Page 8 – Champak Magazine

Trip To The Moon!

One day Baddy fox announced in Champakvan that he would like to take all the animals on a trip to the moon.

Everyone became very excited.

“Are you really taking us to the moon?” Damru donkey asked in amazement.

“Yes. All, but the big and heavy animals. Otherwise our rocket will not be able to take off from the ground.” Most animals started laughing at Baddy’s words.

“But where is your rocket?” Cheeku rabbit enquired. “And also, what would be the cost of taking us to the moon?”

“Our rocket is on an island not far from here. And for the cost, my motive is not business or to make money. I just want to give you the joy of going on the moon.
So you do not have to pay anything for the trip,” replied Baddy.

All the animals started shouting in joy.

“There seems to be something fishy here,” whispered Cheeku to Jumpy monkey.

“We have to be careful.”

Both went to king Shersingh and told him about Baddy’s trip to the moon.

“If Baddy wants to do this, then it is a very good thing. Why are you troubled by his offer?” asked Shersingh and told them to leave the matter.

Cheeku then said to Jumpy, “We will have to keep an eye on Baddy on our own.”

Meanwhile, in the forest there was a fierce competition among the animals to go to the moon. Most of the small animals had registered their names with Baddy.

“Please be ready for the trip tomorrow. I will take you on the motor boat, to the island. From there we will go on the rocket to the moon. If the weather remains favourable, then we will be able to go on the moon tomorrow itself,” said Baddy and all the animals became all the more excited.

“I will take my favorite dress with me,” said Titu butterfly excitedly.

“No, please don’t bring any clothes or anything else. You will have to wear space-suits to the moon that we will provide. And yes, one more thing, leave your money and jewellery back in your house,” Baddy said. “We will return in a week.”

All the animals waited impatiently for the evening.

In the evening Baddy came with a motor boat to take them.

“Cheeku, why are you not coming?” asked Baddy.

“Baddy, please go ahead. I have got some urgent work to finish. My friend Jumpy
will go with you,” said Cheeku with a smile.

As soon as the motorboat left, Cheeku rushed to King Shersingh.

“Sir, here is something very interesting,” said Cheeku opening his laptop. He started the search engine and typed Baddys’ name. Soon many web pages came on the screen. He selected one and clicked on it.

“This is Baddy,” said Cheeku. “But why has the police caught him?” King Shersingh spoke out.

“Because he and his companions had looted the animals of Sonavana. He was even sentenced to jail. But he tricked them and ran away. Now he has come here,” said Cheeku.

“What does this mean?” asked Shersingh.

“It means that Baddy and his friends are thieves. They promise to take the animals to planet Jupiter or to the moon, and take them away from their houses. Then at night his companion steals all valuables from the locked houses. As soon as Baddy is informed that all the valuables have been stolen, he escapes to another forest. And his companions join him there,” explained Cheeku.

“This is a big conspiracy!” exclaimed Shersingh. “Why didn’t you inform me earlier?” asked Shersingh who was visibly angry.

“I tried to warn you earlier sir, but you felt it was alright for Baddy to take the animals to the moon,” replied Cheeku.

“Now what shall we do?” asked Shersingh.

“Don’t worry sir. Nothing will happen. I have sent my friend Jumpy, with them. Tonight Baddy’s friends will try to steal from the houses of these animals. We can catch them red-handed. And with their help we can catch Baddy,” Cheeku explained.

“But we have to be very careful. If Baddy gets the wind of this, he may harm our citizens,” Cheeku continued.

“You need not worry. I am going to talk to Inspector Blacky Bear,” Shersingh assured Cheeku.

At night Inspector Blacky and his team spread out in the forest. They hid outside the houses of the people who had gone on the trip.

Suddenly some movement was seen outside Damru donkey’s house. Inspector Blacky gave the signal, and his team caught Laptu jackal from there and on questioning him they were able to catch all the others.

“But how do we catch Baddy? He is very cunning,” asked Shersingh who was really worried.

“We have a plan for that, too,” said Cheeku and whispered something in Shersingh’s ear.

Laptu jackal phoned Baddy, “Hello Baddy, we have collected all the treasure. Please come here quickly on your motorboat, so that we can get out of here immediately.”

“That’s perfect! I have mixed sleeping powder in the food of the animals. They are all sleeping soundly. I am coming on the motorboat. Meet me at the riverside,” Baddy said on the speakerphone, so that, Cheeku and Shersingh could hear whatever Baddy said.

In a few hours, Baddy was in police custody.

The next day when the animals woke up, they could not understand anything.

“Have we reached the moon?” asked Meeku rat looking around.

“No, you are not on the moon. You are in Champakvan. But Baddy who was taking you on a trip to the moon, is on a trip to jail,” said Cheeku. Shersingh and Inspector Bear started laughing. The other animals could not understand anything and they started looking at each others’ face.

Later when Shersingh told them what had happened, they all praised and thanked Cheeku.

Gracy’s Boutique

Gracy chimpanzee lived with her grandmother in the Ashokvan forest. Her parents had passed away when she was small. Gracy studied very hard but couldn’t score high marks. Her classmates, Teddy bear, Horny rhinoceros, Nancy and others, were top performers. They would boast about becoming a doctor, an engineer, a scientist or a professor. Gracy always kept quiet.

After high school, all students moved out of Ashokvan for college. But Gracy did not get admission in any of the colleges, because of her low marks. She was very sad. Her grandmother asked, “Why is my darling so upset?’’

“Granny, some of my friends have left Ashokvan for further studies, while some others are joining their family businesses. I too want to achieve something in my life but I am unable to get admission in any of the colleges because of my low score,’’ said Gracy tearfully.

“Not getting admission in a college is not the end. You can also think of a career for yourself with your skills or talent!’’ explained Granny.

“But I don’t know anything. Nor can I do anything,’’ replied a sad Gracy.

“Gracy, you have a hidden talent within you. Think about it,’’ encouraged Granny.

“What hidden talent do I have, Granny?’’ asked a stunned Gracy.
“Try to remember. You used to score A+ in crafts in your school. You made a mat out of old rags and a painting out of broken bangle pieces. The colourful paper flowers made by you were decorated all over the school building. Have you forgotten that?’’ Granny recounted.

“But you had helped me in making all those things,’’ replied Gracy.

“Of course! But you had designed and crafted them. I am ready to help you even now,” said Granny encouragingly.

“I just like making those things!’’ exclaimed Gracy at Granny’s idea.

Without wasting any time, Gracy chalked out a schedule to start her work. First, she went online to know how to set up her own business.

Then she went on to meet her art and craft teacher, Chimpy baboon. Chimpy liked Gracy a lot. She felt happy when Gracy expressed her desire to learn painting from her. She said, “I am free in the evenings between 4 to 6 p.m. You can come and learn during that period.’’

During the day, Gracy would learn ‘Phulkari’, ‘Chinkankari’, ‘Crotio’ and other types of embroidery originally from different states. In the evenings, she would go to Chimpy to learn painting from her.

In the afternoons, she would browse the internet and learn making flowers out of cloth and paper. Not only did Gracy have talent, but she was highly committed and hardworking. It didn’t take her long to master all these skills. Soon she became an expert in making all types of handicrafts. She started making artificial flowers, art pieces, paintings on old bottles and turned them into vases. She also made wall hangings out of coconut coir and ice cream sticks. Gracy started selling her handicrafts from home.

