Last Monday our principal granted us a one-day holiday because our class had shown brilliant results in the annual examinations. The day was cloudy and a pleasant breeze was blowing across.
Raju, Rahul, Jyoti, Alpna, Sweety and I were thinking of visiting the zoo in the afternoon. But when I suggested that we should have a picnic on the bank of a river. All of them welcomed the idea.
We set off on our bicycles (motor-bikes) in high spirits, each carrying a basket. We took the main road. The green fields of wheat and other crops, waving in the breeze, stretched on either side greeted us.
Some farmers were seen cutting grass and binding them into sheaves. How delightful it was to get away from the noisy streets and in the open fresh air.
At last, we reached the river. The water was flowing quietly. We came upon a grassy spot under a large banyan tree. We disembarked our baskets and kettles. We were now tired and hungry. Rahul and I went to gather some dry branches.
Jyoti lit the fire and placed the kettle on it for preparing tea for all of us. Raju opened the baskets. O, what a delicious tea it was I had never tasted one like that before.
We opened our lunch boxes and had a hearty lunch of pastry, cakes, bananas, biscuits, oranges and pooris’. We made merry for hours. We sang, danced, told stories and played cards.
In the afternoon we hired a boat and started rowing downstream, Sweety and I took the oars. Rahul was in a jolly mood He began to sing songs. All of a sudden, he fell into the water rolling over the side of the boat. Next minute, we were all in water, struggling for our lives.
Raju and I could swim. But Rahul was nowhere to be seen We all wondered where he had slipped. But just then, we saw his head rise above the surface of the water. I swam up to him, caught hold of his clothes before he could go down again and pulled him out to the bank.
So it all ended well. Though frightened, we were tired So we took rest for sometime. We returned home late in the evening. We were all thankful to God that the picnic had ended on a happy note
