19
Salonki’s father spoke to Kaawla Chacha
Salonki’s father had asked one of the
crows about this brownish yellow animal. The eldest of the crows, Kaawla
Chacha, had replied that this animal was ‘Billi’, the village cat. It was very
bold, very fast, very quiet and very patient. And, most important of all, it
was very dangerous. One should not even try flying close to it. It could jump
up, quite high, and injure you with its claws. Why do you grassland and forest
birds come inside the village anyway, Kaawla Chacha asked angrily. Why do you
come to suffer so badly? Do you see any of the village birds roaming around in
the grassland? Or do you see the waterbirds roaming around in the forest? Get
some sense, act smart, and survive. Stay in your habitat, Kaawla Chacha
gestured angrily at Salonki’s father. Survive. Survive. Survive. Survive.
Salonki remembered all those
unfortunate happenings very clearly. Salonki remembered Billi very clearly to
this day. Only, he had not expected to see him inside the grassland, hiding in
the marsh, and being an expert at camouflage, he told his partner. This animal
in front of them, hiding away, very patiently in the marsh was Billi, Salonki
told all her relatives. Why was it here, asked Salonki’s aunt, if it was
supposed to be inside the village? If we should not go outside our habitat,
what was this animal doing outside its village?
It must have come to the marsh to try
its luck in hunting down some grassland birds, Salonki said. Okay. Salonki
could also play this game. Salonki could also take this opportunity to take
revenge for what had happened out there in the village that day. Kaawla Chacha
had told Salonki’s father that day that Billi was smart and dangerous. Now let
us see if Billi was indeed all that smart, Salonki told her partner. She flew
to the lone babool stem to join Kotwal and Teetiri. Rapidly, she told them the
story of that unfortunate day in the village when he had lost his brother. Teetiri had never seen a cat. Billi? What was
a Billi? Teetiri asked Salonki. Was it like Bhainsa, the buffalo? Was it like
Gadheda, the donkey? Or, was it like Lombdi, the Wolf?
No, No, Kotwal and Salonki said
together. It was not like Bhainsa, Gadheda or Lombdi, Kotwal said. This was a
Cat, a Cat, a very dangerous animal, Salonki said. There are many types of
cats, some large, some small, some spotted and some striped, Kotwal said. So,
which one was this, he asked Salonki. Salonki only knew about the village cat
from Kaawla Chacha and about how dangerous it was. Salonki herself had not seen
Billi from very close. Whatever had been seen on that day in the village was a
very fleeting glimpse of a very fast animal.
You won’t understand, Salonki told
Teetiri. Do not just wait for it to come out. We have to bring Billi out of the
marsh and chase it away from the grassland, Salonki said. They could not allow
Billi to take over the marsh. The birds of the grassland would not be safe. No,
No, Teetiri said, we have to fight for our grassland. I will fight for the
grassland, Teetiri told Kotwal and Salonki, again and again. Not merely fight
for the grassland, Salonki interrupted, we have to also humiliate Billi so that
he would never return to the marsh and the grassland. It would be a big favour;
could they do her this favour? Salonki asked Teetiri and Kotwal. Could they
help her take revenge? It would help her feel better and forget the unfortunate
happening of that day in the village. They needed to help her plan. It would
also help to drive Billi away from the marsh. Teetiri and Kotwal agree to help
fight Billi.
