The Garden After the Rain

A straw hat! 1 It was a summer evening and the children had come to the ground to play. Tia joined their group just then with a beautiful red straw hat on her head. The hat looked pretty on her. The straws were knitted into a unique design and the blue, green ribbons at the border made the hat a very different piece. Boodhi, the goat, was also in the ground. Her kind master had let her out alone. The goat was beside herself with happiness. She drank in the sun and the wind and ran across the ground in a high spirit. She enjoyed her blissful freedom and trotted up to a high mound covered with the green grass. Tia wanted to play the ‘Leap goat’ with Boodhi. She chased the little goat and brought her down in her arms. She made Raghu sit on all fours and made the goat leap over him. But Boodhi was very young and she also did not know the game, - Bump! Bump!! She fell over on to her back and was very upset. ‘Baa……!’ She cried and little Raghu and Sonu came to her rescue. “Boodhi does not like this game.”They told Tia and gave the goat some tender grass to eat. The two boys decided to make a Goat-Cart with Boodhi. They brought the cart wheel from their garden and tied a rope loosely around her. They hitched Boodhi to the cart and off they went around the ground for their fun ride. The other children found it very amusing -a goat pulling a cart. “Come on run, little goat,” shouted the delighted kids. But Boodhi was very unhappy. She stood on her hind leg in protest and lo, poor children fell on the ground with a thud. Boodhi galloped away with all her might then and the children let her go this time. “Come on, let’s play Hide and Seek.”Called Tia and kept her hat on the grass. One, two and three, It is your turn to seek! Tia told Sonu, the youngest of all. And the game began. It was great fun to hide amongst the bushes and ran and ran across the field to seek. The children enjoyed the game a lot. Their cheeks were pink in the hot air and the sweat was trickling down behind their ears. The evening came quickly and it was time to go back home. “Hey, where is my straw hat?” Tia asked when they had finished. And the children started looking for it around the park. They searched up and down but nobody could find it anywhere. The hat had simply vanished. Suddenly Raghu noticed Boodhi sitting near another ride and munching something very fast. “Hey, what is there in Boodhi’s mouth?” He shouted. But Boodhi munched and munched and there was a gleam in her eyes. “Boodhi!” requested Tia,” Please show me at least what you are eating!” And the goat cried, “Ba…….!” Tia’s beautiful hat had really become a tasty dessert for the angry goat- the ribbons and the flowers were particularly tasty. Not Me! 5. Ninni and Dia, the two sisters were off on their holidays to the country. They were invited to stay with their Grandmother and they wished to see the farms, the ponds and the animals. The girls sang in excitement, Ducks parrots and crow, Where wheat on the land, farmers grow! Up to the hill and down to the pond, We would go round and round!! Grandmother was a fine lady. She lived in a cottage in the middle of a small village all by herself. Every morning, she went for a walk with a little basket hung on her arm and did all her shopping herself. She then cooked for the day and took care of the house. At 7 am, the first day, when Dia and her little sister Ninny were still sleeping granny came in and asked, “Good morning, who is going to help me to make the bed?” Covering her eyes with both of her hands, a lazy Dia cried, “Not me!” She then turned her head and fell off to sleep. “May I?” Little Ninni got up immediately and asked politely. She picked up the other end of the bed sheet then to help. Granny was preparing the breakfast for the kids some time later. She baked soft muffins and made cheese sandwiches and called the children lovingly, “Who is going to lay the table for the hot breakfast?” “Not me!” said Dia, sipping her milk leisurely. After all, it was her holidays. And little Ninni laid the table to help Granny. After breakfast, it was time to clean the house and Grandmother wanted some fresh red roses from the garden for her vase, “Who is going to get the flowers for me?”She asked again. “Not me! “ Said Dia and buried her face in the video games and little Ninni ran outside to get them. In the afternoon, there was a movie show “Ice Age 4” in the nearby community hall. And Grandmother was free“Who is going to club to see the Ice Age?” Grand mom asked the kids again. Hurrey….. ! And both the girls came running to her in excitement, “I love seeing animated movies.” Little Ninni told her shyly. “So do I.” the elder sister Dia said and asked eagerly, “Shall we change Granny?” “Wait! Wait, not so fast, first tell me, who made the bed? “Granny asked Dia. “Errr….rrr….! “Not me!”Dia said slowly. “And who laid the breakfast table in the morning?” “hmmmm…Not me!”Dia said more slowly. “And who brought the roses from the garden for me?” “Well….! Not me! Ninni did that too.” said Dia in a voice close to a whisper. Dia’s grandmother, with a winsome smile, told her, ”Dia, your daily job of doing household work can’t be wished away. All you need to have is a little empathy in your heart and a smile on your lips to make a cheerful day. Ninni will come with me to see the movie as she has both.” And from that day to this day, Dia has never been lazy again!