bipin (![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} bipin) wrote,@ 2006-12-18 12:36:00 |
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the lul-lull story
To,
baby crocky,
who I miss more than words can describe.
Long long ago, deep in the jungles of Bannerghatta lived a ferocious lion called Lul-lull. Lul-lull was a majestic beast, with a thick, golden mane and shining black eyes. He wore around his neck, the most magnificent necklace - a sign of his royal authority. When he walked down the old jungle path in the mid-day sun, the red ruby of the necklace sparkled bright and far.
Bordering the jungle was a kingdom, ruled by a king called Raja Maharaja. As he stood in his courtyard, one sunny afternoon, his eye caught the glittering light of the ruby.
*
"What is that light that blinds even me?â thundered the king.
"Your majesty," replied his chief-minister, "that's the ruby from the necklace of most frightful lion in the jungle. It is said that it's so bright, it outshines the sun by the day and the moon by the night."
"I want that necklace!" demanded the greedy king.
"But your majestyâ¦â protested the courtiers, "that lion is big and strong and dangerous. Why, just last week, it ate three of our washermen! Can't you have some other necklace? Your treasury is already so full of the finest jewelry."
But the king would have none of their pleading.
"Oh, that's the necklace I want,
Don't ask me why;
Go bring me that necklace,
Before I begin to cry!"
The courtiers wondered and pondered. How were they to get the lion to partake off its necklace? Oh, what a predicament they were in!
"Maybe we could send in the blacksmith", suggested one of the courtiers. "He could make clasps and trap the lionâs paws, and then steal the necklace away". The next day, they sent across the kingdom's best blacksmith deep into the jungle. But alas, they hadn't anticipated the strength of Lul-lull. With a swish of his tail, Lul-lull broke through the metal bindings as if they were mere cob-webs, and ate the poor blacksmith.
When the king heard of this news, he was angered. "What is this!â he screamed, "all I asked is for one necklace, and none in my kingdom can bring it to me?".
"Oh, that's the necklace I want,
Don't ask me why;
Go bring me that necklace,
Before I begin to cry!"
The courtiers went into a huddle again. "Maybe we can send in the fisherman. He could cast his fishing-net around the lion, and have him trapped like a little fish! Then, in time, when Lul-lull's sleeping, we can steal the necklace".
The next day, they sent the kingdom's finest fisherman, with his toughest, widest fishing-net. Unfortunately, again, they hadn't anticipated Lul-lull's strength. Those powerful jaws ripped through the fisherman's net and devoured the poor fisherman too.
And so, one by one, the courtiers sent person after person into the jungle, hoping that he or she would bring back the necklace. And everyday, the lion would foil their plans, and eat them.
*
Until, one day, it fell upon the wood-cutter's family to go get the necklace.
"Father," said the wood-cutter's son, "let me go into the woods. I know how to defeat the lion and get the necklace".
"No son," said the wood-cutter, "you're too precious for us. I could never live if you were eaten by that lion". But the wood-cutter's son pleaded and begged, until his family finally gave in.
That morning, the little boy packed his lunch and set off deep into the jungle. By the time he'd reached Lul-lull's den, it was already mid-afternoon.
"Aha!" growled a deep voice from within the cave. "my lunch is here!"
The little boy was trembling before the huge lion. "Sir", he spoke meekly to the lion, "I am but a very small meal. I will never be enough for you. But, I have got something else - my mum has made the most delicious iddli and green chutney. And there's chirroti and milk, and to top it off, there's jamuun too"
"What strange animals are those?" screeched the lion incredulously. "Iddli and chirroti and jamuun? I've never heard of them!"
"Oh, but they're very very tasty, my lord", said the boy. "Why don't you taste them?"
And so the boy sat next to the lion and had the most amazing lunch. They dipped their iddlies in the spicy hot chutney, scooped the yummy jamuuns and washed it down with some delicious cold water from the nearby stream. It was late evening by the time they finished, and the lion's full stomach made him awfully sleepy.
"I'll go now Sir," said the little boy, "but I'll be back tomorrow"
When their son reached home that evening, the wood-cutter and his wife were overjoyed. "But mother, I need to go back tomorrow." The family was aghast, but the king wanted the necklace badly, and they had no other option.
So, the next day, the boy went into the jungle again. This time with cheese pizza and garlic bread and the juiciest zinger-burgers. And a bottle of cold lime-juice and two scoops of chocolate ice-cream. Again, the two spent the afternoon gorging themselves until they could eat no more. Late in the evening, the boy bid Lul-lull good bye and returned home.
*
This went on for a whole month - the boy would go to the lion with the most amazing lunch, and the lion would spare his life. And though his family was overjoyed that their boy lived to tell the tale, the king was getting impatient.
