I was shuffling through the sal-leaf plates since morning. I found one half-eaten banana, two grapes, and fourteen flattened rice cakes. Three were smelly, so I took eleven. Now I have fourteen pieces of food. F-O-U-R-T-E-E-N! Yes, you heard it right, fourteen's what I said. So why am I happy? Because I had just two pieces of food yesterday: a betel nut and a fish. I caught the fish with my own teeth from the lake.

Am I going to share my food with you? Of course not, you stupid crow! Why dost thou thus, when we have food, come to us?

Oh, okay, I am tired of your cawing. You can have this. Here, take it. TAKE it! One cake, don't ask for more.

So, do you like it? You're right, even I don't. I should have taken you to my home, you know. My mother made such beautiful rice cakes. All round, fluffy, served with a dollop of butter, the molten butter running down the sides. Uhhhhhh... that has made you hungry. Okay, one more, here you are...

Our house was very big, bird. You could call it a castle. My room was on the first floor. It overlooked the garden on the east. There was this huge jacaranda tree beside my window. I used to sit beside my window all day. I never liked working, bird. Yes, just like you. And, like you, I never went to school. None of my brothers ever went to school. Why should we? We never liked working.

My father worked all evening. There was a large hall on the ground floor. All villagers used to come and meet my father there. He used to lie flat on a huge couch and solve their problems. Me and my brothers were not allowed inside. One evening, Situ, my younger brother, chanced to peep into the hall...
(to be continued)