TUSHI HAS A SECRET TO TELL

 Tushi is up. The rays of the morning sun have filled the room.
"Maaaaaaaaaaaa. Where is papa", She yells.

Pulling her payjama with one hand and rubbing her eyes with the other she romps down the stairwell.

"Maaaaaaaaaa." She shouts again. "Am hungry. Give me something to eat."
Ma comes out of the kitchen where she is busy helping others make breakfast. It is Sunday so the day of puri and sabzi.

She picks up the three year old and sits her on the kitchen shelf.

"What is it?"

"Where is papa"

"He will return from work t’mrw"

"I have to speak to him just now."

"Well why? He is traveling"

"No I have to na I have to tell him something important."

Tichi fui who has been listening to all this says," ok what do you have to tell him?"

"I will not tell you"

"Well why?"

"It is something only Kuldeep fua and I know." Kuldeep looks up from his plate and smiles at Tichi fui.

"What have you taught her?" asks Tichi fui.

He looks at Tushi and says,"that is a secret, isn’t it?"

Tushi nods her head.

And she jumps down from the shelf and comes running to Kuldeep fua. He takes her in her lap and says, "Have you brushed your teeth?"

"No."

"So let’s go to the bath and you polish your teeth and bathe and then we return to our puri sabzi."

Ma looks at the two and smiles.

"Yes the puris can wait."

Fua takes Tushi to the bath cleans her and now the little girl dressed in a red pajama and pink blouse is ready to join all at the breakfast table.

"I want to eat with Kuldeep Fua. With him from the same plate."

"Don’t bother him let him be at peace," retorts Ma.

"Let her be." says Kuldeep Fua smiling.

Tushi likes to eat her puris with sugar. The hot puffed puris are on the plate. Ma rolls one with sugar and gives it Tushi. She takes a bite. Kuldeep fua’s phone rings.

"This is papa," shouts Tushi with her mouth full. She drops the rolled puri on the table.

Kuldeep hands the phone to Tushi. With the phone in her oiled right hand she shouts, " Papaaaaaaaa."

Tushi shouts all in one breath "Papaaaaa I know my name. I am Tushita ...... And you know who taught me Kuldeep Fua."

Ma looks up from her plate her brows twitched. Tichi Fui too looks surprised. Ba smiles.

Papa laughs wondering oh the beautiful little girl has a beautiful tongue too.

GOGO THE BABY ELEPHANT

“Gogo,” trumpeted Papa elephant. Gogo knew it was time for Papa to take mamma away – to a place where he had never been before.

Gogo did not want to go with papa. He wanted to be on his own. He went and hid himself behind a big tree. The tall grasses in the thick jungle hid him. He sat with his two fore legs wrapped over his eyes. And was crying. Tears rolled down like big rain drops. His hands were wet. He just went on and on crying. He rolled on the grass and was crying. He stood up and dollops of tears made a puddle near his feet.

The animals in the jungle were worried.

‘Where is Gogo?” enquired the monkey

“Aaha dear chappy,” said the rabbit.

“There he is trying to hide behind the tree’” whispered the deer.

“Gogo look what I have for you,” said the monkey showing him a bunch of bananas.

Gogo did not prance at the bananas like he did every day. He turned his face away from his friends and went away in the other direction.

“Let him be on his own for a while, “said the bear.

“But lets follow him” said the squirrel concerned.

Gogo walked with his big steps towards the river. He went in. And did not come out for a while.

“What’s wrong with Gogo?” wondered the deer.

“Nothing. He will be fine.” Said the bear.

Gogo went to the deep side of the water. The fish saw him and came swimming towards him.

“What are you up to you fool.” Said the little fish

“You will drown “said the small fish.

“I want to drown” said Gogo.

“But why just because your mother has died. You silly elephant see the number of us dying everyday. Today they took away my Mamma too,” said the little fish.

”I cried but I wouldn’t kill myself. Why should I do so?”

“Go out of the water,” said the big fish who was watching Gogo sink in the river bed. Mr bigger fish came and all of them pushed Gogo out of the water.  

Gogo came out of the river, gasping for breath.

“These stupid fish won’t even let me die” he grumbled

He got up angry and disgusted. He trumpeted. “Goooooonnnnnaaaawwww”

He was annoyed by the sound of his trumpet. It was a choked sound. He trumpeted again, ”Gnnnnaaaawwwwoooo”

He was angry with everything. With the sound of his trumpet, with Papa, and most importantly with himself.

