FOR THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS : My Indianized version of a fable i read years ago!!
Aadi ... Aadi.. called his grandma in a gentle but firm voice. "Just a few minutes more, please." pleaded Aadi, "It's so cold outside and it feels so good to be under the blanket, please granny let me sleep for sometime." He pleaded again."No, No, the sun is up and now it's time for you get up too." Grandma pulled his blanket out and Aadi was forced to get up.Rubbing his eyes and upset with his grandma Aadi got up from the bed. He went into the bathroom with his brush in hand.
Aadi was visiting his grandparents during summer vacations along with his sister, Netra. Aadi and Netra never missed a chance to fight with each other. Netra was elder to him by 2 years, though Aadi was taller than she was. Infact Aadi was the tallest 9 yr old you could find. He was constantly teased by his classmates too because of his height. Aadi though found them irritaing, over the years had learnt to ignore them. He loved staying by himself, reading books. No wonder he had not many friends. Every summer he would visit his grandparents, who lived in their ancestoral village which was only 90 kms from the city but it was totally detached from the modern world. Aadi loved going there, he would accompany his grandpa to the fields , milk the cows with his grandmom , relish all the delicasies his grandmom would make , take a stroll on the tank bund with the cattles and goat, climb trees and pluck fruits and flowers, gaze at the stars at night lying in his grandmom's lap, listening to different stories each day.
He came out of the bathroom, wet and ran straight into the kitchen in his towel. "Granny, coffee .." he asked and grandma handed him over a tumbler filled half with coffee. " Thank you , grandma." he said. "Aadi get ready, your grandpa wants to take you kids to the annual fair" said grand ma. Aadi jumped in joy. He had hardly sipped the coffee, he left his glass on the table and ran into the room to get ready. "Drink your coffee, first." said grandma. But Aadi was already in the room trying to choose his best dress that he would wear to the fair.The annual fair was conducted every year during the month of april, people would come from all the near by villages to sell grains, cattles. There would also be many stalls that sold sweets, bangles, ribbons, clothes, toys etc.. etc.. etc...Aadi always liked the fair, he would sit high on his grand pa's shoulder as Netra would walk holding grandpa's hand. He would eat the sugar candy that made his tongue go pink, eat masala vada and buy balloon's and toys.
Aadi put on a maroon t-shirt with black shorts. he combed his hair, applied powder on his face. Smiled at his image in the mirror, now he was ready to go.grandpa had come back from his early morning walk to the field ( to water the crop) and had just finished his bath. He move towards the puja room as Aadi came out dressed. "Grandpa, are we going to the annual fair?" he asked . "Yes, my son." answered grandpa. "I'm all dressed to go, can we go now?" asked Aadi. "Sure, i'll get dressed once i finish with my puja than we can go." replied grandpa." oh no grandpa ! it'll be late by then, can't we go right away ... " pleaded Aadi. "It's only 8 am , we won't be late."said grandpa and continued with his puja. Grandma brought a plate of upma (Aadi's fav ) and asked him to eat breakfast until grandpa finished with puja, but Aadi just wanted to go and wasn't intrested in having any breakfast. He refused to have breakfast and went to play with the newly hatched chickens.
Netra walked out in a pink frock and started to go towards the gate."Aren't you coming with us to the fair, grandpa is taking us." said Aadi. "No" replied Netra and continued walking. Aadi left the ckickens and ran behind her and asked " but y? it's the annual fair... Don't you want to come, it's so much fun." "No, I'm no longer a kid to go to annual fair with grandpa. I'm going with my friends Kamala and Shilpa. grandma has already given the permission, now don't stop me, let me go." said Netra. Aadi was very happy that Netra was not coming with them. grandpa would now spend all the money only on him and buy him all that he wanted."ok, have a nice time then, bye" said Aadi. Netra just walked towards Kamala's house.
