Rats

In the beginning there were only a few rats. No one took any notice of them. After a few days there were hundreds of rats and after a few weeks there were thousands of rats.

Every animal of the forest was unhappy. Rats had made their life miserable.

The lion convened a meeting. The monkey thought that he was wisest of them all. He said, “I know a man who lives in the nearby town. When he plays his flute, all the rats of the town follow him.”

“That happens in a story, I have read it,” said the bear.

“That story is about this man. If we invite him, he may help us,” the monkey said.

“Why would he help us?” asked the lion.

“We may have to pay the price he demands. I will meet him and find out his price.”

“Do it, immediately,” the lion said impatiently. Rats were everywhere in his cave.

The monkey came back from the town next day. “He just wants a selfie with you,” the monkey informed the lion.

“Just a selfie?” the lion thought for a moment. “He can take a selfie if he can rid this jungle of all these dirty rats.”

“But he wants a selfie riding….”

“He wants to ride a lion?” The lion glared at the monkey.

“He will get millions of views on his post if…...”

“Every fool nowadays is after cheap publicity. Go ahead and ask him to come immediately.”

The man came.

All animals were curiously watching him. He uncovered his flute pompously and started playing it.

As the sound of his flute floated in the forest, the rats came out of there holes and started gathering around him.

In the beginning there were a few rats. After a few minutes, there were hundreds of rats. After a few minutes more, there were thousands of rats around him. All rats were attentively looking at him and listening to the music.

The man started walking slowly towards the river.

But not one rat followed him.

He kept walking and playing the flute.  But the rats didn’t move, not even one step forward.

Exasperated the man shouted, “Why aren’t you all following me? Can’t you hear the sounds of music?”

Rats remained silent. Then one rat said, “That happens only in a fairy tale.”

The rat laughed loudly. All the rats started laughing.

The flute-player looked crestfallen. He saw the monkey growling at him.

“They will follow me; just wait and watch.”

But the rats kept laughing at him.

The lion was angry. He roared furiously and the flute-player ran for his life.

****

A post for A to Z challenge

Today’s letter R

You may like to read my earlier post here Queen