Miya Fooski, and Dolubha's Orchard

- If Miya is gone, what's the use of me living? If I go back alone, what will Thakor say? 

- "If I say Swaha a third time, you yourself will vanish? "

Jivram Joshi

I t was evening once again. As soon as the stars began to twinkle outside, Sonu and Monu hopped excitedly onto Dadaji and Dadiji's bed.

"Dadaji! Dadiji!" Sonu burst out, eyes shining. "What happened next? Please tell us, please!"

Dadaji chuckled, stroking his beard. "Arrey wah! If I don't continue the story, you two won't even let me sleep in peace, will you?"

All three laughed together.

"So, tell us na!" Monu begged, tugging at Dadaji's arm.

"Alright, alright… here it goes…" Dadaji said with a twinkle in his eyes-

And the story rolled on once more.

***

I n the last part, we saw that Miya Fooski and Taba Bhatt set out to visit a village. On the way, they passed by Dolubha's orchard. In front of it stood a beautiful banyan tree, and under it sat a farmer.

They thought of going inside the orchard to drink some water, but the farmer stopped them.

"No one should go into this orchard," he warned. "Dolubha is very dangerous. Right now, it's his rest time. He must be sleeping. He sleeps with a sword on one side and a stick on the other. If anyone enters and wakes him up, and if his hand reaches the sword, he will cut off their head. If his hand reaches the stick, he will beat them until their bones break."

Hearing this, Taba Bhatt got frightened and sat down. But Miya Fooski did not believe it and boldly went inside the orchard. The farmer stood on the porch, watching the orchard. A long time passed, but Miya Fooski did not return.

The farmer said, "It's been so long! If Miya hasn't come back yet, surely Dolubha must have woken up and chopped off his head."

Taba Bhatt's face turned pale, almost ready to cry. He too stood on the porch and stared at the orchard.

The farmer then said, "Oh, Gorbapa! Don't wait here anymore. Go wherever you want to. If Dolubha comes this way and sees either you or me, he won't spare us either."

Saying this, the farmer suddenly jumped off the porch and ran away.

"What happened? Why did the farmer run away?" Taba Bhatt wondered. Looking in the direction the farmer ran, he saw that there was a fence made of thorny cactus. The farmer had slipped behind it to hide.

Taba Bhatt turned his head back toward the orchard's hut. What he saw froze him in shock.

A man stood near the hut.

He looked like a baby elephant, with a bare shiny head that gleamed like a Rajkot watermelon.

Taba Bhatt realized it must be Dolubha.

Dolubha looked directly at Taba Bhatt and slowly opened the hut's door.

Taba Bhatt shivered. "Surely Miya is dead. Dolubha will catch me now. Let him kill me too, but I won't run. If Miya is gone, what's the use of me living? If I go back alone, what will Thakor say? What will the whole village say? That I abandoned Miya and came back alone? No, I won't do that. Even if Dolubha comes to cut off my head, I will stand here."

While he was thinking this, the door creaked loudly. Dolubha came out.

Taba Bhatt stared at him.

Dolubha also stood still, staring at Taba Bhatt.

But what was this?

Dolubha's hands held no sword, no stick.

In his hands was only a water pot.

Taba Bhatt was confused.

Dolubha slowly walked up to him. Bhatt stood frozen as if his feet were glued to the ground.

Dolubha placed the water pot on the porch near the banyan tree's root and then bent down before Taba Bhatt. Touching Bhatt's feet, he bowed his head.

"Forgive me, Gorbapa," Dolubha said. "My back is weak, so I cannot bend properly. That's why I sit and bow to you. Please come into my orchard now."

Taba Bhatt could not believe what he was seeing.

"Is this really Dolubha? Or someone else? Maybe Dolubha has sent someone to trick me into coming inside so he can cut off my head."

As these doubts circled in his mind, Miya Fooski's image appeared before him. It felt like Miya was standing there, saying, "Don't be fooled, Bhattji! Dolubha killed me, and now he will kill you too."

Meanwhile, Dolubha, using his hands as support, stood up slowly, panting.

Bhatt remained like a statue.

Dolubha folded his hands. "Oh! I almost forgot. I brought this pot of cold water. Wash your hands and feet, then drink. It holds seven seers of water."

Saying this, Dolubha lifted the pot and placed it before Bhatt.

Suddenly, Bhatt's anger rose. He snatched the pot from Dolubha's hands, smashed it on the ground, and clenched his teeth in fury.

Startled, Dolubha cried, "Oh Gorbapa! Why did you do that?"

Bhatt shouted, "Kill me! Kill me right here! You don't need to take me inside. Bring Dolubha here if you want!"

Dolubha folded his hands again. "Ah, now I understand. Yes, I am the same Dolubha who once cut off the heads of anyone entering my orchard. But I don't do that anymore. Pir Bawa explained everything to me. Please don't be angry. Come inside. Today, you must be my guest."