She also enrolled herself in a statue making class. She was a keen observer too. She would engrave beautiful concepts on her crafts. She introduced new and novel designs every day. The demand for her products grew rapidly so did her business. She started employing a few workers to help her out too.

Gracy’s handicrafts were the talk of the forest. One day, Bhoori monkey, Shilpi wolf and Disco duck met her in the market.

“I like the view of the sea. So I got a sea view painted on my bedsheet by Gracy,’’ said Shilpi.

“And I got a scene of a river flowing through the mountains on my dupatta,’’ said Bhoori.

“There’s no doubt in it. Whether you need to decorate your house or gift something innovative to someone, you get them all at Gracy’s store,’’ added Disco.

Gracy’s business expanded in no time. And Gracy opened a store that was the talk of the forest!

Summer holidays started and Gracy’s classmates were back home from their colleges. They were surprised to hear about Gracy. “This is just miraculous Gracy! We still have to pursue our studies for two more years and then we have to search for a job. But you have achieved a lot in such a short span of time. You are already running a successful business,’’ said everyone praising her.

After a few days, Gracy decided to join the Institute of Design. It was a part-time course.

Granny asked Gracy, “You are running such a successful business. Why do you have to enrol yourself for anything else?’’

“Granny, this way I will fulfil my dream of achieving higher studies. I can also learn new techniques to develop my career. My business will run more successfully,’’ replied Gracy.

Granny felt happy that Gracy had taken such a wise decision of fulfilling her dreams.

Paralympics Recap!

Jumbo elephant has come over to Meeku mouse’s house to hear more about the Paralympics.

Jumbo: Wake up Meeku! You promised me yesterday that you would tell me everything about what happened at the Paralympics.

Meeku (snoring): Hmm, yes. Just give me five minutes!

Jumbo fills his trunk with some water from the water jar nearby and pours it on Meeku.

Meeku: (Wakes up with a start) It’s raining, it’s raining!

Jumbo: (Laughs mischievously) Wake up already! Let’s talk about the performance of the Indian players at the Paralympic Games and also the closing ceremony of the Games.

Meeku: (His face wet) Just my luck, my friend is also my enemy. Doesn’t even let me sleep peacefully!

Jumbo: Are you awake or should I pour again?

Meeku: (Wide-eyed) No need for that. I am awake.

Jumbo: Let’s sit outside in the garden and talk. Tell me how many medals did Indian Paralympic players win?

Meeku: India not only broke its earlier record at the Paralympic Games but also made a historic performance in terms of medal count. India got a total of 19 medals, including a record five gold medals this time. India had earlier won a total of 12 medals in all the Paralympic Games since 1972. Can you believe it?

Jumbo: Okay! That’s more than the medals in the Olympics!

Meeku: That’s right.

Jumbo: Which players won the medal this time?

Meeku: Ahh! Avani Lekhara won the Gold Medal in Women’s 10m Air Rifle Shooting, Sumit Antill won the second Gold Medal in Javelin Throw. Manish Narwal won the third Gold Medal in the 50m pistol shooting event and Pramod Bhagat won the fourth Gold Medal for the country in badminton. Krishna Nagar won our fifth Gold Medal in badminton as well.

Suhas Yathiraj won a badminton Silver Medal. In table tennis, Bhavina Patel, Nishad Kumar bioth won the Silver Medals in high-jump and Yogesh Kathuniya won the Silver Medal in discus throw. Apart from them, Devendra Jhajharia won Silver Medal in javelin throw, while Mariyappan Thangavelu and Praveen Kumar both won Silver Medals in high-jump. Lastly, Singhraj Adana won the Silver Medal for the country in the 50m air pistol shooting game.

Along with these, six bronze medals were also received, which included two medals in shooting, two medals in athletics and archery as well as one bronze medal in badminton. For India, Sunder Singh Gurjar won one in the javelin throw, Singhraj Adana in shot game, Sharad Kumar in high jump, Avni Lekhara in shot as well, Harvinder Singh Archery and Manoj Sarkar in badminton. Avani Lekhara and Sinhraj Adana achieved double success by winning two medals each in these Paralympic Games.

Jumbo: WOW! Impressive.

Meeku: Well, let me tell you that it’s closing ceremony was also as spectacular as the Olympic Games. Six people, including one Paralympic player from Japan and one Olympic medalist each, brought the flag of Japan to the stadium. These six people also included people from the health-care staff who have been tirelessly working during the Games. After this, one by one, all the countries reached the stadium with their flags. First the Refugee Team of the Paralympic Games arrived with the Paralympic flag, followed by teams from all the countries, one by one. For the Indian team, Avani Lekra was our flag bearer and she walked in with the tricolour in her hand. 11 more members of the Indian team followed her.

Jumbo: I wish I get to attend the Paralympics next time.

Jumbo then raised his trunk and started swinging it in excitement and Meeku moved back in fear.

They both then started laughing and continued their conversation.

Paralympics 2021!

Meeku mouse sharing the news from the Paralympic games with his friend Jumbo elephant and informing him on how well the Indian players performed there, glorifying the country’s name.

Jumbo: When did you come back to India? Didn’t you go to Tokyo to cover the Paralympic Games?

Meeku: Yes, my friend, I just returned today.

Jumbo: Welcome back! Now tell me something about your experience there.

Meeku: Oh Jumbo, it was an amazing experience. When I was informed that I would get to cover the Paralympics, I was so worried about covering it well.

Jumbo: Why?

Meeku: Because the Paralympics are different from the Olympic Games. People with physical or mental disabilities participate in this.

Jumbo: Well, then it must have been very interesting to see what kind of players compete with each other to win medals.

Meeku: Yes! from the opening ceremony to the ending ceremony, everything was excellent.

Jumbo: Really? Tell me more about it.

Meeku: The Paralympics started in a grand manner in Tokyo, and they also light the torch in the cauldron.

Jumbo: Similar to the Olympics, did Indian players participate there?

Meeku: Yes. Here too, India’s largest-ever sports team participated. Our contingent had 54 players participating in nine different sports, one of which was Suhas L Y, the DM of Noida, Uttar Pradesh.

Jumbo: Oh! Isn’t it amazing that a Government District Officer participated and represented our country! Did he win a medal or not?

Meeku: Be patient, my friend. It is getting late to go home now. Let’s meet tomorrow and I will tell you more about the games and the strong performances of our players.

The two then walked back towards their home smiling along the way!

Birthday Aeroplane

Priyanshi was excited as her birthday was approaching in a few days. Last year, her father had gifted her a bicycle. This year, she was expecting an even bigger gift.

She said, “Papa, this year, please give me something that no one else has.”

“Yes, Priyu. This time, too, I will get you something special. Don’t worry about your gift. Just concentrate on your studies,” replied papa.

Priyanshi was happy to hear this. She couldn’t wait for her birthday. She focused on her studies but kept getting distracted with the thought of her birthday gift.

On the day of her birthday, her parents threw a party and invited all her friends who came with gifts. She was thrilled to see all her friends who had come to celebrate her special day, but she couldn’t find her father’s gift.

