Teetiri protects the grassland - 4 - Teetiraa wonders why he gets to sit under the hot Sun

Teetiraa wonders why he gets to sit under the hot Sun

He had better go and take over at the nest, Teetiraa said to himself. It was his duty to sit over the eggs from dawn to when the sun came up above the lone babool tree in the grassland. Teetiri had told him that she would only return when the shadow of the babool tree began to come over the nest. He would then be free to go to the wet marshy grounds near the river.

But Teetiraa would have to return to the nest once the sun's heat began to dry up the black marshy soil. That was when the shadow of the babool tree would no longer be above the nest. Dominga had once commented that this arrangement was funny and strange. How come that Teetiri seemed to get to sit on the eggs at night and whenever the shadow of the babool tree fell upon the nest? Why did he, Teetiraa, have to sit on the eggs only when the nest was unprotected from the harsh sun?

Teetiraa had wondered about it, and had meant to confront her today. But that “today” seemed to keep getting postponed everyday. Dominga had teased him about his hesitation. He had done so daily. Teetiraa had kept telling Dominga that he would exchange duty-timings at the nest with Teetiri today. But he had never done so. And, Dominga had not stopped teasing him. Nowadays, Dominga had begun bringing along Domingi, his partner, to feed at the scrub bushes near the marsh. They always kept tittering to themselves. Teetira suspected that Dominga had told his partner about the challenge and that she kept laughing at him for his failure to confront Teetiri.

Teetiraa had now decided to avoid Dominga. But this could not go on, he thought. Dominga was correct. Why did Teetiri get to sit on the nest at night and when it was under shadows. Why could he not sit on the nest when it was actually comfortable to do so? He had better ask her, ask her today, he thought. Dominga may go and tell this bit of useless gossip to Teetiraa's numerous brothers and cousins, who lived on the other side of the river. They would all begin to laugh at him.

Worse still, his cousins may stop inviting him to their hidden grassy patches inside the scrub forests. All the redwattled lapwing cousins, uncles and aunts and other distant relatives assembled together inside the scrub forests when the first rains brought out the termites. Wow. That was the best part of living, thought Teetiraa. All they had to do was stand around the termite mounds in the ground when the wingless termites came out in the thousands. They could catch them without even having to move around. They could keep eating them through the moonlit nights and sleep it off, happily, too tired to even go back to their regular day-to-day familiar grounds. He could not risk losing that invitation, thought Teetiraa.                               

Teetiri protects the grassland - 13 - Teetiri goes to hunt for red crabs

13

Teetiri goes to hunt for red crabs

Teetiri returned to the marshy water-patch near the rocks. There would be good food to be eaten here. The small red crabs could be found among these grasses and rocks. These brilliant-red coloured animals kept running sideways when disturbed and would dig themselves into the sand thinking that they could not be spotted. But the wet marshy soil and undisturbed sand surface always betrayed them. The footprints of the small red crabs were left on the wet marshy soil and led the birds directly to the spots where they had dug themselves in. The lapwings and other wading birds followed these tracks as they could thus easily identify the presence of the red crabs and pull them out of their hiding spots and eat them up. The deeper water patches in the marsh allowed some hiding places for Teetiri to hide in if Shaheen or Shikra, came hunting in the grassland.

The marshy water-patch was also a favourite hunting place for other wading birds.  Chimini and her family usually frequented it. Salonki and her large numbers of brothers and sisters as also a number of frogs were to be usually seen there. Teetiri loved the songs of the frogs when the first monsoon came down over the grassland and the river. There would be thousands of red crabs that would be running all over the place without even any space for them to dig down to hide.

Teetiri would be joined by her entire family at that time to feed upon the red crabs. All her relatives, her parents, her brothers and sisters and Teetiraa’s relatives would be there at the marsh. Teetiraa’s cousins from across the river would also join them at that time. All of them knew of the marsh and the best place to visit it. They usually left it for Teetiri and Teetiraa for the rest of the year. There were other spots and other times when Teetiri and Teetiraa joined their cousins from across the river, like when the flying ants came out from the ground, or when the waters at the salt-water creek went down in summer exposing thousands of young fish trapped in the rocks.

