Gorilla’s Grey

By Pulkita Anand

In the jungle of Karva, there lived a Gorilla. The jungle was too dense. The sun didn’t dare to enter there. The tall trees wrapped the jungle in green. Scented flowers exuded their aroma. Rainbow coloured butterflies fluttered on them, and busy honey bees collected nectar. The placid lake in the jungle had crystal clear water. The hairy tree-shaded their leaves into the lake. The pebbles and leaves beneath the lake were visible. The lazy lizard moved, birds chirped, and snakes sloughed off their skin around the lake. Scurrying monkey on trees, triumphantly chi chi, from one branch to another. Some of them were busy eating fruits, some sneering at each other with Tom’s white teeth. The jungle was inhabited by other animals too such as Jolly Elephant, Roaring Lion, Hopping Rabbit, Cunning Foxes, Agile Squirrel, Neighing Horse, and Proud Peacock. Everyone was happy in the ambience of the jungle.

In the jungle, most of the animals listened to the advice of Gorilla, as he was big in size and amiable in his nature. For any problem, Gorilla had a solution. The animals aped and gaped at him, especially Cunning Foxes. He was an alpha male Gorilla. He had an oval face with a bulging nose. His eyes were as big as a pond. The hair on his body glistened when he bathed. The water from his hairy body dropped like rain. He howled like a loudspeaker. The beating of his chest was thunderous like many drums playing together. He was proud of his grey matter.

One day, to bring some change in the monotonous life of the jungle, he thought to do something. Something that would sink in with his grey matter. Yes, to complement his grey matter. He thought he should wear a grey brief. So, he put on a grey brief. It was as grey as a rain cloud. This added more charm to his personality. He often sang, “My matter is grey, my UG (undergarment) is grey, I love grey, grey, grrey.”

Soon the fever of his grey was caught by other animals too. It spread like a pandemic, thanks to the busy bees who spread this news. All the other animals and birds were busy deciding about their UGs. Proud Peacock thought to have a sparkling and dazzling UG. Cunning Foxes pondered to have benefits with her UG. Hopping Rabbit wondered of a frilled UG, that would fly when he hopped.

So, the talk of the jungle was to have a UG. There was an utter disorder and disgruntling over UG. However, Jolly Elephant was no more jolly. He was roaming casually sulking around the lake. When he met Laborious Ant, to his surprise, Laborious Ant boasted of her new shimmering UG. She bragged and boasted to Jolly Elephant to see her UG. He bent down and tumbled down. She said, “Can you see it now? Bend more, Jolly Elephant”. Though he couldn’t bend much to reach Laborious Ant, he replied that her UG was shimmering. She asked him, “What’s up? Why so blue?”

“I couldn’t find a UG of my size. I am feeling ashamed in front of everyone,” replied Jolly Elephant.

Laborious Ant beamed, “Oh! Don’t worry. Grey matter, Gorilla must be having a solution for this.”

Then Jolly Elephant and Laborious Ant went to the abode of Gorilla. Gorilla was posing for a photoshoot in his grey UG. He pulled down his UG and at times, pulled up. Other animals around him clapped and admired him. When he looked at Jolly Elephant, he found him not so jolly. He asked, “Hey! Feller, why so low?”

“I don’t have a UG,” said Jolly Elephant.

Gorilla now wondered and pondered over what had resulted from my innovation, dumbfounded to find any answer for Jolly Elephant’s problem. He started vexing his nerve and scratching his head. Then started beating his chest and jumped up with joy. He said, “No, no, no. No UG!”

He pulled down his UG, threw and kicked off his UG. All the animals did the same. And Jolly Elephant was again jolly. Everyone praised Gorilla.

Moral: It is better to enjoy what one has and what one is, instead of copying something novel.

- Total nr. of readings: 341 Copyright © The author [2020] All Rights Reserved. This story may not be reproduced without the express written permission of the author except for personal use.