Just before it was time to cut the cake, papa walked in with a big box. Priyanshi was elated to see such a big gift and wondered what was inside it.

But she knew she could only open her gifts after the party. So, she cut her birthday cake, ate the delicious snacks with her friends and once they left, she sat amidst all her gifts and opened them one by one. She always opened papa’s gift last. She carefully peeled the wrapping paper and was thrilled to see a colourful, remote-controlled aeroplane inside the box.

Priyanshi hugged her father and thanked him for the gift.

She started playing with the aeroplane immediately. Her grandfather saw the multi-colour aeroplane and asked, “Wow! Since when did we get such colourful aeroplanes?”

“Grandpa, this is my aeroplane. Absolutely unique! Papa bought it for me,” replied Priyanshi.

Grandpa laughed and said, “Ah! I have only seen white aeroplanes until now. Do you know why our real aeroplanes are white and not colourful?”

“I don’t know, grandpa. But I think they should be colourful so that they look like beautiful birds soaring in the sky,” replied Priyanshi.

“Priyu, there’s a reason why our planes are white and have less colour on them,” said grandpa.

“Why is that, grandpa?” asked Priyanshi.

“White colour on the plane keeps it cool as the rays of the sun bounce away from it. The machines that run the plane have to be kept cool so they function without a problem,” grandpa explained.

“I did not know that. But there are many other light colours so why is white chosen?” asked Priyanshi.

“White is a standard light colour. Engineers can easily catch sight of cracks, dents or any kind of damage on the body of the plane and fix it. If they don’t fix these, then even a small crack can lead to an accident,” said grandpa.

“You are right,” said Priyanshi.

Grandpa added, “Yes, we only see white aeroplanes and don’t know how important the colour is.”

“Grandpa, I don’t think you told all this to papa, which is why he brought me such a colourful aeroplane and not a white one,” said Priyanshi.

Grandpa and papa laughed.

“Priyu, this is just a toy for you to play with. But it’s good to know these facts. You wouldn’t know this if you didn’t ask so many questions,” said grandpa.

“Yes. I will share these facts with my friends. Right now, I need to find white paint for my aeroplane,” said Priyanshi.

Grandpa laughed loudly and hugged her.

Forgive And Forget!

Cheeku rabbit and Meeku mouse were playing cricket with their friends on the playground.

Meeku wasn’t paying attention to the game because he was busy talking to Jumpy monkey.

“Meeku, catch! It’s your turn to throw the ball,” said Cheeku, throwing the ball to him. The ball hit Meeku’s head as he didn’t hear Cheeku.

“Ouch! Cheeku, why did you hit me?” asked Meeku, angrily.

“Meeku, I didn’t mean to hurt you. I threw the ball for you to catch it. You weren’t paying attention so it’s not my fault,” said Cheeku.

“Who throws like this? Couldn’t you wait for me to look at you? You knew I was busy talking and still, you threw the ball at me!” shouted Meeku.

“Are you here to play or to talk?” asked Cheeku and they started arguing.

Cheeku pulled Meeku’s tail and Meeku pulled Cheeku’s ear.

Their friends somehow pulled them apart and stopped the fight. Angry, the two of them went home.

They did not talk to each other for several days. One evening, Cheeku went to the playground and saw Meeku sitting alone.

Cheeku picked a corner on the playground and sat there without talking to Meeku. Their other friends hadn’t come.

They both waited for some time for others to show up but no one did.

Bored, Meeku decided to leave the ground and go home. Just then, Cheeku asked, “Meeku, if you want, we can play.”

“You want to play with me?” Meeku replied, shocked.

“Why is that shocking? We used to play together before,” replied Cheeku.

“I thought you were angry with me because we fought,” said Meeku.

“Meeku, you were angry because I hit you with the ball,” said Cheeku.

“No. I know you didn’t hit me purposely and it was my fault too. I should have concentrated on the game. I was hurt that’s why I yelled at you. I am sorry,” apologised Meeku.

“Ah! It’s alright! How foolish of us to not talk to each other for so many days,” said Cheeku.

“Let’s forget what happened in the past! We are friends again and that’s what matters,” said Meeku, smiling.

“Yes. We should try not to fight and if we do, then we should forgive each other,” said Cheeku.

And they both started playing together again.

Soon, their friends came and saw the two playing, just like before. “We purposely didn’t show up as we wanted you two to forgive each other today as it is World Forgiveness Day. Your friendship is so strong. You should not let any small fight break it,” said Jumbo elephant.

Saying this, Jumbo lifted Cheeku and Meeku with his trunk and everyone cheered for them!

Ranu Has Changed!

Ranu was very happy that day. He had just won the 100-metre race in school. Ranu had been the school running champion for the past two years. He was a rich child who boasted about his wealth. His friends followed his lead and troubled other children in school.

Rohan studied in the same class as Ranu. He was an intelligent student. All the teachers in the school loved him. He was helpful, contributed to the cleanliness of the school, conserved plants and inspired others to do so. He gave his best in every competition—be it in drawing or debate.

Ranu was jealous of Rohan. He wanted everyone to love and follow him around. And to achieve that, he looked for ways to trouble Rohan.

One day while Ranu was sharpening his pencil in class, he deliberately threw the pencil shavings on the floor. Rohan saw him doing that and scolded him, “What is this, Ranu? You should not throw trash like this in the class.”

Before Ranu could respond, Dipesh mockingly said, “If it is bothering you so much, why don’t you pick the shavings up yourself?”

“Yes, you should pick them up. As it is you are an expert in cleanliness,” Deepak too mocked.

This was not the first time when Ranu and his friends, Deepak and Dipesh, had picked on Rohan.

Rohan quietly picked the pencil shavings from the floor and threw them in the dustbin.

“Ranu, you will have to pay a price for your wrongdoings one day. Just wait and watch,” Rohan told Ranu. As soon as Rohan said that Dipesh pushed him to the ground.

“What is happening here? Everybody go back to your seats.” They heard the teacher come in and everyone went back quickly.

Rohan could have complained to the teacher but he kept quiet.

The other kids in the class too kept quiet in fear of the teacher and Ranu and his friends.

“Children, I have some good news for you. Ranu has been chosen from our school for this year’s inter-state running competition. Ranu, will you please stand up?” asked the teacher.

Ranu stood up and everybody clapped for him. Ranu was overjoyed.

“Ranu, you have to start practising with dedication. I am confident that you will give this competition your best.” Ranu stood arrogantly when the teacher announced.

“Children, I am going to the principal’s office for some time. Meanwhile, please finish your revision. Ranu, please come with me,” said the teacher.

Ranu followed his teacher while his friends started teasing Rohan. They crossed all limits when they emptied the dustbin in the classroom.

“Come on, Rohan; get down to your favourite job for which you get the prize every year.” Rohan won the first prize for cleanliness every year. He was teased for that by Ranu and his friends.

Rohan understood that only time would teach them a lesson. He could have complained but he did not want to. Rohan picked up the garbage and threw it back in the dustbin and then sat on his seat and started studying.

The inter-state competition was just around the corner. Teachers and students were busy preparing for the competition. Rohan did not participate in sports because he had a foot problem. He either stayed back in his class and studied or took rounds of the school to check for cleanliness. He was on rounds that day too, when suddenly someone threw a banana peel in front of him. He saw Dipesh laughing at him.