There were no birds present at the marsh today. That was strange, thought Teetiri. Usually, there would be many birds at this time of the day. Was there something wrong? There did not seem anything like being totally wrong here. The red crabs were there. They were running around. The waters were very inviting.  The cool waters would be very welcome to rest in after the hot rocks that she had crawled through. The grass was not moving. Was there some predator out there at the marsh? Would she be able to spot the predator in time? Was it Mongoose or Lombdi, the wolf? Was it Naag? Hiding out there in the cool water? Frightened, Teetiri looked around for help. Who could tell her if there was something wrong in the marsh?

One of the red crabs came running towards her unaware of her presence. Instinctively she jabbed down with her beak. picked up the crab and swallowed it. Wow. That felt goooood. She needed to eat another. Already she would soon be due back at the nest to relieve Teetiraa. She walked hesitantly towards the marsh, worried. There! There was another one of the red crabs. She jumped two steps and rushed towards it and grabbed it just as it had begun to dig down. Her sudden movement among the stones had dislodged a dung beetle that had been busy rolling up some mud. She grabbed the dung beetle without thinking. The dung beetle did not taste as good as the red crab but it would have to do. She desperately needed that nutrition. She was going to go back and sit at that nest and she needed all the energy she could get. She could not complain now. Or, be choosy at the marsh when the very next moment a predator could easily jump up at her. 

Teetiri protects the grassland - 14 - A strange animal hides at the marsh

14

A strange animal hides at the marsh

It was Kotwal who was watching from a very high perch on the babool tree above the marsh who called out to warn her. It was a strange animal, hiding out among the grass, pouncing and frightening away the birds that came to the water. Kotwal flew down from his perch to a thin lone babool stem that had been trying to grow out of the grassland each year. The babool would try and grow taller each year but would find itself cut down by one of the wandering children from the village nearby. The lone babool stem never gave up trying. It kept growing out of the grassland each year in spite of being cut down. Kotwal alighted on the babool and whispered to Teetiri about the strange animal that had never been seen in their grassland before. It looked very dangerous. It seemed to be hiding in the tall grass and sitting very still.

The lone Babool tree - kept growing back after it was cut

Kotwal - the black drongo loved to perch on its highest branches

[Photograph - Govinda Swami]

What can we do? Teetiri asked. Can we not frighten it? Does it fly? Can it fly? Can it run very fast? Does it swim? All these days, Teetiri had thought that the marsh would have been the safest place in the grassland for her to hide her young ones when they would hatch out of their eggs. And now, this strange animal had come to the wetland. Had it come to stay there forever? What was it anyway? Could someone talk to it? Could we know more about it so that we could decide whether to visit the marsh or not? Teetiri asked Kotwal.

Let us call all the birds of the grassland together,  replied Kotwal. We will tell Darzi and Phoolchuki to go around on all the trees and tell the other birds to come here. I will go around the grassland and call the birds that I meet. Teetiri said that she would go near the river bank and call the birds from near the water. Darzi went and told Dominga and Domingi, while Phoolchuki went and told all his cousins and Chimini and her family. Kotwal went around the grassland and told his cousins and Bulbul. Teetiri went to the riverside and told all her cousins and asked her aunt to go and fetch Salonki, the common myna.

Teetiri’s aunt found Salonki and her partner dustbathing and soaking in the sun among some of the smooth round stones near the pools formed along the river. On hearing Teetiri’s message, Salonki and her partner left rapidly and came flying to land near the babool stem. Most of the birds had not seen the strange animal, except for Salonki and her partner. They had indeed seen the strange animal. Wow. It was quite frightening. Both Salonki and her partner kept nodding and shaking their head as though agreeing and disagreeing with each other. So what should we do? Teetiri asked. What did it look like? It was large, Kotwal said. It was dangerous, Salonki said. Salonki’s partner kept nodding and shaking his head. So what was the animal? Teetiri asked worriedly, wondering whether or not Salonki would actually provide an answer. Whatever it was, it was frightening, large and dangerous, said Salonki while her partner kept nodding and shaking his head.

Getting tired of Salonki and her partner by now, Teetiri asked Kotwal to fly low over the marsh once to check if the animal was still hiding out there. Kotwal agreed and flew straight up from the babool stem, straight and high and then glided down straight back over the marsh as though he was about to land there. While reaching just above the grass, Kotwal straightened his glide and flew out above the marsh and turned back to return to the babool stem. Not at all looking tired or frightened after this search flight, Kotwal turned to Teetiri and nodded. Yes. The animal was still out there. Sitting quietly. Not moving at all. This would not do, Teetiri thought. The animal would have to go. She needed the marsh returned to her for raising her young ones who were yet to be born. She could not risk losing another season and another clutch of eggs. She had to do something. But she needed more help. 

