Once upon a time, there was a farm where five brothers lived with their grandmother. Since the grandmother was very old and sick, the brothers had to take care of the animals, take care of the garden, clean the house and make food, in addition to going to school, which was a half-hour walk from there, and take care of from granny.
The five brothers shared the work and, although it was very hard, they did not forget any of their obligations. They all worked and studied without protest, except Isidoro. Isidoro did not like having to milk the cows or clean the chickens. Nor did he like to tend crops or peel potatoes at mealtime. Still less did he like to get up early to go to school every morning and have to do his homework as soon as he ate so he could finish his chores for the day on the farm.
Although Isidoro did everything he had to do, he did not stop protesting. In time, the boy did nothing but complain. That made all his siblings in a bad mood all day because if there is something that can spoil anyone's day, it is having someone protesting everything from when you wake up until you go to sleep.
One day, the grandmother called Isidoro to speak with him.
-What do you want grandma? said the boy. I am very tired and I still have a lot to do. This having to work so hard is horrible. I'm fed up. I don't have a minute in the whole day to rest. What boredom of life, grandma, how disgusting. Look how I got into the stable. So there is no one who can.
"Isidoro, listen to me for a moment," Grandma interrupted. Your two older brothers, those who have had to stop studying so that the little ones can continue in school, have become sick from so much work. And I can already do little. If everything really seems so bad to you, maybe you should think about leaving. That way you would give your brothers less work and you would not have to do so many unpleasant things. There is a man in town who could welcome you. He is alone and could use a little company. You shouldn't have to do anything, because he has a lot of money and he has people who do everything for him at home. He lives next to the school, so you wouldn't have to get up early or walk that much every day either.
"Sounds good to me, Grandma," Isidoro said. I will come to see you once in a while.
Isidoro moved to that gentleman's house thinking that his problems had finally ended. When he got home, the man said to him:
-Welcome to your new home, Isidoro. The only thing I ask you in exchange for offering you my house is that you keep me company, nothing more. You can keep going to school, of course.
The protesting boy Isidoro seemed fantastic and accepted. But it was not long before he repented. The man spent all day in the house, reading or looking out the window, and did not allow Isidoro to separate from him. Only while he was at school could the boy get rid of the man, who seemed more like a jailer. The only time the gentleman left the house was to accompany the boy to school and pick him up again. And that the school was right next door.
-Why have I left my family? Isidore lamented.
One day the boy managed to put his things in his backpack without being seen by the man, and when he thought he had entered the school, Isidoro ran away to return to his grandmother and brothers.
Isidoro returned to his duties on the farm but did not protest again. Instead, he was rushing to help his older brothers, who had not yet recovered.
"I am a very happy grandmother," Isidore said one day.
"But if you've taken on more tasks now, Isidoro," said Grandma.
"I don't care," said the boy. It turns out that working is a lot of fun. And if that allows me to be with you, much better.
Questions to work on reading comprehension:
- Who are the protagonists?
- Why was Isidoro complaining?
- How many brothers were there?
- List the duties of the brothers.
- What will Isodoro's duty be in his new home?