“Pick this up too, you cleaning staff,” Dipesh mocked. This made Rohan angry and he said, “Pick it up, Dipesh; otherwise I am going to complain to the principal about you.” This turned into a heated argument between the two of them when, suddenly, Ranu came running towards them and pushed Rohan aside. But unfortunately, he stepped on the banana peel and fell down.

“O dear!” cried Ranu in pain.

Seeing Ranu fall, Rohan helped him to get up and asked, “Are you hurt, Ranu?”

Rohan saw Dipesh quietly getting away from the scene.

“Oh, I think I have sprained my leg. I cannot stand up,” Ranu cried in pain.

Soon, some of the teachers came there and asked, “What happened? How did you fall, Ranu? Who threw the peel here?”

Before Rohan could say anything Ranu said, “Ma’am, Dipesh threw the peel.”

Not only was Dipesh scolded, he was fined for throwing garbage outside the dustbin.

Ranu’s foot had swelled and the doctor instructed three weeks of rest as he had torn his foot ligament. Ranu was upset as he had to withdraw from the inter-state competition but had no choice.

He felt guilty about his behaviour. He never realised he would have to pay such a heavy price for it and started maintaining distance from his good-for-nothing friends.

After his foot healed, he went back to school as a transformed person. During lunch break, when all the children were playing and eating, a boy threw a napkin towards the dustbin that fell outside it. Before Rohan could get up, Ranu picked up the napkin and threw it in the dustbin.

“Thank you, Ranu” said Rohan.

Ranu could not control his tears and started crying.

“It is alright Ranu, there is always a next time. You will definitely win the trophy next year,” Ranu heard Rohan’s encouraging words and hugged him.

He was a changed person now.

The New Teacher!

Bonny Singh had recently become the Prince of the forest. One morning, he decided to take a tour of the forest to learn about his kingdom, especially the state of education.

He disguised himself to look like an old lion with a grey beard and moustache.

He walked slowly with the help of a stick so that no one could recognise him.

As he walked around, he saw many children, both young and old, playing around and disturbing other animals.

A few naughty ones tried to snatch his walking stick. Bonny was taken aback by this nasty behaviour.

“What is going on here? Why are the children behaving so badly and not in school? They are being very unkind,” he thought to himself.

He went to the palace and called Jacky jackal, the Education Minister to ask about the education system in the forest.

“My Prince, we do have a school in the forest, but no teachers are ready to teach despite us giving them high salaries.

Any teacher we hire, resigns within one week of them joining the school. The students too are not interested in studying so we had to shut down the school.”

Prince Bonny spoke to various retired teachers of the school and they too said the same thing, “There is nothing we can do. The children just do not wish to study.”

“What could possibly be the reason for the children not being interested in studies?” thought Bonny to himself.

He decided to understand the problem in-depth and asked permission from the King to do so.

Next morning, Bonny called his school friend Charlie cheetah.

Charlie had just completed his training in child psychology. He loved teaching and being with children.

Bonny requested Charlie to take over the responsibility of teaching the forest children.

The next day, Charlie reopened the school doors and got the entire school cleaned. He hired Chinki cat as an assistant.

A week passed, but no child came to school. Charlie then sent Chinki cat to meet the animals personally and find out why the children were not interested to come to school.

Chinki met and interacted with a lot of children and their parents.

“School is no fun. One has to only study and read books, memorise them and write an exam. What good is going to school then?” complained Robbie rabbit.

“And there are no games, sports, or fun activities and we have to only sit on the bench the entire time. I always have a backache after school,” added Ghazi goat.

“There is no fun during lunch either.

The food that mom prepares for us in the morning goes cold by lunchtime
and doesn’t taste good at all,” said Romi puppy.

“The children are not taught any practical skills and we want our children to know skills like plumbing, carpentry, sewing, and not textbook knowledge only,” added Romi’s father.

Chinki noted all the complaints and came back to school to discuss them with Charlie who smiled as he read all the concerns. He now understood the root cause of the problem.

After a few days, the animals of the forest were surprised to see a variety of swings on the school grounds.

Various sports equipment like balls, footballs, and cricket kits were arranged neatly in sports boxes.

A table had been arranged with colourful books and games like Carrom Board
and Ludo.

Charlie waited for the children to come to school after making all the arrangements.

A few of them circled around and looked curiously at the interesting items. They could not gather the courage to enter the school premises.

Charlie signalled Chinki who ran and kicked a football.

The football flew high and fell out of the school boundary, where Ghazi goat was standing.

“Please pass me the football, but make sure you kick it and not throw it with your hands,” said Chinki, encouraging Ghazi.

Ghazi looked around and kicked the football with all her strength.

The ball went straight inside the school. Ghazi was so thrilled, she called all her friends. Soon, a full-fledged football match started on the school premises.

It was a fun experience for all children.

Next morning, Charlie was pleased to see a few children coming to school.

He allowed them to play, paint and read stories along with studying the school subjects. Soon, the children started to enjoy coming to school.

They learnt tables in the form of songs. Lessons were taught using plays and skits.

Basic mathematics like addition and subtraction were taught by exchanging fruits among the students.

Science was explained using practical experiments while examples from real life were used to teach moral values.

Charlie asked the parents of the children to run the school kitchen for the children.

The meals were sponsored by the King who wanted the children to have fresh and nutritious food.

Soon, the school became popular and started running at full capacity.

As the number of students increased, a need for another school rose in the forest.

When Charlie went to meet Prince Bonny to open another school, Bonny asked, “How did this miracle occur, Charlie?”

“The children were always curious to learn new things. Textbook learning makes studies boring. They find education fun and interesting when practical examples are used. When we included fun activities to classroom learning, the children got interested along with adults,” explained Charlie.

Bonny was delighted to hear this. Charlie truly knew his role as a teacher was to make studies interesting.

He was appointed to handle the education department of the entire forest.

He trained many animals to his method of teaching so that all the children of the forest were happy to attend school daily.

Elephant In The Pit

Leo lion, the king of the jungle, was sitting in his palace when Monty monkey came to him and said, “Your Highness! Jojo elephant has fallen into a pit and we are not able to bring him out!”

“Jojo knows the forest at the back of his trunk! How did he fall into a pit?” asked King Leo.

“The hunters had recently dug a new pit and covered it with grass and dry leaves. Jojo didn’t realise and fell in it,” explained Monty.

“Jojo is such a kind elephant, always helping others. We must all go and get him out at once,” roared King Leo and marched out with Monty.

A big banyan tree with its spreading branches stood at the center of the forest. The pit was near the tree and many animals stood surrounding the pit.

Leo saw that Jojo was injured. He shouted, “Jojo! Don’t worry! I’m here! I’ll take you out of this pit immediately.”

Before anyone realised what was happening, Leo jumped inside the pit. “Jojo, move aside. I’ll push you from below and you climb out,” he instructed.

Jojo shifted a little. Leo grabbed him by his waist and pushed him up with all his might, “Out of the pit you go.’’

Leo began huffing but was not able to move Jojo an inch out. He wiped his brow on his sleeve and huffed, “Oh! Jojo, you haven’t moved even a bit! You’re quite heavy. But don’t worry. I’ll try again. When I push, you too try jumping out. I’m sure this time I’ll be able to push you out.”

