Python’s friend

There was a huge green python living in the dense corner of a rainforest. Her name was Piri. She used to coil herself to the branch of a hollow Banyan tree. Piri was smart, shiny, and lonely. In the junglee language spoken by other animals Piri meant ‘dangerous’. But Piri was a harmless snake. She never thought of disturbing or attacking anyone. She never spit venom, but she had love for others inside her heart. She wanted to talk to other animals and make them friends, but she couldn’t. All other animals in the forest were frightened by her appearance. They thought Piri would easily gulp them down if they came closer to her.

One day a white rabbit was hopping near Piri’s home, the hollow banyan tree. It was looking for good quality hay and grass for breakfast. Piri was hanging from an upper branch of the Banyan tree and enjoying the fresh morning breeze. She noticed the rabbit and called him, “Brother Rabbit, can we be friends? I want to play with you.” The rabbit looked up at the large python and quaked with fear. He ran away from the tree and mumbled, “I can’t do that. I am not a fool. I know you will eat me up.” Before the python could say anything, the rabbit vanished into the bush.

Next morning, Piri was again at her place on the hollow banyan tree. She was enjoying the first sunrays kissing her shiny body. But she was eager to make a friend. She looked down at the ground to find someone. There was a red and yellow jungle fowl walking across the forest floor. It was searching for sweet grass seeds that only grew near the banyan tree. The python hissed from the tree-top, “Hey fowl, can we be friends? I want to play with you.” The fowl looked up and found the large python calling him for friendship. The bird was so panicked that it ran as fast as it could. Piri could only hear him crying, “I can’t do that. I am not a fool. I know you will eat me up.” The fowl quickly disappeared behind the Gulmohar grove.

Piri was totally frustrated. Nobody wanted to talk to her. She came out of her burrow and slithered away to the golden yellow river bank. She stared at her reflection in the crystal-clear water and tried to console herself. “Can’t there be someone who will love me and play with me,” she asked herself. A small fish heard her sad voice and came near her. Popping its tiny head above the water, the fish asked the python, “Do you want to make friends?” Piri answered with a gloomy face, “Yes little fish, but nobody likes me. Any animal I try to speak to considers me an eater, but believe me, I am not.” She sought an advice, “Can you tell me, fish, what I can do?” By now the little fish realized how sad and lonely the huge snake was. He replied, “I can give you a suggestion which was given by my school master.” The python was eager to hear that. The fish continued, “She says all want to look attractive in others’ eyes. If you call someone beautiful, he will feel that you like him. He will come near you to be your friend. Why don’t you try that out?” Saying that the fish dived deep into the water. Piri was happy that she got an answer. She came back to her home with hopes in her mind.

Next morning, she woke up and crawled to the bottom of the tree. She found a spotted deer grazing at a distance in the meadow. The deer was so busy with chewing the grass that she didn’t notice Piri lying beside him. “You're gifted with such a lovely brown coat with gold-like spots that no one in this forest possesses. I like this design. It looks wonderful.” With a frightening face, the deer looked at Piri and wanted to run away. But the python’s appreciative words made her stop. “Are you planning to attack me, Piri?” the deer asked. Piri sighed and exclaimed, “I’m telling you some nice words since I really like your appearance. What a bad luck I have! You’re thinking oppositely.” The deer felt less anxious. He replied, “I’m so sorry if I hurt you. The animals in this forest say that you’re a real danger to us.” The python lowered her head. She said, “I know it isn’t their fault. They only look at my enormous ugly body, not my mind that is crazy about someone’s friendship.” The deer came a little closer and said, “Don’t say you’re ugly. You also look good in your banana-leaf like skin. It’s so beautiful.” For the first time in her life, Piri heard some words of appreciation. She was overwhelmed with joy and couldn’t speak a word.

Next morning when Piri was hanging from her usual place, she heard the deer calling her. “Friend Piri, what are you doing there? Come down to the forest floor. Before I graze I would like to chat with you.” The python descended to the place where the deer was waiting. They sat on a large flat stone to have a chat. They talked about their daily life, shared their experience, and exchanged their liking. The topics they discussed flowed from one to another. It seemed they were friends forever. That was the beginning of their friendship. Every morning the deer and the python spent some time together. The other animals gazed at them curiously. Gradually they understood that Piri was like any other animal, and not fearsome at all. They also visited the green python and slowly became her friends.

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