THE BIRD LULU

In a bygone age in India in the village of Brinj, there dwelt Magician, an aged man who wanted to go on pilgrimage. He called his aide and said “Suri, I’ll be off from this place for about 80 days. You should manage till I’m back. I’m leaving Lulu the bird with you. She is capable of taking two for a ride, short distances. Look after her well. Not that she needs feeding as she can do it herself. Be kind to her. You must know the story of the hen which could speak 3 languages.”

Suri said “Master I don’t know the story.”

Magician said “There was a king who went on an expedition to seize more territory. In one of the occupied areas he found someone owning a hen which knew 3 languages. It was a novelty and   seizing it immediately he sent it to the queen at his palace. Three months later he returned home and while talking to his wife asked about the hen which knew 3 languages. The woman said it was no different in taste than the usual hens.”

Suri said “Master I understand.”

 Magician said “Lulu is a mind reader. For instance I say I want her and she will come.” Lulu walked in. It was a big bird and looked healthy. “She can’t talk. Now I wish she goes back to the barn and you can see her going back. All the best to you in my absence! Bye!”

The day after Magician had left, Suri wished Lulu to take him to the lake in Pegu. He duly arrived there and wishing Lulu to wait went near the water. As he walked back he saw 2 women approach and hid in the bushes. The women casually threw off all their clothes and entering the water cavorted there for a while. Coming out they waited for their bodies to dry. The tall one said “Luny you’ve a beautiful body. I envy you.”

Luny laughed and said “You too Rima. And you’re taller. But what good is my body when my husband Dhobi is middle-aged and takes no advantage of it? Of course he married me after his first wife’s demise. Besides me and Dhobi there’re 4 members of his family camped in my house. Unless I get you out I cannot talk to you privately. You come on short visits from Pegu as you’re kin and I’ve to persuade you to come and bathe here to get some privacy to talk.”

“At least you’re showing signs of pregnancy. I don’t think I would ever have children. You know my husband is a farmer and is a drunkard. Most of the 6 members of our family are mostly away working in the fields. They expect me to cook for all of them. It’s a tiring job. Come, let’s go home.”

Suri had been following their talk and quietly followed them. He saw Luny’s house and remembered that Magician had invested on a house in this village also. He knew it was empty and approaching the headman got a key to it. It was quite near Luny’s place on the same street.

The following day Suri watched Dhobi going with his ass to the river. He walked up and asked Luny about Dhobi’s service. She was fascinated with Suri’s appearance and speech. She explained the service charges and said “If you’ve clothes to wash tell me and I’ll pick up and deliver the cleaned clothes.”

He said pointing “I live nearby. That house with a garden.”

“I know it belongs to Magician. So you now live in it. We’ll be of service to you.”

That evening Luny told Dhobi about Suri’s visit. He said “The headman told me about it. Let him come we’ll give him service.”

Dhobi was a cautious man. He had heard about the young man Suri and felt he should be careful in case his wife was tempted. He told her “My load for washing has increased. From tomorrow I want you to go with me to the river and help me.”

She knew it was an order that couldn’t be disobeyed. So Dhobi would set out with the laden ass and Luny would accompany him. That day Dhobi was late for some reason and the loosely hobbled ass waited outside his house. A stray dog that came that way barked at the ass and the ass moved away from that place. It saw the vegetable garden of the temple priest next door and jumped into it stomping the crop. The priest’s wife was furious and stoned it and the ass moved away braying in fear. Dhobi was incensed and went and slapped the priest’s wife. Meanwhile the ass had entered Suri’s garden and he chased it with a stout rod. It dashed into Luny who had been looking on and she fell down in a swoon. The ass which was trying to run slipped in its foothold and was slightly injured. A crowd had gathered to watch. Dhobi revived his wife and the midwife came to help Luny. Dhobi launched a case with the judge.

The judge heard the case and also the witnesses. He said “I’ve heard all points made and my judgement is as follows. Since the ass was beaten by the priest’s wife and is injured, the priest should go with Dhobi and help him to carry his load till the ass is normal again. On one more point I want the midwife to depose.”

 She said “Luny had started her pregnancy but the charge by the ass has caused her to abort.”

The judge said “I therefore rule that Suri who had caused Dhobi’s wife to abort, should live with her until she gets pregnant again.”

The midwife said “There is one more point which should be noted. There is a tree ibeside the temple which yields one fruit once in 12 years. Eating that fruit is sure to ensure pregnancy. This year the crop was 2 fruits. At Luny’s request I got her both fruit which she consumed in my presence. The fetus which was aborted should’ve produced twins.”

Judge said “Well said in time! Suri should live with Luny until she produced twins.”

Dhobi protested at the decision, but the judge overruled him and Luny was transferred to live with Suri.

When Luny arrived Suri said “Welcome! It is my proud privilege to live with you.”

Luny said “I’ve one request. I’ve a relative who is close to me. Her name is Rima. Could she also be close to us?”

“Why not? Where does she live?”

Luny gave details of Rima at village Brinj. She said “How will she come here from Brinj?”

“I’ll get it done every day if you like. Tell me the times she will be free.”

Luny said “Members of her family go to work early in the morning. Then she has to cook. She would be available after 9 in the morning up to 11 when she has to start cooking.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll arrange it.”Suri sent a woman messenger immediately to tell Rima about the arrangement.

The next morning at around 9.15 Rima arrived having been airborne on Lulu. Luny and Suri were awaiting her arrival and once she came, Suri put a serious question “How do we start?”

Rima answered “The same thing is done the same way by everyman and the fellows feel proud of the accomplishment! There is not much choice. Let us say we toss for the first round and proceed.”

Rima won the toss. She said “Now let’s say Luny gets warmed up as we proceed.”

Luny said “I’ll remain active and will participate to your delectation.” Her dynamic participation gave a fillip to the proceedings spurring Suri into heights of pleasure he had never known. 

Rima said “I’ve to be dropped latest by 11.”

The ménage a trois started and when Rima was ready to go Lulu arrived. This arrangement continued for a week. Luny could be heard reminding Suri “Don’t make me mother of twins. I don’t want to go back to Dhobi. His staff of life isn’t as good as you can make it.”

In only 30 days, Suri showed his potential with Rima. She said “Don’t shut me off because I’m showing signs of pregnancy. I’ve been starved for so long. I would like to come till I can.”

The deadline for the magician’s return was approaching, but Luny showed no signs of impending motherhood. Now a quarrel started between the two women when Luny blamed Rima for her evil eye preventing her from her goal of motherhood. She made Suri to stop flights to Brinj to bring Rima. When Magician arrived at Brinj, he found Suri missing and learnt that he was at Pegu. He went to Pegu and had a confidential swapping of mind with Lulu. It appeared that Lulu was disgusted with the use being made of her. She made as if to say “I too would like to indulge in their kind of activity. But my partner would only be found in a far away land. Seeing the activity around has made me pine for a family for myself. So I bid you farewell as I fly away.”

Magician was unhappy at this turn of events. He accused Suri of incompetence in dealing with Lulu. After he was told about the happenings, he shouted “Suri, you’ve got yourself into a mess. I can’t turn out Luny as she is here by order of a judge. I’m going back to Brinj. You could return after you’ve extricated yourself from Luny.”

Suri redoubled his efforts to make Luny mother of twins so that he could return her to Dhobi and get a woman of his own but his luck intervened. Actually he was tired of Luny and needed a change!

 However he has not lost hope of something happening to gladden him!

END

NOTE: A judgment accorded in a case in a tale in the Sanskrit work kathasaritsagara or OCEAN OF STORY has been used in this story.

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