That day in Jalpaiguri was calm and full of soft sunshine. There weren’t any tall buildings or smooth tar roads like there are now. Most of the houses were made with tin roofs and bamboo fences. The roads were unpaved, red dust floated in the air, and people moved about at an easy, unhurried pace.
In one such quiet neighborhood lived Kamal, a boy of eight or nine, with a heart as clear as glass. His father, Mr. Amal, was a small businessman.
One evening, Mr. Amal returned from the market. On the carrier of his bicycle hung a large sack, and from inside came a “cluck-cluck” sound. Kamal and his mother, Mrs. Bimala, looked on eagerly. Mr. Amal smiled and said, “I’ve brought something wonderful today and for a cheap price too! Tomorrow we’ll have rooster curry, you’ll see!”
Kamal ran to the sack. The moment he opened it, a pair of tiny black eyes peeked out. The little creature’s whole body was covered with jet-black feathers, like a piece of the dark night itself. On top of its head sat a bright red comb, glowing like the first rays of sunrise. Kamal slipped his hand inside and gently lifted the young rooster out.
Mr. Amal said, “Hey, don’t touch it! Tomorrow it’ll be in your stomach”
But Kamal’s eyes were seeing another world altogether. Hugging the rooster close, he said softly, “You can’t hurt him, Dad. He’s my friend.”
Mr. Amal was surprised. “Friend? It’s a rooster! Roosters are for eating, not for keeping.”
Mrs. Bimala added, “Yes, Kamal, that’s supposed to be our lunch tomorrow.”
But both parents eventually gave in to Kamal’s stubbornness. He wouldn’t listen to a word. Standing there with clouds gathering at the corner of his lips, he looked so upset that the whole house seemed to fall silent. Kamal was their only child; when his heart grew heavy, the entire home grew gloomy. Finally, Mr. Amal sighed and said, “Alright, son, have it your way. He’s your pet now.”
Kamal jumped with joy. He named the rooster Arjun.
“Why Arjun?” asked Mrs. Bimala.
“Because he acts like a hero,” Kamal replied. “His eyes, they look so brave.”
And so, Arjun became a member of their family. Every afternoon when Kamal returned from school, he would find Arjun waiting for him in the courtyard. All day long, Arjun wandered around, pecking in the garden mud for worms or circling around Kamal’s feet. People in the neighborhood laughed when they saw it.
“Amal, you’ve started keeping a rooster now?” someone would tease.
Mr. Amal would smile and reply, “It’s my son’s new friend.”
Days passed. Arjun grew bigger and handsomer, his body strong, his comb large and crimson, his feathers gleaming black. When he strutted around the courtyard, chest puffed out, no one dared call him “just a rooster” anymore. He looked like a proud little guard of the house.
But that very bravery would one day bring disaster, something no one could have imagined. Strange changes began to appear in Arjun’s behavior. And soon, those changes started bringing one storm after another into their once peaceful life.
*****
Arjun is No Longer the Little Chick
Arjun was no longer that tiny rooster chick. He had grown into a full-grown, handsome young bird. His black feathers now gleamed with a strange, majestic pride. When he strutted around the courtyard, there was a certain swagger in his gait. His comb had turned a bright, fiery red, and his crowing was so loud that the neighboring roosters would cower in fear.
Along with this growth came a new kind of habit. Arjun was no longer content just pecking at insects in the garden; a curious spirit of adventure had awakened in him. He would often sneak into the bushes and drains behind the house, as if searching for some hidden treasure. Kamal followed him sometimes, amazed at this new kind of play.
The first to notice something odd was Mrs. Bimala. One afternoon, she peeked out of the kitchen window and saw Arjun hopping around the courtyard with something long and black in his beak. At first, she thought it was a big earthworm. But when she looked closer, her blood ran cold, it wasn’t a worm at all, but a small, harmless snake! Arjun was tossing it to the ground, and whenever it tried to slither away, he pecked at it sharply to stop it as if the rooster and the snake were locked in a strange game.
Terrified, Bimala screamed, “Oh my God! The rooster’s playing with a snake!”
Mr. Amal came running. He, too, was stunned at the sight. But Kamal, grinning with pride, said, “See, Ma? Arjun is so brave! He catches snakes!”
But this game of bravery soon turned into something dangerous. One afternoon, as everyone sat down for lunch, Bimala went to fetch some water from the kitchen and suddenly screamed before collapsing unconscious. Her cry brought Kamal, Amal, and several neighbors rushing in.
There, in one corner of the kitchen, right by Bimala’s feet, lay that same harmless snake coiled up quietly.
