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Children's Story, Children's Writing, drama, entertainment, fiction, Short Fiction, Short Story, Stories, story, writing
Jammy, the frog was just a little tadpole when he first heard a human being singing a song. From that day onwards, Jammy was hooked on. As he attained his adulthood, Jammy knew what he wanted to do with his life. He wanted to be a singer.
Jammy like most of his family members lived in the marshy land of Dharavi forest in the heart of the city of Mumbai. He lived in a serene environment full of flora and fauna. As an adult, Jammy realised that the music he has been listen to since he was a tadpole, came from the cabin of Kaka, the old caretaker of the forest, a kind-hearted old man who would play his radio the whole night to keep himself awake, unmindful of the little animals, birds and other living beings who would line up outside his little cabin to listen to the music.
Jammy’s family including his countless siblings hated him because Jammy would spend all his time practising singing. They had tried multiple times to tell him that frogs can’t sing, that frogs are only good at croaking. But Jammy wouldn’t listen.
Kali Koel was his best friend who too would often poke fun at him. She too had said to him that singing is for birds like her and she would sing aloud to put forth her point. Kali had a beautiful voice and Jammy would enjoy listening to her but still he believed he too could be a singer. Sometimes, Jammy would envy Kali and her beautiful voice.
Since most of his friends would run away as soon as he would start practising, Jammy would go deep in the forest to practise his singing. He had little idea that his so called singing would make other insects and reptiles to run far away from him. Even his enemy – Slippy the Snake would quickly slither away in his hole to escape the awful sound of Jammy’s croaking.
Ullu, the wise Owl, who often had to bear the brunt of Jammy’s singing, decided to confront him one fine day. “Jammy, my boy. Sometimes when I hear you scream, I feel like eating you up.”
Hearing this, Jammy cowered in fear and took a step back.
Ullu looked at him with pity. “You know I like your spirit but Jammy, you should understand frogs can’t sing.”
“Why not Ullu Uncle?” Jammy asked with tears in his eyes.
“Because you are a frog.” Ullu said crossly. “And frogs croak. They don’t sing.”
“Well, in that case Uncle,” Jammy said with determination, “I’ll prove them wrong.”
It so happened that in a faraway forest on the other side of the city, the birds and the animals of the forest decided to have a singing contest. Participants from various other places, forests and marshes were planning to attend the same.
Kali, the Koel had enrolled her name for the contest. She was very excited as she had teamed up with her mate, Kayu. But just a few days before the contest, Kayu had developed a sour throat and Kali was left without a partner.
As the day of the contest approached near, Kali started to fill the jitters. She became irritated by everything and everyone around her. She knew she had practised hard for the contest and now she was without a partner.
On the other hand, Jammy too had heard about the contest. But he knew that he won’t be able to travel all the way to the other side of the city even if he was able to enrol his name for the contest. His friends and family laughed at his desire to take part in the contest.
“Jammy, you good-for-nothing,” his father had screamed at him. “For a change, why don’t you think of your family rather than wasting your time and energy croaking all day?”
“Well father,” Jammy had replied, his head held high. “I am going to make you proud one day by my singing talent and that day you’ll realise that frogs just don’t croak, they can sing too.”
And Jammy had intensified his practise.
That night, Ullu the Owl, heard a different side of Jammy as he practised hard by the flowing stream. He could feel pain in his voice but more than that he realised Jammy’s true potential. He quickly flew to Kali’s nest.
“Kali, Kali, wake up.” Ullu called out.
“What happened Ullu Uncle?” Kali asked anxiously as Kayu too put his head out of the nest.
“I have a great idea.” Ullu said excitedly.
The next day, it took both Ullu and Kayu to convince Kali about Ullu’s plan. “But Ullu Uncle, how can I partner Jammy. We are both so different. And look at him,” Kali continued eyeing Jammy, “he can’t even sing.”
Jammy hearing her comment, put his head down in shame and slowly leapt towards the stream to wash away his sorrows.
