There was a small village in India. Jungle and hills surrounded it. Families living there enjoyed the beauty and the peace of nature. The occupation of the people was farming. And kettles and looking after them.
The cattle, such as cows, were their family members. They were a part of their lives. They understood the feelings of the cows and other domestic animals.
There was no electricity in the village in those years. Hence, used lanterns to light the house at night. The nights were darker, except in the days of the full- moon.
Ramu lived in the same village. Viren was his son, whose wife was Sita. Viren and Sita married three years back and now have a small child ‘Bholu’. Bholu was only a three-month-old baby.
Sita started her work early in the morning at around five o’clock. She had to grind grains at the grinding mill to prepare flour for the day’s meals.
Thus, it was her routine to get up early in the morning and give her beloved son ‘Bholu’ to her father-in-law Ramu to take care of. And then she went inside to the grinding mill.
Ramu’s bed was on the Verandah of the house. He too got up early in the morning.
One day, she got up early in the morning as usual.
‘Sasoorji, please take care of ‘Bholu’ till I complete my household work,’ said Sita.
She was wearing a sari on her head (Ghunghat) & it was dark outside. She was thinking, father-in-law was sitting on the bed.
‘Let Bholu play with you for some time,’ said she.
There was no answer. Even though she gave the baby, supposing that her father-in-law was there.
She went in and completed her work of making ‘Atta’ (flour). And she came out of the inner hall of the house.
‘Sasoorji, give me Bholu back to me,’ requested Sita
‘This night I was not here. I attended a Satsang-Bhajan (Devotional prayer) for the whole night. I have just arrived now,’ said he.
‘But I had given you my beloved son, Bholu! Who was that then?’ shouted Sita.
‘Oh, what are you talking?’ exclaimed Ramu.
They searched for Bholu here and there. They even enquired about the neighbourhoods.
But there was no clue about Bholu. It was now late morning. The sun appeared in the hills.
The news spread in the village.
All the neighbours and people of the village gathered and looked for Bholu. Thus, all were worried and afraid.
Meanwhile, a cow, ‘Ganga’, came running from the forest. She was excited, her tail up wanted to say something. Ganga was shouting ‘Ambae, Ambae’.
‘The cow wants to convey some message. Let us follow her, ‘says an old man.
She again ran towards the jungle.
People followed her with bamboo sticks in their hands. The cow Ganga stopped just nearby- area.
Surprisingly, it was a shocking scene for the villagers.
There was a lioness sitting under the ‘Mahuva’ tree. Her five or six cubs were playing around there.
And, surprisingly, ‘Bholu’, wrapped in rags, was lying there in front of her with cubs. The cubs were playing with Bholu.
People tried to drive away the lioness. But she became furious.
But Ramu urged everyone to be calm.
‘Sita, you go to the lioness and urge her to return ‘Bholu’ as you gave her,’ advised Ramu.
Sita covered her head with Sari and went to the lion.
‘Sasoorji, give me my Bholu. He is hungry now,’ urged Sita.
The lioness allowed her to take the baby, and the lioness disappeared into the jungle with her tiny cubs (babies). It’s a mother’s love.
People say this happened years ago -when there was enough space for animals to dwell and live. And, the human population only lived in villages.
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