Ahab and the Magician Hawk

The day is Sunday. For Maini, the summer holidays have started. “Maini, come have your breakfast,” called out her mother who was making the breakfast ready. Maini answered, “Yes Mamma, here I am”. “Yummy, sandwich and orange juice, I love it”, Maini exclaimed.

After having breakfast, Maini went into her room and saw that all her toys were properly kept in their places. Suddenly, she heard the doorbell and ran to open it. She saw Sitara and Tanishq who came to play with her. Her mother came out of the kitchen. Maini asked her mother, “Mamma, shall I go out to play with Sitara and Tanishq?” “Yes Maini, go and play in the garden, but be careful”, answered her mother.

They walked into the garden. It was a big garden with flowers like marigold, jasmine and roses blossoming and spreading beautiful fragrances. There were trees like mango tree, coconut tree and fig tree on the sides of the garden. Sitara and Maini were picking up flowers lying on the ground. Tanishq was walking near the bushes where he saw a rabbit. He went near it. It was a tiny white rabbit. And oh! What’s that! There was a very tiny creature sitting on the rabbit’s neck holding on to its ears. The creature looked like a tiny boy. “Ohhh! Sitara, Maini, come and see this”, he called out. “A tiny boy sitting on a rabbit’s ear”!

Sitara and Maini came running and sat down to see. “Oh no, how can a boy be so small”, Maini said. She continued, “Can he talk like us”? Sitara was still puzzled at the sight.

Tanishq asked the boy, “What is your name?” The boy called him nearer and said loudly “My name is Ahab”. On hearing the name, Tanishq said loudly, “Ahab, hah ha…. What a strange name! But it sounds good”. 

Then he went on to introduce the others. He said, “Ahab, her name is Sitara, hers is Maini and my name is Tanishq. We are all very happy to meet you. Will you be our friend?”

“Oh! My pleasure”, said Ahab. “Ahab, tell us something about your self. How old are you? And where have you come from?” asked Maini.