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The Aliens Are Coming!

What was that?” asked Squiggy, the squirrel startled.

“What? Where?” asked Danny, the deer, looking around.

“There!” said Squiggy, pointing to the sky. “It flew over the tree to the other side.”

“I didn’t see anything,” said Danny, still confused. “What did you see?”

“I don’t know. It looked like a plane but there was no sound,” said Squiggy.

Danny came to the conclusion that it must have been an alien spaceship. He immediately told his friends about it and the news spread like wildfire across the forest. Even the news channels started reporting it.

“Did you really see an alien spaceship?” asked King Tammy, the tiger.

“I did see something fly past but it was unlike anything I had seen before. So, I am not sure what exactly it was,” said Squiggy, thinking hard.

“Did it make a sound?” asked Minister Monty, the monkey.

“No, it did not,” replied Squiggy.

“Hmmm…then Danny must be right. They are aliens!” declared Monty. “If aliens have come to the forest, we must welcome them. I’ve heard that they are very powerful.”

“You are right, Monty. Even I’ve read that their technology is several years ahead of ours. Let’s organise a grand welcome party for them,” said Tammy.

The entire forest prepared for the welcome party. A large open spot was chosen where balloons and banners were put up. Then, all the animals waited patiently for the aliens to show up.

Three days had passed and there was still no sign of the aliens or their spaceships.

“I don’t think the aliens are going to come,” said Tammy disappointed.

“Perhaps Squiggy lied about seeing the aliens,” said Monty.

“I think so too. Squiggy made a fool of us!” said Tammy angrily. “Bring him to me!”

Squiggy went up to Tammy and said, “I did not lie, Your Highness. I really saw something, but I did tell you that I am not sure what it was,” said Squiggy scared.

“We trusted you and made so many arrangements, and now we look like fools! It was an utter waste of our time. You will be punished for it,” roared Tammy.

“But…but…,” Squiggy tried to explain but Tammy wouldn’t listen.

“I give you a day’s time to find out what it really was or get ready to face your punishment,” said Tammy, before walking away.

“This is my fault!” thought Danny, realising what he had done. “If I had not spread the news, my friend would not have got into trouble,” he regretted.

Danny too began looking for the spaceship. He came across a clearing where he finally found the aliens!

That evening , Tammy was taking a walk, when all of a sudden, he saw something fly swiftly over his head.

“The aliens are here!” he screamed in joy.

Hearing the commotion, the other animals of the forest quickly gathered around.

“I just saw the alien spaceship! It flew over my head,” said Tammy excitedly.

“Squiggy was speaking the truth”, said Monty.

“Yes. There’s no need to punish him now,” said Tammy, waiting for the aliens to show up again.

Suddenly, a small helicopter flew over Tammy’s head and landed before him. Everyone was puzzled.

“That’s not alien spaceship, Your Highness,” said Danny, making his way through the crowd. “While looking for the alien spaceship, I found a few kids playing with their remote-controlled toy airplanes and helicopters close to where Squiggy and I were talking the other day. Squiggy must have seen one of these toys and got confused.”

The realisation downed Tammy. “So the aliens were actually living among us,” he said smiling. He then turned to Squiggy and said, “Please forgive me for accusing of you lying. I should have verified the rumour instead of trusting it blindly.”

“You are right, Your Highness. This is a lesson for all of us,” said Monty.

All the animals agreed.

A Walk in the Garden

One early morning, Tommy, the dog and his mother left their house for the garden. Tommy was very happy, as his mother was going to take him for a walk in the garden.

“Mother, I don’t want to eat mangoes. I want to drink mango juice,” said Tommy. On the way, they met Ganju, the hippo. He asked, “Where are you off to so early in the morning?”

Tommy replied happily, “We have to go the garden to collect mangoes. Mother is going to make mango juice for me.”

Mother started laughing. Ganju also smiled.

Stan, the snail was also walking along the path. Tommy teased him. Stan was frightened. He walked along leisurely but he increased his pace as Tommy was irritating him.

“Ha!Ha!” Tommy started laughing.

Mother was upset by Tommy’s behaviour. “You shouldn’t annoy him. Didn’t you see how frightened he was? It is wrong to upset anyone,” his mother explained to him. Tommy wagged his tail in reply.

They reached the garden. As they entered they saw Sentry, the butterfly. She was flying along with her friends. Tommy’s eyes gleamed.

He barked, “Bow, Bow.”

He ran behind the butterflies. The butterflies were playing hide-and-seek. However, seeing Tommy chasing them, they flew away.

“Tommy, don’t interfere in our game. Don’t irritate us. Let us play,” said Sentry.

Tommy smiled and said, “I like chasing butterflies.”

“Tommy, leave the butterflies alone and come to me!” His mother’s voice could be heard from a distance.

Seeing him leave, the butterflies resumed their game. However, they kept a lookout for him.

His mother said, “Let the butterflies be! It’s not nice to irritate anyone. Then only will anyone respect you.”

There were many mango trees in the garden. Strong winds blew the previous night. Thus there were many mangoes lying on the ground. Mother picked some up and put them in her basket. Initially, Tommy helped her but he soon got distracted. He moved away and saw Rani, the cuckoo sitting on a branch of a mango tree singing, “Kuku… Kuku…”

Tommy barked, “Bow… Bow… Bow…”

The cuckoo got scared, flew away to sit on another branch of a faraway tree.

Mother scolded him. She said, “I told you not to irritate anyone?”

He felt ashamed.

Suddenly a ball fell right in front of him. He heard Gilly, the squirrel say, “Please give us our ball. We are playing cricket.”

At first, Tommy thought of irritating her but then he decided not to and threw the ball towards her.

“If you have time you can play with us,” said the squirrel.

Tommy was very happy. He began to play with them. Seeing them play Rani also flew in, sat on a branch near them and began to sing.

The butterflies also flew around them. Seeing this Tommy became happy. He promised mother that he would never annoy anyone again.

BEAR– HUG SUPPER

It was the coldest day of winter. Throughout the day, the sun remained hidden behind a thick layer of fog. Icy-cold winter breeze whistled through the leaves of the trees. Most of the birds and animals had not come out of their homes.

Kalulu, the rabbit, lay inside his burrow, enjoying its warmth.

Suddenly, his ears stood erect.

“Kalulu! Kalulu,” a squeaky voice was calling out to him.

He came outside and saw Moro Goro, the squirrel.

“Kalulu,” said Moro Goro, “Wild Goat is dying. She wants to see you right away.”

At once, Kalulu hopped off towards the overhanging ledge. Wild Goat lived underneath the ledge.

The Best Mother’s Day Gift

Wild Goat was groaning. She was suffering. Her entire body was covered with deep cuts and gashes. Blood was oozing out of them. Her week-old kid was standing beside her.

Seeing the rabbit she tried to get up. She said, “Kalulu, I am hurt because of Fisi, the hyena. He wanted to grab my kid. After a big fight, I was able to drive him away at the cost of my life. Please save my kid from the hyena’s cruel…”

She died before completing her sentence. The kid was very small. He could not understand what was happening around him

Kalulu was worried. He always shared everyone’s troubles and tried to solve them. He looked at the unfortunate kid who was blinking at him with innocent eyes. As he was hungry, the little one began to search for his dead mother’s teats with his mouth.

Kalulu thought, “Something has to be done at the earliest. The kid was sure to die of hunger if it did not get its milk. With the hyena around, its life would never be free from danger.” Suddenly, he remembered Mother Bear. She lived in a Dark Cave on the mountain-slope. The other day, when Kalulu was passing by, he had stopped when he had heard a sound. It was Mother Bear, sobbing.

After stepping into the cave he had asked, “Why are you so sad?”

The mother bear had replied, “O Kalulu,” my heart is broken. This morning, when I had gone to the stream to drink water, hunters took away my two-day-old baby. I feel like killing myself. What’s there to live for?”

Kalulu had murmured a few words of sympathy and left.

Remembering this incident, he told the kid, “Follow me.” They proceeded towards Dark Cave.

As he stood by the mouth of the cave, he called out, “Mother Bear, I’ve brought something for you to live for. In this jungle, a mother has lost her baby and a baby has lost its mother. One mother is dead but another is alive.”