Did mamma not love him that she died? What was his mistake?

Why ?  Why? Did it happen to him only?

Will Papa also die? Then who will take care of me. I will be left alone in this world. Why? Why should I suffer? What mistake have I done?

He romped all over the place with his big strides. He broke the anthill but the ants did no bite him.

“No no’” said mother ant to the children ants Gogo is unhappy that’s why he has done this.

He went thak thak thak all over the place. The trees shook and some of the small nests fell from the tree. But no one said anything to Gogo. Every one knew Gogo was angry as his mother was dead.

Mr Python who was deep in his hole sleeping his six months of sleep was disturbed too. He popped his face out of the hole and saw Gogo stomping on his hole. He went back to sleep muttering,” little child has lost his Mamma. He will do this.” 

After a while Gogo sat down exhausted. And started to weep loudly. Very loudly. He was lying on the grass and rolling himself and crying.

Hearing this Mr Lion knew it was time for him to do something. All the animals loved Gogo but then he was Mr Lion’s pet.

Mr Lion slowly softly went up to Gogo. Seeing Mr Lion Gogo sat still at one place but he could not stop his loud cries. Mr Lion went and sat next to the baby elephant. Then without saying a word tickled his snout with his mane. And then tickled his ears. All the animals were watching from behind the trees. They could all see a faint smile on Gogo’s face. Mr Lion now tickled Gogo’s arms and forehead. And cuddled the huge baby elephant with both his hands wrapped around. Gogo tried to hide his face in Mr lion’s mane but went “Achooo”

Both Gogo and Mr Lion burst out in laughter.

But Mr lion knew something more needed to be done. He got up and said to Gogo ,”Come child I need to show you something”

Gogo without a word followed him. So did all the other animals.

Mr Lion brought Gogo and others to a place where there were huge carcasses of elephants all around.

“Lets go and find where Gogo’s mother is.” roared Mr Lion.

The monkey leaped and jumped and found that she was lying not very far away. All the animals went there. Mamma elephant’s body was lying limp on the grass.

Gogo ran and stood next to her. He started to cry again. All the animals stood near him. After sometime they held their hands and Mr bear took Gogo’s hand too, they formed a circle and went round and round the body of Mamma elephant. All of them prayed in their minds. And all cried together.

After a while Mr Lion said I think it’s time for us to move. All the animals loosened their hands and took a few steps away from where Gogo’s mother lay. 

Mr Lion looked at Gogo first and then to others and said, “Your Papa brought your Mamma here today morning. We all have to go one day just like all those there. You me everyone. You are not the cause of any one’s death. And this is the final journey all of us have to take. The tree beneath which we stand will also die giving birth to many more like it. It has given us not only shade but fruits and is home to thousands living in this forest. It is inevitable. Live life in a way that even when you are no longer there everyone will remember you. Don’t hurt anyone but if some one comes to hurt you resist growl and trumpet so that your friends can come to your help. Sharing your grief with others lessens the pain within. Never think you are alone. These deep forest animals are always helping each other - all the time.”  

The monkey who by now had hopped on Gogo’s back tickled Gogo’s trunk with his tail. The streaming tears had blocked the elephant’s nose. He gave a sweaky groan of annoyance. All the animals laughed. The deer frolicked around and Mr Bear went up to Gogo and hugged his trunk and wiped his wet eyes with his furry hands. Though everyone was crying when Mr Lion was speaking but now everyone was wiping tears and chattering. Gogo too felt better.

All the animals walked to the river. All wanted to drink water. Gogo took lots of water in his trunk and sprayed it on everyone.

“You naughty!” shouted Mr Bear and ran after Gogo.

Mr Lion said naughty Gogo needs to be taken care of too. And all of us will do it. Won’t we?

Of course I am sure all of us know how to take care of the BIG LITTLE GOGO. screeched the monkey. He looked at his friends for consent.

YES OF COURSE ! ! ! replied all in chorus

Happily the monkey jumped up a tall branch of the tree and swung off towards the Lion’s den. Gogo too tramped off deep into the jungle towards Mother lion to play with her cubs. All the other animals followed him making their noises.

It was a very noisy extended family on the move. Screeching, howling, trumpeting, squeaking, growling,roaring

Mr Snake hissed” oof these animals. Won’t even let me sleep.”