"Oh, that's the necklace I want,
Don't ask me why;
Go bring me that necklace,
Before I begin to cry!"
"Don't worry, oh Raja Maharaja!” promised the boy, "you shall have your necklace by tonight".
That day, the boy didn't leave for the forest at the crack of dawn. He spent the whole morning playing marbles and troubling his sister. It was already late afternoon when he finished his lunch and got ready to leave for the jungle. "Don't you want any food packed, love?" asked his mother.
"No mama, not today” said the boy, and bade her good-bye.
By the time he reached Lul-lull's cave, it was dusk. Lul-lull sprung before him, a crimson bolt from the depths of blackness. "Where were you the whole day!” he roared. "I'm so hungry and angry I could eat you right now!"
"Oh, I'm sorry sir," answered the boy in a calm tone. "It's just that my mother had packed so much yummy food, that I had trouble carrying it over. I huffed and puffed, but all my energy could help me lug it up here. There's hot hot rasam and rice, with chips and mango pickle. There's chocolate mousse and toast with strawberry jam too. And for dessert... oh, that’s the best of it all - there's the most amazing round, hot hot jalebis!"
Lul-lull's mouth was watering. "Where is the food?" he demanded, impatiently.
"It's right over the edge there Sir," replied the boy, pointing to a drop. "Just jump over, and it's all there".
Lul-lull didn't even wait for him to finish. He charged in the direction in which the boy pointed and leapt over with his eyes shut. Only to find himself going down the deepest ravine! The little boy had tricked him!
As the king of the jungle jumped, the necklace came off Lul-lull's throat and floated all the way to the other side of the cliff. The boy then picked it up and danced his way home to a hero's welcome.
"Oh, that's the necklace I want,
Don't ask me why;
Today I've got the necklace,
Peacefully shall I lie!"
*
Look up into the sky, baby cwocky - the story's been captured in the stars. Can you see that group of stars there - that one that looks like a lion. That's Lul-lull, jumping across the ravine. He's called Leo, of course, but that doesn't matter.
And look here! Can you see that bright red-star there - that's the ruby from the necklace. From the Belt of Orion.
Go to sleep baby crocky. Tomorrow's a big day. The forest doesn't have a leader now. Who knows, maybe they'll invite you to be their king. Who knows what tomorrow holds in store?
Good night.
To,
baby crocky,
who I miss more than words can describe.
Long long ago, deep in the jungles of Bannerghatta lived a ferocious lion called Lul-lull. Lul-lull was a majestic beast, with a thick, golden mane and shining black eyes. He wore around his neck, the most magnificent necklace - a sign of his royal authority. When he walked down the old jungle path in the mid-day sun, the red ruby of the necklace sparkled bright and far.
Bordering the jungle was a kingdom, ruled by a king called Raja Maharaja. As he stood in his courtyard, one sunny afternoon, his eye caught the glittering light of the ruby.
"What is that light that blinds even me?â thundered the king.
"Your majesty," replied his chief-minister, "that's the ruby from the necklace of most frightful lion in the jungle. It is said that it's so bright, it outshines the sun by the day and the moon by the night."
"I want that necklace!" demanded the greedy king.
"But your majestyâ¦â protested the courtiers, "that lion is big and strong and dangerous. Why, just last week, it ate three of our washermen! Can't you have some other necklace? Your treasury is already so full of the finest jewelry."
But the king would have none of their pleading.
"Oh, that's the necklace I want,
Don't ask me why;
Go bring me that necklace,
Before I begin to cry!"
The courtiers wondered and pondered. How were they to get the lion to partake off its necklace? Oh, what a predicament they were in!
"Maybe we could send in the blacksmith", suggested one of the courtiers. "He could make clasps and trap the lionâs paws, and then steal the necklace away". The next day, they sent across the kingdom's best blacksmith deep into the jungle. But alas, they hadn't anticipated the strength of Lul-lull. With a swish of his tail, Lul-lull broke through the metal bindings as if they were mere cob-webs, and ate the poor blacksmith.
When the king heard of this news, he was angered. "What is this!â he screamed, "all I asked is for one necklace, and none in my kingdom can bring it to me?".
"Oh, that's the necklace I want,
Don't ask me why;
Go bring me that necklace,
Before I begin to cry!"
The courtiers went into a huddle again. "Maybe we can send in the fisherman. He could cast his fishing-net around the lion, and have him trapped like a little fish! Then, in time, when Lul-lull's sleeping, we can steal the necklace".
