SHYAM AND THE BABY SQUIRREL

Shyam’s family moved into a beautiful suburban house surrounded by lovely trees and bushes after being in the heart of the city amid smoke and noise for decades. Shyam was eight and studying in third standard. The first friend he made in the new house was a baby squirrel. It happened like this. The tiny squirrel chased by a tomcat ran into the house the day after they moved in. But for the intervention by Shyam, he would have met his end in the jaws of the hungry tomcat. .The baby squirrel was petrified for some time. Shyam took an instant liking to him. He picked up the baby squirrel, placed him gently on his palm, and caressed him. A friendship was born. The baby squirrel named Pintoo, felt secure and reassured in the cupped palms of Shyam. From that time Shyam never played without Pintoo, never ate without Pintoo..The Cat and Rats story .The only hurdle in the beginning was Jimmy the Alsatian, who disliked the idea of sharing Shyam’s attention with this strange being. Many times he tried to chase away Pintoo. But after being repeatedly scolded for harassing poor Pintoo, Jimmy understood he could not break the bond that had developed between his little master and the little being. There was only one thing to do. He too should learn to love Pintoo..One afternoon Shyam, being sick, was asleep in his room. Jimmy was chained. Pintoo was having a nice time nibbling at half ripe mangoes with which the tree in the courtyard was abound. It was a picture of peace until a thug of a fellow came on the scene with a slingshot in his hand and blood soaked bag on his shoulder..THE GREAT RESCUE!.He spied Pintoo from the other side of the compound wall. Pintoo was unaware of what was about to happen to him. One second he was there tasting the tender mango, the next second he lay on the ground one of his rear legs crushed by a pellet shot by the intruder. The screech he let out alerted Jimmy who started barking. But before Shyam came out, the intruder had picked up the wounded Pintoo, put him into his bag and scaled the wall..Shyam reacted with sharp presence of mind. He dashed to Jimmy and untied him. Jimmy leapt across the wall and grabbed the fleeing intruder by the calf of his leg. The man screamed, dropped the shoulder bag, tore himself free from Jimmy and ran for life. When Shyam looked into the blood stained bag he saw a dozen squirrels all almost dead. When he emptied the bag he was perplexed for he could not recognize Pintoo. But Jimmy was there and he knew the scent of Pintoo. He picked out Pintoo without difficulty. Pintoo, along with other squirrels that survived, was taken to a vet. The vet was all praise for Shyam for being compassionate towards animals and in the most exemplary fashion! .Story For Children: PINKY AND BRUTE BROWN

SHYAM AND THE BABY SQUIRREL

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