The story so far: After a look around the zoo, the family visits the elephant enclosure where the boys are treated to a friendly surprise.
“Let’s go see the snakes,” Baby Aunty said.
The snakes were in a huge well. There were signboards warning people not to get too close. There was a little moat filled with water, inside the well.
“So that the snakes don’t get out of the well,” Baby Aunty told them.
Camouflaged
The boys looked and found the snakes. “Look at that one, it looks just like the tree!” exclaimed Vinu.
The snakes merged with the trees and the leaves, and hid in the brown earth. The boys pointed out the snakes to each other and Baby Aunty listened to their comments. And it was just as Baby Aunty was thinking of moving on, that something happened.
Viva said, “Look, that snake is trying to jump across the moat,” he said.
The twins were telling Baby Aunty something and she nodded, saying, “Yes, Yes!”
Viva’s eyes were fixed on the snake. “It tried to jump once, but it fell down,” he reported.
“Really?” Baby Aunty said, not really paying attention.
“It’s trying again,” Viva said. He watched as the snake leapt across the moat. “Now it has got across the water,” Viva said.
“Come on, boys,” Baby Aunty said.
“And now, the snake is climbing the wall,” Viva reported.
“What?” Baby Aunty said, surprised.
“That snake, it’s climbing the wall,” said Viva.
Baby Aunty peered into the well. She backed away, grabbed Viju and Vinu. “Move away, all of you!” she said.
“But, Baby Aunty, there are other people coming to see the snakes. What if the snake bites them?” Vinu said.
Baby Aunty opened her red handbag and took out a whistle and blew it. The shrill sound rang out and the other visitors, stopped, surprised. “A snake is escaping!” Baby Aunty shouted. She whistled back again.
In a short while, the zoo keepers came running up. “Where is the snake?” they asked, huffing and puffing.
“There,” Baby Aunty pointed. And everyone saw the snake slithering out of the well. The zookeepers pulled out their nets and soon, the snake had been caught and put back into the well.
“Thank you,” the zookeepers told Baby Aunty.
Vinu and Viju were proud to be the centre of attention.
“Come on,” Baby Aunty said. “What an exciting zoo visit we are having!”
“I will be glad to sit down and have a little less excitement,” Baby Aunty laughed.
And that was when she noticed that Viva had disappeared.
Illustration: Sonal Goyal
To be continued...
