Sushila Deoja
Shyamu, a naughty boy, always moved around with a catapult in the pocket. On the way from his home to school, there stood many tall and big trees, upon which many birds had their nest. Shyamu was always seen looking towards the tree. If he ever saw a nest, he would shoot at it with his catapult and destroy it completely. He derived great pleasure from such acts of violence.
One day, Shyamu saw a pair of nestlings look out of their nest, and make a frantic cry. As it was his habit, he thoughtlessly shot and flung his bullet at the nest. The nest broke and the baby birds that were anticipating their parents fell on the ground and died.
In the meantime, the mother bird was hurrying towards the nest with food in the beak, thinking that the nestlings must be awfully hungry. From a distance, she saw the naughty boy shoot at the nest. By the time she reached the nest, all the nestlings and had fallen and died. Beset by such tragedy, the mother sat before her dead children and cried her heart out. Her cry drew the attention of other birds around, and they all gathered. They expressed their deep pain, and asked how the nestlings had died. She told the entire story amidst tears. The other birds expressed their sympathy and consoled her. Raging their fill at Shyamu, they said, “Yes, the boy always walks around with a sling. If he sees us, he aims and shoots. We don’t know whether it is his hobby, or cruelty. The kids have been killed today. Who knows if our turn doesn’t come tomorrow! If his prank continues, how can we survive? We need to think of a way out.” Then all the birds went into deep contemplations.
After a long silence, the senior-most bird in the group said, “Listen to me! Shyamu is troubling us because we live divided. Now onwards, we must live in group. We must help one another in hours of need. If we stay united, we can face all kinds of troubles and we can save ourselves from such miseries.”
“How?” was the collective query of everyone.
“If anyone of you sees the boy coming, give a loud cry. We all shall gather and peck the boy from all around. If all of attack, he will be panicked, and will run away to save himself. This shall teach him a good lesson. Thereafter, he will never dare to torture us.”
All the birds considered the idea great, and expressed their happiness.
Like all other days, today too Shyamu walked out of home, with catapult in his hand and eyes upon the trees. A bird saw him, and started crying with the loudest of its voice. All the birds around gathered and started attacking Shyamu from all directions. They started pecking at Shyamu; some on the head and some on other parts of the body. Shyamu was startled by this unexpected assault; it was difficult for him to save himself. The birds that he looked down upon as tiny creatures, were putting his life into peril. To save himself, he darted away from there. Thereafter, he stopped using catapult and walking along that way.
The birds were quite happy seeing their plan work. Thereafter, they happily shared the collective benefit of living in a group, and passed the rest of their lives in happiness.
(Source. Beads of Joy. Ed. Kartikeya. Children’s Literature Foundation, Nepal)
[Sushila Deuja is a senior writer of children’s literature. She has published two collections of stories for children. She also has books of travel essays, stories, micro-stories and novels to her credit. She is a life member of Nepal Travelogue Society, and Treasurer of Gunjan, a society of Nepali women writers.]