Mr. Maths suddenly realized that zero was missing. ``where’s Zero?’’ he asked the other numbers. They looked around, but Zero was not be found. One, two and three went outside into the garden to search from him. Four, five and six went on to the roof to look for him. Eight and nine looked for him under the tables and chairs. Nine finally found Zero covered up in bed, sobbing aloud.

One seeing nine, zero burst out, ``I know I am of use. I don’t have any value. Everyone looks down on me, I wish I where of some use.

Nine led zero by the hand to Mr. Maths. ``why were you hiding, zero?’’ asked Mr. Maths. Nine said, ``sir, he thinks nobody value him and that he’s useless’’. Mr. Maths called zero to him. He put his arm around the sad number and said, ``zero, don’t you know your value?’’

Mr. Maths told one to stand at a particular place and then asked zero to stand next to him. `` see zero, with out you, one is of very little value, but once you’re next to him, his value increases ten times.’’. Mr. Maths called zero’s brother and made him to stand next to zero and one. ``now one is a hundred times more valuable’’. Mr. .Maths made many zero to stand in a similar way, increasing the value of one, to hundred, thousand, and ten thousand, a lakh and more.

Mr. Maths, saw zero’s face light up with confidence again, ``we all have a value, zero, no one is useless.’’

Zero was never unhappy again.

Everyone is important in the world. A field cannot be ploughed without a farmer. A building cannot be built without the laborers. Industries cannot be run without workers. At the same time, it is true that it is people, who buy the father’s again and it is the rich who pay the laborers and workers with their wealth. They need each other.

We should not look down on anybody. Each one of us should play our part to the best of our ability. However insignificant one is, when we join hands with others, the value of each of us increases. We work better when we work together and then the world will be a better place to live in.