The story revolves around a poor old man who gathers grains through begging and encounters a new bride at a village well. Through a series of riddles exchanged between them, they engage in a playful challenge that hinders their tasks—her lifting her pot of water and him washing rice. When the bride's mother-in-law arrives, she offers a riddle that allows them to continue with their respective chores. After the tasks are completed, the bride shares the story with her husband, who invites the old man to stay with them. The night turns into a delightful exchange of riddles and stories, showcasing the joy and relief that storytelling brings to daily life. The narrative emphasizes the themes of community, problem-solving through cleverness, and the shared enjoyment of tales.

एगो गाँव में एगो गरीब बाबा जी हलन। ऊ दिन भर माँग के अनाज जमा करऽ हलन आउ बेर डुबला के बाद जे माँगऽ हलन ओही बना के खा हलन। एक रोज मँगला के बाद झोल-झोलान में एगो कुआँ भिरू जा के अदाह जोरलन, आउ ओकरा पर तसला रख के पानी डाल देलन। पानी गरमाय लगल, तब तक ऊ इनरा पर जा के पानी से चाउर धोबे लगलन। ओही घड़ी एगो नया दुलहिन उहाँ पानी भरे आयल। डोल से पानी भर के घइला भरलक, आउ घइला कपार पर उठावे लगल, तऽ बाबा जी ओकरा एगो बुझौनियाँ बुझा देलन-

जेकर सोर पताल में खिले, उपरे ठूले अंडा। ई बुझौनियाँ बूझिहँऽ गोरी, तब उठइहँऽ भण्डा॥

गोरी बुझौनियाँ नऽ बूझलक, आउ बिना बुझले ओकरा घइला उठावे पर रोक लगल हल। से ओहू एगो बुझौनियाँ बूझा देलक-

बापक नाँव से पूतक नाँव, नाती के नाँव कुछ आउर। ई बुझौनियाँ बूझिहँऽ पाँडे, तब मेरइहँऽ चाउर।।

अब बाबाजी भी चाउर धो के मेरावे ला बइठल हथ। गोरी नऽ घड़ा उठा रहल हे, नऽ बाबा जी चाउर मेरा रहलन हे।

एने नया दुलहिन (गोरी) के सास देर होते देखलक तऽ घबरायल। ऊ पनघट पर आयल, तो पुतोह आउ बाबा जी के चुपचाप खड़ा देखलक। ऊ घड़ी खिस्सा-कहानी, आउ बुझौनियाँ सुनला, इया बुझला बिना अगाड़ी के कोई काम न हो हल। से सास उहाँ जयते बात समझ गेल, आउ एगो तेसर बुझौनियाँ बुझा के एहनी के काम में लगे के रस्ता साफ कर देलक। सास बोलल- जेकर मद से मयगर भाते, तेली लगावे घानी। तू मेरावे चाउर पाँडे, घड़ा उठावे धानी।

ई तरी बुझौनियाँ से लगल बंधन बुझौनिये से टूट गेल, आउ बाबा जी खलखलाइत अदहन में चाउर मेरा देलन, तो चाउर तुरते सीझ गेल। एन्ने गोरी भी अप्पन पानी भरल घइला के कपार पर उठा के घरे ले गेल, आउ मरद से बाबा जी के हाल सुनौलक। ओकर मरद खिस्सा सुने के सौखीन हल। से ऊ बाबा जी के अप्पन दूरा पर सूते ला ले गेल, जहाँ रात भर बुझौनियाँ आउ खिस्सा से लोग के मन बहलइत रहल। ठीके नऽ कहल गेल हे, कि खिस्सा दिन भर के थकान दूर कर दे हे। खिस्सा भेलो खतम, पइसा भेलो हजम। कहे ओला झूठा, सुने ओला सच्चा!

See translation

In a village, there was a poor old man. He spent his days collecting grains through alms, and after returning empty-handed, he would cook and eat whatever he had received. One day, after begging, he went to a well to draw water. He placed a sieve on top and began pouring water. As the water started to warm up, he went to wash rice with it. Just then, a new bride came to the well to fetch water. She filled her pot with water and began to lift it onto her head when the old man gave her a riddle:

"Whose seed blooms in the bottom, but has the egg above?"
"If you solve this riddle, then lift your pot."

The bride couldn't solve the riddle, and without answering, she was stopped from lifting her pot. So, she gave him a riddle of her own:

"Father's name is the child's name, the grandson has a different name."
"If you solve this riddle, then I shall cook rice."

Now the old man sat down to wash the rice. The bride neither lifted the pot nor did the old man wash the rice.

Seeing the new bride (the girl) delaying, her mother-in-law got worried. She came to the water source and saw the bride and the old man standing silently. At that moment, understanding that no work could be done without solving the riddles, the mother-in-law comprehended the situation and provided a third riddle to clear the way for them:

"Whose intoxication brings about the meal, the oil-maker turns the grinder."
"You wash the rice now, and lift the pot, dear."

With that riddle, the binding was broken, and the old man swiftly washed the rice in the pot, which cooked immediately. Meanwhile, the bride also lifted her filled pot onto her head and took it home, telling her husband about the old man's tale. Her husband was fond of listening to stories, so he invited the old man to sleep at their place, where they entertained everyone throughout the night with riddles and stories. It is rightly said that stories relieve one of the day’s fatigue. When the storytelling ends, the money is consumed as well. Call it a lie or listen to it as truth!