Teetiri protects the grassland - 16 - Salonki and her relatives talk to the stranger. And talk, and talk and talk.

16

Salonki and her relatives talk to the stranger. And talk, and talk and talk.

The mynas flew off together from the roof of the shed with Salonki leading the way. They were actually flying in pairs, but looked like a flock when together. Each pair kept talking to each other even when flying. They would talk to each other until the end of their lives, thought Bulbul, who was flying by at that time. Salonki lead the flock of mynas directly to the babool trees. There were probably more than two hundred mynas together now. They kept talking to each other. That is what Teetiri had told them to do, did she not? Salonki wondered. What sort of a plan was this? How would Teetiri confront the animal if the plan was only to keep all the mynas in the babool trees and to ensure that they kept talking? How would she get to know who the strange animal was? Did she expect that the animal would talk to Salonki?

Salonki and her relatives searched for the mysterious animal in the marsh. From here, perched on one of the low branches of the babool tree that stretched out into the marsh, she could see over a large portion of it. Where was it? Where was it? Where was it? If the animal was indeed out there, then it was probably very smart. She could not spot it. And, was she not a very intelligent bird? Then how could the animal be smarter than she could? She called out to Kotwal who was still perched on the lone babool stem. Teetiri was standing on the ground next to the lone babool stem. Kotwal flew out to join Salonki at the higher branches of the babool tree and perched near her. Was the strange animal still hiding out there? Salonki asked. Sure, he must be out there in the marsh, said Kotwal, for he had not seen him come out to the grassland.

So, where was he? Salonki wondered. She could not see him from up here. Could Kotwal spot him? No? Then, where was he? Salonki peered hard at the grass. It was difficult to concentrate with more than 150 relatives behind you, chattering away loudly. The mynas could talk very loudly. They did not stop for the other partner to stop talking. It was getting to be very difficult to sit still and search for the strange animal. What could he do? He could not ask his relatives to keep quiet. Teetiri had especially wanted that all her relatives keep chattering away loudly. That Teetiri was crazy, Salonki thought. What was this plan anyway? Even Salonki got tired of hearing all her relatives talking non-stop. So, why would anyone else love to hear her hundreds of relatives talk non-stop?

Shhhhh, Kotwal said. So, even Kotwal was tired of Salonki and her relatives? No, it did not seem to be the reason for Kotwal to be ‘shhhing’ her. He was pointing towards some brown and green coloured grass. Salonki looked. Yes, there was something all right. It looked like a brown, or black, or brown, or black coloured fluffy ball, just about the size of Phoolchuki or Darzi that seemed to suddenly bob up and down in the grass. The fluffy brown or black ball could not be seen by anyone on the ground. From up here, Salonki and Kotwal could spot it only when it bobbed up and down.

It seemed to be irritated, Kotwal said. Bobbing up like that, almost angrily. It must be angry with all the chatter that Salonki’s relatives were busy with, Kotwal told Salonki. But what was it? Salonki asked. Kotwal flew up and tried to look at the fluffy ball from up closer. He flew back to Salonki and said that he could not see much more than that. Having said that, Kotwal flew back to Teetiri and his lone standing babool stem that grew so persistently out there, in the grassland. 

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 - 20 - Teetiri needed the marsh to be safe

20

Teetiri needed the marsh to be safe

Teetiri agreed instantly while pecking fast at a passing beetle and swallowing it. Teetiri needed the marsh to be safe for her children when they would hatch out. She had planned the nesting in order that her children would be hatched just in time for the monsoon. But she was worried that the rains may be delayed by seven to ten days. She needed the water in the marsh and the safe hideout that the green grass would provide to her children.

Teetiri asked Kotwal to help Salonki plan against Billi. Kotwal also agreed to help. He had a very good reason to help because Billi had once climbed a mango tree adjacent to the village and destroyed the nest that belonged to Kotwal’s sister. Kotwal had not seen it happen but his father had described it to him. This Billi should never be allowed inside the grassland or at the marsh, Kotwal said. But we need more help, perhaps some clever birds from the village, Teetiri suggested. We do not know how to fight Billi, while the village birds would be able to help them plan. Both Kotwal and Salonki nodded in agreement.

