The girl and the puppy

Told in English, Telugu.

In a little village near the Godavari river, there lived a small girl named Chinni. Chinni had two long plaits, a red ribbon, and a big, big smile.

One evening, the sky turned grey, and soft rain began to fall. Pitter, patter. Pitter, patter. Chinni was sitting on the verandah with Ammamma, eating warm pesarattu.

Then she heard a tiny sound. Kuyyy. Kuyyy.

Chinni looked and looked. Under the neem tree near the gate sat a little brown puppy. His fur was wet. His ears were drooping. He was shivering, just a little.

"Ammamma, look! A baby puppy! He is all alone."

Ammamma picked up an old soft towel. "Go gently, Chinni. Little ones get shy."

So Chinni walked slowly, slowly, slowly. She sat down near the puppy and whispered,

"Little puppy, don't you fear. Chinni is your friend, and Chinni is here."

The puppy sniffed her fingers. Sniff, sniff. Then he licked her hand. Lick, lick! Chinni giggled. She wrapped him in the towel and carried him up to the verandah.

Ammamma poured warm milk into a small steel bowl. The puppy drank it all up. Slurp, slurp, slurp! And because his tummy was full and his fur was dry, his little tail began to wag. Wag, wag, wag!

"What shall we call him?" asked Ammamma.

Chinni thought and thought. "He is small and soft and sweet. Let us call him Bujji!"

That night, Bujji slept on a little mat near the door. Before Chinni went to bed, she patted his head and said,

"Little Bujji, don't you fear. Chinni is your friend, and Chinni is here."

Can you say it with me? Little Bujji, don't you fear. Chinni is your friend, and Chinni is here.

Every day after that, Chinni took care of Bujji. In the morning, she gave him fresh water. In the afternoon, she shared a bit of her curd rice. In the evening, they ran round and round the tulasi plant, playing with a little ball. And because Chinni fed him and loved him every day, Bujji grew bigger and stronger and happier.

One morning, Chinni came running to Ammamma. Her eyes were full of tears.

"Ammamma, my silver anklet is gone! I was playing in the garden, and now I cannot find it anywhere."

Ammamma hugged her. "Don't cry, kanna. We will look together."

But before they could start, Bujji put his nose to the ground. Sniff, sniff, sniff. He went past the jasmine bush. Sniff, sniff. He went past the drumstick tree. Sniff, sniff, sniff. He stopped near the well, under some green leaves, and barked. Bow! Bow!

Chinni ran to see. There, shining in the leaves, was her little silver anklet! Ching, ching, it sang, as she picked it up.

"Bujji! You found it!" Chinni hugged him tight. Bujji wagged his tail so fast that it went whoosh, whoosh, whoosh.

Ammamma smiled. "You see, Chinni? You were kind to Bujji when he was small and wet and alone. Now Bujji is helping you. That is what friends do."

That night, Chinni lay in bed, and Bujji curled up on his mat by the door. The moon peeped in through the window. Chinni smiled and whispered,

"Little Bujji, don't you fear. Chinni is your friend, and Chinni is here."

And Bujji gave one soft, sleepy wag, as if to say, little Chinni, don't you fear. Bujji is your friend, and Bujji is here.

Now close your eyes, my little one. Goodnight.