Appu finds a friend

 

Appu stood watching and crying. What should he do? What could he do?

Should he rush down and scare all the people away from his mom and his herd? Should he stay right there or should he sneak into the forest unnoticed?

As Appu stood watching the chaos far away, he suddenly heard a twig crack. He swiftly turned around and put out his trunk to smell the wind, just like his mummy had taught him. He smelt a human. He froze.

He trumpeted loudly and stomped his front leg. He was scared, but he knew that if he did not show that he was strong; then he too might be captured or worse killed like his mother. He stomped, trumpeted and flapped his ears. He still could not see any human, but he could smell the human.

Where was the human? Why was he not showing himself?

Appu heard another twig crackle on his right and he turned and he finally saw him. A Human!!! But this human was not as big as the others! Why, this human was shorter than Appu himself!!!

Appu was looking at a little boy, no taller than him, dressed in shorts and a shirt, looking intently at Appu. The boy put out his hand and spoke softly. Appu cocked his ears. He had never heard a human talk so softly. Usually, humans screamed or yelled and threw stones or crackers at the elephant heard. This human was different. He was not as huge as the others, he was not screaming or yelling and most importantly he was actually putting out a hand towards Appu.

Appu still did not move. He watched the boy intently. The boy then put his hand into a bag on his shoulder and took out a banana and held it out. Appu was surprised. Appu was hungry because he had not eaten anything since last evening; but could he trust this human?

The boy slowly took a step forward, then two more and then a few more, till he was standing right next to Appu. The boy still had the banana in his outstretched hands and he kept softly calling out to Appu.

Appu sniffed the air, then slowly put out his trunk to sniff the boy. The boy seemed harmless. Slowly Appu put his trunk on the boy’s hand; the hand smelled of bananas!!! Wow!!!

The boy stood still while Appu smelled him and touched him. Then slowly he stroked Appu’s trunk with the banana. Appu liked it. Appu felt ticklish too. Then Appu took the banana from the little boy and gobbled it up hungrily. The banana went in so fast that Appu could hardly taste it! He looked at the boy again and then with his trunk nudged the boy.

The boy smiled and put his hand back into his bag and brought out another banana. Appu was thrilled. He quickly snatched the banana and gobbled that one down too and once again nudged the boy. This time the boy started laughing and said, “you like bananas don’t you. But that was all I had!”

Appu could not understand what the boy was saying. So he gave the boy a slight push. This time the boy fell down and instead of crying, he started laughing even more loudly. The boy then put out his hand towards Appu and stroked it gently and said, “I don’t have any more bananas, but I can get you some. Let me go to school now and on my way back I shall get you some.” The boy then stood up and Appu nuzzled up to him. The boy held Appu’s trunk and said, “we are friends now. My name is Teja but everyone calls me Teju.. you can also call me Teju and I shall call you Appu.”.

Appu was shocked, how did this boy know my name!!!! But it did not matter, the boy looked kind and had even fed Appu and not thrown sticks or stones at him. He liked Teju.

Teju then started walking away and Appu got alarmed. Where was his friend going? Was he leaving him too? Appu started whimpering and with his trunk held on to Teju.

Teju realized what was happening. He stopped, hugged Appu and softly spoke to him again. “Appu you are my friend. I shall never leave you. I will always take care of you, but to do that I must go get you some food. Let me go now and I promise, I shall be back before long with food for you.” Saying this Teju gave Appu a long hug and slowly pushed him away.

Appu stood in tears as he watched his new friend walk away. Appu saw Teju turning time and again before he disappeared in the thick trees. 

Appu was scared. Should he stay here or follow Teju? Should he run into the forest and find shelter or should he blend into the thick trees till Teju came back? Appu was confused, but then decided to stay put. He hoped his friend would come back. He sat down and tucked his trunk between his front legs. Before long, Appu fell asleep.

Suddenly he heard a noise and he looked up. What did he see…….????    

 

To be continued……..