Weaver Nest

The monsoons had begun and it was time to head back to school. The wind and the rain and the paper boats added a different charm to the rainy days. But it was the walk along the green fields that fascinated me the most.

It was not until I wandered into the clump of the wild date palms that I saw the hanging nests of the weaver birds.

"Are you looking at the baaya birds?" I heard a voice behind me and turned back to see the farmer walking towards me.

"Yes," I replied. these are amazing.

"They are. And do you know that it is only these clumps that have the birds?' he spoke again.

"Really, wow," I exclaimed. "You are lucky, that they live here. I have not seen any nearby. Of course I did not see any date palm trees or tall trees either nearby. But those at the other end of the village have none if I recall", I further said.

"Yes, people have sold their land and this clump would have also been gone if my grandfather did not have a liking for the birds," he said.

"Oh, really? That sounds interesting. What is the story behind these trees then?" I asked, my curiosity getting better.

"All this land belonged to a landlord , except this small patch which grandfather owned and that patch where the date palms stand. The landlord's father and my grandfather were bosom friends. It seems they had planted these trees. So, when the landlord was about to sell it, my grandfather intervened", the farmer replied.

"I see, so he bought the land?"

"No, he did not have that much money", the farmer said.

"So, how did he convince the landlord?" I asked, my curiosity increased.

"Once when the landlord's son was bitten by a snake, grandfather helped to cure him.Then the landlord asked what could he could do," the farmer said.

"So, he gifted the land to your grandfather?" I asked.

"No, grandfather did not want the land. He believed that if the landlord could sell it, so could anyone else.

"So, what did he do?" my curiosity was peaking.

"He asked the landlord to donate it to the local temple along with the date palm tree,"he replied.

"That is a smart idea. But what need does the temple have for these trees?" I asked.

"The leaves are used in the temple to cover the thatched portions and the leaf stalks at times as fuel. Now the temple priest has also added a few palm trees which will give leaves for other use.

"But what if the temple decides to sell it?"

"Grandfather was smart. He made the landlord put a condition that no tree swill be removed or the land sold ever. But it can be used to provide for the temple".

"You had a smart grandfather", I quipped as I walked back home.

"He was a genuine human being for sure," the farmer replied as the baaya birds began to return back with dusk coloring the skies.