Parrot

I very much wish I where free again. I lie imprisoned in a cage. Whenever I see my cousins flying in the sky, I feel like joining them. My master is very kind me and supplies good food, but I am unable to feel happy all the same. Six months ago he bought me from a fowler, who had trapped me in his net.

My master has taught me to speak a few words and sing certain refrains. E=whenever he is tried and wishes to relax, he comes to me her me speak and sing. He goes back refreshed. I have learnt to say `Good morning, good evening and good night’. ``How do you d?’ `Thank you’, etc. very often I say one for the other as I don’t know the meaning of the expressions. One day when my master had gone to the offi9ce, I heard his wife say repeatedly to her neighbor, ``My husband is a stupid’. Honestly, did not know what the words meat. I repeated the sentences several times after my master returned home. Then he scolded his wife and beat her black and blue.

I recollect the delightful days I had spent before I was captured by the fowler on that ill-fated day. I used to lead a life of activity and advancers. I enjoyed flying to great and roaming among clouds. Sometimes I used to compete with my companions in flying and five times I came in first. When can I have such thrill of pleasure again?

Elephant

I was born in jungle. Till I was seven I had led a wild and free life with my companions.

One day a tame elephant entered the jungle. He offered to lead me to a sugarcane plantation. I was stupid enough to believe him. I did not know that he was a decoy, i.e., an elephant trained t lead his wild bothers into captivity. While following him I suddenly fell into a big pit. I had not noticed the pit as they had carefully covered it so that poor elephants like me could be caught. Such traps or enclosures are called ``Keddas’.

I was left in that pit for nine days. I had nothing to eat. I grew terrible weak and, if I had remained there in that condition for two or three days longer, I would perhaps starved to death. On the tenth day I was taken out of the pit and brought into a town. I was gradually tamed. I was trained to act as I was ordered.

My master treats me with kindness. He never neglects to meet my needs. He provides me with plenty of leaves, grass, roots and bulbs to eat. I help him in many ways. I carry huge loads fro him. I pile timber. Sometimes he lends me huntsmen. Huntsmen sit on my back and drive to the sports where they can find tigers and fire at them. Once I was lent to a Maharaja. That day I was painted with bright color and covered with silk and velvet clothes. I was used in a state procession. With the Maharaja on my back I walked with an air of proud majesty.

I enjoy my self very much when I am led into a tank for my bath. I draw up water by my trunk and skirt it all over my body like a shower bath.

Though I have to live a life of captivity, I am not at all unhappy. I have learnt many things by living with men. My master takes every care to make feel comfortable. I don’t think my wild brothers are happier than me.