Minister Brownie bear, was observing this. When Leo pushed Jojo again, he said, “Your Highness! We have all tried. But Jojo is heavy and difficult to be pushed out. We, too, haven’t been able to move him an inch. You should come out of the pit.”

“But we all love Jojo. We can’t leave him when he’s in trouble,” said Leo.

“We have to come up with another plan. You should come out,” said Brownie.

Leo jumped out and looked at the crowd. He said, “Everyone is gathered here. But I can’t see Rancho rhinoceros.”

“Your Highness! He sleeps all day. He probably doesn’t know about Jojo, otherwise, he would’ve been here,” said Monty.

“He is strong enough to bring Jojo out of the pit. Go and call him quickly,” said Leo.

Soon Monty came back with Rancho.

“Your Highness! Do not worry! I’ll go inside the pit and push Jojo out at once,” said Rancho as soon as he came.

Jojo heard him and screamed, “Rancho! Don’t come inside the pit!”

“Don’t worry, my friend! I’ll climb in carefully. I won’t stamp on you!” said Rancho, laughing.

“Wait! Wait! Listen to me first!” screamed Jojo.

“I’ll listen to you only after you’re out of the pit!” said Rancho, walking towards the pit.

“Oh, you silly animal! If you push me out, who will push you out?” said Jojo exasperatedly.

“Oh! I didn’t think of that!” said Rancho and stopped abruptly.

It was a complex problem. All the animals started thinking.

Dubdub donkey was standing among the crowd and observing everything. He said, “Rancho, don’t worry! It’ll be easy to bring you out of the pit.”

“How will that happen?” asked Rancho.

“You go in and push Jojo. Then Jojo will go inside again and push you out!” said Dubdub.

“And then I’ll enter the pit once more and push Jojo out, is it?” said Rancho raising an eye.

“You’re so smart! You understood my plan!” said Dubdub and laughed.

But Rancho cried out in anger, “Do you think we are fools like you that we’ll keep pushing each other out like in a circus?”

Dubdub realised he must have said something foolish so he kept quiet.

Leo put his paw on Rancho’s shoulder and said, “Calm down, Rancho! And think of a way to bring out Jojo.”

Neelu parrot suggested, “Your Highness! If we fill the pit with water, Jojo can swim his way out.”

The animals nodded liking the idea.

“Neelu, your idea is good but the pit can’t be filled with so much water, that a heavy animal like Jojo can swim out of it,” explained Leo.

“So then, we can fill the pit with mud. Jojo can step on the mud and come out,” said Titu rabbit.

“Jojo isn’t light-footed like you. He can’t step on top of loose mud. In fact, he’ll get further stuck in it,” said Leo.

Time passed, but no one could figure out a way to help Jojo.

Sally serpent was sitting there and seeing her Dola deer said, “Your Highness, if Sally lowers her tail inside the pit, Jojo can hold it and climb up.”

“Well, a light animal like you could climb out of the pit with the support of Sally’s tail. But if Jojo pulls it, Sally herself will fall into the pit,” said Leo.

“I didn’t think of that!” said Dola, disappointedly.

Something sparked in Dubdub as he heard Dola’s idea and he raised his hand and said, “I know the way!”

“Keep quiet! We don’t have time for your nonsense!” snapped Rancho.

“Just listen to me! This time I have a great idea!” said Dubdub, excitedly.

Rancho was about to snap at him again, but Leo interrupted him and said, “Rancho! Listen to his idea first!”

Then he looked at Dubdub and said, “Tell us your idea.”

“The world knows that donkeys are very strong when it comes to carrying loads or pulling heavyweights,” said Dubdub.

“That’s right!” nodded Leo.

“Tie Sally’s tail to my waist and let her hang with her face down into the pit.

When Jojo holds on to her, I’ll pull him out of the pit with all my strength.”

Hearing him, Sally screamed, “Hey! What are you saying? Whether Jojo comes out or not, I’m sure to be split into two pieces!”

“I told you Dubdub is always talking nonsense!” said Rancho angrily.

“Don’t be so angry, Rancho,” said Leo, patting his shoulder. “Dubdub’s idea may be nonsensical, but he has shown us the way to rescue Jojo.”

Sally was scared. She started pleading, “Your Highness, please have mercy! If you listen to Dubdub, I’ll end up in two pieces!”

“Don’t worry, Sally! What I mean is that we will follow Dubdub’s plan but instead of you, we will use strong banyan tree branches to pull Jojo up,” said Leo pointing at the hanging branches of the banyan tree.

Rancho was overjoyed hearing this idea. He said, “Wow! That’s a very simple solution! Why didn’t I think of it?”

“He, he, he! We donkeys are doing all the thinking these days!” said Dubdub, baring his teeth.

Leo addressed the crowd and said, “Dubdub’s plan is great! But instead of tying the branches to Dubdub, we will tie them to Rancho’s feet. He’ll easily be able to pull Jojo up.”

“Yes, yes, Your Highness! I’d have pulled Jojo, but your plan is better,”
said Dubdub, nodding his head.

The branches of the banyan tree were cut and tied together like a rope. One end was tied to Rancho’s feet and the other end was lowered into the pit.

Jojo tugged at the rope to test its strength. It was strong enough.

Monty called out to him, “Jojo! Are you ready?”

“Ready!”

Monty whistled signalling Rancho to walk ahead. With the support of the rope, Jojo too started coming out of the pit slowly. The other animals kept cheering for them.

Jojo was halfway out of the pit soon but his lower half was still inside the pit. He was quite heavy and could not completely pull himself out, no matter how much Rancho pulled.

Rancho now pulled with extra effort.

Jojo had now managed to come out almost completely when the rope started breaking. The other animals screamed in fear, but before the rope could break, Leo quickly caught hold of Jojo’s hands and pulled him out in one swift move.

“Hail our king, Leo!” cried all the animals together.

“Not me, you should praise Dubdub! It’s his plan that ultimately helped us rescue Jojo,” said Leo, smiling.

Jojo’s eyes had tears. He hugged Dubdub and said, “My dear, Dubdub! Please forgive us! We always make fun of you! But we are glad that you’re our friend.”

“Jojo and Dubdub! Best friends!” said Rancho and the other animals repeated it.

Leo had the pit filled with mud and put guards in the forest so that the hunters would not come this way again.

King Of Art!

Blacky bear loved painting. He would draw pictures during his free time. And sometimes when he drew during class, he would get a scolding from his teacher.

Blacky loved drawing sceneries like sunrises and snow-clad mountains. He drew flowers, plants and trees. He needed colours and brushes to finish these paintings.

But whenever he asked his parents for them, they would not buy them and instead tell him, he should concentrate on his studies.

At school, other children were busy with their studies that they hardly looked or paid any attention to Blacky’s drawings.

Blacky continued to draw different pictures to fulfil his hobby.

Everyone was fond of the banyan tree in the forest of Champakvan. Blacky would sit in its shadow and make drawings. Whenever Blacky felt sad, he would take his drawing book and sit in the shade of the banyan tree and draw.

The banyan tree would be pleased to see Blacky drawing.

One day, the banyan tree said to Blacky, “Blacky, you make such good drawings! I’m such a big tree! Can you draw me on that small paper?”

Blacky was happy that someone praised his drawing.

