A bird holding an Umbrella

By Gopi Krishna Dhungana

Aastha’s parents were in a field for cultivation. Aastha and her younger brother were helping their grandmother to cook some delicious food for their parents who were busy in field. Grandmother was preparing the white rice (chamre) with some pumpkin vegetable.  As, Aastha’s father mostly like the sour and spicy food, her grandmother was especially trying to make a best and yummy food for them.

Aastha and her brother study in a local school in III grade which is quite nearer from their house. They eagerly want to watch how their parents are cropping at ‘Besie’. So, they were just acting in front of their grandmother for making her agree to go in Bessie. But instead Grandmother responded to Aastha completely turned out this way – “Aastha just sit at home with Ashish, it’s about to rain”, adding, “If you will go, then definitely Ashish will be also asking to come along with us” Grandmother tried to make Aastha agree with her. However Aastha rejected whatever her grandmother said and was repeating the same words again and again. “We all will go in Besie and will eat together”, she said.

At last Grandmother was tired of Aastha and Ashish. Indeed she takes them along with her. Aastha and Ashish followed their grandmother with full of joyous and cheeriness. Grandmother carried the food. She makes Aastha to carry water in a small jug whereas Ashish a glass. Holding Ashish’s hands grandma moved forward. Aastha said “OK you guys can go on; I am grown up now… I can come”. As, she was saying she slipped into mud and then to wheat field. The water she had carried for her parents in order to wash hands and drink, it all got spoiled to floor.

Grandmother started to scold her. She was screaming and saying “In the middle of field, where could I get the water”. By making them to look after the food, grandmother went and she brought the water from neighbor house. She screamed to kids in a loud voice: - “These kids are not listening to me, Oh God!”. Holding the food and water, grandmother moved forward to the destination whereas Aastha and Ashish just shut their mouth in a whole journey.

“Huh huh Tare”, pinching the tail of an Ox, father said.Oh how could you guys did not get slipped into mud… At that time Grandmother was slightly giving a smile. “Mum I am also coming to grow a wheat”, Aastha mentioned joyfully. Father was kidding with his son, “Do you want to give a try to grow a crop?” Ashish asked his father, what happened to your face?, your clothes are wet as well; Ashish was asking it by seeing the clothes and face of his father. Suddenly mother came out over there to spend some quality of time together with her family while eating. Then they started to eat, five individuals were sitting together to eat the food. Aastha and Ashish had never tried the food of farming and fielding before that’s why they said astonishingly “Mmmm Yummy..really we never have had imagined before that the food of field is going to be this much tastier...Really amusing food grandma”. Grandmother added, “If you would have worked until now since morning then it could have become more delicious,” adding, “No worries after all you guys ate it happily.”

The cloud was turning darker and becoming blacker. However, they have already finished their meal, at the same time the rain started to fall on the floor. Both women (Grandmother and mother) started to put their shawl on their head. Likewise, father started to wrap the plastic on head, and then he gave one umbrella to Aastha and Ashish. They all tried their best to protect themselves from the rain. However the rain was falling more heavily. While everybody was sitting silently grandma just said “See both of you are soaking now” when I said to sit at home, you did not listen to me, now you both are paying for it.” No matter how much they are trying to protect from the rain but due to wind as well as rain all of them were soaking.

Flying Birds were returning to their shelter because of the darkness. Some of them were coming to stay with them though. This all was happening due to the heavy rain and storm. Even the birds are trying to express their sad feelings because of weather. However after a certain time stepwise step they kept moving forward to their roof. But unfortunately one baby bird was not been able to move ahead, it was fully wetted and soaked badly. Babybird was not being able to move from there. Watching the view Aastha cannot control her feelings towards the bird so she rushed out and started to show him (baby bird) great affection. As, she was touching the baby bird, her father said: - “Aastha, don’t touch it...Will bite you”...After hearing father’s words she came back.

“Daddy why birds are not carrying an umbrella with them?”, Aastha asked in a curious way adding, “Why his parents left him alone in this condition?” She directly went to protect that baby bird – “what are you doing Aastha?” Her father replied in astonishing manner. “Here, your brother and you are soaking but rather thinking this what are you staring and concerning about?”  All of a sudden, her daddy scolded her,” Aastha how birds are going to take an umbrella with them?” Although the sun is shining or rain is falling down on the surface they never carry an umbrella with them. They even don’t know the meaning of an Umbrella my dear daughter.”

“Well to be honest I don’t believe you dad, see when I cover them by an umbrella they become so happy can’t you figure it out” soaked Aastha said and started to talk with her mother “ Could you please buy an umbrella for this little baby birds, otherwise I will give my own umbrella.” Aastha’s mother tried to explain her politely- Aastha birds are never going to take or carry an umbrella with them …-“what kind of bird is this, not wearing an umbrella” Aastha replied randomly.  To clear the misconception of Aastha’s feelings Grandmother said, “You cannot gain and achieve all the knowledge from school, god has created this creature in such a way that they couldn’t wear anything in their body neither they have sense of thinking style like us. Not only birds but including cow and elephant except human beings no else has permitted by god to wear anything in their body. They are not aware of being wearing and covering their body from rain. This is the rules that god has innovated in this whole world.”

Suddenly, the rain stopped, the drop of water on the floor was slowly disappearing itself. Instead of raining, the wind started to blew in an unconditional way. While everyone was fully surprised of changing weather, an umbrella blew off far way. Fortunately the baby bird went to sat on a stick part of it. Then Aastha and her brother clapped their hands in an extreme way by saying- “Baby bird is holding an umbrella J umbrella…Wahoo, Hurray, yeah we won it”...Aastha’s grandmother, father and mother spoke at a same time saying:- “What a Surprise!”….Grandmother was totally astonished and shocked and she added: - Baby bird really carried an umbrella in reality.”

Altogether they raised their voice….hahahahhha J yeah yeah “A BIRD HOLDING AN UMBRELLA”.

(The original story is in Nepali language and translated by Shusma Sapkota)