Teks

The Miserly Beggar

Long ago there was a king who was passing by a beggar’s hut. The beggar was filled with excitement, not because he was about to see the king but because he thought that the king had expensive jewels and huge sums of money.

He saw the king’s carriage when a kindly man was filling his begging bowl with rice.

Pushing the man aside, he ran into the street, shouting praises of the king and the royal family. The carriage stopped and the king waved to the beggar.

“Who are you?” he asked.

“One of the most unfortunate of your people,” said the beggar. “Poverty sits on my doorstep and follows me like a dog. I haven’t eaten since yesterday afternoon!”

“Have you got nothing for your king, except suffering?” said the king, putting out his hand. “Give me something.”

The miserly beggar, amazed, carefully picked up 5 grains of rice from his bowl and put them on the king’s palm. The king drove away. The beggar was disappointed. He cursed the king again and again for his miserliness.

When he returned home in the evening, he found a bag of rice on the floor.

“Some generous soul has been here,” he thought and took out a handful of rice from the bag. To his astonishment there was a small piece of gold in it. He realized then that the bag had been sent by the king. He emptied the rice on the floor, feeling sure there would be more gold pieces in it, and he was right. He found 5, one for each grain of rice he had given the king.

“It is not the king who has been miserly,” thought the man, sadly. “If I had been generous and given him the whole bowl of rice, I would have been a rich man today.”

To his astonishment there was a small piece of gold in it.
What does the underlined word refer to?
A). A handful of rice.
B). A bag of rice.
C). five grains of rice.
D). A bowl of rice​

Teks