Boy Who Hated Vegetables


Balbir was very fond of chocolates. He also loved the tasty dishes his mother made. However, he would never eat any vegetables...
Bangalore | India


Balbir was very fond of chocolates. He also loved the tasty dishes his mother made. However, he would never eat any vegetables. His mother would get angry - but for any vegetable dish Balbir would always say a loud NO!

“Look at these peas, Balbir! They taste so nice with paneer!” his mother would say. But Balbir would merely shake his head!

Name any vegetable and Balbir would turn his face away. He would not look at even gajar halwa topped with nuts and raisins.

Balbir’s father and mother would get very angry. But all the vegetables would feel more angry and hurt. “Balbir does not like me. I also do not like him,” growled Mr. Potato, one day.

“See how he hates me!” cried Carrot Tops angrily. “I would like to spank the fellow!” said Miss Bhindi. “And I know how to deal with this stubborn boy!” Mr. Karela said with a naughty smile. By the time dinner was already all the vegetables had worked out their plan.

Balbir was fond of mutton curry. When the curry was brought to the table, he greedily put a piece of mutton in his mouth. “Yuk! This meat is bitter!” he cried. He did not know that Mr. Karela had squeezed his juice on his plate.

“Rubbish!” his father shouted.

But Balbir said, “It is really bitter, Papa,” and asked for custard. When the custard was being brought, a cauliflower threw a big lump of salt into it. Balbir put a spoonful of custard in his mouth. He found it so salty that he could not swallow it. “The custard is salty, Mummy!”

But his mother and father did not believe him. All he got was a spanking for being such a grumpy boy. Balbir remained hungry. In the middle of the night, Balbir crept hungrily to the fridge. He took out a slab of chocolate and took a big bite. But his tongue burnt because the vegetables had rubbed chilies on the chocolate.

His mouth burning, Balbir turned to a big bowl of gajar halwa. He put a spoonful in his mouth. “Aha!” The halwa tested so sweet and nice! He took another spoonful and then another. It surprised him that gajar halwa could be so tasty. And he had always refused to eat it! He liked it so much that he ate up all the halwa in the bowl.

Next morning, Balbir’s mother opened the fridge to take out milk for making tea. She found the bowl of gajar halwa empty. “Who has eaten the gajar halwa?” she asked.

“I ate it, Mummy!” Balbir said.

“You! You hate vegetables, do you not?” “Yes, Mummy, I did hate vegetables. But I don’t any more!”

Balbir’s mother was happy. “Good boy,” she said and hugged him.