49
Bulbul is puzzled about Bater and Billi
But similar to Billi, Bulbul could not
understand how Bater could disappear and reappear four to six feet away. Why
did Bater simply not keep running towards the village so that Billi would run
out that way? Billi was also getting tired at this roundabout. This frightened
looking bird seemed to be able to move so rapidly and always kept escaping his
attacks. How did Bater do it? How did he escape each time? And, how did he move
so fast? There he was again, four feet away this time. The jungle bush quail
continued to look very frightened. Billi looked around, to see if any other
bird would warn off Bater. There did not seem to be any, for the drongo was not
to be seen, and Phoolchuki was moving about in the inner branches.
Billi crawled faster this time through
the grass. He was low, and he was certain that Bater had not seen him move
towards him. This time around, he would be successful, Billi thought. It would
be better if he did not waste more time, but straightaway jump right on the
jungle bush quail. There, the jungle bush quail continued to do that strange
side-step to the left and right, followed by two steps to the front and a brief
running scamper backwards. Billi wondered as to what this strange movement was.
Even Bulbul was getting fascinated by the dancing steps of the jungle bush
quail. Both Billi and Bulbul were so engrossed in the step-movement of Bater
that they did not see Darzi’s sudden appearance in the babool branches.
Again, just as Billi got ready to
pounce, Darzi called out in a low whistle. Bater disappeared instantly, but
Billi had already begun to jump. This time around, Billi landed further in to
the marsh, and found that he was sinking in the slushy mud. At the very moment,
Bulbul saw that there was a jungle bush quail standing behind Billi at the spot
that he had jumped. He looked back inside the marsh startled, and found that
there was another jungle bush quail standing at the spot of the previous jump,
and another quail at the second jump and yet another jungle bush quail at the
spot of the first jump.