Mother Bear shook her huge body and stood on her hind legs. Swinging her forelimbs, she walked towards the mouth of the cave.

Kalulu stood aside. Mother Bear and the kid were face to face. She bent down and picked up the kid with her forelimbs. She hugged it. The kid lost no time in finding her teat and pressed it between its mouth.

Kalulu saw tears of joy in her eyes.

“Now I’m going to take care of the hyena,” said Kalulu.

He hopped away, leaving the mother and her kid to themselves.

Fisi was walking along a narrow path. He knew that he had badly wounded Wild Goat who was going to be his supper. Her kid would be the extra ‘sweet dish’ or dessert.

“You seem to be in a hurry.”

As he heard these words, the hyena stopped.

The voice had come from a nearby burrow. It was a familiar voice…Kalulu’s!

“At the moment, I am in no hurry to sharpen my teeth on you,” said the hyena with a cruel grin. “I’m going to enjoy a different supper.”

“Your supper has already moved from beneath the ledge,” said Kalulu. “Both, the mother goat and the kid, have taken shelter in Dark Cave. Yes, the mother is seriously wounded, yet she can still be dangerous. You’ve had the taste of her horns, I believe?”

“I’m so disappointed,” murmured the hyena.

“You don’t have to be,” said the rabbit. “I can give you a clever plan. It would help you to get your ‘supper’ without any difficulty.”

Fisi, in disbelief, questioned, “Aren’t you my old enemy? Haven’t I suffered at your hands several times? How can you be helpful?”

“Your problem is that you haven’t learnt to trust those who are your true friends,” said Kalulu. “I agree. We’ve been enemies in the past. Let’s forget the past and be friends forever. My plan, which I’m going to share with you, will be a proof of my friendship.”

“What’s it?” questioned the hyena.

The rabbit said, “My dear friend, listen to my words carefully. The main trouble with you is that your presence can be felt from a distance. You look ugly and are smelly. You need to use a bit of cunning to confuse your supper.”

“I don’t understand you?” growled Fisi, grinding his teeth.

“I have no doubt that you’re an idiot who can’t understand simple matters,” said Kalulu. “Your awful face alerts everyone. Why not use a trick? When you enter the cave, move backwards, with your tail facing the cave and your face in the opposite direction. By the time the mother goat and the kid recognise you, it would be too late for them…ha…ha…”

“What a wonderful trick!” exclaimed Fisi. “Kalulu, I’m so pleased with you that I’ll eat you last…ha…ha. It will be your reward for being helpful to me. This is how we hyenas return goodness.”

Meanwhile at the cave, Mother Bear hugged the kid. After a satisfying meal, the little one was fast asleep.

Some movement at the mouth of the cave startled her. She turned her face towards it.

“What is this? A hyena, with the tail in front!” She thought.

The next moment, the hyena howled in great pain.

“What a horrid monster is this? It is boring holes into my skin.”

He helplessly wriggled and kicked. However, he could not free himself from the horrible monster. Little did he know that in this world there are only a few things that are tighter than a bear-hug?

A few minutes later, the hyena lay outside the cave, half dead after tasting his ‘bear-hug’ supper.

Courageous Brother

Didi, Didi, look at what I have.” eight year old Rohit entered Sarita Didi’s room. He showed her a trophy that he held in his hands.

“Wow, this looks beautiful. Why have you got this shining trophy, Rohit?” Sarita asked her brother.

“Didi, at the scout camp, I was chosen as the best roller skater. They gave me a cheque for Rs. 500 and a trophy.”

“Congratulations, Rohit. I am proud of you,” said Sarita.

She had tears of happiness in her eyes.

Since childhood, Sarita had been affected by polio. She couldn’t walk. She had to use a wheelchair to move around.

Despite her condition, Sarita didn’t lose heart. She was good at painting. In fact, she had just completed a painting for a competition.

After he saw her painting Rohit said, “I am sure that your painting is going to win the first prize.”

Sarita replied, “It will get a prize only if you will submit it at the Town Hall by 5 O’clock today.”

“Didi, don’t worry. I will go and submit it immediately,” said Rohit.

He covered the painting with a newspaper and left.

He had walked a little farther distance, when he heard a voice shouting, “Thief… thief.”

Rohit saw a masked man holding a black bag in his hand. The man ran ahead of him.

An old man, who was limping behind him said, “Somebody catch him, this thief is stealing my bag.”

Rohit stopped to help the old man.

“Baba, has he taken off with your bag?” Rohit asked.

The old man replied, “Son, that bag has 5 lakhs rupees in it. I was going to deposit the money in the bank. I don’t know how he snatched the bag from my hands.”

The old man started crying.

Rohit was thinking. He wanted to help the old man. Just then, he noticed a boy of his age in the nearby park. He was practicing with his roller skates. Rohit ran towards him and requested him to lend him his skates for a while.

The boy agreed to do so. Rohit immediately put on the skates on his feet and borrowed the old man’s walking stick. He then skated in the direction that the thief’ had taken.

Skating at a high speed, Rohit followed the thief. Onlookers were surprised to see a small child chase a thief. They moved aside to give him way.

Even in his dreams, the thief could not have imagined that someone would catch him. As soon as Rohit reached close, he pushed the old man’s stick on the thief’s leg.

“Wham!”

The thief fell flat on the road. The bag slipped out from his hands and fell at a distance.

Rohit quickly picked up the bag. He alerted a few passersby. A few people came running towards the thief. They tied him up with a rope so that he couldn’t flee.

Meanwhile, somebody had called the police. The police arrived shortly.

The police inspector said, “He is the most infamous criminal in the city. We have wanted to nab him for a while.”

He added, “Well done, son. You will be rewarded for your courage and presence of mind.”

Rohit was happy. After submitting the painting at the Town Hall, he returned home to his sister. He narrated the incident. Sarita hugged her courageous brother.

Story of Bread

Mayuri Peahen was a reporter at Jungle Times. When she reached her office, editor Jerry Pigeon told her, “The next edition of Jungle Times is a ‘food special. The magazine is going to be finalised tomorrow. Two pages are still empty. Prepare a nice article to fill them.”

Mayuri thought for a while. Unfortunately, no idea clicked in her mind. She couldn’t think of a topic to write on. Soon, it was lunchtime. She hadn’t brought a packed lunch. So, she left the office to get something to eat. She felt a sudden urge to eat bread.

She went to a bakery and asked for bread. The bakery owner Yaku Billy Goat asked, “Which type of bread you want, brown or white?”

“Bread has colours?” Mayuri questioned.

“Bread generally has two colours. However, there is a wide variety of bread,” replied Yaku. “Okay, what is the difference between white and brown bread?” Mayuri asked with curiosity.

“White bread is made from refined flour while brown bread is made using whole wheat,” explained Yaku. Mayuri thought, “This bakery owner knows a lot about bread. I can get a lot of information from him. Then I will be able to write an article on bread for the magazine.”

Mayuri said, “Uncle, I am a reporter at Jungle Times. Could you please give me more information about bread? I can use it to write an article.”

He replied, “Why not? Not only bread, I know a lot about every item sold in a bakery.”

“For the time being, please tell me about bread,” said Mayuri.

She took out her pen and diary. She started taking notes.

The bakery owner began, “Normally two types of bread are made and eaten. White bread is made from refined flour and brown bread is made from whole wheat flour.”

Mayuri interrupted him saying, “You have already told me this. Tell me, when was bread made for the first time?”

He said, “Most probably, bread was made for the first time at least twelve thousand years ago. Some historians say that some types of bread were made thirty thousand years ago.”

“Wow. Tell me more…” Mayuri prompted. He continued, “At that time, the dough was made from flour obtained from different grains. It was roasted on flat stones placed over the fire. In the 18th century, bread was made in the home and the hearth.”

She asked, “Is bread similar all over the world?”

He replied, “No, bread has different shapes and sizes.”

“Okay, tell me more,” said Mayuri.

He said, “In America, bread is often made from maize flour. In Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore and Malaysia, it is generally made from rice flour. Germany adds sesame seeds, pistachios and cashew nuts to its bread. Iran and Mongolia make thick, round bread.”

She asked, “Are there other kinds of bread apart from these?”

He continued, “Yes, Africa produces bread made in hot oil. China makes bread that is slightly sour in taste and is steamed.

