Teetiri protects the grassland - 23 - Bade Miya and Chote Miya

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. 

Teetiri protects the grassland - 30 - Salonki returns to the grassland

30

Salonki returns to the grassland

Salonki left Guturgu, puzzled and disappointed, and flew straight to Bade Miya and Chote Miya. They seemed to be arguing in very lazy voices, about the usefulness of their tails to chase away mosquitoes and flies that were hovering above them. Bade Miya wanted to use his tail to kill the insects, while Chote Miya was arguing that the tail should only be used to chase away the insects. Not to kill them. Chote Miya's opinion was that dead insects would be replaced with more and more new insects. It was better to have the number of insects that they were familiar with. Salonki perched upon Chote Miya's forehead and told them about Guturgu's advice about Bater and how the birds of the grassland need to protect the marsh by themselves. Bade Miya snorted immediately and said, what use is that advise? How can Bater help? He is a tiddly-piddly-widly small little scared ghost of a bird. He is frightened of the slightest movement of grass. Maybe the sight of his cousin jungle bush-quail would also frighten him. How can he help?

Chote Miya snorted angrily and told Salonki, O friend, do not get taken in by Bade Miya's words. He is more frightened of Billi or the village dogs than he would care to admit. He is of no use and his advise is also of no use. Do not misunderstand Guturgu, Chote Miya said. Guturgu is very wise, and usually knows what he is talking about. If he means that you have the strength in you to fight Billi, then Guturgu is correct. If Guturgu asks you to take Bater's help, then do it. Go and take Bater's help to fight Billi.

Puzzled at the strange advice from Guturgu being confirmed by Bade Miya and Chote Miya, Salonki flew back to the grassland. She flew nonstop to the lone babool stem near the marsh and perched on it to take some rest. Teetiri did not seem to be nearby. Kotwal could be seen perched on a high branch on the babool tree. All the other mynas were now settling down in the babool tree, some chattering, some flying back and forth from the river at the edge of the grassland. The farmers had returned on their bullock carts, filled with the foodgrain that they had harvested today. There must be a lot of spilled grain along the river edge where the carts had crossed over, Salonki thought. She could see mynas, doves, pigeons and sparrows feeding rapidly at the river-edge. There were a lot of birds flying about behind the bullock carts and in the cropfields beyond the river. 

Salonki called out to Kotwal and Teetiri. Hearing Salonki, Kotwal flew down immediately from his perch, while Teetiri was not to be seen. She must have gone back to the nest, Kotwal said. She is not here? She is not here? asked a worried Salonki. We need Teetiri. Guturgu gave some useless advice. We need Teetiri, Salonki gasped. Calm down, calm down, Kotwal said. We will get Teetiri back. Let us wait till she comes back from the nest. No, No, No, said Salonki and added, we will need to search for Teetiraa to return to the nest so that Teetiri can come back to help plan against Billi.