Gandhi was very fond of children. He was a child among children. When he was in Africa, he used to play with children on the farm. Often, he used to carry them, one by one, on his back and roll them down a slope in the garden. The children would go to him, again and again, to be rolled down the slope. Thus they would play for half an hour.
He used to take them on his morning and evening walks. Once a child said to Gandhi: "How beautiful this flower is?"
"Indeed, very beautiful."
Then a dog passed by at that time and a child, seeing it, wanted to make fun with Gandhi.
"Bapuji, Bapuji, the dog has a tail" he said.
"Is that so? Have you a tail?"
The child laughed and remarked, "Bapuji, you are very old and still do not know that man has no tail. You are indeed a big fool."
Gandhi laughed and the children too laughed.
One day a bold child addressed Gandhi thus: "Bapuji, you often tell us about Gita. In the Gita, Arjuna would ask a small question and Bhagwan Krishna would roll out a chapter in reply. When we ask you a full page question, you dispose of us in a single line reply. How do you explain that?"
"Well, well, Bhagwan Krishna had one Arjuna to answer, but I have lots of Arjunas around me to put me questions – each with a number of questions. Don't I need sympathy?"
The little children said "Yes, yes, we shall not bother you henceforth."
Seeing that visitors had previous appointments with Gandhi for discussions a child desired that she should also have "an appointment with Gandhi." Gandhi made an appointment for 4 o'clock in the afternoon.
At 4 o'clock sharp she appeared. Gandhi was then holding a Congress Committee meeting. Seeing her, Gandhi abruptly left the meeting and putting his arm around her neck, he said "I had forgotten about it, my child. Come along." Saying so, he took the child to the verandah and spoke something pleasing to her. She was satisfied. She felt herself honoured. Then he left her and returned to the meeting in a few minutes.