Germany makes salted bread. Israel makes bread that is both sweet and sour in taste. In India, white and brown bread are consumed the most.”

“Is bread eaten in different ways, in different countries?” Mayuri asked.

“Seventy per cent of the countries of the world enjoy eating bread. Fifty per cent of the bread made is used to make sandwiches. Apart from this, it is also used in patties, burgers, hot dogs and as a cereal with vegetables,” Yaku replied.

She asked, “Is there any country that makes all types of bread?”

“Switzerland is a country where the bread of all countries are made and sold. Britain makes more than two hundred varieties of bread, all of which taste good.”

“This is my final question. Does bread have any nutrition?” asked Mayuri.

“Bread has protein, carbohydrates, calcium, iron and vitamins that are essential for the body. Bread made from refined flour doesn’t have fibre. It contains a lesser amount of vitamins and minerals. So, it is better to eat brown bread.”

Mayuri kept her pen and diary back in her bag. She thanked Yaku for giving her so much information about bread. She went back to the office. She began to write an article on bread.

King Potato

A tiny potato emerged out from the soil. It beamed with happiness.

It thought, “Wow, what a world! I have heard a lot about the world. Fortunately, I can now see it. I am going to have fun.”

While it was looking around, it spotted a green coloured round thing, clinging on to a climber. It asked, “Hey, who are you?”

“I am a young tomato.”

“You came out before me?” the potato questioned.

The tomato replied, “I have always been out since I was born.”

The little potato felt bad. However, it soon forgot everything. It was a jolly thing. It got back to its original fun-filled mood.

It thought, “I will see the entire world.”

While it was still thinking, it saw a long, green thing hanging from a straight standing plant.

“Who are you?” it asked.

“I am chilli.”

“You also came out before me!”

The chilli replied, “I have always been out, soaking in the sunlight, breathing in fresh air.”

The potato’s face fell. There were other plants in the garden, on which tiny fruits were swaying in happiness.

The potato asked the little pea, “Have you always been out as well?”

The pea was naughty. It sensed the potato’s restlessness.

It said, “Is this a question to ask? Not only I, but everyone out here hasn’t been buried under the ground. We breathe in fresh air. All of us sleep under the moonlit sky. We wake up with the golden rays of the sun. It’s fun swaying in the breeze.”

“Hmm, this means that I am the only one who has to stay underground. How unlucky we potatoes are! Look at the others. They are all so shiny and beautiful. They live in fresh air. I look so filthy and ugly! Nobody will even notice me.”

The potato felt sad. After talking to the other vegetables, it kept quiet.

A few days later, it was kept in a basket.

It was taken to the vegetable market. All the other vegetables also went along.

“Look, the king of vegetables has been kept near me!” the brinjal exclaimed excitedly.

The potato asked, “Where? Who is it? Please tell me.”

The potato was curious. The brinjal became silent for a while.

He asked the brinjal, “Why are you looking at me like that? Am I that ugly?”

With some hesitation, the brinjal replied, “You are the king, the king of vegetables.”

“Why are you making fun of me? I am an ugly vegetable, who lives underground. How can I be the king?” the potato questioned.

The brinjal replied, “You really are the king. You have all the qualities needed to be a king. Most vegetable preparations are made with you. When there is no other vegetable you alone are sufficient. People can have a satisfying meal by just eating you.”

The pumpkin was lying close by. It said, “You are healthy. How can you not be king? You have Carbohydrates, Vitamin C, Iron, Calcium, Phosphorus, Riboflavin, Carotene and Niacin.

You are enriched with so many nutrients. You are available in every season, every day. We may be here today but gone tomorrow. You are available throughout the year.”

The little potato was pleasantly surprised. It was finding it difficult to believe that it was the king of vegetables!

It thought, “Inner qualities and usefulness are more important than outer appearances. I might be ugly on the surface but my other qualities make me stand apart from others, so much so that I am their king!”

The little potato now understood its self-worth. It regretted its earlier thinking. It felt satisfied, not because it was the king, but because it knew the reason why it was the king.

Mittu, the pet dog

Deepti was very sad. She had lost Mittu, her pet dog. The previous evening, she had gone for her piano classes. She had taken Mittu with her. Mittu was playing in the garden of the piano teacher’s house. When the class was over, Deepti went to the garden to fetch Mittu. However, Mittu was nowhere to be found. She had yelled, cried and shouted out Mittu’s name at least a thousand times. Mittu never replied. She had walked home. She sadly told her Mom that Mittu was missing.

Mom reassured Deepti, “Don’t worry my dear, Mittu is very clever. He will soon come home. Now, eat your snacks and start on your homework.”

Deepti concentrated on her studies. After having dinner, she went to sleep.

A week passed. There was no sign of Mittu. Deepti’s Dad said, “We will soon buy a new puppy. You can play with him.”

Deepti missed playing with her dog. Every day, Mittu used to accompany Deepti up to the school bus. Her friends always played with Mittu. Whenever Deepti’s friends did not come to play with them, Mittu used to play hide and seek with Deepti. It was fun playing with Mittu. Mittu used to sleep under Deepti’s bed. Deepti felt that she could not love any other dog. She only wanted Mittu. Day by day, she became quieter and sadder.

One day, Deepti’s dad took her to an exhibition. He wanted her to enjoy herself. The exhibition was very big and had lots of games. Deepti’s dad got her a new teddy bear.

He said, “Deepti, now you can play with this teddy whenever you feel bored.”

Deepti said, “Thank you, daddy. This is only a toy. My Mittu was real.”

A little later, there was an announcement

“Welcome to the grand exhibition. Here comes our next item, “The Dog Show.’ See cute dogs perform different tricks, stunts and dances”.

Deepti told her Dad and Mom, “Please come with me. I want to see the dog show.”

They went to the centre of the exhibition ground. They took their seats and watched the show. Many dog owners proudly brought their dogs to the stage and ordered them to sit, jump and dance. The dogs obeyed their masters. As the shows went on, Deepti watched with great enthusiasm. Suddenly, she got up from her chair and jumped up and down.

She cried loudly, “Mittu, this is my Mittu.”

Hearing her cry, a cute dog jumped from the stage and started running towards her. It was her Mittu! Deepti was so happy that she cried and hugged Mittu. Mittu also licked Deepti. He showed his affection by barking happily. Deepti’s dad and mom were so relieved. Finally, they could see that their daughter was happy.

Meanwhile, someone from the stage came down and said, “Do you know Tommy? One day I saw him running in the middle of the road. There was a lot of traffic. I thought that this dog would get hurt. So, I took it with me.”

Deepti said, “Yes, it is my pet dog, Mittu. I lost him. Thank you for saving my dog’s life and taking care of him.”

The gentleman said, “Oh, it is my pleasure. Mittu is very cute and smart. I had real fun with him. Anyway, since it is yours, you can now take him.”

Mittu barked loudly. He was also saying thank you to the gentleman. Deepti and Mittu happily walked away.

Graffiti’s Intellect

Bhikhu the Bear had come to Champakvan. He was a famous astrologer. The animals of Champakvan were highly impressed by his talks.

Mickey the Rabbit extended his palm and asked, “Please read my palm and tell me as to when will my days turn sunny? I think I am possessed by some evil spirits. Nothing goes right with me. Caty Aunty kidnaps my young ones when we are out for work. Please suggest a way out.”

Bhikhu said, “I will have to perform some rituals to ward off the evil spirits and that will cost some money.”

“We are ready to spend any amount for it,” said Mickey.

Foxy the Fox came to Bhikhu and asked, “Baba, I have heard that you can double money and gold. Is it true?”

Bhikhu raised his head with pride and said, “A powerful being like me can do anything.”

Foxy got excited and gave away all her valuables and money to Bhikhu.

Bhikhu became famous in Champakvan. The animals treated him like a king. They used to get lot of fruits for him. Bhikhu had involved Bhaggu the Horse in his plan. They both enjoyed all the attention from Champakvan.

Bhikhu kept telling the animals that he was performing the rituals daily. He told them that they should come to him two days prior to Diwali and take their valuables and money that will have doubled by then.

As instructed by Bhikhu, Mickey and Foxy went to Bhikhu’s house to collect their valuables. They were astonished to see that Bhikhu and Bhaggu were nowhere to be seen. They became panicky and started to weep.

