9.THE BLUE JACKAL
Whoever leaves his friends
Strange folk to cherish,
Like foolish Fierce- Howl, will
Untimely perish


Close to Himalayas the hills of Sivaliks was the abode of number of wild animals. The tigers, cheetahs, the lions, jackals, huge elephants, wild boars, wild buffaloes, the spotted dears all coexisted and lived in the thick verdant woods the hills were covered with. At those times the foliage was so thick, the trees so tall and entwined with host of plants that it was difficult for even the Sun to penetrate the heart of the forest, so thick and dense it was. The animals no doubt roamed freely but were always at loggerheads with one another trying to establish their supremacy.

The Lion by natural selection considered itself the king of the forest. But the group of strong wild elephants, ferocious tigers, the daring and fast moving cheetahs could not accept the supremacy of the Lion so easily. The animals but were living in apparent calmness, though there was seething unrest, yet the business of living was going unhampered. The beasts of prey were forever hunting trying to get hold of the deer and cattle while the grass eating and peace-loving gentry were ever on the alert, keeping their reflexes well tuned to dodge the animals that hunt. Thus the tug of war went on in the jungle floors and the animals nevertheless coexisted taking care of their needs.

In this group was a particularly cunning jackal called Sevak. The jackals always had there foot both in the human and animal territory. Howling loudly as the night set in, as they were not strong enough to catch their prey in the wild competitive jungles, they descended on the villages below the foothills and tried their luck in getting away with a fowl or hen from the houses of the village folks.

It was an eerie night. The moon had taken leave of the sky and the entire place was clothed in darkness. The pack of jackals thought it was the right day to hunt in the villages below. They had their eyes sharply focused in the deadening darkness and went on a rampage in the village below. The farmers there were clever. Anticipating such expeditions of the jackals they had reared strong muscled loyal dogs. Getting the scent of the jackals the dogs went to defend their master’s property and attacked the jackals back. The cunning one Sevak too was in the group. But while other jackals managed to escape, Sevak scrambling to get away got in to the house of the washer man and dyer of the village. Now in the back yard was kept a large wooden vat filed with Indigo dye. In the rush and anxiety of trying to get away the poor Sevak fell in to the huge Indigo vat and Lo! He came out of the vat a deeply dyed Indigo animal a scarce resemblance of the jackal that went in. Sevak of course did not realize this metamorphism. While the village dogs barked and chased, tugging his tail between the legs he went scrambling back to the forest. Not a successful hunt thought Sevak while his stomach was rumbling with hunger demanding some good food.

A deeply dyed indigo jackal on entering the forest was not recognized by the rest of the animals. He presented a weird and out of the world picture. Nobody had ever seen a deep blue/indigo creature. Generally they were acquainted with shades of brown, yellow even red but never an indigo animal. Sevak was looking like a weird stranger in his own native land. As an unknown thing is always feared and looked with apprehension. The other animals on seeing him, fearing the worst, thinking an unknown fearful creature has entered the forest, scrambled for cover and safety. Some hid behind the bushes, some went hurrying in their burrows, while some hid in the safety of their caves. All of a sudden the bustling forest in the night started getting a deserted look as Sevak proceeded further. Even the mighty Lion stopped roaring, tigers stopped its prowl, and Cheetahs hung in the mid air in between their leaps and monkeys stopped chattering and screeching seeing the sight of this strange creature walking around. Thus the entire forest was under a grip of fear that a strange creature of unknown potential has entered the forest.

Sevak soon became wise of the going ons. He realised for some reason suddenly the animals that paid least respect to him are now behaving as though an intimidating monarch has entered their kingdom. Cunning as he was he decided to take advantage of the situation.

He called out to the animals running away in fear. `Look wild creatures where are you trying to hide yourself. In front of you is your new king appointed by the Lord of Gods, Lord Indra himself to take care of your welfare. Hence all of you come here and accept me as your new king or else you will have to face the wrath of the Gods, as this is the order from the Gods ruling the earth and heaven from the skies. So you show me the place to stay and rule you all. On hearing this the animals hurriedly consulted in whispers one another. `Yes indeed their seem to be truth in his statement. We have never in our life seen an animal of this hue. Hence he might have been sent by Gods, as Gods must be aware of our tussle of leadership. Hence to solve it amicably a benevolent stranger has been sent in our midst to take care of the welfare of the forest and we animals. Hence let us accept this mighty though unknown creature as the God sent king’ Thus saying the lions, tigers, cheetahs, monkeys, rabbits, gazelles, jackals and other species of wild animals humbly bowed before him.

Sevak was given a place of honour. The animals unanimously accepted him as the God send king and humbly and willingly started to serve him. He was given a prime place in the center of the forest. The animals went around hunting for the prey and what ever they could manage to hunt first brought it to the king, allowed him to partake and than they willingly ate the rest with a holy feeling as left out of the offering to the king and a demi God send by Lord Indra himself for the welfare of their forest. Sevak now Lord and master assigned duties to the animals in fitness of his kingship. Lion was made the prime minister, tiger Lord of the bedchamber, elephant the doorkeeper and monkey the bearer of the royal parasol. The animals considered it as their honour and conscientiously discharged their duties.

Time went on pleasantly for Sevak whose Indigo color had done the trick. A strong dye it was it stuck to him fast giving little clue as to his true identity.

As they say too much of pleasure dumbs the senses, Sevak the jackal now the king and demi God was getting his food without any strive or strife and was getting lulled in the leisurely ways.

One day as he was relaxing after a good sumptuous meal and having nothing much to occupy him, he heard close to his abode sound of pack of jackals howling.

Hearing his kith so howling suddenly stirred his heartstrings. His heart yearned to join them whose familiar company he so badly missed in his gilded cage.

He threw caution to winds. Went out lent his voice full throatily and returned the howl.
The animals on hearing it immediately realised the true color of their new king and he is none other than sevak the jackal. They felt ashamed to have so easily fooled with the glib talk of the cunning jackal.

`Look we have been deceived by this jackal, let us kill him’ said the animals.

The poor jackal realised his mistake and tried to run, however the lion caught him and with a blow of one paw killed him’.

It is never wise to leave ones own kith and put on act of a different person or else one will meet the fate like the blue jackal.