“Yes, Banyan tree! I can draw you! But I will need some time for that,” he replied.

That evening he went to draw the banyan tree.

One day, it rained heavily so Blacky could not go out.

Sitting at home, Blacky was drawing when his father came.

His father said, “What are you doing, Blacky? You keep drawing something or the other all the time. Pay attention to your studies. Only your studies will be helpful, not these drawings!”

Blacky stopped drawing and opened a book.

The banyan tree waited for Blacky to show the drawing.

But since Blacky had exams at school, he could not visit the banyan tree.

Once his exams were over, he went to the banyan tree to show him the drawing.

The banyan tree praised the drawing a lot. He said, “Blacky, why don’t you send your drawings to Champak magazine? They often have drawing competitions and you should participate.”

Blacky had no idea about it. The banyan tree would often read stories in Champak, so he was aware of it.

The banyan tree gave Blacky the address of Champak magazine and asked him to send his drawing there.

Blacky sent his drawing to Champak and won the first prize. Everyone in Champakvan loved his artwork!

As a prize, he received the same colours and brushes, which he often asked his parents to buy for him.

The news that Blacky was a great artist spread through the forest like wildfire.

At the assembly hall in school, the headmistress honoured Blacky by calling him on stage, giving him a prize and the title of ‘The King of Art’.

Blacky’s parents realised their son’s talent and promised to support him along with his studies.

Photography Day!

Handloom Day!

Damru & Television

Damru and Guitar

What An Adventure!

Bhondu’s Trumpet!

A Collective Effort!

Rimpy rabbit was sitting at home, thinking deeply about something. Just then some of his friends knocked at the door.

Rimpy invited them in but was still lost in thought.

“What’s the matter, Rimpy? You seem to have forgotten your friends in the jungle after you have returned from the city. Our summer vacations are almost over and you are not meeting anyone! We have been waiting for you in the park forever!” said Monty monkey dramatically.

Rimpy replied, “Sorry, Monty, I was lost in thought and didn’t check on the time.”
Momo mouse teased, “Oh really, we did not know that you can think!”

“Momo, I am not in a mood for jokes just now,” said Rimpy, jumping up.

“Rimpy, has aunty discontinued your pocket money?” Jacky elephant teased.

“Yes, without the pocket money, how will he eat carrots now?” Momo added.

This annoyed Rimpy but he kept quiet and said, “No, friends, it’s nothing
like that.”

“Okay then, has the price of honey soared in the market?” growled Bunty Bear.
Rimpy replied, “Neither has my pocket money been discontinued nor has the price of honey soared in the market. The problem is much bigger.”

His friends realised that Rimpy was talking about something serious.

“What has happened? I haven’t heard of any big problem in the jungle,”
asked Jacky.

“The problem is of water,” replied Rimpy.

“Oh, this is like digging a mountain only to find Momo,” said Bunty.

“Bunty, the idiom is ‘digging a mountain only to find a mouse’,” interrupted Monty.

“Yes, that’s what I was trying to say. Momo is a mouse so digging a mountain only to find him. Rimpy, you’re unnecessarily getting worried over such a small matter. If there is no water in your house today, you can take some water from my house,” offered Bunty.

“What all of you think to be a small matter is not small. There is a huge problem of water shortage, which I got to know once I visited the city,” said Rimpy.

“What about water shortage? Tell us more about it,” asked Momo.

“When I visited the city this time, I saw that most houses were getting water through tankers. This was not the case when I had gone to the city a couple of years ago. Right now, they are not getting enough water for basic needs and this is bothering me,” replied Rimpy.

“Rimpy, this is a matter of the city. This problem is not going to arise in our jungle,” said Bunty.

“A few months back, I’m sure even the people of the city thought like this. But now, they have no water and regret why they didn’t do enough to save water,” explained Rimpy.

“So what can we do about this?” asked Momo.“Find a solution to save water,” replied Rimpy.

“What kind of solution, Rimpy?” Monty asked.

“We can start by harvesting rainwater in our homes. This water can be used for several purposes,” Rimpy said.

“Surely, we can do this,” everyone agreed.

“In addition to this, we should replace or repair all leaking taps. We should use a bucket of water for bathing and turn off the taps while brushing our teeth. Even the smallest effort carried out by each one of us can significantly help in conserving water,” Rimpy added.

“You are right, Rimpy. From now onwards, each one of us will save water,” pledged everyone.

“Now, let us go to the park,” said Rimpy as he watched the animals standing with troubled faces.

“To play?” asked Momo.

“Yes, and also to figure out how we can create a big rainwater harvesting tank in the park,” replied Rimpy.

All the animals burst into laughter.

Detective Pinky!

Piggu pig ran a poultry farm with healthy hens that laid many eggs. Piggu took good care of the hens and sold the eggs in the market.

One evening, when Piggu was getting ready to leave for the market to sell eggs, it began pouring. Piggu thought he’ll wait for the rain to slow down and then leave. However, it didn’t stop till dusk and Piggu decided to go to the market the next day.

Next morning, when Piggu came to collect eggs from the farm, he was shocked to see them missing. He looked everywhere but couldn’t find them.

Sad and disturbed, Piggu came back home. His daughter, Pinky saw him and asked, “Daddy, I thought you had gone to the market. How come you are back
so soon?”

“I have no reason to go to the market now,” Piggu replied sadly.

“Why don’t you have a reason to go to the market? And why are you sad? Please tell me,” Pinky asked, concerned.

“The eggs I was supposed to sell at the market have been stolen. I looked for them everywhere in the farm but couldn’t find,” replied Piggu.

“What! How did this happen? Let’s go back to the farm. I will help you look for the eggs again,” said Pinky.

Piggu and Pinky went back to the farm.

“I should have gone to the market yesterday. If I had taken the eggs yesterday, they wouldn’t have been stolen,” Piggu berated himself.

Pinky consoled her father, “Don’t worry daddy. We will find the thief who stole the eggs. The rain will help us.” And, she started observing the marks in the wet mud near the farm.

Piggu didn’t think the eggs would be found. “I know that you are fond of reading detective stories and watching such movies, but this is not a child’s play. I know I will never get the eggs back,” he said, hopelessly.

Pinky didn’t pay attention to what her dad said. She keenly observed the wet mud. “Look there, daddy! There are some tyre marks and footprints coming out of the farm. It looks like someone took the eggs in a handcart,” she pointed.

Still not hopeful of getting the eggs, Piggu asked, “How will this clue help us find who took our eggs?”

Pinky replied patiently, “We will follow these marks to where they lead. It will take us to the house of the thief who has stolen our eggs in this handcart.”

Somewhat convinced, Piggu followed the marks with Pinky. After a while, they reached a grassy stretch over which the tyre marks disappeared.

“Now, what should we do?” said Piggu losing the faint flicker of hope.

“Don’t lose heart, daddy. At least we got a direction. Let’s go ahead and look for more clues,” replied Pinky.

After walking for some more distance, they noticed three carts that were kept in front of three different houses.

Pinky observed the tyre marks carefully and said, “Daddy, out of the three, the tyre marks on two of the carts match with the one we have been following. But one handcart’s tyres are clean, while the other one still has fresh mud on it. This is it! The house with the dirty handcart is where our thief lives and he used it to steal the eggs.”