Old Graffiti Giraffe Uncle had come to Champakyan. He saw Mickey crying and asked him for the reason. Mickey narrated the entire episode.

Graffiti asked, “Did Bhaggu limp while walking? Did he have chickpeas laden on his back? Does any of the two have wounds on his body?”

Some animals informed that a wounded Bhikhu was seen rushing out of his house with a huge bag in the morning. Everyone there was shocked as to how Graffiti Uncle knew so much about Bhaggu and Bhikhu. They pleaded him to take them to Bhikhu and Bhaggu.

Graffiti said, “I have no idea of their whereabouts.”

The animals took Graffiti to the police station. Inspector Shersingh started interrogating him about the case. He said, “You have given quite a lot of information about the two tricksters. Then why are you apprehensive to tell us about their hiding spot?”

Graffiti said, “When I was coming to Champakvan, I saw footprints of an animal. Only three limbs had left prints and so could guess that the animal was hobbling. There were some chickpeas scattered on the way and that made me conclude that the animal was carrying chickpeas on his back. Also, I saw some drops of blood on the way, and that is why I guessed that the animal must have been wounded.”

Shersingh said, “You are indeed very intelligent. Now you all must follow those footprints and nab the frauds.” |

The animals of Champakvan, along with Graffiti, followed the footprints.

They reached a place and Graffiti said, “Wait.

They both must be around this place.”

“How can you be so sure?” asked Mickey.

Graffiti replied, “Look around. There is no grass here. It seems someone has just finished grazing. And also there is a river nearby for drinking water.”

Just then, Bhikhu came out of the river and Mickey nabbed him. Foxy saw Bhaggu nearby and jumped on his back. Bhaggu tried to escape but in vain.

Bhaggu and Bhikhu were taken to the police station. The police seized all the money and valuables from them and returned the same to Mickey and Foxy.

Shersingh felicitated Graffiti Uncle and said, “You have accomplished a lot of things just by using your intelligence. You are an inspiration to all the citizens of Champakvan.”

EVERGREEN EMPATHY

Autumn had passed, winter was approaching. All the birds began to fly south. Only one little bird was left behind. It had a broken wing.

“Farewell! We’ll meet in spring,” said the birds. The little bird sighed. It said, “Oh dear! Oh dear! I need a home for the winter. If I can reach those trees, perhaps, they will help me.”

It was very cold with the frost and snow falling steadily.

The first tree that the bird saw was a Birch. It took a deep breath and pleasantly asked, “Oh, dear beautiful Birch, my wing is broken. May I take shelter in your branches?”

“For how long do you wish to stay?” The Birch asked the bird.

“Just until spring,” answered the bird.

“Oh dear! That’s too long. Sorry!” The Birch replied.

“Birch, it’s all right,” replied the bird. “Perhaps, the mighty Oak will help me!”

When the bird reached the Oak, it took a deep breath and politely asked, “Oh, dear mighty Oak, my wing is broken. May I take shelter in your branches until my friends return?”

“Oh dear! Dear me no!” The Oak sighed. “You’re a restless bird; you’ll move around and disturb me throughout the winter!

“Oak, it’s all right,” replied the bird. “Perhaps, the kind Willow will help me.”

When the bird reached the Willow, it took a deep breath and politely said, “Oh, dear kind Willow, my wing is broken. May I take shelter in your branches until my friends return in spring?”

“Oh dear! Oh dear!” The Willow said. “I don’t know you. However, I’m sure you’ll find a few trees somewhere in this forest! that’ll take in strange birds!”

The poor bird was just about to give up looking for shelter. It heard a gentle voice calling, “Little bird, where are you going?”

“Oh dear! Oh dear! I really don’t know!” said the bird, truthfully. “I’m very sad and cold.”

“Come, climb up to one of my branches,” said the soft voice. “I’m the Spruce tree. You can live on my warmest branch all winter, if you choose to.”

The bird said, “Oh dear, oh, dear, how can I thank you enough?”

“It’s time at least one tree helped you, I will keep the cold wind away from you,” said the Pine tree.

Yet, another voice called out and said, “I can also help you.”

“Oh dear, oh, dear, who is that?” The bird asked.

The tree answered, “It is I, the Juniper. I can give you berries all winter long. Birds like you, love my berries.”

“Oh dear, oh, dear, of course we do!” The bird exclaimed in a happy tone.

The Spruce gave the lonely little bird a home. The Pine protected it from the cold North Wind. The Juniper gave it berries to eat. These trees spread some evergreen empathy towards the little bird. That’s why the leaves of the Spruce, Pine and Juniper are always green.

Forgetul Grandma

Grandma lived in a big house. She lived alone. Her children and grandchildren lived abroad. Forgetful by nature, she would often keep something somewhere and forget about it. Then, she would keep searching the entire house. She would be restless till she found what she was looking for. She loved children. She would often call them by wrong names.

The children found this funny. They would laugh. Grandma was very fond of watching movies. One day, she decided to go for a movie. She wore a nice fur coat. She locked the door. She began thinking as to where should she keep the key so that she could find it easily. She knew she was forgetful. She didn’t want to lose the key.

She thought, “I should keep the key in a flower-pot. However, there are so many pots here, so how will I remember in which pot I have kept the key? I can keep the key in the pot in a corner, but then there are pots in every corner. What should I do?” Grandma couldn’t make up her mind.

“I should keep the pot with the key in the car. Then I will just have to remember car and pot.” Grandma thought that this was a good idea. She heaved a sigh of relief.

Grandma kept the pot in the car and began her journey. Unfortunately, she forgot where she was going. She figured that she must have come out for some shopping. She turned left, towards the main market.

It was Sunday. The market was very crowded. Many cars were parked. Grandma thought that there were so many cars here that she would find it hard to remember where she had parked her car. Now she was in a dilemma.

Grandma thought, “It would be better if I keep the car at home and come back in a taxi.”

Grandma returned home.

By now, Grandma was tired.

“How about having a hot cup of coffee first?” she thought.

Grandma loved having coffee, while watching flowers through her kitchen window.

She reached the door.

“Where have I kept the key?’ she thought for a while.

Finally, she remembered the idea of putting the key in a flower-pot. She looked inside all the pots. The key wasn’t in any of them.

Grandma was worried.

“Oh no, what has happened to me? If I remember one thing, then I forget the other!”

In frustration, Grandma banged her hand on the car. This act reminded her that she had kept the pot with the key inside the car! Happily, she took out the pot from the car and searched. The key was nowhere to be found. “Oh my, this forgetfulness is not leaving me. Now, where shall I find my key?” Grandma muttered. Absentmindedly, her hand went inside her coat’s pocket.

“Hey, I kept the key inside my pocket and here I am, searching for it everywhere else!”

Grandma was relieved. While keeping the pot in the car, Grandma had kept the key in her coat pocket. She had forgotten to put the key inside the pot!

Grandma was very happy to have found the key. She went inside to have a cup of coffee. However, she soon forgot her original plan, to go out of the house to watch a movie.

Miraculous Plants in Champakvan

Mimmo was a smart goat of Champakvan. One sunny afternoon when she was returning home from the market, she saw a huge crowd near a tree.

She went there and learnt that there was an old saint sitting there. He was telling about a miraculous plant that makes one wealthy and prosperous.

Mimmo asked Blacky the Bear who was standing beside her, “What is all this?”

Blacky pointed at some plants kept near the saint and said, “He seems to be a great saint. He claims that if we grow these plants in our house and later on return them to him, we can get a lot of wealth from a holy cave.”

Mimmo looked at the plants and laughed. She then turned to Blacky and said, “I don’t find anything unusual or special in these plants. They barely have some leaves and no flowers at all.”

The saint heard Mimmo’s words and said angrily, “Foolish Mimmo, you have humiliated me.”

“How do you know my name?” asked Mimmo.

The saint replied, “Child, I am omniscient. I know Jhingu, the prawn; Chinti, the ant; Kuki, the Cuckoo and Jumbo, the elephant also. I can keep a watch on all the animals of the entire world by merely sitting here.”

The saint correctly guessed the names of all the animals present there. Mimmo was impressed by this. She bowed to him and apologised for her mistake. The saint forgave her and gave plants to everyone present there.

