Teetiri protects the grassland - 17 - Salonki understands Teetiri’s plan

17

Salonki understands Teetiri’s plan

Suddenly Salonki understood what Teetiri’s plan was all about.  Teetiri must have wanted Salonki’s relatives to irritate the strange animal to show himself. That was the reason why she had wanted them to keep chattering away. That bobbing fluffy ball, whatever it was, showed that the animal was getting irritated. There must be an animal at the other end of the fluffy ball. Having decided that, it became suddenly much more easier for Salonki to look for the animal.

Salonki’s eyes followed the ball, bobbing up and down, and could now identify a brown-coloured snake-like cord attached to it. That must be the tail. She followed the tail through the grass and suddenly could see the animal very clearly. It was right there, and it was not there. It could be seen but it was unseen. You could make out the colours, but if you blinked, the colours were no different than the grassland. It could not be seen if one looked at the grassland without searching for the animal. Wow. This animal was very good at camouflage, Salonki thought.

It was the combination of the brown and green coloured grass that explained it. There simply was no brown grass out there. It was actually simple, when one understood the colours of the grassland or the marsh. Brown dry grass could not occur next to dark green grass that was obviously getting good water through its roots. One patch of grass could not be brown and not getting water, while the grass nearby was green. The brown grass was the animal. It was simple, very simple, actually, when you come to think of it, Salonki told her partner.

It was a brown coloured animal that was hiding in the grass. So, now we know something more about it, Salonki thought. It was strange, dangerous, large, frightening, brown in colour, and with a tail that had a brown or black coloured fluffy ball at the end. Salonki turned and called out to all her relatives. She pointed out the brown and green patch of grass and explained that the animal was hiding out there. All her relatives immediately started arguing about the identity of the animal. For those who were bolder, they began to move to the lower branches and started chattering away loudly. All that chatter, the loud arguments, the agreements and disagreements, soon began to irritate the animal that relied so much on camouflage. Just as Teetiri had predicted to herself, the animal would have to show itself in disgust. And indeed, with all the myna chatter going on above it, suddenly, the animal seemed to shiver all over, and turned its head to stare right up into the babool tree. Salonki could now see it very clearly. 

Teetiri protects the grassland - 27 - Guturgu – the leader of the pigeons

27

Guturgu – the leader of the pigeons

Our young male pigeons guard us by continually flying in the sky in tight circles to keep a watch and warn us if any animal was approaching the shed or the neem tree. But what about Guturgu, Salonki asked, was he your leader?  Yes, replied the shy young female pigeon. He plans all the activities of our flock, keeps them together, and helps us find food, shelter and protection. He ensures that they we are not harmed while our aunts and uncles are at the nests. He controls the entire population of blue-rock pigeons in the village. All of us owe our safe existence to him, said the shy young female pigeon, in obvious and absolute reverence to Guturgu.

Again there was a sudden drop of conversation, and silence followed. An almost silent flap of wings could be heard inside the shed and suddenly, Guturgu was there at the window sill. So, Salonki, my old friend, what brings you here away from the grassland? Guturgu asked, stepping outside the window. He was a huge one, larger and fatter than the other pigeons, or seemed to be so, thought Salonki. Salonki had known him earlier when he was slimmer, leaner and faster. Guturgu had visited the marsh waters in the grassland during one very hot summer some years ago. The village pools and the river had gone dry throughout the region during that year. The marsh waters were thought to be bad for drinking for the humans and thus it was freely available to the birds and animals through the summer. Unlike the village pools and the river, the marsh had retained its waters through the harsh summer. It had become quite crowded then, thought Salonki.

I need your help, Salonki said. I guessed as much, Guturgu said, for otherwise you would not be here. Do tell me what is it that you need. Salonki replied, O friend, the marsh waters may no longer be safe. Your know how precious is the marsh to all the birds. And now, we can no longer enter the marsh. Surprised, Guturgu swelled his chest, waved his wings above his head and asked, You can no longer enter the marsh? Pray tell why? Why is it that you can no longer enter the marsh? Is it no longer there? Are the waters of the magical marsh finally gone dry? Are we to suffer this summer? This is a serious matter, my friend Salonki.

Happy that Guturgu had taken the matter so seriously right at the first bit of information, Salonki added, O Guturgu, my old friend, I come to you for help, because only you can help us in the manner in which we need it. The waters are present and will remain so during this summer. But we cannot enter the marsh because Billi is hiding out there, waiting to catch any of the birds that would come inside the marsh grasses. Guturgu gave a hum of understanding, and relaxed. You came to me on your own, my good friend Salonki? And pray tell me, how did you know that I was the correct person to give you advice against Billi?

Teetiri and Kotwal have also sent their regards and seek your support in taking action against Billi, Salonki explained. Guturgu hmmmmmed and grmmmmmmed loudly, and then trmmmmmed and brmmmmed for some more time. He is thinking, said the young female pigeon, obviously very much in love with Guturgu. The young male pigeon-guards were very alert, watching the sky, the roofs of neighbouring sheds, and giving wing signals to other male pigeon-guards flying in the sky. Salonki looked around at the thirty blue-rock pigeons that were standing there waiting to hear Guturgu's words of wisdom. 

Teetiri protects the grassland - 56 - Teetiri is almost given away

56
Teetiri is almost given away

Yes, yes, yes, Billi said to himself, happily, this was certainly a nesting lapwing. He was in for a good meal. He went forward, deciding to plan the attack path by going up the incline in a crouch, along the marsh water stream that flowed by.  The sound of the marsh waters, a very low gurgling sort of sound, would hide any sounds that he may make by accident. He did not want to alert the lapwing. Billi looked back once again, to try and spot the three black drongos. Yes, they continued to be at the babool trees, chattering away. The mynas and the sparrows continued to be where they were.

It was Darzi who almost gave away the plan at that moment. He spotted Teetiri when she raised her head to look around. Getting excited at spotting her, Darzi left her guard duty over Bulbul and flew to a higher branch to be able to see properly. Realising that Darzi had seen something that he had not seen, Bulbul shifted his perch to a higher one. Almost immediately, Bulbul spotted Teetiri at the edge of the ridge. She seemed to be sitting down, hiding, and raising her head now and then to look around. What was she doing there, all alone? Bulbul whispered to Darzi, who continued to keep silent. Bulbul looked around very fast, trying to see if he could understand this part of the plan. 

The three drongos were at their previous spots, while the sparrows and mynas were still moving around. Billi and Teetiri seemed to be the only two living beings that he could see in the marsh near the high ridge. So who was out there to warn Teetiri? Bulbul wondered. Billi, in the meantime, kept crawling up the very gentle slope, through the grasses, keeping a bunch of rocks between him and Teetiri. He was now within two feet of Teetiri, keeping himself hidden behind a small pile of rocks. He stayed very still, and looked around very carefully. He could not see anybody, but could hear the three drongos chattering, the mynas and sparrows gossiping. He was convinced that Bulbul was not dangerous. He went in a very silent crouch, pushing aside the grasses very quietly, waiting, crouching, waiting and crouching. He did not want to do the same mistake that he had done with Bater and Chimini.