- 17 Oct 2004, 01:46
#22
A Mothers' Love
by Zafar Shakur
As my friend and I were walking along the path to my grandmother's house, we suddenly heard a strange cry. Though we tried to investigate, it was impossible in this thick Zairean jungle.
Surprised and puzzled, we continued on our way. After an hour, we saw Granny's bungalow, which was surrounded by a beautiful garden and several fountains.
After knocking, we were let in by my grandmother, who seemed to be very much disturbed. Naturally, my first question to her was whether she was alright and the answer given by her was a great shock to us. A gorilla had taken away Lona, her granddaughter and my cousin, when she was playing in the garden.
Though we were upset ourselves, we tried to calm her.
At dinner, she seemed to be a bit stable and though the food looked very delicious, no one could feel the taste and everyone seemed to have lost appetite.
Early next morning we heard rumbling sounds of trucks at a distance and my grandmother told us that those were her lumberjacks who were on their way to the jungle and that they all had their living quarters behind her bungalow.
Though the authorities were informed of the incident and the game wardens were combing the dense forest, my friend and I left the bungalow after breakfast just to see what we could do to help. As we were passing through the rows of living quarters, we heard a strange cry. We bought thought that it must be Lona and rushed to the quarter from where the cry seemed to come. We peeped through an open window which had iron bars. To our surprise and dissapointment, we saw a weldmash cage inside the room and a small gorilla baby caged inside.
My friend could not udnerstand why I was engulfed in deep thoughts and he was even more surprised when I asked him to stay where he was. iw as almos ton ym fours, searching ther ground under the window and gave a cry of joy when I saw a huge paw mark of a gorilla on the soft soil.
I caught my friend's hand and pulled him to my granny's who was as much surprised and annoyed to know that one fo her employees had captured and caged a gorilla baby. The employee was summoned and said that he felt pity when he saw a small gorila baby lonely in the jungle and brought it home.
Neither my friend nor granny could understand why I requested to the employee to allow me to sleep in the room where the gorilla baby was kept.
I was resting in an easy chair kept in the corner of the room and kept the electric light on. Teh gorilla baby seemed to be restless but got used to it.
Just after midnight when the place was very quiet, I heard a sound of breaking twigs and then a faint grunt, as a figure loomed at the window. i slowly got up fromt he chair and walked towards the cage. The mother gorilla at the window got furious and seemed to pull down the window by pulling its bars with all her force. I slowly unbolted the cage and stretched my arms and the baby gorilla jumped onto my arm. I took it out and went towards the window. The mother gorilla seemed to understand me and stood still. As the bars were a good distant apart, I passed the baby through them and the bay jumped to his mother who embraced him almost like a human. The mother gorilla looked at me for a while as if thanking me and hurriedly walked away.
I decided not to leave the room and rested on the chair. Before sunsrise, I heard the grunt of the gorilla at the window. I jumped from the chair and ran towards the window. And lo! There she was with Lona nicely cuddled in her arms. She slowly let Lona on the ground and taking two steps backward disappeared into the darkness.
by Zafar Shakur
As my friend and I were walking along the path to my grandmother's house, we suddenly heard a strange cry. Though we tried to investigate, it was impossible in this thick Zairean jungle.
Surprised and puzzled, we continued on our way. After an hour, we saw Granny's bungalow, which was surrounded by a beautiful garden and several fountains.
After knocking, we were let in by my grandmother, who seemed to be very much disturbed. Naturally, my first question to her was whether she was alright and the answer given by her was a great shock to us. A gorilla had taken away Lona, her granddaughter and my cousin, when she was playing in the garden.
Though we were upset ourselves, we tried to calm her.
At dinner, she seemed to be a bit stable and though the food looked very delicious, no one could feel the taste and everyone seemed to have lost appetite.
Early next morning we heard rumbling sounds of trucks at a distance and my grandmother told us that those were her lumberjacks who were on their way to the jungle and that they all had their living quarters behind her bungalow.
Though the authorities were informed of the incident and the game wardens were combing the dense forest, my friend and I left the bungalow after breakfast just to see what we could do to help. As we were passing through the rows of living quarters, we heard a strange cry. We bought thought that it must be Lona and rushed to the quarter from where the cry seemed to come. We peeped through an open window which had iron bars. To our surprise and dissapointment, we saw a weldmash cage inside the room and a small gorilla baby caged inside.
My friend could not udnerstand why I was engulfed in deep thoughts and he was even more surprised when I asked him to stay where he was. iw as almos ton ym fours, searching ther ground under the window and gave a cry of joy when I saw a huge paw mark of a gorilla on the soft soil.
I caught my friend's hand and pulled him to my granny's who was as much surprised and annoyed to know that one fo her employees had captured and caged a gorilla baby. The employee was summoned and said that he felt pity when he saw a small gorila baby lonely in the jungle and brought it home.
Neither my friend nor granny could understand why I requested to the employee to allow me to sleep in the room where the gorilla baby was kept.
I was resting in an easy chair kept in the corner of the room and kept the electric light on. Teh gorilla baby seemed to be restless but got used to it.
Just after midnight when the place was very quiet, I heard a sound of breaking twigs and then a faint grunt, as a figure loomed at the window. i slowly got up fromt he chair and walked towards the cage. The mother gorilla at the window got furious and seemed to pull down the window by pulling its bars with all her force. I slowly unbolted the cage and stretched my arms and the baby gorilla jumped onto my arm. I took it out and went towards the window. The mother gorilla seemed to understand me and stood still. As the bars were a good distant apart, I passed the baby through them and the bay jumped to his mother who embraced him almost like a human. The mother gorilla looked at me for a while as if thanking me and hurriedly walked away.
I decided not to leave the room and rested on the chair. Before sunsrise, I heard the grunt of the gorilla at the window. I jumped from the chair and ran towards the window. And lo! There she was with Lona nicely cuddled in her arms. She slowly let Lona on the ground and taking two steps backward disappeared into the darkness.
ZaFaR