Juju the Giraffe said to Mimmo, “See how great he is! Had he been a fraud, he wouldn’t have distributed these plants for free.”

The saint distributed plants to everyone and told them to take good care of the plants. He also said that he would return to Champakvan after a few months. The saint then returned to his holy cave in the Amazon forests.

Mimmo happily returned home and placed the plant in her small garden. After a few months, the plants grew well and bore a lot of flowers and fruits. Now the animals were eagerly waiting for the saint to come.

One morning when Mimmo was watering the plants, she saw her best friend, Caty the Cat. Two years ago, Caty had gone abroad to study. Mimmo was extremely delighted to see Caty after such a long time.

“Mimmo, you and gardening? I am impressed,” said Caty.

Mimmo told Caty about the saint and the magical plants. Caty was shocked to see Mimmo believing all this. She explained to Mimmo that all this isn’t true in this modern world. She then pulled out a book from her bag and started matching Mimmo’s plant with the ones in her book.

“These seem to be opium plants I guess?” said Caty.

Mimmo said, “Whatever it is! It doesn’t make any difference. The saint said that this is a magical plant.”

“Don’t be foolish, Mimmo,” said Caty, “Opium is also known as “Afeem’.

Planting this is illegal. The fruits of these plants are used to make drugs which are very dangerous to health.”

Mimmo stood dumbstruck for a few seconds. Then Caty and Mimmo went to each and every house of Champakvan and told the truth to everyone.

Blacky informed inspector Panther about the entire episode. Inspector Panther and King Shersingh immediately returned from Amazon where they had gone for a holiday.

They also told the animals that there is no holy cave or saint in Amazon. Inspector Panther assumed that the saint was living in Champakvan itself and that is why he knew the name of all the animals.

Just then, the saint appeared there with a truck. He saw the inspector and started turning his truck around.

Inspector Panther leapt at the truck and pulled the saint out of it. During this brawl, the saint’s false beard came off and everyone was shocked to see that it was Jojo, the fox who was dressed as a saint.

Jojo was caught red handed. He said that these plants were given to him by his brother, Gogo. He had said that they would earn lakhs of rupees by selling these plants in the foreign markets.

“Oh, so that was the reason you came dressed as a saint and tried to fool us? Thanks to Caty and her knowledge of botanical science, we came to know about these dangerous plants. Had we given the plants to Jojo, who knows how many animals would have fallen prey to addiction,” said Mimmo.

King Shersingh also praised and thanked Caty for her timely support. He requested the animals to not encourage such acts that have no scientific proof.

Jojo and his brother were arrested and put behind the bars. The animals of Champakvan started growing papaya, mango, and apple trees. They exported the fruits and started earning profits in plenty. King Shersingh calls these trees as magical and wealth providing trees of Champakvan..

Bhediyanand Gets Exposed

All the animals in Champakvan were queuing up since morning to get a glimpse of Swami Bhediyanand.

Cheeku the Rabbit saw that his mother was asking for 1000 Rupees from his father and telling him that she would visit Swami Bhediyanand’s Satsang along with her Sister Meow and Cheeku.

When Cheeku reached the satsang venue, he saw that many animals had gathered in a huge stall. Swami Bhediyanand was sitting with his disciples on a stage, attired in saffron-coloured clothes. Binny the Goat got up from her place and holding the mike closer, said in a choked voice, “Maharaj, my husband is not doing well in his business since the past few days. Please help us.”

Swami Bhediyanand lifted his hand up and said, “Everything will be okay in one week.”

Cheeku was surprised to hear this. He wondered how Binny’s situation could change in one week! All the animals were touching Swami Bhediyanand’s feet and offering him money. Cheeku too, along with his mother, reached close to Swami Bhediyanand and touched his feet to seek blessings from him.

Cheeku couldn’t concentrate on any work after reaching home. He recalled that Binny the Goat lived near his friend Smarty the Tortoise’s house. He contemplated something and went to his mother, “Mom, please give me your mobile phone. I am going to my friend Smarty’s house to play.”

“Okay, Son, take the phone, but don’t be too late. Come home on time,” Mother directed.

“Okay, bye,” Taking leave, Cheeku got out of the house. He spoke to Smarty about the happenings at the satsang and told him about his plan.

As Cheeku threw the ball, Smarty hit it with full force so that it entered straight in Binny’s house. Cheeku entered the house through the gate and said, “Excuse me, Aunty, my ball has come inside your house.”

“Come and take it,” Binny said.

Cheeku saw that Lallu the Wolf was present in Binny’s house at that time, conversing with her.

Cheeku switched on the recorder of his mobile phone and hid it in a flower pot.

He played cricket for half an hour and then again put the ball in Binny’s house. Then he went inside the house again on the pretext of taking the ball and took his mobile phone too from there.

After bidding goodbye to Smarty, Cheeku reached home and heard the phone recording. His suspicion turned out to be true. Lallu was instructing Binny regarding what she had to say on the mike. He even paid her money for the acting, which she had done before.

Cheeku immediately told his parents about it, who in turn informed Inspector Cheetah Singh. Bhediyanand was handcuffed the next day in the satsang. Cheeku’s picture was published on the front page of Champak Times.

MUMMY THIEF

The Bagh Bahadur Museum was a big and famous museum in Champakvan. It was very well known all over the world too. Tourists from far and wide flocked to see the antiques and valuable artifacts that were on display.

Amongst the most famous displays of The Bagh Bahadur Museum, were the mummies of the last twenty kings of Champakvan. They were King Sher Singh’s ancestors and had been embalmed and kept here for many years.

These mummies made quite an unusual sight and the tourists who saw them were both fascinated and frightened.

Baddy Wolf and Laddy Wolf were two wolves who lived in Champakvan. The two of them were thieves who specialised in stealing antiques and valuable artifacts.

They were very dangerous and cunning too. The wolves made their living by selling the stolen objects to collectors in foreign countries.

Baddy Wolf and Laddy Wolf had set their cunning little eyes on The Bagh Bahadur Museum for a very long time. They wanted to steal the mummies and were working on plans to sneak them out of the museum.

One night, Baddy Wolf sat down to make a map of The Bagh Bahadur Museum. He was drawing lines when Laddy Wolf came up to him and asked, “Baddy Wolf, what are you drawing so late at night? Are you working on a plan to steal something big and priceless?”

“You are right, my friend,” Baddy Wolf nibbled on a pencil and said. “I am making a map of The Bagh Bahadur Museum. The map will help us plan how we will steal the mummies. Once we manage that, our dream of growing rich will come true!”

“That is fantastic!” Laddy Wolf said, rubbing his hands with glee. “You have finally started work on our ‘Operation Museum.’ But how will we steal the mummies? There are tourists visiting the museum all day and night.”

“Don’t worry about that, Laddy. We will make sure the tourists run away from the museum and clear our paths,” Baddy Wolf said and laughed.

“Tell me how! I am your partner after all,” Laddy Wolf said excitedly. He was eager to hear the plan.

“Listen then,” Baddy Wolf said confidently. “I am making a map of the museum. I have also chalked out the entire plan of stealing the mummies. We will first dig a tunnel to enter the museum.

This tunnel will directly take us to the museum’s toilet area. Once we are inside, I will wrap you in white bandages that will make you look just like a mummy. You will have to act like a ghost and scare the tourists away.”

Laddy Wolf jumped excitedly. “How wicked you are, Baddy Wolf!” he said, looking thrilled. “The tourists will be scared and flee the museum. We will steal the mummies then and make our way out through the tunnel.”

“That’s right,” Baddy Wolf said and yawned. “Now go and make some tea for me. I want to finish drawing this map tonight.”

Baddy Wolf stayed up that night and after many hours of hard work, he completed the map.

The next day, Baddy Wolf and Laddy Wolf took the map with them and walked to the pond behind The Bagh Bahadur Museum.

Baddy Wolf began digging the tunnel with a shovel. Laddy Wolf took the mud and threw it into the pond so that nobody would suspect that a tunnel was being dug.

The distance between the pond and The Bagh Bahadur Museum was long. It took the two wolves a whole month to finish digging the tunnel.

The tunnel was dug exactly according to Baddy Wolf’s plan. It opened directly below the museum’s toilet.

