Summary

Six year-old Rakesh walks home from the Mussoorie bazaar while eating cherries from the Kashmir Valley. Rakesh lives with his grandfather on the outskirts of Mussoorie where the forest begins, and his parents live in a small village. Rakesh’s parents sent him away to go to school. He brings what remains of his cherries home and shares with his grandfather. Rakesh asks if cherry pits are lucky and Grandfather tells him to plant it and see. Rakesh plants the seed and forgets all about it after.

After winter and spring both pass by, Rakesh finds a root in the garden and calls Grandfather to see the cherry tree. Rakesh looks at the tree every day but this discourages him because he cannot see the growth. When he leaves the tree alone for a week, he discovers how much it does grow. A...