Who could help them but Kaawla Chacha, said Salonki excitedly. He was the one who had scolded Salonki’s father in the village. He seemed to know a lot and seemed like a very wise bird. He may be able to help the birds of the grassland. Kaawla Chacha certainly seemed to be very intelligent. Salonki proposed that Kaawla Chacha could be invited to come to the grassland and help the birds lead an attack on Billi while he hid in the marsh.

Teetiri disagreed. She still remembered the way that Kaawla Chacha’s cousin had destroyed her nest and eaten up her eggs. She argued that Kaawla may be very intelligent but he was also a danger to the birds and their nests in the grassland. Kaawla Chacha should never be able to find out the secrets of the grassland or the marsh. An enemy is an enemy is an enemy. Especially one who destroys your nest and eats away the eggs. Such an enemy could never be trusted. We may replace one foolish enemy with a very smart and intelligent enemy, she said.

Kotwal agreed. Do not call Kaawla Chacha, he advised. A better friend would be Guturgu, the Blue-Rock Pigeon. Guturgu never destroyed any nests or ate any eggs. He was very peaceful, content to live with his family. He actually seemed to have a very large family. The blue-rock pigeons seemed to come out of the village in their hundreds to the cropfields when the grain was ready to be harvested. They were never to be seen flying around commonly in the grassland or the river or the forest. The local villagers were also known to feed them at a specific place. Guturgu could teach some tricks to the birds of the grassland. 

Teetiri protects the grassland - 24 - Salonki asks for Guturgu at the village

24

Salonki asks for Guturgu at the village

I need to find Guturgu, the blue-rock pigeon, and seek his advice on taking revenge on Billi, Salonki told Bade Miya and Chote Miya. Billi is hiding in the marsh near the grassland and frightening all the birds, Salonki added. Bade Miya snorted angrily. Billi is hiding in the marsh near the grassland? That would not do, that would not do, that would not do, Bade Miya said, and angrily snorted and shook his head up and down and sideways. Chote Miya also nodded vigorously. The marsh is my favourite resting spot during the hot noon sun. I need the marsh, to relax, after a hard day's work at the cropfields.

Bade Miya added, we need the marsh, and we need all our bird friends. We need Kotwal, the black drongo, Salonki, the common myna, and her cousins, along with Teetiri and Teetiraa, the redwattled lapwings. We need all our friends while we rest and wallow in the marsh. Salonki also nodded and added that all the birds also loved their presence. The presence of the oxen in the marsh disturbed the insects from its bottom and provided easy food for most birds. Especially Salonki and her cousins and for Kotwal. They simply loved to perch on the backs of the oxen.

Billi should be chased away from the marsh, Bade Miya said. And who would do that, would you? asked Chote Miya sarcastically. Yes. Yes. I can chase Billi away. I can chase all the village dogs. I am not a coward like you, replied Bade Miya. Coward? Who are you calling a coward? Chote Miya asked. You. I am calling you a coward. Bade Miya retorted and  added, I would have loved to go with Salonki right away to chase Billi from the marsh, but I am tied down to the post by my farmer. What can I do? I am helpless right now.

Chote Miya snorted angrily, and said that it was more likely because Bade Miya had just eaten a lot of sugarcane, and could not even move from his spot. Bade Miya again rose to retort, but Salonki decided not to hang around and listen to this conversation that went back and forth throughout the day. Salonki knew that these two could argue upon absolutely useless topics for days and weeks without any purpose. They had nothing else to do. They had to sit next to each other, walk alongside each other, work with each other, and live with each other as long as their farmer kept them together. Without seeking any more advice from Bade Miya or Chote Miya, Salonki flew off to the flock of pigeons and to ask them about Guturgu. 

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 - 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. 

Teetiri protects the grassland - 42 - Teetiri needed a good plan

42

Teetiri needed a good plan

What could Bater and his family do? How could they help? They could not even frighten Darzi or Phoolchuki. How could they fight Billi? Teetiri thought angrily to herself. She needed a plan, a perfect plan and Bater had to somehow figure in it. Whatever it may be, Billi had to be chased out of the marsh. Kotwal asked Teetiri, well, you seem to be the leader now, my good friend. Do we have a plan that includes Bater? Are all of us going to figure in it? We could have all the mynas, sparrows and drongos just fly in together and dive to hit Billi in the marsh. He may get frightened and run away if we did that suddenly, screeching and screaming.

