Anushka and Saya Went to a Farm - Part 1

Anushka and Saya Went to a Farm

Part 1

It was last week of June. Anushka was having her summer holidays. She was spending her time by drawing pictures, playing synthesizer, reading books and playing with Saya.

Saya was playing on the swing, see-saw, and slide. She was also watering many flower plants and watermelon plant. But while watering the plants she spent most of the time turning the pipe towards her and playing in the water. At other times she was busy helping (? Messing around) her Mom and doing ‘Bhun-Bhun’. But she always spent some time teasing and disturbing Anushka. She took immense pleasure in doing that.    

One day Daddy came from office. It was Friday. He called them and said, “Tomorrow we are going to a farm for picnic. So be ready early in the morning. We are going to meet the chick on the farm.”

Anushka and Saya were so happy that they began to jump on the bed. Anushka had promised the Chick that she will come to the farm to meet him and she will also bring Saya with her. They were so excited that they had no attention to what they were eating for dinner. 

So Mommy told them, if they wanted to go to the farm, they should get up early. So they should first have dinner properly, sleep early and get up early. So, that day, Anushka and Saya went to bed early.

Next day they got up early in the morning and got ready for the picnic. Mommy took a basket with her. The basket was full of apples, oranges, bananas, snacks, Pharalache padarth – फराळाचे पदार्थ (Chakali, Kadaboli, Chiwada and Karanjya – चकली, कडबोळी, चिवडा आणि करंज्या) and some sandwiches with tomatoes, carrots and cheese. There was a nice soft cake and some crispy cookies too. Some of these things were the gifts for the farm-owner Mr. John uncle and his wife and some were for them for breakfast and lunch. Mommy also brought some corns and carrots for the chicks and other animals on the farm.

It was a fine and warm sunny morning. They went outside the city and now the road was going through countryside. Sometimes they went through a jungle. There was also a small ghat also with winding road going up and then down a small hill. Some part of the road was alongside a river. All were very happy to be in the countryside.

They had light breakfast during the journey. So now they were fresh, full of energy, enthusiastic and excited.

When they reached the farm, Anushka and Saya jumped from the car and began to run. But Daddy called them, “Wait, wait for a minute. I have brought your cycles with us. So go on your cycles.” There was Bicycle for Anushka and tricycle for Saya. So they rode on them and went to the farm very fast. 

 Suddenly Anushka heard a sound. “Hi Anushka, Hi Saya!” And oh! It was the Chick calling them from his coop. The chick was so happy to see them that it was jumping and trying to fly. Anushka and Saya went to its house. But Anushka couldn’t recognize the chick first. Now it was not so small. It was grown up, was bigger in size and had small delicate wings. But she recognized it. 

The Chick ran fast and jumped on the handle of the cycle. “Welcome to the farm!” It cried out loudly. “I am very happy. Now let’s meet my friends on the farm.” There were many other chicks and there was their mother, the Big Fat Hen, also.

“Ok. But first we will meet Mr. John uncle.” Anushka said.

“Hi! Welcome to the farm. How are you?” Uncle John asked.  

“Fine, thank you.” Anushka said. “I have come with my little sister Saya."

"Hi Saya. good to see you. How are you?”

“Fine, thank you uncle.” Saya said.  

“And these are my parents. My Daddy and Mommy.”

“Hallo, good morning.” Daddy and Mommy said.

“Good morning. Welcome!” Uncle John Said.

"Can we go to visit your farm?" Anushka asked.

"Yes, of course. I will tell somebody to show you around."

"This Chick will show us. Okay, Chick let’s go to visit the farm."

Mommy and Daddy offered the presents brought with them to Mr. John and his wife. Then they went to the farm house with Uncle John.

Anushka and Saya went to see the farm.

There was a small puppy. It came running to them and joined them His name was ‘Motya’. There was a small kitten also, named ‘Kittu’. It was sitting on the top of Haystack. But it just sat there watching them. The chick, Anushka and Saya had to request it to come with them. So it joined them reluctantly.

There was a big cow shed near the coop. Many cows were grazing. A small calf was running in the shade. It was brown with white face and white spots. The chick called the calf and introduced him to Anushka and Saya. Saya was seeing a calf for the first time. So she was very excited while watching it. She touched it gently. It had very soft skin. When the calf learnt that they were going to meet all their friends, it asked if he could join them. Anushka told it to get it’s Mommy-cow’s permission. When Mommy-cow gave permission, the calf started jumping happily, came running and joined them.

After that they reached to a nice little house. It was a house of goose. Some geese were swimming in a small pond with their goslings. The chick called one gosling. It was a yellow fluffy gosling. It came near and was very happy to see all friends. It also joined them.

When they were going through a farm they saw one fawn eating green grass with its Mommy deer. It came running towards them and joined then.

Saya heard a sound, “banban banban”. She was surprised because she had never heard the sound before. She asked Anushka Didi about that. Anushka began to laugh. It was a call of a small black sheep. The sheep was calling them. It also wanted to go with them. Saya was very happy to see the real sheep. She ran her fingers through its thick and soft wool. Before that she saw the sheep only in the book and new it from the poem ‘Ba Ba Black sheep …’

Suddenly the gosling had an idea. He told them that he knew a beautiful pond nearby. If they wanted to swim, they could go there. Everyone liked the idea. Anushka and Saya had brought their swimming dresses with them. So, they asked Mommy’s permission and they all went to swim.

It was such a lovely pond.  There was a little waterfall near the pond. When the gosling saw the water it jumped quickly in it. Two geese and few other goslings were already swimming in the pond. So Anushka also jumped in the water and started to swim. 

But Saya was afraid and did not want to swim. But her Anhshka Didi held her hand and said, “Don’t be afraid Saya. The pond is shallow and I am with you. It’s a lot of fun. So come with me.” Anushka showed Saya how to swim. Soon Saya could float on the water. She was very happy. All the friends jumped into the water and began to splash the water. Saya liked jumping in the water more than swimming. Once in the water she was not afraid now and she started jumping from more and more height. So Anushka Didi had to tell her that she should dive from height only after she learned to swim perfectly.

They felt very enthusiastic and at the same time very relaxed when they came out of the water.

It was a beautiful and perfect morning. Now, when they were just feeling hungry, Mommy called all of them. “Come on! It is time for lunch. All is ready.”

End of Part 1

A Story told by Sulu Aaji

Illustrated by Rajan Aaba