23
Bade
Miya and Chote Miya
While all the birds were waiting,
Salonki had flown straight to the village. She had not stopped anywhere in the
grassland. She had indeed felt extremely tempted when she saw Chimini and her
cousins alighting on some foodgrain bullock carts that were returning to the
village. She controlled herself, remembering Kotwal and Teetiri’s strict
instructions. She had to meet Guturgu as fast as possible, seek his advice and
return to the grassland. Teetiri and Kotwal would be waiting for her.
She could see some of blue-rock
pigeons, Guturgu’s relatives, flying near the foodgrain sheds. Guturgu was sure
to be sitting there. But what if he was not to be found there? She could not
risk wasting time searching for Guturgu. She could not go around the entire
village. What if Guturgu had gone to visit some other village? She needed
information. Sure and reliable information to help her search for Guturgu. And
she thought she knew where she could get some good information.
She had some very reliable and very
strong friends. These were the oxen belonging to the groundnut farmer. He had
his cropfields near the grassland. Salonki alighted at the farmer’s foodgrain
shed. She knew his bullock cart, and had sat on the backs of the oxen that pulled
it. She knew both the oxen and was friendly with them. Teetiri and Kotwal were
also good friends of both the oxen. The three of them helped the oxen by
picking off insects from their body. Actually only Salonki and Kotwal did that,
by perching on the backs of the oxen. Teetiri stayed nearby, picking up the
insects that got disturbed by the farmer’s plough that was pulled by the oxen.
Salonki knew that she could safely sit
near the oxen and talk to them about Teetiri and Kotwal. The oxen would not get
angry at Salonki’s presence. Teetiri always preferred to follow the oxen when
the farmer released them at the edge of his cropfield while he worked on the
groundnut crop. They would not welcome Teetiri while they rested. Kotwal,
perhaps, may be equally as welcome as Salonki. Kotwal was also friendly with
the oxen, daring to perch on their backs. But it was Salonki that the oxen
really trusted. They allowed her to perch even an inch away from their eyes.
Salonki perched so dangerously in order to pick off the small insects from
their ears and near their eyes.
The shorter, slimmer and younger ox
was called Bade Miya (Big Man), while the taller, fatter and older one was
called Chote Miya (Small Man). This seemed to be like a joke for the farmers,
Salonki thought, for they always laughed when they called the oxen by their
names. These oxen were a favourite with all the villagers because they always
won prizes at the bullock-cart races. So, what brings you here to the village,
so far away from your grassland, asked Bade Miya. Salonki hopped on to Chote
Miya’s back, gestured to Bade Miya to have some patience, and took huge gasps
of breath. She had flown very rapidly from the grassland in order to reach the
village. Chote Miya was however not going to be patient. Yes, what brings you
here to the village, my favourite tick-eater, Chote Miya asked Salonki.