News of the incident spread through the neighborhood, and soon there was an uproar. An old man said, “Amal, you’d better sell that rooster. It’s a cursed one! What kind of rooster brings snakes into the house?”
Amal felt deeply embarrassed. He looked over at Arjun. The rooster was strutting proudly around the courtyard as if nothing had happened, his eyes glinting with a strange mix of boldness and mischief.
Kamal still stood by his friend. “Dad,” he pleaded, “Arjun didn’t hurt the snake. He just plays with it.”
But no one was willing to listen to the boy anymore. The neighbors’ whispers and fear began to weigh heavily on Amal’s mind. He realized this wasn’t just about a mischievous pet, it was turning into a matter of family shame.
Arjun himself didn’t know that, without meaning to, he was bringing danger and disgrace upon the house. And the second chapter of this trouble began when Arjun decided to show off his courage beyond the walls of his home...
*****
Arjun’s New Antics
Arjun’s fascination with playing with snakes gradually became old news for his new exploits soon overshadowed everything else. His bravery was no longer confined within the walls of the house. Arjun had now expanded his battlefield to the street outside.
The family had recently fenced their house with barbed wire, but Arjun always managed to find a way through. Whenever he saw someone on the road walking in a manner he didn’t like, his temper would flare up. His sense of judgment was simple anyone who didn’t please him had to be pecked. This became his daily routine.
At first, everyone took it lightly, laughing at the rooster’s behavior. But slowly, it turned into a serious problem. The cyclists in the neighborhood began to live in constant fear of Arjun. The moment they spotted him, they’d pedal faster, and Arjun would chase after them with fierce determination. One day, a cyclist, panicked by Arjun’s attack, fell straight into a roadside ditch.
Then came the day when Mr. Gopal, the schoolteacher, was walking past Kamal’s house. Arjun spotted him and rushed forward to peck at his legs. Startled, Gopal swung his umbrella to ward him off, but Arjun wasn’t one to back down. He pecked repeatedly at the umbrella, making the teacher furious and flustered. Finally, Gopal snapped, saying to Mr. Amal, “Amal, your rooster’s a hooligan! Doesn’t he have any sense?”
Amal, deeply embarrassed, lowered his head and apologized.
But the real disaster struck when the neighborhood priest was on his way to their house to conduct a puja. Dressed in a white dhoti and walking barefoot, the priest looked serene perhaps too serene for Arjun’s liking. For reasons known only to him, Arjun charged straight at the man and pecked hard at his big toe. The priest let out a loud “Uff!” and shouted angrily, “Is this ill-mannered rooster yours?”
Kamal tried again and again to reason with his feathery friend. “Arjun, don’t do this. Please stop!” he would plead. But Arjun paid no heed. In his little kingdom, he was the king and his word was law.
Complaints began pouring in daily.
“Amal, your rooster chased my son today.”
“Amal, I couldn’t even go to the market because of that bird of yours.”
The mounting grievances became unbearable for Amal. He looked at Arjun and sighed deeply. Arjun stood tall in the courtyard, head held high, eyes gleaming not with regret, but with the proud arrogance of a victor.
Amal realized there was no way out of this problem. Because of Arjun’s strange and aggressive nature, the entire neighborhood had turned against them. Never in his life had he imagined that a rooster could bring such disgrace and trouble to a family.
That day, Amal made a decision.
A hard one.
*****
A Painful Parting
One evening he called Kamal and said, “Son, we can’t keep Arjun any longer.” Kamal went numb. All the memories of Arjun’s mischief and affection flashed before his eyes. He forced out, “Why, Dad? What has Arjun done?”
“What has he done?” Mr. Amal seemed helpless. “He has stolen the sleep of the whole neighborhood. Everyone points fingers at our house because of him. This cannot go on.”
Kamal cried himself to sleep that night. The next morning he tried to hide Arjun under the bed, behind the wardrobe, even in the shrubs of the courtyard. But Arjun lived in his own world and understood none of it. Kamal kept looking for him again and again, thinking to himself, “Just a few more days, then I’ll keep Arjun safe.”
But Kamal’s plan failed. On a cloudy morning, with Kamal’s heart heavy, Mr. Amal quietly placed Arjun into a large sack. Kamal rushed over, “Dad, no don’t take Arjun!”
Seeing Kamal’s pain, Mr. Amal could not hold back tears. He knew that the pain was his too. An invisible bond had grown between them and Arjun. Still, with a stern face he said, “It will be better for him, Kamal. He needs a place of his own.”
On the bicycle Mr. Amal rode toward Gaurihat the market from where he had once bought Arjun. As he rode he wondered where he should sell him. Hand him to a butcher? No, he could not sell the rooster that had been his son’s friend for meat.
