The Thief's Moustache

Preparations to celebrate Republic Day were in full swing in Anandvan. The ground in front of King Sher Khan's palace was decorated with bunting and balloons in the flag's three colours. Arrangements for competitions and cultural programs had been made. Children who had shown acts of bravery were to be awarded.

- Vandana Gupta

The famous candymaker, Elmo elephant, had received an order for 50kgs of laddoos to be distributed among the residents.

Dodo donkey had a goods carrier,which he pulled with a rickshaw. On the afternoon of January 25, Elmo loaded 

Dodo's carrier with 25 2kg boxes of laddoos and covered them with a large sheet of polythene.

Dodo set off at once in his rickshaw for the palace. When Zebby zebra, one of the royal servants, unloaded the boxes at the palace, only 21 boxes were there.

"8kgs of laddoos are missing!" Zebby

Dodo was shocked. "But I counted the boxes myself! How's this possible?"

"They're laddoos in front of you! Bring all the only then shall I pay you." announced.

Dodo turned his rickshaw around at once and drove back slowly, but he did not find any of the missing boxes on the road.

Dodo went to Elmo's shop, just in case he had made a mistake while counting, but Elmo responded, saying, "No, I counted the 25 boxes in front of you."

An upset Dodo returned home. Where did the four boxes disappear? he wondered.

Seeing him, his son said, "What's wrong, Dad? You look worried."

"What can I say? 8kgs of laddoos are missing! If I don't deliver all the laddoos, I won't get paid. How can I pay for 8kgs of laddoos?" Dodo asked his son, Danny.

"Don't worry, Dad! Sit down, eat something, and then we will discuss this," and Danny offered his dad carrots and water.

After some time, Danny said, "Dad, your carrier is well-fenced on all sides, so there's no chance the boxes fell out. It's also difficult to take boxes from under a polythene sheet on a running vehicle." 

"Yes, you're right!" Dodo said.

"That means whoever stole the boxes was inside the carrier. However, small animals like squirrels, mongooses, or mice wouldn't be able to pick up boxes weighing two kilos," Danny said after thinking for a while.