“Wait Jammy,” Kayu called out. “Ullu Uncle is right. You’ll make a good partner for Kali.”
The next few days, Kali and Jammy practised together in the deep forest with just Ullu and Kayu for company. Both of them guided Kali and Jammy when they went wrong. In the beginning, it was a joke for Kali to have Jammy as her partner but as they practised, she realised that Ullu Uncle was right. They had a chance of winning the contest. They complimented each other perfectly.
On the day of the contest, Ullu Uncle decided to ferry Jammy on his back. A crowd had gathered to witness them go. Even Jammy’s family and friends were there to cheer for him. They had realised that if Ullu the wise Owl believed in Jammy, then surely there was some potential in him.
The other forest was filled with contestants and spectators who had made it to the designated pond for a night of festivity. Ullu flew towards the pond and landed as Jammy jumped down. Kali and Kayu too perched themselves on the ground and looked around. The area around the pond was decorated with beautiful fireflies hovering in the air and colourful vines draped over trees. It was as if the whole forest had come alive to witness a grand spectacle. Enmity was forgotten. They were there to enjoy the night.
One by one, the contestants performed. In between, a snake did his acrobatic act to entertain the crowd. Monu Monkey did a stand-up comedy while a few deer did a flamboyant catwalk amidst loud cheers. Every performance from the contestants and the other artists received a wild standing ovation.
“And the next contestants are, Kali, the Koel and Jammy, the frog.” The announcer called out wistfully.
A loud sound of dismay filled the air. “A Frog and a Koel together?” Someone asked with a sneer.
As Kali and Jammy took the stage, a loud boo filled the air. Jammy was heard broken. He took a step towards the exit. He knew he won’t be able to bear the humiliation thrown at him. Kali ran up and put her wing around his shoulder. “Come on Jammy, let’s show them what we can do.”
Jammy looked at her with sorrow. There was a huge grin on her face. “Yes, Jammy, we can do it.” She said again.
A smile appeared on Jammy’s face and he hugged her. “Yes, let’s show ‘em.”
Amidst the loud boos and catcalls, Kali and Jami took the stage again. Kali started singing in her slow regaling voice. As Kali’s voice filtered across through the din, the sound of boos mellowed down slowly. A complete silence settled over the forest except for Kali’s musical voice that filled the air serenading the crowd. Kali looked up to face the crowd as they stared back at her and then at Jammy who stood silently. As Kali paused, the crowd waited in anticipation. Boom. Various different sounds of drumbeats and other musical instruments filled the air. The crowd looked on with curiosity trying to find out who was playing the music. And as the beats continued, Kali began singing a fast song, increasing her tempo and Jammy put his head up so that others could see that he was doing the musical beats with his mouth and his fists. The beats were in rhythm to Kali’s singing.
This was the first time, the animals, insects and reptiles were witnessing a combo of beautiful singing and beat boxing, something which they had never witnessed before. They were mesmerised by it as some of them took to the floors to shake their legs. Once Kali and Jammy had finished the song and had taken a bow, the crowd noisily demanded an encore. Kali and Jammy then put up another mind blowing performance much to the crowd’s delight. Jammy now knew his true calling as a beat boxer. He was no longer a croaking frog but a beatboxing frog and the crowd was loving him.
Ullu, the Owl clapped his wings in glee as the judges pronounced Kali and Jammy as the winners of the contest.
Back home, words had already spread about Jammy’s and Kali’s exploit on the stage. A huge crowd had gathered to give them a rousing welcome.
Jammy’s father hopped over to face him. “Son, you have made me proud today.” And he hugged Jammy as the others cheered for him and Kali.
Meanwhile Kaka, the old caretaker too had heard the din in the heart of the forest as the inhabitants of the forest celebrated Kali and Jammy’s victory. He lowered the volume of his radio trying to understand what was going on. He had no idea his radio had given birth to a new artist. He shook his head with a smile and increased the volume of his radio again.