The camel that tasted a toffee

I was a five-year-old little girl when this story started. We went for a vacation to Jaisalmer, the desert town in Rajasthan, in the winter holidays. First time I travelled in a bus where I could sleep in a small room, called a cabin. I clapped loudly when I shut the door of our cabin and made it our own small place. The bus took one night to reach the city of Jaisalmer. I saw the golden fort standing like a giant yellow palace in front of us. Holding the hand of my father, I walked up to the fort to see the places inside in awe. We visited the old havelis built by the kings and merchant of this part of India. Every old building made of yellow stones was so nicely kept that I loved them. We could not resist to click pictures to keep memories of our tour. 

As part of the plan, we hired a jeep to experience the real desert. On the way, we popped into an old desert village where, people said, lived a bunch of ghosts. The village had many broken stone houses kept empty for hundred years. No one was allowed to stay there during the night. But being a brave girl, I was not scared to look round the houses and inspect them. A puppy which was playing on the sandy road with its friends came closer to me, and I loved the little animal immediately. I thought he loved me too. I suggested that I would take it home in Delhi. Oh my god! My parents just refused my proposal saying it was impossible. I didn’t expect this behaviour and burst into tears in great sorrow. I wanted it at any cost. Without it, I thought, I would not be able to live. My Mom tried to make me understand how I could not separate the little one from its mother. When I didn’t stop crying, they hold my hands and took me back to the jeep to visit the desert called Thar. 

The plan was to watch the sunset sitting on a camel back. It was late afternoon when we reached the spot where rows of camels were waiting for tourists. We chose one and spoke to its owner, a young boy. He was happy to guide us on his camel through the sand dunes. With his instruction, the huge camel sat down so we could ride on its back. I was frightened as I thought I would fall. But it seemed the animal liked us. Three of us sat comfortably on its hump. We went ahead up and down through the wavy sand dunes. It was such an amazing journey that I screamed in joy. Father tried to add a bit more happiness. He took out a few toffees from his pocket and offered me one to eat. But alas! I failed to catch that, and it fell on the sand in front of the camel. The animal paused, looked at the strange shiny sticky open toffee and took it in its mouth. To my surprise it turned back its head to give it back to me. I was confused. Should I accept it or not? I could see the toffee stuck with fine grains of sand. It was dirty. How could I eat that? So, I denied it. The camel didn’t mind and swallowed it quickly. I was glad to see him chewing my favourite sweet. The cute animal got a reward for carrying us to the sunset point.

...............

Written by Atabi and her father

♠  ♠  ♠

Place: Train to Delhi from Hyderabad, 8 June 2024