21
Salonki goes to meet Guturgu
Kotwal asked Salonki to fly fast to
the village. Speed was important, Teetiri added. Yes, do not hang around to
talk to anybody you meet along the way, Kotwal told Salonki. Go and meet
Guturgu and ask him for advice. He would be easy to find, because Guturgu never
went anywhere. He and his family were always to be found near the various
foodgrain storage sheds belonging to the farmers. Salonki could meet Guturgu
easily near these sheds in the village, Kotwal said. Make sure you meet
Guturgu, because you are now our only hope to save the grassland and its marsh,
Teetiri added.
Salonki agreed, actually he kept
nodding and shaking her head, and flew directly to the village. We will never
know whether Salonki actually understood what we said, Kotwal told Teetiri.
Kotwal flew to the babool tree while Teetiri continued to walk around the
grassland. Salonki’s partner was sitting impatiently on the babool tree, lost
without Salonki and bored with the continuous chatter of his relatives. He
asked Kotwal if he had seen Salonki. I am getting bored sitting here with
nothing to do and nobody to talk to. What sort of a plan was this? Is Teetiri
to be trusted, she asked Kotwal.
Salonki has gone to the village and
will return after some time, Kotwal told Salonki’s partner. You have to trust
Teetiri. She is doing all this to protect the grassland for its birds. Billi
can be quite dangerous. You are all at risk from Billi. We will all be safe
once Billi is chased away from the grassland. Salonki’s partner was not
convinced. He argued as to why should all the mynas be asked to do as per
Teetiri’s plan? Why should they not have a plan of their own? Anyway, Billi
cannot chase all the mynas. Teetiri is doing this for herself and fooling the
mynas, He told Kotwal.
No, No, No, Kotwal said. Nobody has a
plan, and it is certainly not Teetiri’s plan. It is a plan that belongs to all
the birds of the grassland. In any case, Teetiri has put no bird in danger. She
herself has been cautious because she wants to make sure that Billi is chased
away completely. Once gone, he should not return to the grassland or its marsh.
We have to work together. You cannot have your plan and I cannot have my plan
and somebody else cannot have another plan.
