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Beloved Fairy
 Anurag Bhoumik Udaipur, Tripura Contents | Whenever the little kitten cried, Dighi knew it was hungry. She would always find some excuse to go outside and feed it. At first, it drank only milk, but lately it had learned to eat rice mixed with milk, puffed rice, biscuits, fish bones, and other scraps as well. As the kitten picked up its food with its tiny mouth, little crescent-shaped marks like the moon on the night of Ekadashi appeared on the ground. Dighi had seen such marks at her grandmother's house. She never saw them here because the entire yard was covered with grass and soft durba grass. Beyond the veranda lay a small courtyard, and then the gate. Beside the gate stood a fragrant champak tree, and beneath it the kitten would come two or three times every day. Dighi had no idea where it came from, nor was she particularly curious. It came, she fed and cuddled it, told it to come back again, and then returned indoors. Nothing more was needed. Yet if she didn't see the kitten for even one mealtime or failed to hear its tiny cries, she felt restless. Whether she was studying, eating her tiffin, or watching television, one ear was always tuned to the sounds outside, waiting for the little kitten. A few days earlier, during winter, there was a large roadside dustbin a short distance from Dighi's house along the Agartala–Sabroom National Highway. A homeless woman, who seemed mentally unstable, had begun living beside it. She spent most of her days there, collecting discarded food, warming it in a clay pot, and cooking on a neatly built stove made of bricks. Though her home was makeshift, she kept it surprisingly tidy. At night she wrapped herself in an old blanket someone had given her. In the final hours before dawn, she would suddenly let out heartbreaking screams. They were so terrifying that whenever Dighi woke to hear them, she was filled with fear. Every Sunday afternoon, Dighi passed that spot on her way to music class with her mother. They caught an auto-rickshaw from there and often had to wait five or seven minutes. One such day, while waiting, Dighi noticed a tiny kitten crying as it wandered around the homeless woman, eating the food she had offered it. At once Dighi feared it might be her kitten. Her heart tightened with worry. Had it been suffering from hunger? But then she saw the woman gently lift the kitten into her lap, stroke it lovingly, and shower it with kisses. Dighi watched in amazement. Looking more closely, she realized it wasn't her kitten after all; it was much smaller. Relief washed over her. A few days later, the woman disappeared, and Dighi never saw that kitten again. Perhaps the woman had taken it away with her. As Dighi's birthday drew near, her father suggested over dinner, "This year, let's celebrate your birthday by taking a trip to Shillong." Her mother was delighted. Under normal circumstances, Dighi would have been overjoyed too. Shillong was her dream destination. She imagined visiting Shillong Peak, Bara Bazar, the museum, the lake, the zoo, waterfalls, Cherrapunji, and many other beautiful places. Her father had been to Shillong several times, and listening to his stories had made her eager to see it for herself. She had also read Leela Majumdar's story Jatra Mangal in her Bengali textbook, where the author described traveling to Shillong with her father as a child. That had sparked an even greater curiosity in Dighi. But somehow, she had never had the chance to go. Although she desperately wanted to visit Shillong, one thought kept troubling her. If she was away for a whole week, who would feed the little kitten? It might starve to death. The next morning, her mother asked, "What's the matter? Don't you want to go to Shillong? If not, we can choose another place." "No, Mom! I really want to go to Shillong. Dad says it's a beautiful hill station." "I just didn't see much excitement on your face, so I wondered." "It's nothing, Mom. So, when are we leaving?" "Your father will book the train tickets today. We'll first go to Guwahati, visit the Kamakhya Temple, and then travel to Shillong the next day." "That'll be wonderful! We'll get to visit two places." As the departure day came closer, Dighi's worries only grew stronger. She kept picturing the hungry little kitten's face. Tears filled her eyes. She couldn't even share her sadness with anyone. She wanted to tell her mother but stopped herself every time. One morning, her father reminded her, "The train leaves at seven the day after tomorrow. Pack everything you need in your trolley bag today, or you'll end up forgetting something important." "Okay, Dad. Don't worry." The following morning, the sun had just risen in the east. Birds were chirping, and the golden sunlight filled the world with warmth. But Dighi's heart was restless. While picking flowers from the small garden in the courtyard to arrange them in a basket, she thought again about leaving the next day. What would happen to the kitten? She still hadn't found a solution. Two drops of tears fell onto a white jasmine flower. Just then, a beautiful fairy appeared. "Why are you crying, Dighi?" Dighi was amazed and overjoyed to see the fairy. She told her everything. The fairy smiled and said, "You're crying over such a small matter? Don't worry, I have the perfect solution. Go on your trip with your parents without any worries. When you return, you'll tell me all about Shillong. As for the kitten, leave it to me. I'll feed it two or three times a day, play with it, and keep it company. I'll bring it milk, fish, puffed rice, biscuits, everything it needs." Dighi felt a huge weight lift from her heart. A smile returned to her face. It felt as though she had climbed the Himalayas. She hugged the fairy and said, "You're my dear fairy. You've saved me." The fairy laughed gently. "Oh, it was nothing. You're my little friend. How could I not help you?" "You're such a wonderful fairy." "Then it's settled. Go and enjoy your trip." "Alright, Fairy. I'll go home now. I'll come and meet you again when I have time." The fairy lovingly patted Dighi before disappearing into the air. Filled with endless joy, Dighi happily ran back into her home. |
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