Miya Fooski's tortoise .

- Now the buffalo pushed with more force, so Miyan immediately raised his legs and, like an acrobat, spread his legs in the air before putting them down

- Jivram Joshi

M iya Fooski was drenched in sweat. He had to run so much that he was breathless. Miya was so determined that he would only go home after retrieving his tortoise.

But he was not a little angry at the tortoise. "That naughty tortoise!" Miya gritted his teeth and slapped his palm against his hand.

The English Sahib spoke, "Oh, you fool! The tortoise is gone, forget it. Come on, turn back."

The tortoise, for one, was made of rubber. Also, it was so large that it wouldn't fit even if you tried to hug it. Yet, it was so light that you could pull it with a single finger.

Miya Fooski was so annoyed, thinking, "If only the wretched maker had made it a little heavier, the dogs wouldn't have run off with it."

As soon as the tortoise fell down, a black dog grabbed it and ran away. Other dogs followed it. They were so persistent that Miya's heart burned with frustration. Miya started running to get the tortoise back from the dogs.

The English Sahib called out, "Oh Miya… Oh Fooski… Brother, turn back! We don't need that tortoise."

Miya replied, "Why don't we need it? Now, only if I bring back that tortoise will I prove myself a soldier's son! Yes, we won't turn back now."

In that time, the dogs had dragged the tortoise far away. Now Miya let out a furious roar. He balled up his fists and started running, leaping like a deer.

Just then, the dogs entered the Shepherds' Quarter (Rabariwada) of the village. The spotted dog (Daghiyo) belonged to the Shepherds' Quarter. Daghiyo was immensely pleased. He was running away with such a large prize today! His companion dogs ran right behind him, seemingly applauding and praising him.

There were ten or twelve shepherds' houses in the Rabariwada, with a large square in the middle where ten to twenty buffaloes were tied up.

Daghiyo came through the doorway and straight into the square, running vigorously. The other dogs arrived behind him, barking loudly, "Woof! Woof! Woof!" The buffaloes were startled, so they nervously raised their heads. Just then, Daghiyo dragged the tortoise and left it in the square. Seeing this, one of the buffaloes was terrified. It broke its rope and bolted. It ran straight toward the doorway.

At that very moment, Miya Fooski was also approaching, running fast with his fists clenched. The buffalo put its head into the doorway, and Miya ran right into it. Running full tilt, he collided with the buffalo's head. The buffalo felt like someone was trying to block it. So, to head-butt Miya, the buffalo lowered its head.

Miya thought, "I am dead! There is no time to step back now. I can't stop this buffalo either; I don't have the strength to stop it." Nothing else occurred to him. But as the buffalo lowered its head to strike, Miya quickly extended his hands, as if he wanted to stop the buffalo. However, the buffalo's horns came right into Miya Fooski's hands. So, he grabbed the horns!

Now Miya panicked, "Oh, this is serious! If I let go of the horns, the buffalo's push will throw me down. Then the buffalo will crush me with its weight! If I fall, I'll fall flat on my back, and the buffalo might either step on my chest or gore my stomach with a horn. Then I'd go straight to God's court!" Thinking this, Miya held onto the horns tightly.

Miya Fooski had grabbed the horns, but would the buffalo just stand still?

The buffalo grew even more enraged. "Oh, this wretched human! This little handful of bones is grabbing my horns! Does he think he can push me back by holding my horns? That would be a disgrace to me! I'll show him what fun it is to hold my horns. I'll push this little-bearded man so hard that he'll be shoved backward all the way to the trunk of the tree opposite! Then I'll give him a head-butt that will turn Miya into mince."

The buffalo thought this and began to shove Miya. It kept its head low and gave a forceful push, sending Miya staggering backward quite a distance. Miya thought, "I'm ruined!" He knew if he let go of the horns now, the buffalo would surely kill him. So, when the buffalo gave another push, Miya lifted his feet up. It was like a gymnast performing a headstand (Shirshasana) on their hands, but Miya was upside down on the horns.

Miya was very pleased. All his fear vanished.

The buffalo pushed, and he lifted his legs, making him feel as if he were flying in the air while holding the buffalo's horns. The buffalo's force caused him no pain or injury.

The buffalo was surprised, "Why isn't this Miya-ram screaming? Why isn't he shouting in terror?"

Miya lowered his raised legs slowly and touched the ground. Just as someone might be pushed back by a reversing car, Miya ran backward due to the buffalo's force.

Now the buffalo pushed with more force, so Miya immediately raised his legs and, like an acrobat, spread his legs in the air before putting them down.

Thus, the buffalo would push, and Miya would lift his legs.

The shepherds gathered. There was shouting and running around. Other people also rushed over. A large crowd of children gathered and reached right behind the buffalo. They clapped at Miya's performance. Some even shouted, "Bravo! Bravo!"

No one could understand what was happening. But the children assumed that Miya Sahib was wrestling with the buffalo. The buffalo was trying to head-butt and knock Miya down, but Miya was cleverly leaping up like an acrobat. They thought Miya Sahib was playing a wonderful trick. So, the children enjoyed it and started clapping.

The buffalo was startled. What was all this clapping and shouting of "Bravo" behind her? Just then, the children ran to both sides of 

the buffalo and started saying, "Wow, boy! Bravo, bravo!"

The buffalo stopped, startled. Why were these children messing with her task? The buffalo quickly shook its head and turned it toward the children. The horns slipped out of Miya Fooski's hands, and he was flung far away.

When the buffalo turned its head toward the children, the children ran away.

The buffalo now looked at Miya, but Fooski Miya had immediately stood up and ran away like an arrow. He reached the crowd of people in one dash.

The people said, "Bravo, Miya!"

Miya was annoyed and replied, "You are giving me empty praise! My breath has run out!"

The people said, "No, brother, no! We have never seen a wrestler like you. Truly, no one else could show such bravery. On behalf of the village, we will give you a quarter-kilogram of ghee, a quarter-kilogram of jaggery, and twenty-one rupees and a quarter as a prize!"

Miya said, "I don't want your prize or anything! I want my tortoise!"

The people asked, "What kind of tortoise?"

Miya replied, "One you can hold in your arms."

A shepherd said, "One tortoise is lying right there in our square."

Miya ran immediately.

He rushed into the square.

Just then, a huge vulture swooped down. It must have spotted the tortoise from above. It landed, grabbed the tortoise in its talons, and soared high up with a whirring sound.

Miya Fooski stood looking up, mouth agape.

"Oh no! The tortoise is gone!"

Just then, Tabha Bhatt and the English Sahib also arrived.

Coming from behind, Bhattji said, "What are you looking at in the sky, Miya? Can you see the stars?"

Miya said, "Can't you see? That vulture is flying away with our tortoise!"

The English Sahib said, "Good riddance! Let's go now."

Miya did not say anything. He walked away silently.

Then they ate and drank and ruled the kingdom.