The Rise

 

Little Kochini is a boy from East Africa. He is only twelve and at this small age he has seen much that many haven’t and still they call themselves grownups. He knows that at night when the herd of elephants come to the village it was alright to change their course with lighted torches as protecting oneself from these dangers was not disrespecting them but also making them realize that each living being has to protect themselves.  

‘Life is only about surviving’, Grandma Sa had told him since he began understanding what she said. Grandma Sa was treated with great respect by the village people and Kochi was lucky that he was part of her family. Once when he was small, he was severely ill and everyone thought he would die, but he managed to live.

‘You are a survivor my boy,’ Grandma Sa had said.

Kochi knew that no situation in life could bog him down. His grandma Sa thought he was a survivor and he would have to fight every moment of uncertainty with courage and strength. Kochi knew and kept learning how to deal with every condition firmly and well.

Taking his cattle out to graze was his everyday task. One day as he took his cattle to the low grassland skirted at a distance with a line of coconut glades, his eyes fell on a bunch of ripe coconuts up on the tree.

‘Let me go and quickly pluck them. Nothing would happen to the cattle if I just went for a while. Moreover, my eyes will be fixed on them.’

‘Atleast tomorrow’s meal would be better.’

His mother like all women in the village had a lot of work to do and food was just cooked and served for the sole purpose of appeasing the hunger. She sang at the early hours in the kitchen while preparing the same meal every day.

‘It’s the same food again. Oh! why can’t you make something different? If nothing, then just make coconut milk soup for me, that would do.’

His mother looked angry but always held back her emotions. It was hard for her to assert herself when the family had so many elders. In the sternest of the voice that she could deliver she managed to say, ‘bring coconuts and I will make it for you.’

When Kochi saw those ripe coconuts hanging on the bough, he imagined a bowlful of coconut soup smelling of enticing herbs seasoned by his mother with care. She really did make it quite well.

So, while keeping an eye on the cattle, Kochi sprang up with the agility of a monkey and reached to the top of the tree.

‘I won’t be a minute,’ he kept telling himself.

He plucked a few coconuts and let the rest remain on the tree. Grandma Sa had said that we mustn’t be too greedy.

‘Just like us, there may be birds, beasts and human too who would want the fruit.’

He snapped them carefully with his scythe to not hurt the other fruits that would still remain hanging to the cluster and dropped four gently on the ground. Replacing the scythe in his waistband as he was gliding down, he noticed that his cattle were all gone.

He searched and searched but couldn't spot them anywhere. He ran madly from one end of the grass meadows to the other.

What could have happened to them? Have they fled, hidden or had they been eaten?’  

With tears in his eyes, Kochi came back to the place where the coconuts lay. He was worried. ‘What will I tell Sa, Ma and Pa? How can my cattle disappear in a matter of moments?’

He looked puzzled, trying his best to drive his tears away he tried to think, ‘what could have happened? What could make my cattle disappear?’

He hadn’t neglected them, just left them on their own for a few minutes. He had just wished to fetch a few coconuts while at work. He had never been unkind to his animals nor had he slipped at his work or had he?

Deliberating on all these questions that crowded his little head he had quite missed a cheetah hungrily staring at him from a close distance. His thoughts replaced fear. His feet felt heavy and they didn't allow him to move.

The animal seemed to take pleasure at the boy’s helplessness. This scorn on its face rang like a bell.

Strong indignation crept into the stubborn head. He heard the voice of Sa cry out, “run my boy run, you have to save yourself. You are a survivor.’

As the voice floated in his mind, Kochi woke with a start and there was wonder in those feet. His mind was fuelled with courage and he sprang with his former agility up on the coconut tree.

The animal at first amazed then climbed after him.

Kochi pushed himself higher, the cheetah was right behind but could climb only to a short distance.  

While perched on the tip of the tree far-far away, he could see his cattle lining their way back home.

He felt happy that his cattle herd was safe and returning home.  He sat up patiently waiting for the animal to get tired and leave. Grandma Sa had always told him that patience is the only thing that wears out. So, you must hold on to yours and watch others give it up. That’s exactly what he did.

Much deeper in the night, when the grassland was getting lonely and dark, Kochi felt very lonely on top of the Coconut tree. He prayed that his family members would come soon looking for him.

His prayers were answered, for soon  Sa, ma, and pa along with the villagers came with burning torches. They rescued him from the cheetah and his own fears.