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Singing in the Dark
A folktale from India
Retold by Jackie Baldwin
Long ago in a small town in India, there lived a washerman and his skinny, old donkey Ghonchu. Every morning Ghonchu carried a pile of dirty clothes for the washerman to the river and returned the washed clothes in the evening. At night Ghonchu was allowed to do whatever he wanted.
As he roamed around, he met a fox named Chameli. They became friends and went out every evening to look for something to eat.
One night they discovered a cucumber farm. Ghonchu’s mouth watered at the sight of those big, juicy cucumbers. They tiptoed into the field. Ghonchu feasted on cucumbers, while Chameli devoured chickens from the poultry farm next door. At the break of dawn they returned to their homes. This went on for weeks and soon the thin and weak Ghonchu looked fat and healthy, thanks to the cucumbers.
One night Ghonchu, after filling up on luscious cucumbers, gazed dreamily into the sky: “Ahhhhh, just look up there! The full moon is shimmering so beautifully and the gentle breeze is so refreshing. This is a perfect night, and I’m in the mood for singing.”
Chameli gulped. “My friend, don’t start singing now. You might wake up the watchmen. We are stealing their cucumbers and you would be inviting trouble by singing.”
But Ghonchu was in no mood to listen. “Don’t be silly. The weather is fabulous. I’m happy and contented. So isn’t that a good excuse to sing?”
The fox persisted, “No, dear friend, no. It’s better to keep quiet. And I hate to say it, but you don’t sing very well. Your voice is quite harsh.” He had heard the donkey bray many times. Ghonchu couldn’t take it anymore. “You’re just jealous!” he thundered. “What do you know about singing anyway?”
Chameli admitted, “It’s true I don’t know a thing about music. But once you start singing you’ll wake up the watchmen, and one thing I do know is that the reward they’ll give you for your song you’ll never forget. So listen to me—just forget about your need to sing for now.”
“Ha! You silly, foolish grouch,” Ghonchu snorted. “You doubt my singing talent? Well, here’s a song just for you.” With that, Ghonchu raised his head toward the sky.
“Stop! Stop!” cried Chameli. “If you want to sing, then at least let me get out of here. Then you can sing to your heart’s content. I’ll wait for you outside the farm.” And off he ran. As soon as the fox left, the donkey started singing at the top of his lungs and from the bottom of his heart.
The silence of the night was broken by Ghonchu’s loud brays. The sleeping watchmen jerked awake and, armed with their sticks, ran toward the donkey. Ghonchu, lost in his heartfelt singing, was completely confused when he felt the sticks beating across his back. The lashing continued until the donkey collapsed. The watchmen then tied a huge boulder around Ghonchu’s neck and left him in the field to die.
Meanwhile Chameli waited for Ghonchu outside the fields. After some time, Ghonchu regained consciousness and managed to free himself from the boulder and totter to the gate. As soon as Chameli saw his friend limping along, he went up to him: “Well, my friend, I see that you have been well rewarded for your singing.”
Ghonchu sheepishly replied, “ Don’t rub it in, my friend. I should have listened to you!” And big donkey tears filled his eyes.
Moral: Sometimes our friends really do have our best interests in their hearts.
Family Fun With Cucumbers
Cucumber Chains
Cut a cucumber into 2-inch long cylinders.
Remove the core with a paring knife.
Slice it into ¼-inch rings.
Make a slit in every other ring.
Link the rings together to form a chain.
Jackie Baldwin is the host of Story Lovers World on Sun FM 91.3, Sundays from 5 to 6 p.m. Her column supports sustainable agriculture and encourages families to plant their own gardens. To achieve this goal, the Sonoma Valley Sun is offering one free packet of seeds each week to anyone who drops by our offices at 158 W. Napa Street, Sonoma.
The seeds for this week are cucumbers!
