As soon as Binya saw the beautiful blue silk umbrella, she wanted it. She wanted it so badly that she was willing to give her lucky leopard's claw pendant in exchange. No-one in the village had such a fine umbrella, and everywhere Binya went the umbrella went too. Gradually it faded to a pale blue, and was patched in several places, but there was still many who envied Binya her treasured possession. And the most envious of them all was old Ram Bharosa, the shopkeeper, who decided that by some means he must own the blue umbrella.