Even as he was speaking, Kotwal’s father was shaking his head in disagreement. No, No, that would not do. Where do you come up with a plan like this? That is not a plan. That is disaster. No doubt you would alarm Billi, but even a single swipe of his paws could kill three or four sparrows or at least two mynas. What if your own brother or sister were to be killed? Did you think about that? You cannot go to war without being sure that you would not loose one of your own. A leader does not send in his warriors without being sure of winning the battle. Without being sure that he would not loose his warriors. A leader has to be in the war, leading from the front. Not hiding in a crowd.

Phoolchuki, Darzi and Bulbul nodded together in agreement. Salonki and Chimini also nodded and said, yes, we cannot risk any of our brothers, sisters or cousins being killed in the attack. We thought that the purpose of chasing Billi away from the marsh was to prevent our family members from being killed. We need a plan, Kotwal’s sister said, that does not place us in danger from Billi. Hearing his own sister turn on him in this manner, Kotwal turned to Teetiri and said, my good friend, there you have it. Now you are also part of the action. The plan requires only you and Bater. And you have to be ahead of Bater. So how are you going to go about it?

Teetiri - the redwattled lapwing was now the leader

of the birds of the grassland according to Kotwal

[Photograph by Saleel Tambe]

Teetiri was now completely confused. So she was to also figure in the plan. When did she become the leader? She certainly did not recollect any sort of consensus before this day indicating that she was the leader of the birds of the grassland. And now, in this time of crisis, when she felt she had to take the initiative, every bird turns around and makes her the leader. How could she be certain that any action against Billi would not put other birds at danger of loosing their lives? How did she end up with this problem? It was Salonki who had brought this idea of getting Bater to be part of the plan. Did Guturgu do this to tease Salonki? 

Teetiri protects the grassland - 45 - The War of the Marsh Waters

45

The War of the Marsh Waters

Billi sat there, hiding in the marsh grasses, waiting for some really fat birds to show up. He had got injured in a fight with the village dogs, and had decided to hide outside the village for the day. Billi planned to catch some food that he usually was not able to taste in the village. He had heard Naag tell his wife and children that the marsh was a good spot to catch unsuspecting birds. He had come very eagerly to hide out in the marsh and try his luck in catching some fat birds. His plan was to hide in the grasses surrounding the marsh and pounce upon birds who were not expecting him to attack them.

Billi suspected that his luck may not be good on this day. Strangely, there had been no birds visiting the marsh through the day. There was only that absolutely irritating flock of more than hundred mynas, who had been chattering throughout the day. Not the entire day actually, for about an hour there had been peace and silence near the marsh. The mynas had gone away and seemed to have spread out all over the grassland. It seemed like some strange ritual among the birds in the grassland. They seemed to have gone crazy all over the grassland. Why did they not repeat that crazy behaviour in the marsh? He could have had his pick of the birds, and decide which ones to catch and which ones not to.

The peace was gone once again over the past five minutes. The mynas were back at the babool tree chattering again. They seemed to be spread all around the marsh, some on the trees, while some were feeding on the ground. He could not run after them all over the grassland with his injured leg. If only some of these silly birds would enter the marsh, his stomach would then stop growling. He needed some food, needed it urgently. As if in answer to his prayers, the grasses in front of him parted very hesitantly, and a jungle bush quail stepped out, very nervously.

Not realising that the birds had begun a war against him, Billi looked happily now at the sudden appearance of Bater in front of him. The mynas were chattering away, while a drongo perched on the topmost babool branch, was calling out in a low unfamiliar syllable. This was most unlike the usual calls of the drongo. A bulbul sat on a low perch, silent, watching him and Bater. Billi looked once again at Bater. This jungle bush quail looked very silly, standing there frightened, lost and nervous. This bird could be easily caught, Billi thought. He looked around once again, at the chattering mynas, at the drongo sitting up very high, at the bulbul nearby, and felt that there was no harm in trying to catch the jungle bush quail. He could not keep waiting for more birds to come inside the marsh. 

Teetiri protects the grassland - 50 - Bater and his quail family

50

Bater and his quail family

So that was the other part of the strategy, and what a wonderful plan, Bulbul thought. Billi was actually trying to catch a different jungle bush quail each time. Billi seemed to be absolutely sure that he was trying to catch the same jungle bush quail each time. Whereas he was, in fact pouncing on one quail, allowing him to get away, and then chasing another quail. Teetiri must have thought up this strategy when she saw that all the jungle bush quail looked equally frightened and nervous. Billi would never guess that he was chasing a different quail each time.

