The Jungle

By Aarna Shah

Once there was a jungle. Many animals lived in the jungle. Cockie the cock always woke up everyone early in the morning. Everyone except Dodo the deer disliked him. Cockie tried very hard to win their friendship, but the others couldn’t get over their dislike towards him. But Dodo was very wise and she understood that it was in his nature to cluck in the morning.

One day Leo the lion (the king of the jungle) announced that Cockie could no longer stay in the jungle as he disturbed their sleep. Cockie was shocked to hear the announcement. Dodo went to his cockhouse to comfort him. Dodo heard some weeping noises as she made her way to Cockie’s cockhouse. She understood that that was Cockie. She knocked on the door and when no reply came, she entered. There, she saw him crying and weeping. She went to Cockie and told him that she was with him and she would try to explain Leo. “Thanks Dodo but I don’t think Leo will listen to you.”, Cockie said. “He will.”, replied Dodo. Then Cockie said, “You can try.”

So, she went to Leo and told him to let Cockie stay in the jungle. Leo did not agree with Dodo and said that Cockie disturbed the sleep of the animals and so he could not let Cockie stay in the jungle any longer. The calm and mature Dodo got very angry and walked away. “I have to teach Leo and all the other animals a lesson.”, Dodo thought. So off she went, to put her plan into action.

First, she gathered all the animals except Leo and the other lions. She said, “Don’t you think Leo and the other lions roar too much and disturb us by roaring continuously when we are doing some important work? They also attack and eat our babies. We should tell them to stop doing these things if they want to continue being the king of the jungle.” “You are absolutely right Dodo. We have to talk to the lions about this.”, replied the other animals.

Next, she gathered all the animals except Mr Giffy and the other giraffes. She said, “Don’t you think Mr Giffy and the other giraffes are too tall? Whenever we need to talk to them, we have to strain our necks to look up and talk to them. We should tell them to shorten their necks so that our necks don’t get strained.” “You are absolutely right”, nodded everyone in agreement.

Then she gathered everyone except Emily and the other elephants. Dodo said, “Don’t you think Emily and the other elephants occupy too much space? We get so less space to live. We should tell them to leave the jungle and go.” “Yes, we will tell this to the elephants.”, replied the other animals.

So, like this Dodo pitted all the animals against each other. All the animals started arguing with each other and a fight broke out in the forest. Seeing this hullabaloo Leo understood Dodo’s plan. He realized that it was not Cockie’s fault that he woke everyone up, it was in his nature. He ordered all the animals to stop fighting. He explained Dodo’s plan to all of them. “Brilliant idea, Dodo.”, said all the animals.

Leo and the other animals apologised to Cockie. They had understood that if they wanted to live together, they had to cooperate with each other too. Cockie said, “Thank you very much for helping me, Dodo.” “Your most welcome”, Dodo replied.

From that day onwards, each and every animal of the jungle, even the very mean Mr. Slithers the Snake was friends with Cockie. The jungle life had become really nice and peaceful. Cockie was very happy and owed her happiness to Dodo.

By Aarna Shah