After that, the two wolves spent some time making a door in the floor of the toilet that they could slide it open and enter.

Baddy Wolf and Laddy Wolf were very confident now. They were ready to put their plan in action.

The next night, Baddy Wolf wrapped Laddy Wolf in white bandages and sent him inside the museum.

Laddy Wolf looked just like the mummies on display. He started walking all over the museum, making eerie sounds. The birds and animals who were visiting saw him and panicked.

“Eek!” they shouted. “There’s a walking mummy in the museum! A ghost!”

Everyone ran out, looking petrified.

Soon, the news of the walking mummy spread like wild fire. Everyone in Champakvan was terrified. The tourists stayed away from the museum too.

Baddy Wolf and Laddy Wolf laughed. Everything was going as per their plan.

Now all they had to do was steal the mummies.

One night, they crept inside the museum and stole one of the mummies out.

When they reached their house, Baddy Wolf said, “Laddy, we should hide this mummy at a very safe place. No one should find it. After we do that, we will steal one mummy from the museum every day.

We will contact the foreign agent after we have a few mummies and sell them for a lot of money.” So, the two wolves started stealing the mummies every night. It took them just eleven days, to steal eleven mummies.

Everyone in Champakvan was shocked when they heard the news of the mummies disappearing from the museum. And everyone had a different story to tell. Some said that the mummies had come alive and were running away from the museum.

Others believed that it was the work of a sly thief. King Sher Singh was pacing to and fro inside his palace. He was very worried about the matter. After all, the stolen mummies were those of his ancestors.

He sent for Cheeku Rabbit. He too had heard of the disappearing mummies. “Maharaj, I’m shocked,” Cheeku Rabbit said. “I’ve heard that the mummies are disappearing from The Bagh Bahadur Museum. Is that true?”

“Yes, Cheeku,” King Sher Singh said with a sigh. “Eleven mummies have disappeared so far. I have asked the police to patrol the museum gates. The security has been tightened too.

But sadly, the mummies are still being stolen. There are rumours of a walking mummy in the museum. The police and security guards have heard it and are scared too. Cheeku, you are very smart. I’d like you to work as a detective and catch the thief.”

“Don’t worry, Maharaj,” Cheeku Rabbit said politely. “I will do my best.” Cheeku Rabbit then left for The Bagh Bahadur Museum. He began investigating and looked for clues all over. Soon, Cheeku reached the toilet. He checked the walls, the ceiling and finally the floor. “Aha,” Cheeku muttered. “I think someone has tampered with the toilet floor. I should tap it with a stick and see.”

Cheeku found a stick and carefully tapped it all over the toilet floor. At one particular spot, the tapping sound sounded odd and hollow.

“Aha! Cheeku shouted happily. “There is something below this floor!” Cheeku bent down and found the sliding door that led to the tunnel.

“This is clearly the work of clever thieves, not ghosts. They have stolen the mummies by entering the museum through this tunnel,” Cheeku said to himself. “I will search the entire area thoroughly. The tunnel must surely have another opening somewhere in the forest.”

Cheeku Rabbit then left the museum and began exploring the entire area. Soon, he found the pond behind the museum. He saw that the water in the pond was unusually muddy. A pile of freshly dug mud was lying nearby too.

“Hmm,” Cheeku Rabbit thought. “The tunnel must have another opening here. The thieves must be using it to enter and leave the museum.” Cheeku Rabbit looked around and found the tunnel’s opening in no time.

“Baddy Wolf and Laddy Wolf are only two thieves in Champakvan who are interested in stealing antiques and museum artifacts. Besides, they are the only thieves who can think so sharply and come up with such a cunning plan.”

Cheeku Rabbit then went to King Sher Singh and told him what he had found. King Sher Singh was furious.

“I will get Baddy Wolf and Laddy Wolf arrested at once!” he roared.

“Maharaj, please don’t do that,” Cheeku Rabbit suggested. “It would be better if we catch them red-handed so that we know where they have hidden the stolen mummies.”

“Alright, Cheeku,” King Sher Singh said.

“We will do as you say. I am giving you the authority to catch the thieves.” Cheeku Rabbit then went to the police station and met Inspector Gendamal. He was the police officer in charge of the case. They started working on a plan to catch the thieves.

That very night, Cheeku Rabbit and Inspector Gendamal took a few constables and hid behind the bushes near the pond. They waited there patiently.

Just as the clock struck midnight, Baddy Wolf and Laddy Wolf came along. They tiptoed towards the tunnel.

“Aha!” Cheeku Rabbit whispered. “So, I was right! It is them!”

Baddy Wolf and Laddy Wolf had no idea that Cheeku Rabbit and Inspector Gendamal were watching them. They walked into the tunnel and made their way to the museum confidently.

As soon as Baddy Wolf and Laddy Wolf returned carrying a mummy with them, Cheeku Rabbit alerted Inspector Gendamal and his constables. The two wolves walked deep into the forest.

Cheeku Rabbit and Inspector Gendamal followed them quietly. Baddy Wolf and Laddy Wolf soon reached an abandoned house. They were hiding the mummies in it.

“Hooray! ‘Operation Museum’is a success! We have stolen another mummy from the museum again today!” Laddy Wolf joyfully said once they had entered the house. “We have twelve mummies now. We should sell them to the foreign agent as soon as we can. If the police get suspicious, then our dream of becoming rich will never be fulfilled.”

“You are right. We shouldn’t be very greedy,” Baddy Wolf said. “I have spoken to the foreign agent. He is coming to Champakvan tomorrow night to buy the mummies.We’ll give him the ones we have. We’ll go on a long holiday after we get our money and return only after the matter has been forgotten.”

Suddenly, the house door creaked opened. The two wolves were startled. No one came to the abandoned house. “Cancel your holiday bookings, if you have any,” Inspector Gendamal shouted. “Your game is over. You cannot go anywhere.”

Cheeku Rabbit followed inside. “You have dared to steal Champakvan’s priceless treasures. King Sher Singh is furious. He is going to punish you for stealing his ancestors’ mummies,” Cheeku Rabbit told the two thieves sternly.

Baddy Wolf and Laddy Wolf tried to escape. But Inspector Gendamal was too quick for them. He pounced on them and had them arrested.

Baddy Wolf and Laddy Wolf confessed to their crimes. The police retrieved the stolen mummies and took them back to the museum.

The following night, Inspector Gendamal arrested the foreign agent who had come to buy the stolen mummies. He too was thrown behind bars and punished.

King Sher Singh was delighted that his ancestors’ mummies were back in the museum. He hosted a party in honour of Cheeku Rabbit for solving the mystery and felicitated him with a medal. Cheeku Rabbit was very proud of himself.

Unlucky

Once again, all the ants were accusing Joey the Ant for being the culprit. They said that he was responsible for all that happened. Joey was quietly standing on one side with tears in his eyes. He had just lost his leg and that was the reason why everyone pronounced him unlucky or jinxed.

It had so happened that in the morning, the Queen Ant’s son Nannu was playing where Joey was searching for food.

Nannu lost his balance and fell down and got injured. He said that it was due to Joey that he got hurt. Thus everyone thought that Joey was unlucky.

“We cannot let Joey stay with us anymore. He should be asked to leave our anthill,” said Nikki the Ant. All the ants agreed to it and asked Joey to leave. Joey had no choice but to find a new home for himself. He decided to stay alone.

Joey was proceeding towards his house when he heard someone mourning in pain. He went in the direction of the sound just to find out that an ant was badly injured. He then asked her for her residential address and safely took the ant to her house.

Joey had saved her life. Her family members praised him for his work. When Joey narrated his story, they felt sorry for him and asked him to stay with them. Joey agreed and started staying with them. He was very kind and hardworking. Everyone in his new home respected and loved him. Joey liked his new home but still missed his old anthill.

Gradually, the summer season came to an end and the monsoons arrived. Joey did not face the shortage of food as he had a lot of food in store.

One night when he was sitting in his room, he heard some noises from outside. He went out and saw that the area was flooded with rainwater and the water level was rising continuously. He quickly informed all the ants in the anthill to secure themselves at a height where the water could not rise. Joey’s presence of mind and alertness had saved many lives and once again Joey’s work was appreciated.