At the market he looked for a buyer who would keep Arjun as a pet, not to eat. At last he met a bearded, broad-shouldered man who was impressed by Arjun’s bravery. The man said, “I’ll keep this rooster. I have a pastime of making roosters fight; that will make him an even greater warrior.”
Mr. Amal hesitated for a moment, but he had no other choice. He handed Arjun to that man and went home. His heart was heavy. He felt as if he had not only sold a rooster but had also sold away a piece of Kamal’s happiness.
*****
Arjun’s Rise in the Arena
Arjun’s new owner was Bishucharan. He was a professional rooster fighter and owned many birds bred solely for combat. When Arjun was first brought into Bishucharan’s gleaming rooster-fighting arena, his heart shrank with fear. So many roosters, so much noise! Compared to the quiet of Jalpaiguri that he knew, this was a completely different world.
For the first few days, Arjun sat silently in a corner of his cage. The other roosters looked at him curiously, as if trying to assess the skills of this newcomer. Bishucharan observed Arjun closely. Seeing his strong build and the spark of courage in his eyes, he realized there was something special about this bird.
One day Bishucharan decided to put Arjun into a fight. His opponent was bigger and stronger, a fierce rooster named Kala Pahar (the Black Mountain). There was fire in Kala Pahar’s eyes and arrogance on his beak. Arjun was terrified at first. He wanted to back away, but Bishucharan pushed him into the ring.
The fight began. Kala Pahar lunged at Arjun in a flash. Arjun only tried to defend himself, not even thinking of striking back. Suddenly, it was as if he heard Kamal’s voice echo in his mind: “Arjun, you’re so brave!” Those words awakened his true spirit.
Arjun was no longer afraid. He raised his head high and leapt toward Kala Pahar. His beak was unlike any other rooster’s, sharp and precise like an arrow. With one swift peck, he stunned Kala Pahar. Then, using his claws and wings, he slashed and struck so fiercely that Kala Pahar became completely disoriented. The spectators burst into applause at this unexpected display of skill.
Arjun won. Bishucharan shouted with joy, “This isn’t just a rooster this is the real Arjun!”
From that day on, Arjun never had to look back. He won match after match. His style was unique, he didn’t just attack; he outsmarted his opponents. In time, Arjun became a legend in the rooster-fighting world. At the very mention of his name, rival roosters would tremble.
*****
The Homecoming of a Hero
Arjun was now no longer just a fighting rooster he had become a legend. To Bishucharan, he was priceless, a source of pride and glory. But deep inside, Arjun still longed for his old home, the quiet courtyard, Kamal’s voice calling his name, and Bimala Devi’s fragrant pulao. Those memories haunted him even amidst all the applause and fame.
One day, a grand fight was arranged, his opponent was an enormous rooster named Baj Bahadur. He was far heavier and stronger than Arjun. The fight began. Arjun used his signature tactics, pecking and dodging with precision, but Baj Bahadur struck him hard with his massive leg, sending him sprawling to the side. One of Arjun’s legs was slightly injured.
At that very moment, something strange stirred within him. Arjun suddenly stopped fighting. Then, with a powerful leap, he jumped straight out of the boundary fence.
Everyone was stunned. Bishucharan, furious, shouted, “Arjun has run away! My best rooster has surrendered!” The crowd murmured in disbelief. To everyone, Arjun seemed a coward. But Arjun had begun a different kind of journey on his own. Limping on his injured leg, he ran toward only one destination: that old house where his heart still belonged.
Three days later, in the peaceful neighborhood of Jalpaiguri, an unusual sight caught everyone’s eyes. Kamal was playing in the courtyard when he saw a black rooster limping slowly toward the house. Its feathers were dusty, its body weary, and one leg bent awkwardly. At first, Kamal didn’t recognize it. But when the rooster looked up at him, he knew instantly. It was his Arjun.
Kamal froze in disbelief, tears filling his eyes. He ran and lifted Arjun in his arms. His neighbor’s little sister, Renu, who was playing nearby, gasped and said, “that’s your Arjun! Has he really come back?”
Kamal smiled, a smile of victory, of love. Arjun stood tall before him; head held high, just as he used to. His leg was injured, his body tired, but his eyes shone with the glow of a true champion. He had come home, having won the greatest battle of all, the one fought for love.
Arjun was not just a rooster. He was Kamal’s friend, a member of the family, and above all, a hero who had fought the finest fight, to return to his own home.
And so, Arjun’s adventures came to an end, but what remained was the story of a bond, a simple, human story of love and loyalty that found a permanent place in every heart.