English Short Story “Who is Unlucky ” English Story for Class 10 and Class 12

Who is Unlucky 

Four friends were going to a village for business purposes. They were all educated but were very superstitious. Just as they were going to cross the bridge over a river, a stranger happened to come and meet them. He introduced himself and said that his name was Bunty. Bunty requested the four friends to take him also along with them. He said that he was absolutely alone in the world and he had no one to count on. He also said that if  they kept him in their company, he would prove to  be always helpful to them.

The four friends accepted his request. But no sooner had they reached the middle of the bridge, than it began raining.

It had become absolutely dark. Nothing was visible. They crossed the bridge with  great difficulty. They began searching for a safe place, where they could take shelter to save themselves.

Suddenly there was a flash and a zig-zag of forked lightning followed by sheet lightning causing a flash across a large area of the sky. They were frightened to death. In the flash of lightning they saw a hut a at little  distance. All of them rushed and entered the hut.

Now they were feeling a little secured.

Thinking that the lightning  wanted to take one life in sacrifice, and it could be anyone’s life, they decided to go out one by one. And the one, who was most unlucky, would be sacrificed by the lightning. Or else everyone’s life would be periled.

Everyone agreed on this point. The four friends didn’t ask Bunty to go out first. One of the four friends went out first. He stayed in the open for a few moments; there was a flash of lightning, but he remained unharmed and returned unscathed. Then the second one went out and returned without sustaining any harm. The third one also came back safe. Now it was the turn of the fourth one. He was afraid of going out, but he had to ,as per agreement. He went in the open field with certain amount of trepidation. But he too came back safe. He returned with his heart still pounding.

Now all the four friends were very happy to think that the lightning had not devoured any of them as a sacrifice and it was Bunty who was to be sacrificed at the altar of lightning. They pushed him out of the hut. Suddenly there was a flash of lighting; but it struck the hut, not Buntry.

All the four friends were charred to death. The four friends were thinking that the misfortune had come in the form of Bunty but they failed to realize that Bunty was their savior. So long as Bunty remained with them, they were safe, but as soon as came out of the hut, they were struck by lightning.    

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