Bhatt was puzzled. If this was really Dolubha, why was he inviting him with water? Why ask him to come inside?

Meanwhile, the farmer hiding behind the thorn fence watched everything. He saw Dolubha bowing at Bhatt's feet, offering water. He was shocked. Dolubha, the fierce tiger, was behaving like a gentle lamb. Something strange was happening.

Dolubha then called out, "Hey Vashram! Take this pot, go inside the orchard, and bring back another full one."

Vashram, the farmer, picked up the pot and went inside. He looked around but found no sign of Miya Fooski's dead body.

He thought, "Dolubha must have killed Miya and hidden the body."

But no matter where he looked-in the hut, behind it, nearby-he found nothing. So, with the pot refilled, he came back.

Dolubha requested Bhatt again: "Please wash your hands and feet, and then come inside."

Bhatt refused. "We won't wash."

"Then come as you are. Wash with fresh water inside."

Dolubha turned to Vashram: "Why are you standing there? Run home and bring a tray, two or three bowls, one seer of ghee, one seer of jaggery, and half a seer of flour. We'll prepare laddus today to serve Gorbapa and Pir Bawa."

Bhatt was even more astonished. Vashram was stunned too, but he had no choice and ran to fetch them.

Bhatt thought, "Dolubha won't let me go. I'll have to enter the orchard. But why is he talking about making laddus? And why mention Pir Bawa? Did Miya plan something?"

Dolubha folded his hands once more. "Please come into the orchard."

Bhatt gave up resisting and entered with Dolubha.

Inside, he was shocked again. Miya Fooski was sitting comfortably near the well!

"Ah, Dolubha!" Miya said. "Today your fate has turned golden. Without Gorbapa, this plan would never succeed. Now let's prepare everything."

Dolubha nodded. "I've already sent Patel. He'll be back any moment."

Bhatt angrily asked Miya, "What's going on here? What trick are you playing?"

Miya laughed, "The trick is just for eating laddus. Today you'll eat Dolubha's laddus with joy."

"But what's happening?" Bhatt pressed.

"Don't ask anything," Miya replied. "Just watch and do as I say."

Soon, Vashram returned with the flour, jaggery, and ghee. Dolubha asked him to gather cow dung cakes for firewood.

Miya told Bhatt, "Gorbapa, now put down your turban. Light the fire with the cakes, knead the flour, make thick rotis, roast them, crush them into crumbs, mix with ghee and jaggery, and roll laddus."

Dolubha added, "And Vashram, fetch some brinjals. We'll cook curry too."

Bhatt followed the instructions, making perfect laddus. Brinjal curry was also prepared.

They sat on banana leaves and enjoyed the feast. Afterward, Miya said, "Dolubha, now take water in your hands."

Dolubha cupped water, and Miya told Bhatt, "Gorbapa, make him vow. From today, Dolubha must promise never to fight, never to kill, and always to live with love."

Bhatt made him take the vow. Dolubha poured the water to the ground and swore never to fight again.

Vashram was stunned. How could fierce Dolubha transform like this? Even Bhatt could not understand.

Miya said, "Now we must leave."

Dolubha begged, "Please don't go. Stay at my home tonight."

"We never stay in anyone's house," Miya replied and stood up.

Dolubha bowed deeply as they left.

On the way out, Bhatt asked Miya, "What kind of trick was this?"

Miya laughed, "Whoever plays a trick gets the reward."

"But such tricks may get you killed someday!" Bhatt scolded.

"We are not cheats," Miya said. "Our tricks are only for good, to help others."

And this was true.

For at that very time, Dolubha-who once killed men in his orchard-was sleeping peacefully on a cot, sword and stick by his side.

Earlier, when Miya had entered, Dolubha had been fast asleep. Miya had quietly stolen his sword, stick, and turban and hidden them in a grass pile. Then, standing at the door, Miya coughed loudly to wake Dolubha.

When Dolubha woke, reaching for his sword, Miya said, "Swaha!" The sword was gone. He reached for his stick, Miya said, "Swaha!" It too was gone.

Miya declared, "If I say Swaha a third time, you yourself will vanish. Don't fear-I am Pir Bawa. I came to test you. Your exam is done. Now, if you do as I say, you'll live happily and become a king."

Dolubha trembled.

Miya continued, "Under the banyan, a Brahmin with a big belly, loose clothes, and a turban waits. Take him water. If he makes laddus in your orchard, know that you will one day rule this land."

Terrified, Dolubha obeyed. That is how he came out with the water pot to Taba Bhatt.

When later Bhatt realized the trick, he grew angry. 

"These tricks will one day get you killed!"

But Miya calmly said, "Our tricks are only for doing good."

Bhatt, still annoyed, walked ahead in silence.