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Dear Children,

Today’s story is called ‘Secret Owner’.

A bag has been stolen but nobody admits to stealing it.

How will the Arachchi find the real thief?

Let's begin…

One day, Abaron stole a bag. It had a rooster inside it.

He hid the bag in a tree and went into the forest.

Aaron and Baaron saw Abaron stealing the bag.

They wanted to teach him a lesson. They took the bag from the tree. Abaron saw Aaron and Baaron taking the bag he had hidden in the tree. He went up to them, but he was scared to ask for the bag. Aaron and Baaron began walking away from the forest. Abaron followed them.

The three of them came near a stream. “I will take the bag across,” said Aaron. “No! The bag might fall into the stream,” said Abaron.

“Yes, the bag is quite heavy,” agreed Aaron. He winked at Baaron.

“It might sink.” “Let’s cut the bag into two parts,” said Baaron.

“No!” shouted Abaron. “Don’t cut the bag.”

“Go where you have to go,” said Baaron. “We will certainly cut the bag in two.” Abaron was worried about the rooster.

He began shouting, “Thieves! Thieves! They stole my bag. Catch them!” Hearing Abaron’s cry, the Arachchi came running with his assistant. “Whose bag is this?” he asked them. Aaron and Baaron winked at Arachchi. He understood. They all said, “It’s not ours.”

“Is that so? Then throw the bag into the stream,” ordered Arachchi.

His assistant threw the bag into the stream.

“Oh no!” shouted Abaron, and jumped into the stream.

The rooster came tumbling out. Abaron had fallen for Arachchi’s trick.

The End

Access the full story with illustrations via Room to Read’s Literacy Cloud.