C for Chattering Cat

“An irrational number is a number which cannot be expressed in the form p/q where p and q are two integers and…………”

The boy had stopped listening. ‘Why can’t he explain in simple language,’ he thought.

He looked through the window pane. The playground was empty. Not even a bird was there.

Then he saw a cat.

The cat was playing with a stick. No, it wasn’t a stick. It was his magic wand that the bandicoot had stolen from him.

The boy took permission from the teacher to go to the washroom.

The teacher gave him a dirty look and nodded.

He ran towards the playground. He saw the cat. She growled at him.

“Why did you leave the class?” the cat asked. “You will never understand what irrational numbers are. Go back to your class.”

“I hate mathematics. Who gave you my magic wand? Where is that thief, that bandicoot? Give me my magic wand.”

“I hate to tell you that bandicoot was no good. Your grandfather had asked him to bring something from your home. But that rascal just wanted to get hold of this magic wand so that he could turn every cat into a butterfly. I told him that only silkworms turn into butterflies.  But he would not listen. I had to teach him a lesson. But why do you hate mathematics?”

“Stop! Not one more word about mathematics, you chatterbox,” the boy almost screamed.

“How dare you insult me! You are a foolish boy who does not even know the difference between an ordinary pencil and a magic wand. What did you do with your grandfather? Did you turn him into a flower pot? Or a white pigeon?” The cat said, pointing towards a white pigeon that had just landed near the boy.

The boy was taken aback.

“I think I will punish you. Only if I knew the magic word. What is the magic word?” asked the cat.

The boy did not tell the magic word.  

A squirrel came running. The cat dropped the magic wand and ran after the squirrel.

The boy grabbed his magic wand and ran back to the classroom.

When he reached home, he quietly peeped into the grandfather’s room.

He was not there. But he was surprised to see the chattering cat in the room; she was sleeping on the grandfather’s bed.

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A post for A to Z Challenge

Today’s letter C

You may like to read my earlier post B for Bandicoot.

 

B for Bandicoot

He had hardly switched off the light when he heard someone knocking at the door. He opened the door but there was no one outside his room.

As he was closing the door, he heard the knock again. Then he heard someone calling in a strange, squeaking voice, “I am here, at the window; please open the window.”

The boy felt slightly scared. But he opened the window. He saw a large rat standing on his hind legs, his front paws were on window-sill.

“A rat!” blurted the boy.

“Don’t insult me. I’m not a rat. I am a bandicoot. I have message from your grandfather.”

“Dadu? Where is he? He vanished….…...”

The bandicoot quickly interrupted him. “I know everything. But he is very happy wherever he is.  He wants you to send him his tooth-brush and glasses.”

“But why doesn’t he come back from wherever he is? I miss him.”

“I don’t know. If you give me the magic wand and tell me the magic word, I could try sending him back.”

The boy took out the magic wand from his school bag and gave it to the bandicoot and said, “The magic word is…...”

“You think I am a fool. It is not a magic wand. It is just an ordinary pencil,” the bandicoot glared at the boy.

“No, it is the magic wand.”

“Prove it.”

The boy touched the bandicoot with the magic wand and said the magic word, “Abracadabra!”

Nothing happened. The bandicoot laughed, “Funny, isn’t?”

There was a knock at the door.

“Don’t open the door,” cried bandicoot. Before the boy could say anything, the bandicoot snatched the magic wand and ran away.

“Stop! Thief!” the boy shouted but the bandicoot had vanished.

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A post for A to Z challenge

Today’s letter B

You may like to read my earlier post   A for Abracadabra

 

 

 

 

A for Abracadabra

“Dadu, what’s this word? I can’t even say it.”

Old man was gazing intently at a far-off tree. He slowly shifted his gaze from the tree to the young boy, his grandson. The child is as beautiful as that tree, he thought.

He looked at the word, “Abracadabra.”

“Abracadabra?” boy appeared confused. “What does it mean? Is it a magic word?”

“I think so.”

“What magic will happen if I say this word?”

“You can make any thing vanish.”

“Are you serious?”

“Of course! But you need a magic wand. The word alone won’t do any magic.”

“Magic wand?”

“Imagine this is a magic wand,” old man gave him a pencil that was on his writing desk. “Touch something with this magic wand and say the magic word. The thing will vanish.”

The boy didn’t hesitate even for a second. He touched his grandfather’s writing desk with the magic wand and said, rather seriously, “Abracadabra!”

Nothing happened. He looked at the old man. “Try again. Touch that brass lion,” grandfather said, pointing to a small brass lion kept on a counter.

The boy touched the brass lion and said, “Abracadabra!” The lion did not vanish.

The boy raised his eyes mockingly. He then touched his grandfather with the magic wand and said, Abracadabra!”

The grandfather vanished.

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A post for A-to-Z Challenge

Today’s letter A

 

  

 

 

A-to-Z Challenge

I took part in A-to-Z Challenge in 2016 and, after a long gap, in 2024. Last year I skipped again. But this year I think I will take a chance.

I have chosen no particular theme but I will try to write a few stories and poems for kids. But if I can’t write something good for children I may fall back on frivolous rambling.

I trust you will support me in this journey.

 

A Tree

“Dadu, can I have that tree?”

The old man laughed, “It’s a….it can’t be a tree!”

“Then why are so many kingfishers sitting on it? It must be a tree. And there are some parrots also. I want that tree, please.”

“Let me smell it,” the old man pressed his large, plump nose on the glass.

“I think you are right.”

The kid smiled, “Should we go in?”

“Of course. If you want a tree, you will have a tree.”

The kid held grandfather’s calloused hand in his tiny left hand and said softly, “Be careful, one of the steps is broken.”

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Word count 101

A post for Friday Fictioneers on a picture post.

 

Hunter

Photo prompt © Lisa Fox

 

 

“Do you see that man over there?”

“Where? Which man?”

“There…. On that red building…. You see that signboard.”

“What of him?”

“He has a gun. He is a hunter?”

“Don’t be silly, he has no gun. He seems perfectly harmless.”

“No, you don’t understand. Jinxy had told me. He knows everything. That man must be a hunter.”

“And what would he be hunting here?”

“Sky-dragons.”

“Jinxy would have told you about sky-dragons?”

“Yes, he knows everything.”

They heard a gunshot. The little boy screamed.

Father patted him lightly and pointed to a screeching car. It had a tyre burst.

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Word count 100

A post for Friday Fictioneers on a picture prompt

 

The Far End

Photo prompt © J Hardy Carroll

“Hurry! Don’t you want to see him?”

“I’m scared.” The younger brother whispered. “Is he fearsome?”

“No, he looks hideous but he is nice…. gentle….”

The little boy could feel his thumping heart.

“Why does he look hideous?’

“How do I know? But he always has a chocolate for little boys.”

They reached the far end of the cemetery. They looked around. There was no one there.

Then the little boy pointed towards a grave.

A man was lying there, his face covered by a cloth. There was chocolate in his left hand.

Elder brother screamed and ran off.

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Word count 99

A post for Friday Fictioneers on a picture prompt