The Boy Who Broke The Bank by Ruskin Bond

The Boy Who Broke The Bank by Ruskin Bond

Text of the Story

 Nathu grumbled to himself as he swept the steps of the Pipalnagar Bank, owned by Seth Govind Ram. He used the small broom hurriedly and carelessly, and the dust, after rising in a cloud above his head settled down again on the steps. 

As Nathu was banging his pan against a dustbin, Sitaram, the washerman’s son, passed by. Sitaram was on his delivery round. He had a bundle of freshly pressed clothes balanced on his head. ‘Don’t raise such dust!’ he called out to Nathu. ‘Are you annoyed because they are still refusing to pay you an extra two rupees a month?’ ‘I don’t wish to talk about it,’ complained the sweeper-boy. ‘I haven’t even received my regular pay. 

And this is the twentieth of the month. Who would think a bank would hold up a poor man’s salary? As soon as I get my money, I’m off! Not another week I work in this place.’ And Nathu banged the pan against the dustbin several times, just to emphasize his point and giving himself confidence.

‘Well, I wish you luck,’ said Sitaram. ‘I’ll keep a lookout for any jobs that might suit you.’ And he plodded barefoot along the road, the big bundle of clothes hiding most of his head and shoulders.

At the fourth home he visited, Sitaram heard the lady of the house mention that she was in need of a sweeper. Tying his bundle together, he said; ‘I know of a sweeper boy who’s looking for work. He can start from next month. He’s with the bank just now but they aren’t giving him his pay, and he wants to leave.’

‘Is that so?’ said Mrs. Srivastava. ‘Well, tell him to come and see me tomorrow.’ And Sitaram, glad that he had been of service to both a customer and his friend, hoisted his bag on his shoulders and went his way.

Mrs. Srivastava had to do some shopping. She gave instructions to the ayah about looking after the baby, and told the cook not to be late with the midday meal. Then she set out for the Pipalnagar market place, to make her customary tour of the cloth shops. 

A large shady tamarind tree grew at one end of the bazaar, and it was here that Mrs. Srivastava found her friend Mrs. Bhushan sheltering from the heat. Mrs. Bhushan was fanning herself with a large handkerchief. She complained of the summer, which she affirmed, was definitely the hottest in the history of Pipalnagar. She then showed Mrs. Srivastava a sample of the cloth she was going to buy, and for five minutes they discussed its shade, texture and design. Having exhausted this topic, Mrs. Srivastava said, ‘Do you know, my dear, that Seth Govind Ram’s bank can’t even pay its employees? Only this morning I heard a complaint from their sweeper, who hasn’t received his wages for over a month!’

‘Shocking!’ remarked Mrs. Bhushan. ‘If they can’t pay the sweeper they must be in a bad way. None of the others could be getting paid either.’ 

She left Mrs. Srivastava at the tamarind tree and went in search of her husband, who was sitting in front of Kamal Kishore’s photography shop, talking with the owner. 

‘So there you are!’ cried Mrs. Bhushan. ‘I’ve been looking for you for almost an hour. Where did you disappear ?’ 

‘Nowhere,’ replied Mr. Bhushan. ‘Had you remained stationary in one shop, I might have found you. But you go from one shop to another, like a bee in a flower garden.’ 

‘Don’t start grumbling. The heat is trying enough. I don’t know what’s happening to Pipalnagar. Even the bank’s about to go bankrupt.’ 

‘What’s that?’ said Kamal Kishore, sitting up suddenly. ‘Which bank?’ ‘Why the Pipalnagar bank of course. I hear they have stopped paying employees. Don’t tell me you have an account there, Mr. Kishore?’

‘No, but my neighbour has!’ he exclaimed; and he called out over the low partition to the keeper of the barber shop next door. ‘Deep Chand, have you heard the latest? The Pipalnagar Bank is about to collapse. You’d better get your money out as soon as you can!’

Deep Chand who was cutting the hair of an elderly gentleman, was so startled that his hand shook and he nicked his customer’s right ear. The customer yelped with pain and distress: pain, because of the cut and distress because of the awful news he had just heard. With one side of his neck still unshaven, he sped across the road to the general merchant’s store where there was a telephone.

 He dialled Seth Govind Ram’s number. The Seth was not at home. Where was he, then? The Seth was holidaying in Kashmir. Oh, was that so? The elderly gentleman did not believe it. He hurried back to the barber’s shop and told Deep Chand: ‘The bird has flown! Seth Govind Ram has left town. Definitely, it means a collapse.’ And then he dashed out of the shop, making a beeline for his office and chequebook.

The news spread through the bazaar with the rapidity of forest fire. From the general merchant’s it travelled to the shop, circulated amongst the customers, and then spread with them in various directions, to the betel-seller, the tailor, the free vendor, the jeweller, the beggar sitting on the pavement.

Old Ganpat the beggar, had a crooked leg. He had been squatting on the pavement for years, calling for alms. In the evening someone would come with a barrow and take him away. He had never been known to walk. But now, on learning that the bank was about to collapse, Ganpat astonished everyone, leaping to his feet and actually running at top speed in the direction of the bank. It soon became known that he had a thousand rupees in savings!

Men stood in groups at street corners discussing the situation. Pipalnagar seldom had a crisis, seldom or never had floods, earthquakes or drought; and the imminent crash of the Pipalnagar Bank set everyone talking and speculating and rushing about in a frenzy. Some boasted of their farsightedness, congratulating themselves on having already taken out their money, or on never having put any in; others speculated on the reasons for the crash, putting it all down to excesses indulged in by Seth Govind Ram.

