Nitu and the birdie

When my younger one, Nitu, was in pre-school, we lived in Cochin, in a quaint home with our very own trees and birds, grass in the lawn and butterflies on flowers. She would be home by lunch-time, a little bundle of energy as she ran and stood by the window while I got her food. As soon as I picked her and put on the ledge , she would ask..'Mamma, did she come today? 'Yeah, yeah put this into your mouth first and I'll tell you' .

I had given up on mythical tales and the normal stories one told kids. My elder one had totally washed me out. She was a story- monger, her sources being many, her grandpa, my mother, her father and so on. Everytime I began she would go 'Mammaa this one i know' or 'oh mamma, this isnt how it is, achhachan said its this way'.. I had to graduate to cooking up stories. I'd learnt my lesson so when it was Nitu's turn I tried something different.

I would talk to her about the little birdie who came asking for her while she was in school and the little dolls eyes would pop out.'.oh mamma really'? 'Yes darling, she was carrying hay and came to ask if Nitu could help her build her home'. 'Oh mamma really? Could I do that mamma? . 'Yes I believe you could, you need strength to climb up the tree though'. ' I 'll have all this food and more mamma'. Can I try climbing the tree after I finish? No No, your belly will get stuck to the tree, you have to let your food digest. ' Oh ok mamma'..

After some time we would go tree climbing. I would watch and laugh to see the puny thing trying to go up the jack-fruit tree. 'Mamma, are you sure its this one, Cant see the birdie anywhere'??. 'I better confirm with her tommorrow, till then lets go check out on nests in your birdie book'. ' Mamma please tell her to come after one o clock tommorrow'. Next day the squirrel would come along too. As far as Nitu was concerned her mom knew animal language. She thoroughly enjoyed learning it from me. Later on she made a small dictionary of bird language with a lesson for begginners included. I have saved that book somewhere..

She is a grown up girl today, I would love to post one of her poems;

I’m standing on a river bank

Whose width I can’t fathom

To wade across to higher land

To the place that I call home.

She laughs at me as I stand there still

As she twists and turns with glee

She cackles as she smothers rocks

Evidently wild and free

I let her cold embrace my palms

As I tried to judge her pace

She nearly took my hand away

And splashed upon my face

‘Why’ I asked the icy force

‘Won’t you let me through?’

‘I’m sorry dear,’ she giggled on

‘This is what I’m told to do’

So I sat down on the fertile land

As the wind caressed my cheeks

And she watched me from just feet away

For days and then for weeks

I saw many-a-men come along

And try bridge her beauty

But she took them with her violent flow

As she said it was her duty

Finally, she looked at me

And questioned my resolve

She asked me if I would ever try

To go over her once more

I nodded as I slowly spoke

And as she raced and danced

‘I was merely waiting for my turn

To see if I stood a chance’

She studied me for a moment small

After which she slowed her speed

Then she thinned herself so very thin

No thicker than a reed

‘What’s the matter?’ I quickly ask

‘Is there anything that is wrong?’

‘You turned yourself to a babbling brook’

‘When you were a force so strong!’

To that she smiled a brilliant smile

Which to see I had to blink

‘I let you go because’ she said

‘You were the one to stop and think.’

So I bade farewell to the former wild

Who now was just a sliver

I thanked her as I walked ahead

And lived to cross the river

© Nivedita Sekhar (2011)