Sidda worked for Mr Sivasanker’s house as an assistant, performing such duties as washing clothes, tending the garden, running errands, and cutting wood – as well as looking after Leela. For his efforts, he received two meals daily and four rupees monthly.
Leela became fond of him and encouraged her parents to keep him. They hesitated but eventually agreed.
He was given two meals a day and four rupees a month.
Sidda was an excellent servant to the Sivasanker family and was treated well. He cleaned clothes, tended the garden, ran errands, chopped wood, and took care of Leela. Sidda would tell stories to her while playing with a red ball in front of their home and even told Leela stories that made her believe that the moon followed them – something which Leela readily accepted as truthful information.
He was somewhat timid, yet she never showed it. She craved his company and often followed him around the house and garden or woodcutter’s job sites, accompanying him when purchasing sugar and other essentials from market stalls; eventually, Mrs Sivasanker noticed Leela had lost one of her gold chains, which Sidda denied taking, leading him to be taken away to a police station for questioning.
On his return, Sidda was taken into custody and interrogated about where he had worked before he came back into town. Sidda indicated he had left his old master’s house as they had relocated out of town; Mr Sivasanker seemed skeptical; however, Sivasanker’s wife noted that Sidda did not appear to be an unpleasant person and was neat in appearance.
Siva Sanker’s five-year-old daughter Leela took an immediate liking to Sidda and asked her parents if he could stay. Reluctantly, they agreed; in return, he received two meals daily and four rupees every month for his work: washing clothes, tending the garden, running errands, cutting wood, washing dishes, making beds, looking after Leela, and making beds!
Sidda was Leela’s faithful servant, and she loved him deeply; she often refused to go to sleep after she had eaten. Leela would cry out for Sidda to come and play with her, and he would immediately drop whatever he was doing and come running, often telling Leela that he could touch the moon by standing atop a coconut tree!
He was paid for his work.
Sidda earned two meals per day and four rupees monthly in exchange for his work, entertaining Leela with stories of animals in the jungle, gods in heaven, and magicians who could conjure up golden castles. They quickly became close; Sidda would do anything to please Leela, even drop work to meet her directly!
Mrs. Sivasankar, Leela’s mother, noticed Sidda had taken her daughter’s gold chain. Suspicion fell on him, and the matter was reported to the police. Four days later, a constable and inspector brought Sidda back into their house, where Leela ran after them, crying while clasping onto Sidda’s hand as though he were an animal. He stared back silently but without emotion at Leela mutely while keeping their distance.
Mr. Sivasanker had doubts about allowing Sidda into his house due to his criminal record from his past. When asked where he worked before, Sidda told him he worked in a doctor’s house near the market but left because the doctor had left town.
Sidda remembered his brother being able to touch the moon. Thinking he too might be able to do the same, he stood on a coconut tree and tried reaching for it several times, missing several times but not giving up, eventually reaching and touching it!
Sidda would always entertain Leela with amazing stories after dinner, drawing her away to her room to listen while sitting up in bed. Sidda never failed to entertain his audience with tales about animals from the jungle and gods from heaven.
At night, she organized a class for him with a box full of catalogs, illustrated books, and pencil stumps – filled with chronicles she had written herself, illustrated books she’d illustrated herself, and stumps of pencils to teach him from. Her joy in playing teacher was immense – as she instructed him to squat on the floor and copy her writing from catalogues, which proved difficult for him to do; therefore, she increased her efforts towards teaching him effectively. When he couldn’t duplicate them, she felt compassion for his situation while doubling up on efforts toward teaching him effectively.
He was paid for his company.
Sidda was hired as a servant by Mr Sivasanker’s daughter, Leela, when she was five. Sidda performed laundry services, tended the garden, chopped wood, and looked after Leela; over time, the two became close; Leela would cling onto his hand during kitchen tasks or run errands and accompany him when running errands or running errands. To make his time with Leela as enjoyable as possible, he told stories and shared knowledge about nature. He also showed her that the moon always followed him wherever he went, so she believed him entirely.
Sidda would spend his evenings with Leela, playing games together. Leela would call out to him often, even while working, and Sidda would run down to her, and they’d play with a red ball together, she throwing it towards him and him returning it flung back towards her – she asked that it stick like the moon; so Sidda tried his best to show it did so that they could spend quality time.
One day, Leela’s mother came into the kitchen. She asked Sidda to tell her a story, but he could not come up with one; Leela informed him that her gold chain had gone missing, and Sidda said nothing more could be said on that subject.
After being informed of his gold chain’s disappearance, Sidda reported it stolen to police at once. A police inspector explained that Sidda had been to jail a number of times before for theft as he would always look out for jewelry to steal – making arrest easy.
Sidda returned home furious. For his work at Mr Sivasanker’s house, he received two meals per day and four rupees every month as payment; this did not seem sufficient compensation and wanted more. Unfortunately, Sidda was unable to convey his sentiments to Leela; this money did not suffice to provide enough food and clothing for himself and his family while also paying for her education.
He was paid for his drawing.
Sidda was a poor boy who received two meals per day and four rupees each month as payment for his work. Though not exceptional in his profession, Sidda loved playing with Leela and telling her fantastic tales of adventure. Additionally, he believed one could touch the moon simply by standing atop a coconut tree.
Sidda had many duties at Mr. Sivasanker’s household: washing clothes, tending the garden, running errands, and cutting wood for his employer while looking after Leela. He took pride in performing these tasks diligently without ever complaining of their complex nature; on first meeting Mr Sivasanker he found him quite decent-looking and well-organized.
After dinner, Leela refused to go to bed unless Sidda told her a story. Sidda obliged by sitting on the floor near her bed and beginning his engaging tales about animals, gods, and magicians that Leela found so compelling she eventually fell asleep listening.
Mr Sivasanker was struggling with his servant dilemma when he saw Sidda standing outside his gate. After meeting and scrutinizing Sidda, Mr Sivasanker decided to hire him as his domestic help.
At the start of Leela and Sidda’s story, Leela was five years old and their friend. She owned a box stocked with catalogues, illustrated books and pencil stumps that she loved playing teacher with him; ordering him to copy what she wrote or drew; Leela took great pity in his inability to write, so Leela doubled down on her efforts until they taught Sidda how to draw cats and crows!