The Blue Umbrella

by Ruskin Bond

As soon as Binya saw the blue umbrella, she wanted it so badly that she was willing to give up her lucky leopard's claw pendant in exchange. Non on in the village had such a fine umbrella, and everywhere Binya went, the umbrella went too. There were many who envied Binya her treasured possession, and the most envious of them all was old Ram Bharosa, the shopkeeper, who decided that he must own the blue umbrella, by means fair or foul.