A Pact with the Sun summary

“A Pact with the Sun” is a heart-warming and imaginative story that highlights a child’s love, hope, and the healing power of nature. The chapter revolves around Saeeda, a young girl, and her sick mother, Amma. The story combines reality with fantasy to show how faith and determination can overcome fear and hopelessness. It also teaches that natural elements like sunlight and fresh air are essential for good health, and that sometimes people’s harmful beliefs and superstitions can delay recovery. Through Saeeda’s innocent courage, the chapter delivers a strong moral message about trust, persistence, and the importance of scientific thinking.

The story begins with Saeeda’s mother falling seriously ill. She suffers from fever, cough, joint pain, and body weakness. Many local healers and quacks attempt to treat her, but none succeeds. These so-called doctors follow old and unscientific ideas. They tell Amma to stop eating proper food, to stay locked in a dark room, and to avoid sunlight and fresh air. They believe that warm food and open air will worsen her illness. Amma follows their instructions because she is helpless and desperately wants to recover. But instead of improving, her condition becomes worse. She grows weaker and paler every day. Saeeda watches her mother suffer and feels frightened, but she also wishes to help her in any way possible.

People in the neighbourhood continue giving advice based on superstition. They tell Saeeda that her mother’s illness is severe and that nothing will help. But Saeeda refuses to accept defeat. She believes that life is more precious than money, even though they are poor. So she gathers courage and decides to consult a real specialist doctor. To arrange fees for the doctor, she sells some of Amma’s ornaments. When the specialist visits, he examines Amma carefully and speaks in a calm and scientific manner. Unlike the other healers, he does not restrict her food unnecessarily. He tells Saeeda that Amma needs nutritious meals to recover strength. More importantly, he stresses that Amma must have plenty of fresh air and sunlight. He says that sunlight is like medicine because it brings warmth, energy, and healing to the body. The doctor advises Saeeda to shift Amma from the dark room into a bigger room with open doors and windows. He also insists that Amma should sit in the sun every day between eight and nine in the morning, when sunlight is gentle and healthy. This advice gives Saeeda hope. Amma also begins to trust the doctor because his words make sense.

However, when Saeeda starts following the specialist’s advice, some neighbours oppose it. They say sunlight at that time is dangerous and that Amma should stay indoors. But Saeeda stands firm. She moves Amma’s bed near the window and tries daily to bring her to the sunlight. Unfortunately, the weather turns cloudy for several days. The sun does not appear, and Amma becomes sad. She starts complaining that even the sun has abandoned her. She feels hopeless, thinking recovery is impossible without sunlight. Seeing her mother despair, Saeeda tries to comfort her. At that moment, the story shifts into a beautiful fantasy.

The setting changes to the sky, where the sun’s rays are portrayed as playful children. They wait eagerly to go down to Earth. But the Sun tells them that it is a holiday and they cannot go because thick clouds are blocking the way. One ray, however, remembers a promise. It had once entered Saeeda’s room earlier and heard Saeeda pleading for help. Saeeda had spoken directly to the ray, requesting it to bring sunshine the next day so her mother could get well. The ray had promised to return. Now, the ray feels responsible and refuses to break its word. It tells the Sun respectfully that it must go because a sick woman needs healing. The Sun still hesitates, but the ray decides to act. It gathers other rays who also care about keeping promises. Together they focus their energy and push through the clouds. The clouds finally scatter, and warm sunlight reaches Saeeda’s courtyard.

Back on Earth, Saeeda notices patches of golden sunlight appearing after noon. She quickly brings Amma outside. Although people again try to stop her, saying afternoon sun is harmful, Saeeda ignores them because she sees her mother’s need more clearly. Amma sits in the sunlight, breathes fresh air, and feels comfort. Over the next days, sunlight continues to return. Amma’s pale face slowly gains colour, her strength improves, and her illness fades away. The doctor’s advice works like a miracle, proving that nature’s gifts are powerful when used wisely.

The story ends with Amma fully recovering. Saeeda’s faith, courage, and persistence are rewarded. The moral is clear: blind belief and superstition can harm health, while correct medical advice and natural healing resources like sunlight and fresh air can restore life. The chapter also teaches that promises should be honored, and hope should never be lost. Saeeda’s love for her mother and the symbolic “pact with the sun” remind us that nature supports those who act with trust and determination.