Teetiri protects the grassland - 31 - Salonki tells the story about Guturgu

31

Salonki tells the story about Guturgu

Salonki told Kotwal the entire story about Guturgu and Bade Miya and Chote Miya. Upon hearing about Guturgu's confusing advice, Kotwal agreed with Salonki that Teetiri should be part of the plan to chase Billi away from the marsh. He said that he would search for Bater while Salonki should go to talk to her partner and relatives at the babool tree. It was a wonder that Billi had not already run away from the marsh while listening to the mynas chattering away non-stop and so loudly. Kotwal did not agree with Salonki that Teetiraa had to be called back to take Teetiri's place at the nest. Let us search for Bater first, offered Kotwal. He may perhaps know more about tackling Billi than we may know. Who knows? Kotwal shrugged.

Kotwal flew off across the grassland in search of Bater. He flew up high, trying to decide which area should be searched first. He could see Teetiraa hunting for insects near the river’s edge. He went up to the river and perched on an arjuna tree. There was Bulbul, moving around inside the arjuna tree branches. Phoolchuki's cousins were arguing nearby. Teetiraa seemed to be talking to some of his cousins from across the river. He could hear Teetiraa calling out to his cousins with short abrupt calls and their replies in a similar manner.

The sparrows were also enjoying themselves here, feeding on the fallen foodgrain and drinking at the various small puddles near the river, and getting themselves wet. Bater was not to be seen. How does one search for Bater? How could he search for Bater? He knew that the jungle bush quail was a very nervous bird, very protective of its children, rushing off in a great hurry, always seeming to go somewhere urgently. He had not seen Bater stop to chat with anyone. He had not heard any gossip about Bater. So how did he go about in the grassland without any other bird actually knowing about him and his family?

This would not do, thought Kotwal. He needed help.  He could not go about alone trying to search for the jungle bush quail in the grassland. He had to take help from his family. Even if he did not like to depend upon his family, he would have to go and ask them to help him search for Bater. He flew back and forth across the river, searching on both the banks. He knew that his father loved to sit in the shade of the arjuna trees and hunt for insects flying above the dry river bed. It seemed like a good day to meet up with his father, thought Kotwal, watching the numerous insects flying about. He could see at least four other black drongos flying out of a large arjuna tree and catching an insect each on every attempt. That was probably the spot where he would be able to catch up with his father, he thought. 

Teetiri protects the grassland - 32 - Kotwal meets his family

32

Kotwal meets his family

He was correct. His father was indeed there, along with Kotwal's two brothers, one sister, one aunt and her two sons. They seemed to be in a very serious meeting insde the very shady branches of the arjuna tree along the river bank that faced the grassland. They seemed happy to see him, he thought. His two cousins and his aunt did not seem to be so happy. They must have again come to seek his father's permission to hunt for insects in the grassland, he thought. His father would never permit it, he knew, for it was given to Kotwal and two of his sisters only. His father had given him strict instructions that he would have to be careful not to invite other black drongos for otherwise he would not get enough insects to catch.

Kotwal’s elder brother welcomed him by raising his crest and fluffing himself, while his sister fluttered her wings in appreciation of how well he looked. The discussion was about locating the best trees to build their nests during this approaching season, Kotwal’s father told him. It seemed like this year’s choice was between the arjuna and the banyan trees. These trees would withstand the severe summer that would surely hit the region this year. The climate seemed to be getting bad and bad each year. The days were getting hotter each year, while the summer, winter and the monsoon was longer. Every aspect of the climate was getting to be too much each year, Kotwal’s father told all his children. Kotwal and his brothers and sister nodded respectfully.

This was the problem with meeting his family, Kotwal thought. His father had to lecture them and instruct them. He seemed to think that Kotwal and the other children did not know how to live like black drongos. Someday he would tell his father about his own adventures in the grassland, and of how all the birds lived together. But Kotwal’s father seemed to think that the grassland was not able to feed more than two or three black drongos. Once Kotwal had got used to the grassland, he did not wish to hunt for insects near the river banks or in the village. His sister had also begun to like to hunt for insects among the bushes between the grassland and the scrub forest. She hated going to the village or to the river banks.

Kotwal interrupted his father the moment he paused in his lecture. I need your help, and I need it urgently, Kotwal told his father. Before his father could answer with another lecture, Kotwal told everything about Billi, about Teetiri and Salonki, about Salonki’s family in the babool tree chattering nonstop, and about Guturgu’s advice. He now had to search for Bater urgently. It seemed to be the only option left for the birds to be able to protect the grassland. Billi should not be able to hide out in the marsh tonight. If he would do that comfortably, even for a single night, he would return to the marsh regularly and it would not be a safe place anymore. Only Kotwal’s father could help them out at this moment, Kotwal said. And as Kotwal had hoped, his father took charge of the situation. He immediately began to lecture to Kotwal and his brothers and sister on how to search for Bater.

Teetiri protects the grassland - 33 - A plan to search for Bater

33

A plan to search for Bater

Bater was excellent in hiding in the grassland, Kotwal’s father said. You could spend the entire season in the grassland without seeing Bater or any of his relatives. You cannot search for Bater, he said. You have to wait for Bater to show himself. The drongo family sat together to plan the strategy to spot Bater in the grassland. First, all the drongos, Kotwal’s family included, would fly out of the trees along the river-banks, and perch on high tree branches that overlooked every path and trail in the grassland. Second, Kotwal would have to go and ask Salonki for help. Salonki would have to get all the mynas to disturb the grassland wherever there were rocks and tall grass. They would have to move around the tall grass areas among the rocks and chatter loudly to disturb Bater and his family.

Having agreed on this, the drongos flew out of the tall arjuna trees along the river-banks to the grassland and began to choose perches on the branches of all the tall trees. From up here, they could spot movement on any path or trail in the grassland. The drongos were good at spotting the tiniest of insects flitting about and would be able to pinpoint any movement in the grassland. Kotwal flew over to the babool tree to meet Salonki. He explained the strategy to Salonki who immediately called out to her family to stop chattering. Once silence was achieved, and instructions passed on, Salonki asked her family to break up into small flocks and spread out among the rocks in the tall grass.

The mynas spread out as told by Salonki. Eight to ten mynas in each flock sat on the rocks and began to chatter loudly. Hundreds of mynas started walking around, jumping up and down the rocks, running after insects and pecking at the wandering red crabs that seemed to be lost away from the water. With all the mynas moving around, the grassland suddenly seemed like a small place, after all. The drongos could immediately see the effect on the grassland. There was a confused looking Dominga, an angry Phoolchuki and a disgusted Darzi flying up from their nests, upset at the peace of the grassland being disturbed in this manner. Kotwal’s father spotted Naag rushing away to hide inside a hole next to some rocks, while Dhaman could be seen hurrying away to another hole.