“This is Danny donkey’s house. I caught my thief! Let me teach him a lesson,” said Piggu marching towards the door and thumping on it loudly.

“Wait, I am coming. You will break the door!” said Danny’s voice from inside as he rushed to open the door.

Piggu pushed Danny down and asked, “Where have you hidden my eggs?” and stomped inside, looking for them in Danny’s house but not finding them.

“What eggs? I do not understand what you are saying,” said Danny getting up.

“Don’t act innocent. We followed the tyre marks from my poultry farm and saw your muddy cart outside your house. Isn’t that your muddy cart outside?” asked Piggu.

“Yes, that is my cart. But I am unwell and haven’t left my house at all. That’s why the wheels are muddy,” explained Danny.

“You are lying! You have hidden my eggs somewhere,” Piggu accused Danny.

Danny tried to convince him and said, “Why would I lie, brother? We are friends and I would never steal eggs from you.”

Pinky quickly interrupted and said, “Daddy, please have patience. Danny uncle is right. He has not stolen our eggs.”

She looked at Danny and asked, “Uncle, do you know someone who has hurt his left leg and is limping?”

Danny thought for a moment and replied, “No child, I don’t know anyone.”

“Hmm. Is there any hospital or doctor’s clinic nearby?” Pinky asked.

“Yes, Dr Bhallu bear’s clinic is ten minutes away,” replied Danny and shared the doctor’s address with Pinky. Pinky thanked him and rushed towards the clinic with Piggu.

Confused, Piggu said, “Why are we going to the clinic instead of finding the thief who stole the eggs!”

Before Pinky could answer, they had reached the clinic.

She went to the desk where the doctor and nurse were sitting and politely asked, “Doctor, we are looking for someone who has hurt his left leg and is limping. Can you please tell us if anyone like that has come to your clinic?”

The doctor paused for a moment and said, “Yes, Belu hyena’s left hind leg is wounded. He comes here to get it bandaged.”

Pinky asked, “Will he be coming today also?”

“Yes, he comes in the evening,” Kerry cat, the nurse, replied.

Pinky was now restless. “We can’t wait till evening. Can you please share his address?” she asked.

“We can’t share his address but he must be living nearby as he comes walking in spite of the injury,” Kerry replied.

Pinky thanked Kerry and left the clinic.

Still confused, Piggu asked, “Why did you want to know who was injured? Why are we after Belu?”

“Because Belu is the thief,” Pinky said, confidently. Pigu and Pinky asked around and they found Belu’s house.

When Piggu and Pinky reached Belu’s house, he got scared.

“Belu, did you steal our eggs?” asked Piggu.

When he didn’t say anything, Piggu angrily went in to search the house and found the eggs. Since Belu was hurt, he couldn’t run away.

“Do you accept your crime?” asked Piggu looking at Belu.

“Yes, I stole the eggs. When I saw you leave the eggs at the farm because it was pouring, I found the perfect opportunity to steal them. I saw that Danny wasn’t around and took his cart to steal the eggs and run away.”

Piggu handed Belu over to the police.

While returning home, Piggu praised Pinky and said, “You have become a great detective. But how did you know that Belu stole the eggs?”

“Daddy, along with the tyres marks, I looked closely and studied the footprints also. While three of the four footprints were deep, one was barely visible. I understood that the thief had one injured leg and was limping,” replied Pinky.

“Danny uncle wasn’t injured, so I understood that he wasn’t the thief. Since Danny uncle didn’t know of anyone who was injured, I figured that the thief must be someone who has been hurt recently. That’s the reason I took you to the nearest clinic to find out who had been injured,” added Pinky.

Piggu was proud of his daughter and thanked her for not losing hope.

Thereafter, talks about Pinky’s wisdom spread throughout the forest

Where’s The Rain?

All the animals at Shantivan were eagerly waiting for the monsoons. Everyone had made plans for the season and shared them with each other.

“Raindrops make me happy! When it rains, I will dance to my hearts content,” said Peeko peahen.

“This scorching heat is making my flesh burn. When the monsoon arrives, I will bathe all day long,” growled Bholu bear.

“Even I cannot wait any longer. How exciting will it be if it rains tomorrow!” Charlie monkey exclaimed.

A week had passed and not even a drop of rain was in sight. Peeko anxiously gazed at the sky, wondering where the rain had gone.

She saw Charlie hanging from a branch and said, “The monsoon season should have been here by now. When will I get a chance to dance?”

Charlie comforted her, “Maybe, the monsoons are late. But don’t worry, it will rain soon.”

A few more days passed and still there was no sign of the rain. Peeko couldn’t take it and thought Harry horse would have an answer.

“Oh Harry, when will the monsoon arrive?” asked Peeko. “Peeko, have some patience. The arrival of monsoon is certain,” neighed Harry.

Peeko walked ahead and saw Bholu bear staring at the sky. Peeko asked Bholu the same question.

“I can’t explain. There are some dark clouds in the sky. But I don’t understand why it’s not raining,” replied Bholu.

Peeko looked up at the sky. The dark clouds were visible.

“Let’s ask Kitey eagle. Perhaps, she will know where the rain has gone,” Peeko said as she saw Kitey fly closer to the clouds.

Peeko called out to her, “Kitey! Kitey!”

“What happened, Peeko? Why are you calling me?” Kitey asked as she landed near Peeko.

“Kitey, there are so many dark clouds in the sky. Then why is it not raining?”
asked Peeko.

“Let me check,” Kitey replied.

Kitey flew up into the sky and returned soon. She explained, “Peeko, the dark clouds that you’re seeing in the sky are not rain clouds.”

“What do you mean? We all know that dark clouds are rain clouds,” interrupted Bholu.

“Yes, Bholu. But these aren’t rain clouds. They are clouds of smoke that have gathered here because of pollution in the environment. The poisonous smoke looks like clouds and has spread like a blanket all over Shantivan. Until this smoke clears, it will not rain,” said Kitey.

Peeko and Bholu were terrified. They began to think of a solution.

“Bholu, we must clear out these polluted clouds. Otherwise, we will never receive rain and our rivers and ponds will dry out,” said Peeko.

“Peeko, how do you intend to clear out these clouds? I think it’s impossible,”
said Kitey.

“It might be a difficult task but I will try. In fact, if we all work together, we will be able to reduce pollution,” said Peeko, confidently.

“What can we do, Peeko? How can we reduce pollution?” asked Bholu.

“The biggest reasons for pollution are the increased number of vehicles, burning of garbage and cutting of trees. We need to make the animals of Shantivan aware of these causes so that they stop polluting the air,” replied Peeko.

They immediately got to work and made posters and pamphlets that listed the causes of pollution.

To make the posters attractive, Peeko added pictures of plants, trees, mountains, barren land and rivers. Kitey helped to distribute the pamphlets.

Peeko and Kitey also hung the posters on the branches of roadside trees. Bright and colourful posters caught the attention of many animals.

Bholu and Peeko went around Shantivan and made announcements of the benefits of being eco-friendly. They appealed to the animals to use bicycles instead of cars and motorcycles to reduce pollution and welcome rain.

Kitey spread the word that if more trees were planted, pollution would lessen. She also monitored illegal activities like cutting trees.