Meanwhile on the ground, a tired Billi had managed to pull himself out of the marsh waters. He was exhausted from all the effort that it required to come out of the very sticky slush. He decided to sit down and take some rest. Teetiri had planned for this situation also; it seemed to Bulbul, for Kotwal immediately flew down to where Bater was hiding in the marsh grasses. Hiding himself behind a thick clump of grasses, Kotwal tried to talk to Bater. It seemed like an impossible task for Bater was totally invisible even though he was sitting right in front of Kotwal. He could only see Bater’s eye looking back at him from the dry brown grass in front of him. The rest of the body was very difficult to trace out from its surroundings.

You had better signal to your family to withdraw from their positions, Kotwal told Bater. Bring them all closer to you and slowly start moving back from the marsh. Bater’s eyelid flickered up and down, and he raised his head to speak to Kotwal, Move back now? Why? We are doing so fine, all of us. I have never seen my family so bold, so courageous and faithful. They are, each one of them, confident of facing up to Billi. And they are doing it, without my presence at their side. I am so proud of them. Why should we withdraw now? Is this the end of Teetiri’s plan? Bater asked Kotwal.

No, my courageous friend, this is not the end of Teetiri’s plan, Kotwal replied, there is more to come. Just wait. Billi may get dangerous as he gets more and more tired. That is why Teetiri wants you and your family out of the marsh now. Each time that Billi pounced on one of your family, we were lucky. It could have gone the other way also. Each time, Billi could have managed to catch one member of your family. Now it is the turn of the other birds of the grassland to harass Billi. So, Bater, my friend, you had better call your family back. 

Teetiri protects the grassland - 51 - Bater is grateful to be alive

51

Bater is grateful to be alive

Bater nodded in agreement; sober now, after the initial excitement of having fooled Billi was over. Kotwal was correct. He could have lost one of his brothers or his sons in this war with Billi. It was indeed better to be smart and alive, than foolish and dead. Bater remembered his own father who had told him that it was not meant for the jungle bush quail to be a foolish hero, but to be cautious, careful and alive. Bater decided to call back his family. He raised himself from his hidden position, taking courage from Kotwal’s presence nearby, and called out in a low, repetitive whistle. The call was almost similar to any of the other whistling bird calls that could be heard in the grassland. But it seemed to serve Bater’s purpose appropriately, thought Kotwal, for he could see the jungle bush quail moving towards them.

An instant before, Kotwal could only see Bater. An instant later, there were seven jungle bush quail, standing in front of him. How did they manage that? Kotwal wondered. They moved unseen inside the grass, without shaking up any of the clumps, without any sound and managed to converge at a single point, on the basis of a single call from Bater. How did all the jungle bush quail in a flock manage to identify the single unseen point of convergence from inside all that thick grasses, bushes and rocks? They were really good at this. No wonder that Guturgu had suggested that Bater would have to lead the attack.

At a signal from Bater, the jungle bush quail family moved back from the marsh and went off to hide in the grassland. Kotwal flew out of the marsh grasses and joined Teetiri at the lone babool stem. Phoolchuki and Darzi had also come over to join Teetiri. Now we will start the second step of the plan, said Teetiri, and signalled to Chimini to move into the marsh. Kotwal and Phoolchuki were asked to go and perch themselves over the marsh to provide support to Chimini. Salonki kept moving around the marsh, visiting all her relatives, and ensuring that they kept chattering and making a lot of noise all around. Darzi stayed behind with Teetiri and later went on to sit next to Bulbul to make sure that he did not blurt out the plan to Billi, or to any other animal or bird. That was actually if Bulbul had understood the plan. 

Teetiri protects the grassland - 54 - What could he do? What could he do?

54

What could he do? What could he do?

Whatcouldhedowhatcouldhedowhatcouldhedo? Billi kept repeating to himself. He had to find himself some food. He began to walk around the stony patch, not wanting to go back across the path where he had had bad luck trying to catch the jungle bush quail. Bulbul was watching him from above, wondering as to whether Billi now had a plan. He knew that Teetiri certainly had a plan and that seemed to be working so far. Where would it end? How would it end? How would all this running and chasing be able to scare Billi away from the marsh? He certainly did not look like he was about to leave the marsh.

