Lesson 1: The ferry boat

“Is there anybody here who has ever crossed a river by a boat?”
“I have, teacher,” said Jamil. “And I clearly remember what happened in that
journey.”
“Would you please tell us what happened,” the teacher asked.
“Okay, teacher. It happened while I was in class 6. On a weekly bazar day, people
were coming back with their shopping bags and baskets in hands, on shoulders and

heads. They had to cross the river. It was not a big river. There was a ferry boat
plying on the river. The boat could cross it in 8-10 minutes. It was just after sunset.
The weather was getting worse. The wind started blowing from the north-west. Black
clouds were fast-moving in the sky.
Everybody was trying to get into the boat. ‘No more, no more, please wait,’ shouted
the boatman. But nobody listened to him.”
“What happened then, Jamil?” asked Rumi.
“With too many people on board, the boat sank in the middle of the river,” replied
Jamil.
“Oh no! What happened then?” asked the teacher. “Thank God. It was not a fatal
accident. All the passengers swam to the other side. But some of them lost their
things such as oil, salt and milk,” said Jamil.
“Were you on the boat?” asked the teacher. “No, teacher. Seeing the boat
overcrowded, I waited for the next time,” replied Jamil.
“You’ve done the right thing, Jamil.”