to the ferry, where it would take them to the
scholarship area. Baba drank tea and talked with the other parents, while Neel worked on
his chair and worked for 4 hours, ignoring all the pain, for he knew that it was worth it.
*After the exam*

Baba: How was the exam son?