 The Seth had fled the State, said one. He had fled the country, said another. He was hiding in Pipalnagar, said a third. He had hanged himself from the tamarind tree, said a fourth, and had been found that morning by the sweeper-boy. 

 By noon the small bank had gone through all; its ready cash, and the harassed manager was in a dilemma. Emergency funds could only be obtained from another bank some thirty miles distant, and he wasn’t sure he could persuade the crowd to wait until then. And there was no way of contacting Seth Govind Ram on his houseboat in Kashmir.

People were turned back from the counters and told to return the following day. They did not like the sound of that. And so they gathered outside, on the steps of the bank shouting ‘Give us our money or we’ll break in!’ and ‘Fetch the Seth, we know he’s hiding in a safe deposit locker!’ Mischief makers who didn’t have a paisa in the bank, joined the crowd and aggravated their mood. The manager stood at the door and tried to placate them. He declared that the bank had plenty of money but no immediate means of collecting it; he urged them to go home and come back the next day.

‘We want it now!’ chanted some of the crowd. ‘Now, now, now!’

And a brick hurtled through the air and crashed through the plate glass window of the Pipalnagar Bank.

Nathu arrived next morning to sweep the steps of the bank. He saw the refuse and the broken glass and the stones cluttering the steps. Raising his hands in a gesture of horror and disgust he cried: ‘Hooligans! Sons of donkeys! As though it isn’t bad enough to be paid late, it seems my work has also to be increased!’ He smote the steps with his broom scattering the refuse. 

Good morning, Nathu,’ said the washerman’s boy, getting down from his bicycle. ‘Are you ready to take up a new job from the first of next month?

You’ll have to I suppose, now that the bank is going out of business.’ ‘How’s that?’ said Nathu. ‘Haven’t you heard? Well you’d better wait here until half the population of Pipalnagar arrives to claim their money.’ 

And he waved cheerfully he did not have a bank account and sped away on his cycle. Nathu went back to sweeping the steps, muttering to himself. When he had finished his work, he sat down on the highest step, to await the arrival of the manager. 

He was determined to get his pay. ‘Who would have thought the bank would collapse!’ he said to himself, and looked thoughtfully into the distance. ‘I wonder how it could have happened … 

Summary,

"The Boy Who Broke the Bank" by Ruskin Bond is a short story which is set  in the small town of Pipalnagar, where Nathu, a young sweeper, works at the local bank owned by Seth Govind Ram. One day, while sweeping the bank’s steps, he complains about his unpaid wages to Sitaram, a washerman’s son who is looking for a job for him. Frustrated with the bank’s delay in paying him, Nathu expresses his anger, unaware of the impact his words will have.

Sitaram, while talking to his customers, casually mentions that the bank is in trouble and unable to pay even its employees. This simple remark spreads quickly throughout the town, leading to widespread panic. People begin to believe that the bank is on the verge of collapse. The rumor grows as more people discuss it, adding their own exaggerated versions. Soon, worried customers rush to withdraw their savings, causing a commotion outside the bank.

As the crowd grows restless, bank officials struggle to manage the situation. Some people even claim to have heard from reliable sources that the bank is bankrupt. The hysteria escalates, leading to an uncontrolled run on the bank. Meanwhile, the owner of the bank, Seth Govind Ram, is away on vacation, completely unaware of the crisis. The misunderstanding snowballs, causing chaos in the town. Ironically, the bank’s owner is unaware of the crisis, enjoying his vacation. 

The situation turns chaotic, with customers demanding their money, the bank officials confused, and the town buzzing with panic. Ironically, Nathu, the boy who unknowingly started the rumor, remains unaware of the havoc he has caused. The story humorously highlights how misinformation can lead to unnecessary panic.

The story ends humorously, showing how a simple misunderstanding can spiral into a full-blown crisis.

Themes of the Story

1. Power of Rumors – The story highlights how misinformation, when spread without verification, can create unnecessary panic and chaos.
2. Economic Insecurity – It subtly points out the financial instability in small towns, where people rely heavily on their savings and react strongly to uncertainty.
3. Irony and Humor – The humorous ending shows how Nathu, who started the crisis unknowingly, remains completely unaware of the consequences.

Characters in The Boy Who Broke the Bank

1. Nathu – A poor but hardworking boy who works as a sweeper at Pipalnagar Bank. His frustration over unpaid wages leads to an unintended rumor that sparks chaos in the town.

2. Sitaram – A washerman’s son who is looking for a job for Nathu. He misunderstands Nathu’s complaint and spreads the rumor that the bank is in financial trouble.

3. Seth Govind Ram – The wealthy owner of Pipalnagar Bank. He is away on vacation and unaware of the crisis happening at his bank.

4. Bank Manager – An official responsible for handling the bank’s operations. He is overwhelmed by the sudden panic caused by the false rumor.

5. The Customers – Various townspeople who believe the rumor and rush to withdraw their money, making the situation worse.

6. Local Shopkeepers and Merchants – They contribute to spreading the rumor, adding their own exaggerated details.

7. Other Bank Employees – Staff members who are confused and unable to control the chaos when customers demand their money.

8. Passersby and Spectators – People in the town who either observe the panic or further escalate it by sharing the rumor without verification.