Long ago when the earth was still young when the sun was still a ripe orange and the mountains reached high into the scarlet blue sky groping for the clouds. When animals could talk. There lived a mouse named Anita in a tall oak tree in the deep forests of India. Near that tree there lived the jungle king Jara the Tiger who harassed all the creatures of the jungle including Anita. Anita and Jara were sworn enemies and no creature in the jungle ever thought of them as friends. When ever Anita thought of going out of the tree to get food she had to be very careful. Jara was ready to eat her up every time she left her home. Anita was a very quite creature while Jara was the king of the jungle he was ruthless and mean and very power abusive but little did he know he would make a friend that would teach him to be kind and gentle.
One day a hunter came to the forest. He choose the clearing where Anita and Jara lived to set his trap. The trap lay there all day until one helpless animal like a deer would stumble in to it and would be caught in the twine and string. It would not be able to move anywhere. The hunter always came back at sun rise to see what game he had captured. Now Jara was very careful not to go near the net but one day…
Jara was lugging a baby deer on his back coming back for the hunt. The deer was wounded badly blood was dripping slowly. Jara a rather savage creature amused him self by catching the deer’s blood in his mouth as it dripped slowly. Jara was very lazy because that morning the sparrow above his den had woke him up very early with its unnecessary chirping. Jara walked on. His heavy feet beat against the soft grassy ground the air was cool and nice the wind seemed to be singing a song of delight. It seemed to be saying “it’s the time of the evening when every thing is quite when all the creatures of the jungle listen to the winds song” and so on. The drowsy Jara was crookedly walking towards the clearing and before he knew it he was in the hunters trap Ahh!!!! he cried the twine had snapped right on his tail. His cry echoed through the jungle waking every creature up from there evening nap including Anita.
When she heard Jara’s shrill cry she ran outside and started skipping for joy, and when she saw Jara entangled in the hunters dangerous net she cried “Ha-ha Jara my friend look who is going to die”. This is indeed a day to celebrate! Shouted Anita in excitement. The little mouse danced in joy her happiness was unbelievable. My enemy is gone” “my enemy is gone she kept yelling into to the trees. The miserable Jara sat with his back turned to Anita. The sky was turning a pale gray the sun had set behind the mountains. The world was enveloped in darkness. The moon shone like a bright pearl in the starlit sky. It looked like the eye of an eagle flying over the snow peaked mountains. Anita was jeering at Jara mocking and taunting him unkindly. She stepped into the middle of the clearing but before she could utter another insult she heard with her sharp ears a rustle in the trees above. She peered up into the leaves and saw a hungry owl peering down at her. Anita was frightened, the owl was one of her enemies and was ready to come soaring down from the tree and eat her up. She stayed completely still not moving a muscle until there came a sound from the bush next to her. Anita turned her face in horror it was a mongoose another one of her foes. Everywhere she looked there was an enemy.
On the tree, the owl, near the bushes the mongoose and in the net Jara. Anita racked her brains wondering of what to do. Finally she thought of an idea. She cautiously approached Jara. “What do you want he said tensely?” “Look Jara” Anita said “I will free you from your plight if you help me get away from the mongoose and the owl.” “What can I do to save you when I am ensnared in this filthy net?” “Let me crawl under the net and sit by you until my enemies are gone after that I will cut the strings that are holding you and give you your freedom it’s a win win situation”. “But what if you just don’t cut the strings and run away after all you were taunting me just a few minutes ago”. “You’ll have to just trust me” Anita replied. Jara could see the hope in Anita’s eyes and agreed to the deal. She crawled under the net and settled herself comfortably. Anita thought to herself whoa “I actually feel safe under the protection of Jara the tiger”. Jara thought “Anita is really ensuring my safety.” The mongoose and the owl stared at this unbelievable sight. “I can’t wait forever” the owl said “it’s almost dawn” I’m leaving. “Me too” said the mongoose. When they both went away Anita said my turn to return the bargain. And without further a dew Anita started attacking the net with her teeth trying to beat the sunrise.
Anita started chewing madly at the strings, biting and biting into the sleek thread. The sun was creeping over the high mount tops she could see the shadows of the trees looming over her like a monstrous bird. Jara peered down at Anita in amazement admiring her unmatched determination. “Just a few more strings to go” Anita thought. Her sharp teeth were moving with incredible speed like razors cutting into soft chicken meat. The sky had turned dusty blue now. Both animals new that meant the hunter was due their any moment. Anita was on the last string. Her teeth felt like they were going to fall of any second. In the distance both animals could see the outline of a human. It was the hunter. Anita with her wonderful hears herd the screeching of the hunter’s blades rubbing together. The soft taping noise that he made with his unkempt sandals broke the unbelievable silence of the jungle. The tapping was growing louder every second. Anita was still chewing away at the last few strands of the string. As the hunter came upon the clearing Anita cut the last strand of the net and Jara was free. The hunter was astounded and enraged to see his new net torn in pieces. Seeing the rat under the remaining parts of his trap the hunter viciously seized poor Anita and shoved her into his bag. The hunter was just about to walk away, when there was a rustle in the bushes as the hunter gazed into the greenness. Jara suddenly jumped out and lunged at him. His claws drove into the hunters flesh wounding him badly. The hunter ran for his life dropping Anita on the hard ground. She lay unconscious.
When she awoke she saw Jara looming over her with caring eyes. Anita sat up and there was a pause
“Thank you” She said panting for breath. Her tail had a small gash on its side it was bleeding madly. The gooey substance was all over the grass making it look like the red sea. Anita stared at Jara but before she could utter another word she collapsed onto his soft paw. When she opened her eyelids she saw Jara. “why did you do that” she asked softly “that’s what friends do” Jara replied… and from that day on Anita and Jara were the best friends of the jungle