Just then, Joey recalled that even the ants of his old anthill might be in trouble. He immediately went there and saw that all the other ants were panicking because Nikki was drowning. He looked around and saw a leaf that was floating in the water. He jumped onto the floating leaf.

He knew that there was a fallen tree ahead and was sure that the leaf would get stuck there and wouldn’t float further. The moment the leaf came near Nikki, Joey pulled Nikki up onto the leaf and saved her life.

The ants saw this and felt really ashamed of their behaviour with Joey. They apologised to Joey and asked him to stay with them. Joey was finally happy and forgave all of them.

Don’t Underestimate Me

After sweating it out in the harsh sun, when Minti, the ant came home with a grain of rice, she saw that someone had filled her whole house with mud.

Who could have done this?” Minti thought to herself and kept the grain aside. She went inside her house and started removing the mud.

After some hard work, Minti was able to remove all the mud from her house. Huffing and puffing, she brought the grain inside and then went out to collect some more.

When Minti returned, she again saw that someone had filled her house with mud. She started removing the mud again. She again kept the grains inside and went out to collect more.

When Minti returned home, she saw her house was filled with mud once again. She rested for a while and again she started removing the mud.

After a while, when Minti came outside Gauri, the sparrow, who had been watching her said, “Minti, I have been watching you. You go to collect the grains but in between someone fills your house with mud. Every time you remove the mud. Why don’t you make your house in a safer place? These kids are always filling your house with mud. You will be left cleaning it every time.”

Smart Mice

“Gauri, I am an ant. A hard working being. When those children don’t get tired of putting mud in my house, how can I be tired of clearing it? I will never be tired and one day, those children will learn to accept it,” said Minti.

That is alright Minti. But this bravery is nothing but foolishness. You are so small and the children are big. If they want, they can just stamp on you. But you can’t do that,” said Gauri.

“So you want me to give in because I am small. Then the whole world will only be ruled by the strong. Little beings will always have to live in fear. But Gauri, things are not like that. Strength is not in sizes, it is in self-belief. Don’t consider us small. Despite being small, we can still make them accept our worth. If I leave this place in fear, where will I go?” asked Minti.

“Some other safe place,” said Gauri.

“This place used to be safe too but today it isn’t. What is the guarantee, the place I go to will always be safe? If I run away in fear, then there will be no safe place left. Everywhere someone will show their strength and will make me want to run away. In life, there will be a struggle. We should always fight with courage. That is why I don’t want to run away.”

Gauri was carefully listening to Minti.

“You are right Minti. We shouldn’t run away thinking ourselves to be small. We sparrows also work very hard but if someone makes us fly away, we fly. That is why there is always a chance of us being hunted,” said Gauri.

Minti was happy that Gauri understood what she had said.

“Alright. Then I will leave to collect my grains,” Minti said.

“Alright, you go. Your words have taught me that I can do something too. I will make sure that your house is not filled with mud. I will teach a lesson to that person who tries to put mud in my friend’s house,” said Gauri, while laughing. Minti also became very happy hearing what Gauri had to say.

“Thank you!” said Minti, and left to collect grains.

Please Let Me Play with You

It was Sunday and the four rats Rinku, Minku, Chinku and Pinku had just finished their homework. It was raining outside so they decided to play some indoor games.

“It has been rather long since we played Ludo,” said Rinku.

Hearing what Rinku was saying about the game Chinku also got excited. He said, “Let’s play Ludo. It will be quite interesting, and I like to cut others’ token too.”

Hearing this Tinku said, “But when your token gets cut, you start crying.”

Chinku replied, “That was a long time back when I was younger. Today if my token gets cut, I will not cry.”

All of the friends started playing. They got some of their tokens cut and the other tokens reached home. They didn’t notice that the rain had stopped and the sun was shining outside.

The game was interesting, until suddenly Bunty, the rat came in and said, “My dear friends, please allow me to play with you.”

If Bunty had to play, one of the other four rats would have to leave as only four people are allowed to play Ludo on one board.

No Place to Play

They thought about ways in which they could stop Bunty from joining this game.

Rinku who had a sharp memory said, “Bunty, we would have allowed you to play, but there’s a thing we don’t like about you.”

“What is that?” said Bunty, quite surprised.

“You don’t have a bath every day, and stink. We can’t make you sit near us,” said Rinku.

Hearing this Bunty said, “Ah! Luckily today I took a shower and I have worn neat clothes too. If you don’t believe what I’m saying, you can smell me. I am not stinking.”

All of them realised that Bunty was saying the truth.

“Now what can we tell him?” thought Tinku, scratching his head Tinku said, “It’s okay that you have taken a bath but your tail is still very dirty. It is too long. When you move around, it touches the ground.”

Bunty saw that his tail was really very long and dirty too.

“No problem, I will wash it and come back,” said Bunty.

Bunty went near the tap and washed his tail nicely. He came back and said, “Now you see how clean my tail is. Can I play with you?”

Rinku, Chinku, Tinku and Pinku saw Bunty’s tail was neat and clean.

“How can we tackle him?” thought Tinku.

Right then Pinku said, “Your tail is neat but it’s still wet. Go and dry it.”

“But how shall I dry my tail? I don’t have a towel or handkerchief to dry it,” said Bunty, sounding sad.

“Go and stand under the sun. When it dries, you can come in and play with us,” said Pinku.

Poor Bunty went and stood under the sun, waiting for his tail to dry.

When his tail dried, Bunty came in and said, “See, my tail is dry. Now, do you have any problem if I join you in your game?”

All four rats saw that Bunty’s tail was clean and dry. But they still didn’t want him to join their game and they were thinking of new reasons to send him away.

Rinku said, “It would be lovely if you could play with us, but you don’t know how to count. How will you move your token?”

Hearing Rinku’s words Bunty became very sad. He did not know how to read and write. His parents tried to send him to school but he did not go. He was only interested in playing games and roaming around. He started to cry.

Seeing this, all four of them felt bad. Pinku said, “Don’t cry Bunty, we were just joking. Play with us, but you have to be somebody’s partner. You throw the dice and your partner will move the token. This way you will also enjoy the game. And from now on if you want to play this game you have to learn to count.”

Hearing Pinku’s words Bunty said, “From now on I will also go to school and study so that I can enjoy all these things. I have lost on many things because I did not know how to read and write. I was always dependant on other people to send messages, or to use a mobile, or play games or even while dialling a phone number.”

Hearing this, all four friends said, “We will help you in your studies and also teach you.”

Everybody started playing Ludo together and enjoyed it too.

Leo’s Haircut

In the forest called Greenland, there lived Chatur, the fox. He was a barber by profession.

One day, Chatur sat outside his shop feeling jealous about the queue of animals outside Malku, the bear’s barbershop.

An angry Chatur grumbled, “How long will I keep looking at them? Don’t I have any work to do?”

Chatur sighed and muttered sadly, “But what work can I do?”

Chatur continued thinking in self-pity, “Poor me! Hardly anyone comes here for a haircut and I know that I’m such a great barber. Why? These animals simply don’t have any appreciation for my great skills.”

The truth was that Chatur was such a bad barber that one could be sure of getting a bad haircut from him.

Chatur knew that sitting sadly in self-pity was not going to help. He got up and called out to the customers who were going into Malku’s shop.

“Hey Porky, come here. Shall I give you a nice trim?” Chatur cheerfully asked Porky the porcupine.

“No thanks, the last time I got one from you, I ended up looking like a sheared sheep,” Porky said angrily.

Poor Chatur’s face fell. But he did not give up.

Chatur called out to Chimpu, the chimpanzee who simply looked at him in horror and ran away.

Chatur was definitely at a loss now. He sadly wondered how he was going to earn his living. Then, he had an idea.

Chatur went to Malku’s shop and requested to meet him outside where no customer would hear them.

Malku nodded out of curiosity.

When they were alone, Chatur suggested, “Dear Malku, why don’t we enter into a partnership? That way we both can make a huge profit. You can send half of your customers to my shop and I will do the same for you.”

But Malku was clever too. He said, “What do you mean by your customers? Nobody’ is the only customer you have. Nice try, Chatur but no thanks. I will have my customers and you can have ‘Nobody’ as your precious customer.”

Malku laughed and went inside.

Just then, Chatur spotted King Leo, the lion going towards Malku’s shop.

