Monkeys swing merrily from tree to tree. Deer, wild, boars, and antelopes roam freely among the clump of trees. If you were to go deep into the fores5, you might even see a majestic lion, stalking its prey. This is the Gir forest in Gujarat, the only reserve forest in Asia where you can still see the king of the forest walking around.
The siddis were a tribe who lived in this forest. They were largely shepherds and spent most of the day grazing their sheep in the jungles. Masira was a little Siddi girl. She lived in the forest with her father, jussad, who was the tribal lamp called Lai. The two of them were inseparable. Wherever Masira went, Lali was sure to follow. Masira loved Lai very much. She had a bell tried around Lali’s neck. Whenever Lali wandered far out into the forest, the tinkle of the bell would let Masira know exactly where she was.
One day Masira fell ill. She couldn’t take Lai out to the jungle to graze. Jussad sent Lali along with the other sheep. When evening fell, the shepherds brought all their sheep back. All the other sheep returned. But where was Lali? Lali had strayed away from the flock and had gone deep into the jungle. She didn’t know how to get back to her flock.
Masira was troubled to find that Lali had not returned.” Baba! My Lali is out there-all alone in the jungle. Baba! Do something. She has to be brought back. Please… please bring her back. Oh, I can’t bear to think of Lali spending the dark night all alone in the jungle”, Cried Masira.
“Don’t worry my child. Your Lali will be safe. I ‘ll Bring her back,” Jussad said. He set out in search of her, with two companions. They had not gone far when there was a loud clap of thunder and the rain came down thick and fast. The three men returned to their homes without finding lali.
The next morning Masira woke up and asked jussad, “Has Lali comes home, Baba?” Jussad looked down. Masira knew at once that they had not been able to find Lali. The little girl’s eyes filled with tears. Big sobs shook her thin body. Jussad could not find words to comfort her. “Hush, hush, my child. I’ll bring her back today,” he said.
That morning jussad and his companions set out into the forest looking for the lost lab. But Lali was nowhere to be seen. Even the tinkle of her bell could not be heard.
They walked on and on. The sun was climbing higher in the sky. It was afternoon. Suddenly, one of them noticed something lying in the grass under a tree. He picked it up. It was lali’s beel! Perhaps Lali was close by. They searched and searched. But there was no sign of Lali. That could mean only one thing- some wild animal had eaten Lali. But there was no blood anywhere.
They searched once again. Then one of them said,” There’s no use looking for her anymore. Surely, some wild beast has seaten her up. The rain must have washed away the blood.” The others returned to the village.
Jussad couldn’t near to go home without Lali. He knew his little daughter would be heartbroken. How could he ever comfort her? Worried and feeling tried, he sat down under a big tree. Suddenly, he heard a familiar sound. “Ma-a-ah… Maa-aah.” There it was again. Jussad jumped up with joy. It was Lali! Lali was still alive!
He rushed towards the place from where Lali seemed to call. Soon, he came to a large hollow. He looked in, and what he saw made his blood freeze. There stood Lali, bleating pitifully. Less than a hundred feet away stood a big lioness, staring steadily at the little lamb. She stood still. Her tail swished to and fro as she started at Lali. Then she strode towards Lali. Lali bleated again. Then, when she saw the lioness walking towards her, she too began to walk towards the queen of the forest. Jussad’s heart sank. It would only be a matter of minutes before the lioness would tear Lali to pieces.
Lali was now very close to the lioness. She bleated and sniffed at the lioness. The lioness continued to stare. And then before Jussad’s unbelieving eyes, a miracle took place. The lioness turned and walked away from the little lamb. As soon as she was gone, Jussad raced down and grabbed Lali. Then he ran all the way back to his village.
Back home, Masira was sitting on her cot, looking anxiously towards the forest. As soon as she saw jussad coming back with Lali in his arms, her face lit up. She opened her arms, and gathered Lali close to her. Jussad told her how the lioness had walked away without harming the lamb. “Baba I have been praying the whole day to God to keep my Lali away from harm. Of course, he heard me.”
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