Suddenly, Kotwal moved from his perch in the higher branch and came to one of the lower ones, in complete view of Billi. On another tree, away to the left, Kotwal’s father could be seen perched on one of the higher branches. And, another tree had Kotwal’s sister perched on one of the higher branches. And all the three drongos began to call each other. Billi looked up, startled at the sound of three black drongos calling out to each other behind him. This did not look good, he thought. But, wait a minute, Billi realised, perhaps it was a good thing, after all. If those three drongos were busy chatting with each other, way BEHIND him, then there would be no problem in hunting for birds in FRONT of him. Well, he was certainly an intelligent cat, and nobody could fool HIM, that was for sure, Billi told himself.

Billi kept walking slowly in front of him, towards the high ridge of the grassland. The marsh ended at the high ridge, and the waters collected underground as a natural spring and came out below the fifteen feet ridge as a small stream that flowed into the village. Anybody visiting the grassland or the marsh would not be able to understand that even the grass and bushes growing on the ridge-top were actually supporting the marsh in providing waters to the village. The fifteen feet high ridge had a natural slope that fell away gradually towards the river on the other side of the grassland. The river waters supported the agriculture while the marsh waters fed the stream to the village.

Bulbul - the redvented bulbul - wondered about Billi's walk

Why was Billi walking slowly along the water stream?

[Photograph - Govinda Swami]

Bulbul kept wondering as to why Billi was walking slowly along the narrow water streams in the marsh towards the high ridge. Perhaps it was because of Kotwal and the other drongos chattering away to one side, inside the marsh. At the further end, Salonki and her cousins were creating a loud noise. Chimini and her cousins along with the other members of the family had now taken courage and were settling on the babool branches inside the marsh and gossiping loudly. Billi was perhaps looking for some peaceful spot to hide and hunt. What would Teetiri do now? Bulbul asked Darzi, unable to contain himself any longer. Darzi seemed to glare more fiercely at Bulbul and continued to keep quiet. 

Teetiri protects the grassland - 55 - Billi spots a nesting Teetiri

55

Billi spots a nesting Teetiri

Billi kept getting irritated. Those drongos seemed to have got bolder and begun to perch inside the marsh. The lone drongo on the high perch must have called the other drongos after having seen Billi fail in his attempts to catch the jungle bush quail. The sparrows had also been joined by other sparrows and had settled in the large babool tree in the marsh. He needed to get some quiet place to hide, take rest, and wait for other birds to catch. His stomach seemed to be growling louder and louder and Billi could not take it anymore. He needed an easy hunt, a bird that would be easy to catch, a bird that would not run away from the spot from where it was seen.

What was this? Billi could not believe his eyes. Suddenly, his luck seemed to be getting better. There, hidden across another marsh stream and wet sand, in a patch of rocks and grass, seemed to be a nesting lapwing. Okay, Billi thought. The jungle bush quail may disappear, reappear and disappear, while the sparrows may fly up into the trees, but a nest cannot get up and walk away. The eggs cannot disappear or fly away, even if the lapwing would. He could at least get to eat one or two or three eggs of the nesting lapwing even if he failed to catch the bird. A feast of two or three lapwing eggs may be the right nutrition that he needed, Billi thought.

Billi crouched and crawled to get to a good spot to quietly watch and assess the situation. Bulbul, from his perch on the low branch, realised that something was happening again. There was Billi crouching and crawling once again. Darzi also took a quick look and whispered angrily to Bulbul to stay quiet. Bulbul could not see Teetiri sitting as though she was at a nest, fulfilling her role as a leader of the birds of the grassland. She had decided to take on the most important part of the plan on to herself. Bulbul could only see that Billi was now looking at some unseen bird or some other unseen prey towards the high ridge line that marked the limits of the marsh.

Billi wanted to be very very certain this time around. His luck certainly seemed to have changed now, he thought to himself. The black drongos were behind him, chattering away among them. The sparrows were as yet at the other tree, gossiping very loudly. The mynas were away in the grassland. That irritating and smiling Bulbul continued to sit where he was, accompanied by Darzi. Wonder what that was all about, thought Billi once again to himself. All situations seemed to be in his favour. The lapwing seemed to be up on an incline from where he was hiding. Again, that would also work out to his favour. The lapwing kept lowering its head and raising it, warily, looking around very carefully. 

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.