Introduction: A Letter to God - Class 10 PDF Download

 G.L. Fuentes – A Short Biography

Gregorio Lopez Y Fuentes was born on July 11, 1897, at Lanzarote in the Canary Islands. He first went to sea as a deck boy with his father at the age of ten. As a teenager, Fuentes worked on cargo ships that went out of the Canary Island to Trinidad and Puerto Rico. He also sailed to the Spanish parts of Valencia and Sevilla to South America. He migrated permanently to Cuba at the age of twenty-two. Fuentes, a lifelong cigar smoker, died from cancer in 2002 at the age of 105 years. 

INTRODUCTION 

Lencho was a farmer. He was an extremely hard-working man. However, his crop was destroyed in an exceedingly hailstorm. He had a firm belief in God. He thought that God would surely help him. Thinking this he wrote a letter to God. He asked God to send him some money. At the post-office, the master read Lencho’s letter. He and the other postmen of the post-office wanted to help Lencho. They collected some amount to help him and placed the collected amount into an envelope. The next Sunday, Lencho came to check whether there was any letter for him. The master gave him that envelope. Once Lencho opened the envelope he found the cash. But it was less than what he had requested for. He wrote another letter to God He asked God to send him the rest of the money. But he asked God not to send it by post because the post-office employees were a ‘bunch of crooks’.  

THEME OF THE STORY

This is a story of a hard-working farmer Lencho. He is expecting a good harvest this year if it rains. The rain does come bringing brief happiness. However, a hailstorm follows the rain destroying all his crops. Being deeply hurt, he looks towards God. Having an unshaken faith in God he writes a letter to him demanding one hundred pesos. This amount is sufficient enough to sow his crop again. He posts it. The postman has a hearty laugh when he reads it and shows it to the postmaster. The postmaster, being a generous man, decides to help Lencho. He gives a part of his salary and collects money from the employees. He sends seventy pesos to Lencho. Lencho’s happiness was momentary when he counts the money. God can’t deceive him, it is the work of post office employees. He writes another letter to God asking him not to send the remaining 30 pesos by mail as post office employees are a ‘bunch of crooks’. 
The lesson shows three things. It shows Lencho’s firm faith in God. His faith is rewarded through the helpers who are human beings. Secondly, it shows the utter innocence of the farmer, Lencho. Thirdly, the lesson gives a message that sometimes even your generosity is not recognised. You may not get any credit for your generosity and kindness. But on the other hand, you may be misunderstood as a ‘bunch of crooks’.

WORD-MEANINGS

Entire = complete (पूर्ण); crest = top of a hill (शिखर/चोटी); harvest=  season’s yield of crop (फसल); downpour = heavy rain (मूसलाधार वर्षा) ; throughout = all through (लगातार) ; Intimately =  thoroughly (पूरी तरह से) I
Predict =  say in advance (भविष्यवाणी करना ) ; expression = aspect of face (भाव). regarded = looked closely (ध्यान से देखा ); draped = dressed/covered (ढका हुआ); curtain = cover(आवरण) ; hailstones = frozen rain (ओले); resemble = be similar (शक्ल का मिलना) ; exposing = leaving uncovered (खुला /उघाड़ा छोड़ देना ); frozen = frozen (जमे हुए ); pearls  = pearls (मोती); remain = be still present (शेष रहना) plague = cause of disaster (एक बीमारी /विपत्ति); locust = (टिड्डी), solitary = a lonely (अकेला) upset = worried / troubled (परेशान); instruct = teach/ inform (सिखाना/बताना) ; conscience = moral sense of right / wrong (अंतरात्मा); still = even in this /that time (अभी भी) ; boss = person in authority (अफसर); career =a profession (व्यवसाय); amiable = kind-hearted  (दयालु -ह्रदय) Tap = give light, quick blows (थपथपाना); continent = remark (टिप्पणी करना) correspondence stuck  =  exchange of letter (पत्र व्यवहार), shake = weaken (हिलाना /कमजोर करना ); goodwill =  friendly feeling (सदभावना) ; stuck = remained determined (दृढ़- निश्चय); resolution = determination (पक्का इरादा); salary = pay, emoluments (वेतन) ; obliged =compelled (मजबूर होना): charity = benefaction (दया/उदारता) ; contain = have within itself (में होना/रखना); signature =signature (हस्ताक्षर); handed = gave (दिया); experiencing =felling ( महसूस करना) ; contentment =  satisfaction (संतुष्टि); perform =do (करना) ; deed = act (कार्य); slightest = very little (बहुत कम) I 
Confidence = faith (विश्वास); deny = say no/refuse (इंकार करना); wrinkling =  have wrinkles (झुर्रियाँ होना); brow = (here) forehead (माथा ); caused =(here) made (बनाया); effort =  attempt (प्रयत्न); express = show by words ( व्यक्त करना); lick = pass the tongue over / under (चाटना); affix  = fix / fasten (लगाना)  I Blow = hard stroke with fist, etc. (प्रहार); since = because (क्योंकि); mail = Post (डाक); bunch = gang / group (समूह); crook = rogue / swindler (ठग/धोखेबाज) I