“Do you know who is the smartest animal in our jungle?” Nottee, the chimpanzee, asked his friend Bhondu, the bear. Nottee was hanging upside down from a neem tree while Bhondu was sitting under it, dozing.
“It has to be Gyani, the elephant.” Nottee jumped down and stood in front of Bhondu. He put his hands on his hips, stuck his chest out and said, “No, it's me Nottee, the chimp.”
Bhondu laughed. He rolled on the ground, tears flowing down his cheeks.
Nottee glared at him. “Okay I'll prove it,” he said angrily.
Bhondu and Nottee lived in Karamat jungle which was quite unique. Though the animals lived in trees and in caves, they were very modern. The cell phone had come to the jungle a year back and almost all the animals used the mobile. Like humans they worked during the day and slept at night. Nottee took out his mobile and punched a few numbers.
“Fina, Nottee here. I hope you remember. Tomorrow is Gyani's birthday. Don't forget to wish him at midnight and sing him a happy birthday song.”
“Hi Chalu, how are you? I wanted to inform you that today is Fina's birthday. Ring him up sharp at midnight and sing a few birthday songs to him. He will enjoy it.”
Next Nottee rang up Gyani. “Gyani, my friend. Please ring up Chalu at midnight and wish him ‘Happy Birthday'. And don't forget to sing a few songs.
For the next hour Nottee was busy ringing up animals and birds informing them to ring up and wish others at midnight.
Finally he put his cell phone down and grinned. “Won't it be real fun when one half of Karamat jungle wakes up the other half, in the middle of the night, by singing birthday songs?”
“Now I'll go and take some rest. Tomorrow I'll get up early to enjoy the fun.”
“But Nottee, once the animals come to know you are behind this trick won't they be angry?”
“Tomorrow is April 1 – All Fool's Day. I'll tell them I was just playing an April Fool trick on them,”
Bhondu thought for some time and then his face lit up. He picked up his mobile and sent a message to all the animals: “The phone calls made by Nottee were a hoax. Actually it is Nottee's birthday today. So please everyone wake him up at midnight and each of you sing a couple of birthday songs to him.”
Exactly at the stroke of midnight, when Nottee was fast asleep, his phone started ringing. The animals and birds of Karamat woke him up wished him happy birthday. Every animal and every bird sang a few birthday songs. This went on and on till the early hours of the morning.
“What a night? I couldn't sleep. Every fool in the jungle rang up and sang songs to me. I wish I knew who was behind this, I would like to pull his tail out!”
“The one behind this trick is the one who is right now behind you,” said a voice. Nottee looked back to see Bhondu on a branch, grinning.
“It was simple. After you finished making calls, I sent an SMS to everyone saying that your phone calls were a hoax. And it was actually your birthday. And you wanted everyone to wish you and sing a few birthday songs.”
“Now tell me Nottee, who is smarter you or me?”
“Okay Bhondu, I agree you are smarter. Now can I sleep in peace? I have heard birthday songs to last me a life time,” Nottee said and sitting on the branch fell asleep.
