Funny Coat

The jackal entered the village, a second time, like a thief.

Last time he had caught a big rooster. He had spotted a foolish rooster, who had come out of his coop to enjoy fresh air in the night. The jackal had snapped his neck in a flash.

But today luck did not favour him. Street dogs had smelled him when he entered the village. They chased him and the jackal had to run for his life. At one place he tripped and fell into huge tub. There was indigo-coloured water in the tub.

The dogs could no longer smell the jackal. Once the jackal felt safe, he came out of the tub.

He returned to his den. He lay hidden there for quite some time; he was ashamed to come out in the open. He knew everyone would laugh at him. He could not bear being mocked at.

But when hunger became overpowering, he had to leave his den.

The moment he was out in the open he heard a loud laugh.

The monkey and the bear and the little elephant were all laughing loudly.

“I thought you were my friends. Friends never mock each other.”

“We are not laughing at you,” said the monkey.

“We are not mocking you,” said the little elephant.

“We are laughing at your funny coat,” said the bear.

“You think it’s a funny coat? I can only pity you. If only you knew that it is the most expensive coat designed by Zaka Mira Zaprita of Indigo Fashions. But what do rustics know about fashion!”

The jackal acted as if he had not felt insulted.

The monkey and the bear and the little elephant looked surprised.

“Rustics? What does that mean?” the monkey asked the bear.

“I think it means someone who is happy even when he is mocked at,” said the elephant and they all laughed, loudly.

The jackal couldn’t suppress his laughter.

The jackal and the monkey and the bear and the little elephant, all laughed, as loudly as they could.

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 Hogwash

“Dadu, What’s the meaning of this word, hogwash?”

“I think it means something which makes no sense.”

“No! My friend was saying that it means a machine in which you can travel to fairyland.”

“Well, what he is said is just hogwash.”

“Why?”

“There is no fairyland and there is no machine in which you can travel to the fairyland.”

“No Dadu, there is a fairyland and my friend has been there, not once but many times. In fact, he has promised that he will take me with him on his next trip.”

“And when is planning to go there?”

“He said hogwash needs some repairs; it got damaged during his last trip. But he can’t find a good car-mechanic to carry out the repairs.”

“Is hogwash a car?”

“I don’t know, I haven’t seen it. He doesn’t let anyone see it. He keeps it locked in his cupboard.”

“How tall is your friend?”

“Very tall, taller than me.”

“And the vehicle in which he travels to fairyland is kept in a cupboard. Strange!”

“I asked him. He said, it wasn’t very big and it can be kept locked in the cupboard.”

“How does a boy, taller than you, manage to sit in a such a small machine?”

“Dadu, I think he must be making a fool of me. Yes, hogwash means something that makes no sense.”

“You see.”

“But, Dadu, there is a fairyland, no?”

“Perhaps there is…. Let me share a secret with you. When I was a kid like you, I too loved fairies and I always wanted to go there and play with them.”

“I too love fairies. I wish I could see a fairy.”

“Turn back and you can see one right now.”

The boy turned, quickly.

A cute baby was slowly and silently crawling into the room. She was beaming with joy; she had just learned to crawl.

***

 

Ghost in the Well

“Dadu, I saw a ghost.”

“When? Where?”

“When I was going to the school, I saw him in the street.”

“How do know that he was a ghost?”

“He told me that he was a ghost….yes! And he looked like a ghost. He had very long arms and very long legs. His hands almost touched his feet. And his face was like that of an  old woman…it was full of wrinkles.”

“He must be a funny ghost?”

“No, he is a sad ghost. He lives in a well. But he is not happy living there. He said he would like to move to the banyan tree that’s behind the Hanuman Temple. But a nasty monkey would not let him live there.”

“He told you so?”

“Yes, and he wanted my help. He said that if I gave him my fruits and sandwiches that would be very kind of me. He would give those things to that nasty monkey and the monkey would let him stay on banyan tree.” 

“And you must have helped him?”

“Of course, I had to.”

At that moment the boy’s mother came in. She was holding his empty lunch box. She appeared very happy, “Wonderful! Today you finished everything! I am so happy!” She gave him motherly hug, “Good boy!”

The boy looked at his grandpa and smiled mischievously.

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