`Will you please lend me your ladder?’ said Binky to Lucy. ‘’ yes, but bring it back tomorrow,’ said Lucy’.
Binky didn’t. He left the ladder in his shed and forgot to return it. It was a habit with him. He always forgot to return the things he borrowed.
The village people were kind to Binky. They always gave him the things he asked for. But they didn’t like his habit of not caring to return the borrowed things. One could often hear people talking to Binky in this way:
` Where is my lamp? Binky! I want back.’
`Where is my carpet? Binky! Please bring it back.’
And Binky always gave the same answer: `I will return it tomorrow.’ But again he would forget.
`It is too bad,’ said the people to each other. `Binky is always borrowing things but he never brings them back.’
`Borrowing is not good thing,’ said Mrs. Tinkle. `
It is stealing if the things are not given back.’
`We will tell so,’ said Lucy.
Binky was very upset when they told him all this.
`How can you say such a thing to me? He Said. `You know, I am a very honest person. I will sort out all the borrowed things and send them back tomorrow.’
The next day Binky had a cold. E stayed in bed, so nothing was sent back.
Lucy had a good idea.
`I will go to Aunt Jane and ask for a get –back spell.’ Lucy Thought. `She knows how to make such a spell. Then we can get back all over things from Binky!’
Aunt Jane gave Lucy a yellow powder and also told her home magic words: `say these magic words when you blow powder into Binky’s room.’
That next day, Lucy went near Binky’s window. She blew the powder into his room, and also spoke the magic words.
The get –back got into every thing Binky had borrowed. He was surprised when he saw his carpet rush out of the door. He was even more surprised when he saw the lamp and the clock jump off their places.
Lucy had told village people about Aunt Jane’s get –back spell. As soon as they saw the carpet rushing out, they knew that the spell was working well.
` Comes here my carpet!’ said Mrs. Twinkle Joyfully.
`Here is my ladder!’ said Lucy.
`Here is my lamp!’ an old lady Said.
`Here is my armchair!’
`Here is my clock!’
One by one the things came rushing out of Binky’s house. Each one went to its owner. Curtains, tables, pails, kettles, lamps, books, pencils, pens-all of them obeyed the get-back spell. The village people laughed and laughed at this funny sight.
Binky could not understand what was happening. Not even a single thing was left in his house.
He rushed out into the street and began to cry, `What is happening? Everything has gone! My house is empty! Please my things back for me.’
`They are not your things,’ said Lucy. `They belong to others. They are the things you borrowed but never returned. He is dishonest,’ said Mrs. Twinkle angrily. `He is a thief. He borrows things and never returns them’.
`I am not a thief! ‘Binky Cried. `Oh, what am I to do? I have nothing left at all. Can somebody lend me a bed to sleep on?
But nobody came to help him. `Let him sleep out in the fields!’ they said.
The next day Binky went to find some work so that he could buy for himself the things he needed.