Literacy International - The Happy People - Story about hunger and stealing

Jul 17, 2026

Upload by Liam

Literacy International: The Happy People tells how Moon and Baroy, longtime friends working in rice fields, face relentless hardship and hunger. When their work foreman steals rice and warns them to stay silent, Moon later learns his mother suffers because even basic food is scarce. Inspired by an open storeroom window, they take rice, sell it to the foreman, and begin to treat theft like a habit. Falang discovers the loss, catches Baroy, and leaves the community facing consequences.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryStory & Novel

FormatPDF

Pages34

Reading Time52 min

Story Summary

Friends and hardship

The stolen rice plan

Consequences and capture

Literacy International: The Happy People Copyright © 2018 Literacy International [info@LiteracyInternational.net](info@LiteracyInternational.net) English Spiritual Literacy International: The Happy People Copyright © 2018 Literacy International [info@LiteracyInternational.net](info@LiteracyInternational.net) English Copyright © 2018, Literacy International [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/](http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) You are free to make commercial use of this work. You may adapt and add to this work, but you may distribute the resulting work only under the same or similar license to this one. You must keep the copyright and credits for authors, illustrators, etc. Moon and Baroy were old friends who had played together when small. Now they worked together in the rice fields. Work never stops for the poor. One day they saw their work foreman steal half a bag of rice at the rice mill. He noticed them and warned them not to tell anyone. “That’s a quick way to get rich,” said Baroy, rubbing his sore back. Moon, who was busy carving a small wooden boat, nodded his head but said nothing. That evening at home Moon saw his mother crying because his father had beaten her.“He said the food was tasteless,” she sobbed,“but what can I do? I have no salt!” Moon went to bed hungry, for indeed the food was tasteless. As he lay down he remembered people he had watched at big feasts. On his way to work the next day he noticed a small window in Farmer Falang’s storeroom, slightly open. He thought about it. As Moon and Baroy ate their cold lunch, Moon told Baroy about the open window.“Falang has plenty of rice. He wouldn’t miss a little of it,” he said. They agreed to meet that night and try to get in the storeroom. It was easy to get in the storeroom and get some of Falang’s rice. They sold it to their foreman, who laughed but said nothing. They went back to take more rice.“It’s like a habit,”Baroy said to Moon.“It’s hard to stop.” “Falang has plenty.“He won’t miss it,” Baroy answered.“Now we have plenty, too,” he laughed, holding up his new watch. But Falang found out he had lost much rice. He kept a watch at night and caught Baroy. Moon ran away. As Baroy was led off to jail Falang wailed,“How will my wife and I live now that our stores have been taken?”

FAQs

Who are the main characters in The Happy People?

The story centers on Moon and Baroy, old friends who work together in the rice fields.

What event leads Moon and Baroy to steal rice?

Moon notices an open window in Farmer Falang’s storeroom and, along with Baroy, decides to try to take rice.

How does the story end for Baroy?

Falang watches at night, catches Baroy, and Moon runs away; Baroy is led off to jail.

Jul 17, 2026

Upload by Liam