The story of Mr. Hop

Once upon a time in Kabul there lived a bunch of Indians in a house. The house was a big one and had a nice garden. In the garden grew big roses and tiny petunia. There was a nice green lawn that had come up after great efforts were made by the cook and gardner called Z. Every morning two persons in the house would go for a walk around the house. Round and round they would go like horses going around in a circle. One was called Amitabh Bacchan because he was tall and bossy and the other was called tak tak as she did things like that-u know-tak tak:-))

One morning AB while walking uttered a cry and stopped in a corner. Something caused him distress. He was sad. He called to tak tak - it was a sparrow in oil. Tak tak did'nt understand and shouted from across - what, what?. AB said that a sparrow has fallen into the oil container kept near the generator and was all oiled up and sitting - all stuck together like someone has glued it up! It could not move. Well, that was the end of morning walk! AB and TT went to the sparrow and looked at it carefully, it was alive but could'nt move. It was a baby sparrow-a fledgling! Now what was to be done? AB said it had to be given a bath with soap and water. TT said it had to be wiped with cotton to remove the oil and then given a bath. Mr Hop listened to the discussion about him, blinked his beady eyes and executed short hops. He certainly didnt like the idea of a cold bath! Brrrr... he thought!

TT went up to discuss the matter with showpari-her roommate. Show pari is the queen of fairies. She was sleeping. TT woke her up and told her all about Mr Hop. SP yawned and said she was scared to touch Mr Hop as he was so small and she was scared she may hurt him. So she suggested that TT wake up Z and ask him to bathe Hop. So AB and TT knocked on Z's door and woke him up. He heard the story of poor Mr Hop and came in to the garden to catch him. Mr Hop hopped round and round a rose bush and tried to avoid being caught. Finally Z picked him up and put him in a blue tub. TT cleaned him with cotton gently. Then Z gave him a bath with soap and water-once and then twice-as there was so much oil on him. Slowly and gently he washed him and removed the stupid black oil from over his neck, head, feathers and tail. Then TT stroked him dry and held him with cotton as he was shivering. Mr Hop had never had a bath with soap and water and he did not like it at all. The soap had got into his eyes and they were stinging. He was hungry and he missed his mom. So he was sad and wet and scared. But slowly as the sun smiled at him and dried his feathers he stopped shivering. Then, TT put him on the grass near a rose bush so that he would be nearer his home.

AB and TT left him there and left to get ready. After two hours when TT was leaving the house to go to office she checked if everything was ok with Hop. He was standing in the sun and when he saw her he hopped hopped away wildly and fluttered a little spreading his wings. TT smiled as that meant he was dry and happy. She told Qala to look after him. Qala rushed to him with some bread and water and promised to care of Hop.

We hope Mr. Hop will get dry and become big and strong and grow up to be a smart sparrow who will not fall into oil again!

Story courtesy - Ms. K, my roommate