The next day, they sent the kingdom's finest fisherman, with his toughest, widest fishing-net. Unfortunately, again, they hadn't anticipated Lul-lull's strength. Those powerful jaws ripped through the fisherman's net and devoured the poor fisherman too.
And so, one by one, the courtiers sent person after person into the jungle, hoping that he or she would bring back the necklace. And everyday, the lion would foil their plans, and eat them.
Until, one day, it fell upon the wood-cutter's family to go get the necklace.
"Father," said the wood-cutter's son, "let me go into the woods. I know how to defeat the lion and get the necklace".
"No son," said the wood-cutter, "you're too precious for us. I could never live if you were eaten by that lion". But the wood-cutter's son pleaded and begged, until his family finally gave in.
That morning, the little boy packed his lunch and set off deep into the jungle. By the time he'd reached Lul-lull's den, it was already mid-afternoon.
"Aha!" growled a deep voice from within the cave. "my lunch is here!"
The little boy was trembling before the huge lion. "Sir", he spoke meekly to the lion, "I am but a very small meal. I will never be enough for you. But, I have got something else - my mum has made the most delicious iddli and green chutney. And there's chirroti and milk, and to top it off, there's jamuun too"
"What strange animals are those?" screeched the lion incredulously. "Iddli and chirroti and jamuun? I've never heard of them!"
"Oh, but they're very very tasty, my lord", said the boy. "Why don't you taste them?"
And so the boy sat next to the lion and had the most amazing lunch. They dipped their iddlies in the spicy hot chutney, scooped the yummy jamuuns and washed it down with some delicious cold water from the nearby stream. It was late evening by the time they finished, and the lion's full stomach made him awfully sleepy.
"I'll go now Sir," said the little boy, "but I'll be back tomorrow"
When their son reached home that evening, the wood-cutter and his wife were overjoyed. "But mother, I need to go back tomorrow." The family was aghast, but the king wanted the necklace badly, and they had no other option.
So, the next day, the boy went into the jungle again. This time with cheese pizza and garlic bread and the juiciest zinger-burgers. And a bottle of cold lime-juice and two scoops of chocolate ice-cream. Again, the two spent the afternoon gorging themselves until they could eat no more. Late in the evening, the boy bid Lul-lull good bye and returned home.
This went on for a whole month - the boy would go to the lion with the most amazing lunch, and the lion would spare his life. And though his family was overjoyed that their boy lived to tell the tale, the king was getting impatient.
"Oh, that's the necklace I want,
Don't ask me why;
Go bring me that necklace,
Before I begin to cry!"
"Don't worry, oh Raja Maharaja!” promised the boy, "you shall have your necklace by tonight".
That day, the boy didn't leave for the forest at the crack of dawn. He spent the whole morning playing marbles and troubling his sister. It was already late afternoon when he finished his lunch and got ready to leave for the jungle. "Don't you want any food packed, love?" asked his mother.
"No mama, not today” said the boy, and bade her good-bye.
By the time he reached Lul-lull's cave, it was dusk. Lul-lull sprung before him, a crimson bolt from the depths of blackness. "Where were you the whole day!” he roared. "I'm so hungry and angry I could eat you right now!"
"Oh, I'm sorry sir," answered the boy in a calm tone. "It's just that my mother had packed so much yummy food, that I had trouble carrying it over. I huffed and puffed, but all my energy could help me lug it up here. There's hot hot rasam and rice, with chips and mango pickle. There's chocolate mousse and toast with strawberry jam too. And for dessert... oh, that’s the best of it all - there's the most amazing round, hot hot jalebis!"
Lul-lull's mouth was watering. "Where is the food?" he demanded, impatiently.
"It's right over the edge there Sir," replied the boy, pointing to a drop. "Just jump over, and it's all there".
Lul-lull didn't even wait for him to finish. He charged in the direction in which the boy pointed and leapt over with his eyes shut. Only to find himself going down the deepest ravine! The little boy had tricked him!
As the king of the jungle jumped, the necklace came off Lul-lull's throat and floated all the way to the other side of the cliff. The boy then picked it up and danced his way home to a hero's welcome.
"Oh, that's the necklace I want,
Don't ask me why;
Today I've got the necklace,
Peacefully shall I lie!"
Look up into the sky, baby cwocky - the story's been captured in the stars. Can you see that group of stars there - that one that looks like a lion. That's Lul-lull, jumping across the ravine. He's called Leo, of course, but that doesn't matter.
And look here! Can you see that bright red-star there - that's the ruby from the necklace. From the Belt of Orion.
Go to sleep baby crocky. Tomorrow's a big day. The forest doesn't have a leader now. Who knows, maybe they'll invite you to be their king. Who knows what tomorrow holds in store?
Good night.