All the animals of Shantivan took up these eco-friendly initiatives. With the help of Peeko, they planted trees and stopped using cars to work. Soon enough, their hard work showed results. The dark clouds of smoke began to clear and the clouds of rain made their way.

The rain clouds rumbled and soon began to pour. Peeko could finally dance! It was the best dance the animals of Shantivan had ever seen. All the animals joined Peeko and danced with joy

Our Jungle?

There was chaos and confusion in Champakvan.

“Don’t crowd around him. Leave him alone. Look, he’s frightened,” said
Jumpy monkey, asking everyone to move to the side.

“He is a stranger. He is not from our jungle. We should send him away,” said Vivi wolf.

“Vivi is right. He could be a spy from another jungle,” agreed Baddy fox.

“We shouldn’t give shelter to refugees. Outsiders shouldn’t be allowed in our jungle,” added Jugoo jackal.

“Friends, let him rest and let his wounds heal. Then, we can find out who he
is and why he has come here,” said Cheeku rabbit.

All the animals stepped back. After a while, Blacky bear came in running and said, “This is a panda. He fell from a tree into the river and ended up here. I don’t think he’s a threat to Champakvan. We should be kind and helpful towards him.”

“Who told you this?” asked Baddy.

Hopping forward, Harry squirrel replied, “I saw him fall into the river. He struggled to get out. Before I could tell Blacky, he came here. I think we should feed him. He looks tired and hungry.”

“We cannot just share our food with him,” retorted Baddy.

“Why not? We don’t have a shortage of food and we should try and do everything to save a fellow being,” said Blacky.

“Harry and Blacky are right. Panda is helpless. We should save him first,” added Cheeku. Baddy, Vivi and Jugoo walked away. Harry, Cheeku, Jumpy and Blacky began cleaning panda’s wounds and dried his wet fur.

“He is shivering. I think because he was in the water for so long, he is also finding it difficult to breathe,” said Jumpy.

“You are right. Let’s take him to my den. We can keep him safe there. I do not trust Vivi, Baddy and Jugoo. They might try to harm him,” said Blacky.

Charmy eagle, sitting on the tree, said, “I too will help. I will sit near the entrance of the den and let you know if anyone is coming.”

Many animals visited the den to see panda and one day, after he had recovered, they asked him his name.

He said his name was Poh and he was from China.

Next day, Baddy said to Blacky, “Now that panda has recovered, ask him to leave Champakvan. Otherwise, it will not be good.”

“Is this your jungle? And his name is Poh. Don’t call him panda. If Poh wishes to leave, then he will go. Till then, we’re his friends and we will take care of him,” said Jumpy.

“Till when will you keep him coddled inside the den? He doesn’t belong here. The day I get my claws on him, he won’t be spared,” threatened Baddy.

Poh had grown stronger, he played in the den and started climbing the tall trees around the den. Blacky showed him where he could get bamboo, Poh’s favourite food.

One day, Baddy saw Poh step out of the den and walk towards the hill. He called Jugoo and they followed him silently. “Today, we will finish Poh. The moment he climbs down the tree, I will grab him. His caretakers are busy bathing in the river,” hissed Baddy.

Suddenly, they heard Poh scream, “Move aside, move aside, a huge rock is falling from the hill.”

Baddy and Jugoo ran out of their hiding places, just missing the huge rock by a second. Otherwise, they would have been crushed under it. Charmy came flying towards Baddy and Jugoo and said, “You should be ashamed. Poh, who you were planning to kill, saved your lives. If he hadn’t warned, you both would have been crushed to death.”

Baddy and Jugoo wondered how Poh knew they were on the hill behind him. As if reading their minds, Poh said, “I could see you both following me, but didn’t want to say anything.”

“We did leave Poh alone on purpose. After all, till when could we protect him. In the end, he has to learn the laws and dangers of the jungle,” Blacky said.

“The Earth belongs to all of us. Thinking that this is ‘my jungle’ or ‘your jungle’ is incorrect. This is ‘our jungle’,” added Charmy.

Baddy and Jugoo walked away after thanking Poh who climbed up the tree to complete his meal!

United We Stand

Putru owl lived in Champakvan forest. One night, he set out to look for food and saw a tent on the outskirts of the forest. A jeep was parked beside it.

“These weren’t here before!” muttered Putru. Before sunrise, he woke everyone and told them about the jeep and the tent.

Blacky bear had interacted with humans before when he was in a circus and had then escaped to the forest. He quietly went to the tent and peeked inside to see guns, axes and a few men sleeping inside. He immediately understood why they had come.

“They are here to cut down trees of the forest,” said Blacky.

Everyone was shocked. If the trees were cut down, there would be no forest for them to live in.

“You used to say that humans are clever creatures. Do they not know that cutting down trees will bring harm to them as well? Trees make up the forests, give us our homes, and bring rainfall. Trees hold the soil together and also clean the air,” said Cheeku rabbit.

“That’s not all. Trees provide food, medicines and many other things,” said Jumpy monkey.

“But today, humans are being short-sighted. They want to cut down the trees for wood to make homes, furniture and paper,” said Blacky.

“We won’t let them cut the trees!” said Jumbo elephant, angrily. “But they have guns. They can kill us!” said Blacky.

“We must be brave but careful. Let us make a plan to save our forest,” said Jumpy.

“Yes, we must do something quickly! Once they wake up, they may start cutting the trees!” said Jumbo.

Meanwhile, Cheeku had come up with a plan. “If we take those guns and axes, the humans will not be able to bring any harm to us or to the trees,” voiced Cheeku.

They all agreed with his plan and started acting accordingly. Meeku called the mice family to use their razor-sharp teeth to make holes in the tent. Jumpy and Monty entered the tent through the holes and took the guns and the axes, and gave them to Blacky who was standing outside.

Jumbo picked the axes and guns with his trunk and dropped them into the river. “Our trees are safe now. We must scare the humans so that they don’t come here again,” said Cheeku.

All the animals surrounded the tent and started making scary noises. The men sleeping inside woke up with a start.

“Animals have surrounded us. Quick, get the guns!” shouted their chief.

“But there are no guns here! Did we leave them in the jeep?” asked another. “I brought them inside the tent myself!” said the third.

“The axes are gone too! What’s going on?” said their chief.

Jumbo pulled the tent from the ground and now the frightened men were surrounded by animals.

Upon receiving a signal from Jumpy, all the animals started moving towards them.

The men didn’t wait anymore. They ran into their jeep and drove away, promising never to return to the forest.

Blacky said, “We stood with each other bravely and defeated those who were stronger than us. We prevented our forest from getting destroyed. I am proud of us all.”

“If anyone ever comes back here with bad intentions, we will drive them away again, together,” said Jumpy.

All the animals then celebrated their victory that day.

Wildlife Photographer!

Photography Day

World Photography Day is celebrated on August 19. Very recently, Deepa developed a love for photography. Help her choose a camera.

She doesn’t like to carry heavy cameras
She likes to view the image after clicking it.

Odd Hockey!

National Sports Day is celebrated on August 29.

Friendship Band?

Friendship Day is celebrated every year on the first Sunday of August in many countries, including India. This year it is celebrated on August 4. Help Tannu choose friendship bands for her friends.

Tannu likes bands without beads.
She likes all colours except brown.
She likes stripe and polka patterns.