Can We Eat Some Blueberries?

Foreword

As narrated by 5 year old Vihaan, 5 yrs in 2015

Once upon a time, there was a chick named Chikky. She had a dog friend named Bonnie. One day they went for a walk in the park.

Soon they found a blueberry tree with yummy, juicy blueberries. Their mouths were watering but there was one problem.

The tree was too tall and the berries were too high for Chikky to reach. So Bonnie told Chikky that he would jump up and grab the blueberries like he would a tasty bone in the air.

“Don’t you know I’m the Super Pup?” he woof woofed with a twang.

Chikky said nothing. She did not want to laugh..all she had in mind were those yummy blueberries.

Bonnie stood on his hind legs and tried to jump high. But all he could do was a somersault. He could not get any fruit. So they both sat down, looking around if someone would help.

There came a boy with a bucket and a rope. He was whistling the rhyme ” Ding dong bell” loudly.

“Excuse me please, we need your help.”

The boy looked at Bonnie and said to himself, ” This is no pussy in the well, but a dog and on the street. Well..”

Aloud he asked, ” Okay, How can I help you?”

” Hi I am Chikky and this is my buddy, Bonnie. We need to eat some of those blueberries. Can you help pluck a few for us?”

“ Hi Chikky, hello Bonnie, I am Anban. I am on my way to get some water from that well on the hill near the river.

“I am in a hurry but sure I can pluck them for you on one condition,” he had a serious expression on his face.

“ Oh and what is that?” The two of them asked him, a little worried.

“You need to share them with me,” Anban said laughing.

Chikky and Bonnie laughed with relief. “Of course, we would be so happy to do that, dear friend.

“Thank you so much. Come on Bonnie, let’s help Anban.”

Anban was a clever climber of trees and quickly perched himself on a branch that had bunches of blueberries.

He shook the branches and as the blueberries fell, Bonnie ran here and there with his mouth open blueberries to fall in, shouting in between….” Here I come blueberries, Bonnie the Super Pup”

Chikky flapped her little wings trying to get hold of the blueberries as they fell.

Anban could not help laughing seeing them both but he understood this was not going to work.

The blueberries were getting dirty and were rolling all over the grass beneath the tree..it would be a waste of time.

He whistled at Bonnie.

“ Here Bonnie, tie the end of this rope to that bucket and let me pull it up ..that would make things easier.”

Bonnie ran to pick up the bucket Chikky and he tied the bucket to the lowered rope.

Anban tied the other end of the rope to a branch and pulled up the bucket. Instead of shaking the branches, he plucked the berries near him and dropped them into the bucket. Soon the bucket was full.

“I am letting the bucket down, who wants to help?”, Anban called out.

Both Bonnie and Chikky came running and bumped into each other.

“Are we thinking the same thing?” Bonnie asked. Chikky nodded.”I guess so.”

” What’s it buddies?” Anban asked.

“One ride up and down the rope, please,”they chorused.

“Sure, come on,” Anban was amused by his new friends.

Bonnie and Chikky held on tightly to the rope. Bonnie lent his collar for Chikky to use as safety belt and lo! Soon they were going up and down along with the rope.

”This is fun”

“Yeah, it is” agreed Anban.” Am so glad I met you both, but now I need to go”

“Sure Anban, Thank you. Let us carry the bucket over there.”

“You are welcome,” Anban was pleased with his new friends.

The blueberries were washed clean in the rain that morning.

“Aah! Now we can relish them straight away,” Chikky quacked.

Bonnie and Chikky sat on a sun-kissed stone, enjoying Nature’s treat and waving to Anban, till he was out of sight.