Stories For A Summer Noon

By Swapna Dutta

What happens when Rahul, Neha and Juhi, caught in a sudden storm, seek shelter in a bungalow with seven pillars destroyed by the tsunami years ago? Can Kuttu save his mango tree when his father is forced to sell it to the village carpenter because of drought? What does peace-loving booa-dadi do when confront

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ukiyoto Publishing
• Release date: Sep 28, 2022
• ISBN: 9789360494223

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Stories For

A Summer Noon

Swapna Dutta

Ukiyoto Publishing

All global publishing rights are held by

Ukiyoto Publishing

Published in 2022

Content Copyright © Swapna Dutta

All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted, or stored in a retrieval system, in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher.

The moral rights of the author have been asserted.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise circulated, without the publisher’s prior consent, in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published.

Acknowledgements

A dog named Rocky, Mohan Chacha’s Violin, The Mango Tree and The Journey were first published in Target (The Living Media). A week to Remember, One Summer Evening and Munna and Bholu were first published in Children’s World (Children’s Book Trust). Ratul makes a Friend and The Bungalow with Seven Pillars were published in Young World (The Hindu). Yesterday was published in Muse India.

Foreword

This collection has an assortment of stories to suit varied moods and a backdrop of different locales—metro city, small town and village. Some stories belong to the present; a few to the distant past and some stories portray perennial themes, true of all times. I have put them together because I know from experience that children love variety.

Contents

A Dog Named Rocky

Mohan Chacha’s Violin

The Mango Tree

A Week To Remember!

Ratul Makes A Friend

One Summer Evening

Munna And Bholu

The Journey

The Bungalow With Seven Pillars

Yesterday

About the Author

A Dog Named Rocky

C

humki had not really planned to keep a dog. Not because she did not love them but because dogs are so short-lived. Before you know where you are, the cuddlesome pup turns into a full-fledged dog and by the time he becomes as much a part of the family as anyone else, it’s time to say good-bye! Having faced it once, Chumki did not want to go through it all over again. Bobo, her little sister, felt the same. And her parents agreed. But some things in life happen unexpectedly. Rocky’s coming was one of them.

One evening Chumki was playing in the garden with Bobo when a chubby cream-and-black Alsatian dashed in. Look! cried Bobo. Where has this dog come from?

Oh, what a darling! cried Chumki, patting him. I wonder who he belongs to. The dog licked both sisters and then made a dash for the ball.

He wants to play with us, said Bobo. Don’t you remember, this is exactly what our Jimmy used to do? Chumki’s eyes grew moist. Jim had been her special pet and she still missed him badly. She picked up the red ball and threw it to the dog. He leaped up and caught it, his tail wagging nineteen to the dozen.

Rocky! Rocky! shouted a man’s voice from the other end of the road. The dog pricked up his ears, dropped the ball and ran out of the gate.

I wish I knew who he belongs to, said Chumki wistfully. He’s such a cute fellow. Wouldn’t it be lovely if we could play with him sometimes?

I don’t suppose the owner would let him play with strangers, said Bobo. I wonder how he managed to come at all.

Our gate must have been open, said Chumki. You know how we forget to close it sometimes.

Well, we are not likely to play with him again, said Bobo, looking at the gate.

But Rocky came again. And again! He dashed in, eager and confident of being welcome, his tail thumping vigorously as he licked everyone by turn, and settled down in a corner.  He was so winsome that everyone loved him from the word go. He’s a charmer, said Chumki’s father, "but please don’t forget that he belongs to someone else. His owner might not like his coming to visit us so often.

Don’t encourage him. Chumki’s mother tried to resist but failed miserably when she saw the look in his eyes and the mute appeal which seemed to say Don’t send me away!" He belonged to someone else but he wanted to stay here! It was a hopeless tangle!

Gradually his period of staying grew longer and longer. Chumki’s mother did not allow the children to feed him. It was not right to feed someone else’s pet, she told them firmly. But Rocky did not come for food.

He always came in around mid-morning, pushing the door open with his nose. He knocked with his paws when the door was locked. He sat on the steps patiently when the family was out. The children were never home when Rocky came but he ambled in and lay on the carpet waiting for Chumki and Bobo to return from school. He stayed on until their father returned home from the office and the whole family had a game of ball in the garden. Then they would insist on his going back home. Home! Rocky, HOME! GO, GO! they would call out in a chorus.  Rocky never failed to give them a reproachful look as he went away slowly, his tail tucked between his legs, looking the picture of misery. 

Chumki felt as miserable as he did. But there was nothing she could do! She could not keep something else’s pet! That would be stealing.

Why don’t you keep him altogether? asked Mrs. Arora, their neighbour. The owners would neither know nor care!

"Do you know