Aadi waited for longer for grandpa to finish puja and have his breakfast. Grandpa was putting on his shirt when Aadi came in and said "Come on grandpa, Netra would have reached the fair by now with her friends and would be having fun there and we are still here, come on, hurry up, let's go please." grandpa put on his shirt, took the market bag and both of them bid bye to grandmom and left for the fair.They began to walk.on the way, grandpa met many people with whom he exchanged greetings and Aadi too wished everyone he met. many people were on their way to the fair, the road wasn't lonely at all.It was not long before they reached the fair. Aadi wondered if Netra had already reached but what difference did it make, he was there too and so were hundred others.
The ground was full of people, there were so many stalls. The decorations were done beautifully with color papers and flowers.The vendors were shouting and trying to attract the customers to buy their goods. Many balloons flied in the sky.It was just like how it looked last year, beautiful and vibrant.Had the fair stayed there all year long thought Aadi.Now grandpa held Aadi and got him on to his shoulders.This was the best part, Aadi loved sitting on grandpa's shoulder as they moved in the fair buying things required. Aadi could see all the happenings in the fair and hold the decorations in his hand as grandpa passedby under them.Now they came at the toy shop, grandpa asked him what he wanted. Aadi looked around and again he looked around. he saw a slingshot."Grandpa, could you buy me that sling shot, please"asked Aadi. Grandpa looked at him thought for a minute and said "ok."
As soon as they reached home, Aadi ran to his grandma to show her all that he had got and most important - the sligshot. Grandma saw how excited he was to have the slingshot, she asked him to use it only in the open field as it could hurt anyone is he used it else where. Aadi agreed to do so, he was tired and it was already evening.He drank a glass of milk and slept on his grandma's lap as ever.The next morning he was up before grandma could wake him, he brushed his teeth, took a bath and drank the morning coffee.he was already to hit the field and practise is sling shots. "Grandma, I'm off to the field to practise with my sling." Aadi told grandma and grandma was more than happy to send him but asked him to be careful.
Aadi ran off to the field, he set up a target on a tree and startedd to practise. He practised from morning to noon but he hadn't hit a single target.He kept practising, it was late in the noon and he was feeling hungry now.He stopped his practise and started for home.He reached home,opened the gate and saw his grandma's hen. Just out of impulse he let the slingshot fly, it hit the hen straight in the head and killed it. Now Aadi was shocked and grieved.In a panic he hid the hen in the wood pile only to see his sister watching. Netra said nothing but walked away. Aadi gathered strength and went into the house, he was scared Netra would tell grand ma what he had done.He silently washed his hands and feet and came to have lunch. He didn't speak a word, Grand ma served him lunch, he quickly finished it. After lunch grandma asked Netra to help her clean the dishes but Netra said"grandma Aadi wanted to help you today." then she turned towards him and said "remember the hen?"so Aadi helped grandma. Whole evening went in silence. Aadi didn't get a chance to sleep on grand ma's lap too, Netra never let him. She enjoyed being on granny's lap and Aadi slept alone in the room. The next morning again Aadi had to do all of Netra chores as she enjoyed leisurely, Aadi had to work hard and complete both his and Netra's chores. But he kept up with it. He was scared, scared at heart that grand ma wouldn't forgive him for killing her hen. Afterall, she loved all the animals in her farm just like her own kids.
This went on the next three days and Aadi couldn't stand it any more. So he decided to talk to grand ma about it and confide the truth to her. He gathered all the strength he had and walked to grand ma's room. Grand ma was relaxing on her bed. He peeped in,and stepped back but by then grand ma had already seen him she called "Aadi.. is it you?" Aadi replied "yes, grand ma... I wanted to.. talk to you.. " She asked him to come in. Aadi went in , sat on the bed beside her. He was trembling with fear but he confessed, he had killed the hen.Grandma hugged him and said "sweetheart, I know. you see, I was standing at the window and I saw the wholething. but because I love you, I forgave you.I was just wondering how long you would let Netra make a slave out of you".
THOUGHT TO BE UNDERSTOOD BY THE STORY - What ever is your past, what ever you have done, the evil keeps throwing it in your face. Whatever it is, you need to know that God was standing at the window and he saw the whole thing. He wants you to know that he loves you and that you are forgiven. He's just wondering how long will you let the evil make a slave of you. The great thing about GOD is when you ask for forgiveness, He not only FORGIVES, but FORGETS.
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1 comments:
I love this lovely image of birds
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