My Crow Tinu

 I had a unique fascination and fondness for birds and animals since my childhood.I used to make traps using my intelligence which became extraordinarily creative and ten times sharper than it would be in my classroom.I was about 11 or 12, and my mother and village people wondered at my puzzling skills.Where there is a will, there is a way.I had caught various birds including kingfishers, herons and owls.But I had never succeeded in catching a crow or a mongoose.Mother said it was the cleverest of the bird species.In spite of repeated scoldings from my mother,I would catch birds,play with them for some time and then release them into the wild.The same was the case with squirrels. The village people and my teachers considered me a never-do-well.I occupied the last bench in the classroom;I was the dullest boy there,but I excelled in making sketches and cartoons.Besides, I could climb all tall trees in order to reach into birds' nests and those of squirrels.I had caught two squirrels and a grown rabbit.My failure to trap a crow had remained a tough challenge for me even when I came to Bhubaneswar to do my post-graduation in English at Utkal University Their sleek black silhouettes, their intelligent eyes, and their enigmatic calls had all enchanted me since my early days.When I began to stay in Bhubaneswar, I wanted a mongoose or a tortoise for a pet.Now the wildlife protection laws were very strict.Even now there are a large number mongooses in the area where my house is located.But I never try to search their shelter places; neither do I think of making anything to trap them.I am well-aware it is illegal to do so and punishable. Once I decided to resume my little evening walks on the roof.On the very first day,I took stock of my surroundings thoroughly.I saw some pigeons and offered them parted peanuts.I carried some such packets in my trouser pockets.A black crow came and sat on a bamboo pole.I offered him some peanuts, but he ignored them resolutely.Not once, but countless times.But he did come,as if to keep my trust in him alive. Now the crow appeared on the guava tree near my balcony every now and then.Nuts,grams, almonds--- he accepted nothing.The crow was wary of me.He would flit away whenever I approached the balcony railing or made a sudden approach. I didn't curse him ; humans hadn't exactly been kind to crows throughout history.They are considered inauspicious even today.I was known and famous for my incredible determination, I had never been a good student though.I was dead set on winning the bird's trust. I started by simply sitting on the balcony, reading a book or sipping tea, while the crow went about his business on the guava tree. I made sure not to look directly at him or make any sudden movements that might scare him away. Slowly but surely, the crow began to grow accustomed to my presence and didn't seem to mind me sitting there. After a few days, I decided to take the next step. I placed a small dish of water on the balcony railing, hoping the crow would come to drink from it. At first,he was hesitant, flying down to investigate the dish before quickly retreating to the safety of the guava tree. But as the days passed,he grew bolder, eventually landing on the railing to drink from the dish. Encouraged by this progress, I began to leave food out for the crow as well. At first, I offered scraps of bread or pieces of fruit, but soon I realized that the bird had an irresistible natural desire for meat and fish.I offered it scarps of fish and chicken.It accepted them.It would pick a piece of it with great caution and fly far away.After this,I searched the internet and came to know that the crow had a great fondness for almonds, walnuts, and pecans.I gave him all of them and they disappeared quickly. I made sure to replenish the supply regularly. As the weeks turned into months, the crow and I developed a routine. Every morning, I'd sit on the balcony with a cup of tea, and the crow would fly down to perch on the railing beside me. He would eye me warily at first, and scan my face,but as soon as I offered it a nut, it would relax.He refused to take the offering from my hand.So I had to put the nut a little apart from me. I named the crow Tinu.It seemed everything was okay now, given the way our daily encounters had become a constant in my life. As I sat on the balcony with Tinu, watching the sun rise over the rooftops, I felt a deep sense of peace and connection to the natural world. One day, as I was sitting on the balcony,he flew down to perch beside me as usual. But this time, instead of eyeing me warily, she looked at me with a curious expression, cocking her head to one side. I offered her a nut, but she ignored it, hopping closer to me instead. I held out my hand, palm upwards, and to my amazement,he began to explore it with her beak.He poked and prodded it gently, as if trying to understand the strange, soft creature that had become his friend. I felt a surge of joy and wonder at this newfound level of trust between us. From that day on,he and I were inseparable.He would follow me around the apartment, perching on my shoulder or hopping along beside me. He'd even learned to recognize my voice, flying down to the balcony whenever I called out to him. As I looked into his eyes, I realized that winning her trust had been a journey of discovery, not just for her, but for me as well. It had taught me the value of patience, persistence, and gentle kindness. And it had reminded me that even in the midst of a bustling city, there was still room for connection, still room for wonder. As the sun set over the rooftops, casting a golden glow over the guava tree, I smiled at Tinu,who was perched on my shoulder, watching the world go by with intelligent, black eyes. "You're a true friend," I whispered, and he cocked he head to one side, as if to say yes. Once it was afternoon.I returned home. I was perplexed to see Tinu sitting in our pooja room by my grandmother.The old lady was a weird type and funny person.She called the crow Shani Maharaj, and bowed to him every time she got a chance.She refused to eat breakfast before bowing to the crow.I got excellent stuff to ruffle her temper. To her, the sun went round and round the earth, and the shape of the earth was flat like a roti; man's landing on the moon was a blatant lie;even one lakh girls were not equal to a single male child...!