Chatur quickly ran to him and said with a polite smile, “Sir, please honour me by getting a haircut from me.”

Surprised, Leo asked, “From you? I have heard rumours about you. I don’t know. After all, my mane is my crowning glory.”

Chatur’s heart sank a little but he gave a quick smile. He said sweetly, “I am sure that lovely mane of yours requires to be royally pampered. And I am the best person to do it. I will first give your mane a nice oil massage, free of course for you, Your Majesty. Then I will give a haircut which will make everyone jealous. Just think about it.”

Leo hesitated but Chatur’s words were playing in his mind. He imagined his lovely mane looking all silky and pampered and being admired by many. So he decided to give Chatur a chance.

Leo gave in, “Alright. I will give you a chance. Make sure you do it right or else…”

Chatur was over the moon. Leo was his first customer in months.

Chatur immediately led Leo inside and seated him.

There was an impressive collection of beautiful oil bottles on the table.

Chatur used to keep empty oil bottles and fill them with cheap quality oils and creams unknown to even him. He never remembered what was mixed with what.

Chatur selected a fancy oil bottle and poured some of it on his hands.

Leo sniffed the air and asked in disgust, “What is that? Smells awful.”

Chatur said sweetly, “Forget the smell, sir. This oil is the best though it smells bad. It is made with thousands of herbs. Don’t worry, you won’t be able to smell it after a few minutes.”

“I hope so,” thought Chatur, for he had just lied.

Chatur rubbed the oil on Leo’s hair for some time and then picked up a pair of scissors to trim them.

Chatur accidentally chopped one section of his hair, cutting off a major chunk which fell to the ground.

Leo took one look at it and screamed, “What have you done, you clumsy fool? You were only supposed to trim it, not make me bald.”

Chatur gulped and said, “Err… don’t worry, sir. The haircut I am giving you is a very fashionable haircut. You will see at the end.”

Leo looked suspiciously at Chatur and warned, “Let us hope so, for your sake.”

The threat in Leo’s voice could not be missed.

Chatur cut another chunk of hair. He kept feeling that one side was longer than the other. In order to even it, he cut one side short and he had to redo it with the other side again.

Finally, feeling disappointed, Chatur put on a brave front and a fake smile. He said, “Your Majesty, your crowning glory can now be revealed to the world.”

Leo touched his mane but his mind was still filled with doubt.

Leo asked, “How much do I pay you?” Chatur said, “Just Rs. 100, sir.”

Leo paid him and left the shop. Chatur sniffed the oil bottle and thought, “I hope what I had used is a hair oil. I hope nothing happens to Leo’s mane.”

Just to be on the safer side, Chatur decided to close his shop and leave early.

King Leo stepped out and went in the middle of the crowd gathered outside Malku’s shop. He coughed with authority and asked, “Well?”

The animals stared at his mane with horror which now looked like it had been damaged by a group of rats.

But no one had the courage to say anything, not when Leo was looking for some admiration.

Leo again thundered, “Well, how do you find my mane?”

All the animals just stammered and looked at each other.

Leo then ran his fingers through his mane. Some of his hair came off in his hand in a bunch. Soon another section fell. This kept repeating so many times that Leo ended up having itsy bitsy hair in some places and big, round, bald patches in others.

It seemed that Chatur had used a hair removal oil instead of a nourishing one on Leo’s mane.

Everyone was horrified. Leo went to Malku’s shop to check his mane.

Leo roared furiously seeing his bald head in Malku’s mirror. By then, Chatur had already made his escape and closed his shop forever.

Little Rony’s Adventure

Six-year-old Rony was in a very good mood while returning from school one day. On his mind was the new storybook he would read before bedtime that night.

But as Rony walked into his bedroom, he found that his mother had moved all of his toys, clothes and books from his room to the big bedroom at the top of the stairwell.

Rony ran into the big bedroom and found his mother cleaning the cupboards.

“Why have you moved my things here, Mom? I don’t like this room!” cried Rony.

“Didn’t you say the other day that you loved the view from this room’s window? You can see the streets and the cars that pass by. You can see our entire garden and the valley from this window!” said Mom, excited.

Rony looked around the room. The window did have a beautiful view. Rony walked over to the window. His pet cat, Mister Paw, was sleeping under the huge spruce tree in the garden. His golden-brown fur shone in the afternoon sun.

Soon, the sun would set, and everything outside would be dark. Rony shivered at that thought.

“I know, but I don’t like this room at night!” cried Rony, his eyes full of fear. He didn’t want to be in this room alone. This room was farthest from his parents’ bedroom.

Mom patted Rony’s head and said, “You are a big boy now. There is no need to be scared, we are right across the hall. You can call me and I will be by your side. You have a big reading area here and look at the cupboard and trunk where you can keep all your toys. Isn’t this a much better place than your small bedroom?”

“No! I don’t want this room! Trisha says there’s a little old man with a long, white beard that reaches his shoes, he lives on the tree outside this window,” said Rony, pointing at the spruce tree. “She also said that he comes into this room every night! He searches the house for chocolates. If he doesn’t find any, he takes away little children and keeps them in his treehouse forever!”

“Rony, don’t listen to everything Trisha says. She reads horror stories all the time and gets scared. There are no old men in trees,” said Mom.

Rony stubbornly said, “I heard him last night! He was searching for chocolates outside my room! I will not sleep in this bedroom, Mom!”

“Rony, no more excuses. This is your room from today onwards and you will have to start sleeping here. I will not listen to your silly stories. You are going to be a big brother soon. You must start acting like one,” Mom firmly said.

Mom finished cleaning the cupboard and went out. Poor Rony could do nothing but sit on his little armchair and cry!

That night, as Rony finished eating his dinner of carrot soup and soft, warm bread, he suddenly realised he would be sleeping in his new, big bedroom. There was only a crib in his old bedroom, for the baby his parents were expecting.

Even the storybook at his bedtime failed to make Rony happy. He slowly made his way towards his bedroom with Mister Paw.

Standing in the doorway, Rony carefully looked around the room. His bed was in the middle of the room. To the right, there was a tall, wooden bookshelf that covered most of the wall. Mom had put all his books neatly.

There were a table and chair, along with a couch where Rony could lay all day and read his favourite books. Opposite his bed, there was a wardrobe which had his clothes. To the left of the bed, there was a big trunk with his toys. And right above the trunk was the window. Rony felt his legs wobble.

Rony decided to be brave, as his mother had told him to be. He thought to himself, “I am a big boy. Mom is right. I must not get scared. If the little old man comes tonight, I will be ready.”

Rony opened his school bag, took out a bar of milk chocolate and kept it in a corner of his room. He took his wooden sword and shield out of his toy trunk and got into bed. He hid them well under his blanket.

Rony’s room was nice and warm, and he felt much safer under the blankets. Surely, the little old man with a long beard would be cold outside. Rony jumped from his bed and went to the window. It was a windy night, with no clouds in the sky. The moon and stars shone against the deep blue sky.

Rony looked down. The leaves of the spruce tree in the garden was moving in the wind. Or was it the little old man climbing it? Rony ran back to his bed.

Rony tucked his sword and shield properly beside him and tried to fall asleep. He could feel the quietness around him. His parents had gone to bed already. The window was locked, he was safe for now. If the old man did manage to come in for the bar of chocolate, Rony thought he would spring out of his bed and beat him up.

Thinking about the old man, Rony fell asleep. Suddenly, he was woken up by a noise in the room. Someone was knocking at the window!

The knocks grew louder and louder. Rony stayed under his blankets, not daring to look outside. All of a sudden, he thought he heard a noise in the room.

“It must be the little old man! He has managed to sneak inside!” thought Rony.

Rony grabbed his sword tightly and jumped out of the blankets.

“Where is the little old man?” thought Rony. He switched on the bedside lamp and looked around. There was no one in the room!

Rony suddenly heard a noise from the corner of the room. He tiptoed across the room quietly. When he reached the corner, he found a big squirrel seated comfortably there, biting on the bar of chocolate Rony had kept for catching the little old man!

“It has been a squirrel all this time?” Rony sighed in relief. “Mom was right! There was no little old man! I have nothing to be afraid of.”

The next morning, when Mom asked Rony if he was comfortable in his new room, Rony said, “I love my room, Mom! I am a big boy now!”

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