Ill-omen

The bear came rushing like a wind. The monkey was leaving for the market. The bear crashed into the monkey as he was stepping out of his house.

“What’s the matter?” the monkey shouted. “You almost broke my back.”

“Please help me! I am undone! They have come! Again!” the bear appeared terrified.

“Just calm down and tell me what has happened? Who have come?”

“No, no…... we can’t wait. Come with me, right now. Let’s also ask the elephant and the giraffe to come with us,” The bear said, huffing and puffing like a steam engine.

The monkey requested the elephant and the giraffe and they all accompanied the bear to his house.

As the entered bear’s house, the monkey and the elephant and the giraffe looked around. They were watchful and alert.

There was no one in the bear’s house.

“I can’t see anyone here? Not even a fly?” the monkey asked.

“Look at that tree? Can’t you see anything?” the bear said, hiding behind the elephant. He was pointing to a tree in one corner.

“I don’t see anything on that tree except the lemons?”

the elephant said.

“Yes, yes. Please do something, quickly. I am so scared!” said the bear.

“Are you making a fool of us?” asked the giraffe in an angry voice.

“You don’t understand? These lemons are an ill-omen. I am undone. Please help me.”

The monkey smiled.

“Big brother,” he said to the elephant. “His usual pranks. I should have known……...he is up to some mischief.”

“Well,” the elephant caught hold of the bear by his neck and said to the monkey, “He has gone too far this time. I think a little punishment will do him some good.”

The bear laughed loudly. He had again made a fool of his friends.

But he didn’t know what was coming.

The elephant was in no mood to let him off lightly. He thought for a moment and looked at the lemon tree, “Let’s feed him some lemons.”

“Nooooooo!”  shouted the bear.

The monkey laughed and plucked some lemons and pushed them into the bear’s mouth.

The giraffe too plucked some lemons and thrust them into the bear’s mouth and said, “You are right, my friend, lemons are an ill-omen.”

“That’s enough,” said the elephant looking at the bear’s tearful face. “Enough ill-omen for the day.”

The elephant and the monkey and the giraffe laughed loudly.

The bear, his mouth full of lemons, looked pitiful.

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