“Grr-rr-Grr-rr! Good-day to you, my friend,” growled the bear. “And may I ask what you are doing with that large bundle of wood?”
“I cut it for my wife,” answered the woodman. “You see, she would not cook me any dinner unless I brought her the wood. Today she has made me khichri for dinner and I know that when she sees this large load of wood, she will give me a generous portion. Oh, just smell that khichri; it is delicious!”
This made the bear very hungry and so he growled, “Do you think that your wife would give me some khichri, if I brought her some wood?”
“Maybe she might, if you brought her a very large load,” answered the man.
After a long discussion, the bear agreed to bring in half a cord of wood, if the man would save him some of the khichri.
“Half a cord is a very large load of wood,” grumbled the bear.
“But there is saffron and rice and pulse and butter in the khichri. It is a very expensive dish,” said the woodman.
The bear licked his chops at this and his bright little eyes gleamed with greed.
“It is a bargain,” he cried. “I will bring you half a cord of wood, so go home and tell your wife to keep the khichri hot, for I shall be with you soon.”
The woodman went home and told his wife about his bargain with the bear. “Half a cord of wood is good pay for a share of our dinner,” said the man.