Appu gets a new family

 

Appu looked up started. Who was that? Had Teju come back or was it someone else? As Appu smelt the wind with his trunk, he saw Teju and sat up. However, Teju was not alone. With him was a man. A huge man like the ones who killed his herd. Why had Teju brought a man with him?

Appu got agitated and started trumpeting loudly. He swayed from side to side, flapping his ears and stomping his front leg.

“Hush, hush dear Appu”, said Teju. “Don’t worry, we are not here to harm you. This is my father and we want to help you.”

Appu could not understand and was angry, hurt and upset. He was angry at Teju for bringing a man to the hideout. He was hurt because he thought he could trust Teju and he was upset because he did not feel safe anymore.

Teju realized that Appu was confused, so he slowly went up to Appu and stroked his head like before. Teju kept talking in a soft voice, while his dad stood in the distance. Teju kept stroking Appu’s head and trunk and talking softly. After a few mins, his father too stepped forward and he started humming in a low voice. Appu listed intently. He liked the soothing humming and slowly he started swaying his head to the sound of Teju’s father’s song. Soon Teju and his father were both next to Appu with their arms around him.

Appu now felt at ease. He trusted Teju and so he trusted this man too. The man had a sack with him from which he pulled out a bunch of bananas. Appu was thrilled. The man plucked two and gave it to Appu who gobbled it down in a jiffy. Soon the entire bunch was in Appu’s tummy and he was no longer hungry. He started playing with the man and Teju. He nudged their feet and then would run away when they tried to catch him. He was enjoying himself.

In the meantime, Teju and his dad were discussing how to help Appu. They could not keep him alone in the jungle, they could not take him home; what could they do? Teju’s father was a havildar in the forest office and he knew Appu was not safe by himself. What could they do? As the two sat discussing, they heard a jeep. Appu too heard the jeep and he ran up to Teju and hid behind him.

The jeep rolled up to the trio and stopped.  Out stepped a huge man with a kind face in a khaki uniform. “What’s happening here? Who is this?” asked the man. Teju’s father stood up straight and after saluting smartly said, ‘Sir this baby elephant was orphaned when the villagers shot the entire herd of elephants yesterday. My son found this little one all alone, frightened and hungry. He brought me here to show me the elephant. We have fed him bananas and are trying to figure out what do with him. I was going to call in the office and ask for your advice, Sir.”

The huge man was the Forest Officer and after hearing about the elephant shootings and had come to investigate. He had been told that all the elephants had been killed and he was pleasantly surprised to see little Appu. “Yes Dharmveer (that was Teju’s father’s name), we must save this little fellow”, said the Forest Officer.

He then stepped forward and stroked Appu’s head too. He seemed like a nice man and his touch was caring and warm. Appu like this man too. All humans were not bad after all.

The officer then pulled out a map and spread it on the bonnet of the jeep and started marking out areas in a red circle. Teju’s father took a walkie-talkie and started connecting with other Forest rangers in the area. After calling a number of people, Teju’s father seemed excited. “Sir, we have found another elephant herd on the far side of the forest,” said Teju’s father to the officer.

Teju and the two men seemed excited. Teju quickly came over and hugged Appu. Teju’s father too patted Appu’s head.

Then just as suddenly, the humans became serious.

“How will we get Appu to the far side of the forest?” asked Teju.

“Yes, that will be a challenge. But we must hurry because that elephant herd in on the move and we must reach them before they move from the current location. Also, we must introduce Appu to a new herd before he becomes too used to human presence,” said the Forest Officer.

The three then looked at him and then at the jeep and then looked at each other and smiled. They had an idea!!! Appu would have to get into the back of the jeep and they could then drive him to the other side of the forest. But how would they get him on?

Teju came up with an idea and quickly ran to get a broken piece of raft he had seen on his way to school. He brought that and inclined it onto the side on the jeep. Then he stood in front of Appu and showed him a banana. As expected Appu took it, then Teju climbed up the ramp and showed Appu another banana and Appu too climbed up the ramp and took it. Slowly and steadily Teju got Appu into the back of the jeep. Then Teju’s dad and the forest officer secured Appu to ensure that he did not bang himself when the jeep was on the road and with Teju sitting next to Appu in the back, all four set off towards the other side of the forest.

After travelling over roads that were sometimes mucky, sometimes dry and most often bumpy the jeep hurtled within sight of the other herd of elephants. All four on the jeep looked at the herd anxiously. The herd too put out their trunks to figure out who the intruders were.

Slowly Teju got Appu to get off the jeep via the ramp. The two stood watching the elephants. Appu was excited seeing other elephants, but was scared of them too. He did not know any of them. Teju, his father and the Forest officer were anxious too; they worried if the herd would accept Appu or not.

After watching the elephants for some time, Teju slowly hugged Appu and then said, “Its time you went to the herd. I hope they accept you and love you like your own family did. I don’t want to let you go, but I know you will be safer with your kind than with me.” So, saying, Teju slowly pushed Appu towards the herd. The elephants, seeing a baby elephant came forward and trumpeted.  Appu walked slowly towards them, and then picked up some speed and then when he was within a few feet he got scared. They looked so huge!!! A Mama elephant from the herd came forward and smelled Appu and then put her trunk around him and pulled him into the herd.

As Teju watched in wonder, he saw Appu being greeted by the other elephants and before long the entire herd started moving on. Teju stood watching in silence with tears running down his cheeks. He had gained a friend and lost him too within a day; but his friend had lost and found a family within a day. He was happy that Appu was finally safe. Teju hugged his father and silently waved good bye to Appu.

Appu walked a few meters and then turned around and trumpeted loudly, as if saying, “good by my human friend... good bye.”

This is the Story of a boy and an elephant.