The Tale of Miya Fooski and the Missing Bundle 2

- “What I did was 100 percent perfect! Did you see my style? I pulled the bundle-man's nose, twisted his ears, and...”

- Jivram Joshi

"D adaji... Dadaji... Please continue the Miya Fooski story! What happened next?"

Sonu and Monu, nearly screaming with excitement, urged their grandfather to narrate the next episode of their favorite tale.

"Okay... okay... But before I dive into the second installment of the Miya Fooski story, do you remember what happened in the first part?" Dadaji smiled, his eyes twinkling.

Sonu promptly replied, "Oh! We remember every single line! Here is the summary..."

Sonu then perfectly summarized the first part of the adventure:

A man left his bundle, which contained a pistol, on the riverbank to go for a swim. Nearby, Miya Fooski and Tabha Bhatt also came to bathe. When they came out of the water, Tabha Bhatt's turban was missing, and the other man's entire bundle had vanished. The man saw Fooski and Bhatt muttering about something being "missing" and assumed they were thieves talking about his bundle. He angrily confronted them, and Tabha Bhatt was terrified, knowing the man was a dangerous goon with a pistol.

However, Miya Fooski remained perfectly calm and told Bhatt he had a plan to "twist his nose," "grab his ears," and "knock his head." Before Bhatt could stop him, Fooski confidently approached the angry man. He suddenly twisted the man's nose and pulled his ear, claiming it was a special "astrology test." Fooski then began to flatter the man, comparing his "fearless nose" to that of a famously brave potter. He told the man he could tell he was a bold, proud, and fearless person who wouldn't hesitate to shoot someone. This flattery worked, and the man, who was indeed a bandit, calmed down and his anger faded.

"Very good," Dadaji said with a nod of satisfaction. "Now, here is the second part..."

***

Miya Fooski said, "And brother, your ears are just like those of a foolish man in my village. That means you must be foolish just like him. That man says such things to people that it leaves them stunned. He's so clever, he never gets tricked by anyone's words. And he doesn't trust anyone. Tell me, are you like that or not?"

The man with the bundle began to think. It sounded true. He really didn't let anyone push him around. He was the type to speak his mind bluntly.

Miya smiled and said, "Brother Bundle-Man! Let me tell you one last thing. But please don't get angry. Let me just give your skull a little tap."

The man with the bundle said, "Go ahead, tap it."

Miya Fooski bent one finger and gave the bundle-man's head a tap. Immediately, he said, "Oh, sorry. That tap was a bit too soft. May I do another one?"

Saying this, he gave him a second tap.

Right away, he said, "Oh! I made a mistake. I am supposed to tap from the back. I forgot in my hurry."

He quickly went behind the man. He looked at Tabha Bhat, who was standing a short distance away, watching everything. Miya Fooski pressed his lips together to hide a smile, showed him his bent finger, and made a gesture, as if to say, "See how I tap!"

Tabha Bhat got really angry with Miya. He was tapping on the head of this goon-like man! If this went wrong, they would be in serious trouble.

Just then, Miya laughingly gave the bundle-man's skull three more taps. He immediately went and stood in front of him, made a very serious face, and said, "Brother! The fortune told by these taps is very harsh. If I tell you, you will be shocked. If you'll excuse me, I'll just keep it to myself."

The man with the bundle said, "No, no, no. I am not the type to be shocked by anything."

Miya said, "I already told you that when I read your ears. You're the type who can outsmart anyone. But brother, this... this is something I hesitate to say."

The man said, "Just say it. I am not afraid of anything."

Miya said, "I gave your skull three taps. The first tap says: You are not a merciful person. If anyone crosses you, you are the type to cut off their head. The second tap says: You will do such things that if you get caught, you will end up in jail. The third tap says: If you make a mistake now, you will face a death sentence. That's it. I will say no more."

After hearing Miya Fooski's words, the man with the bundle became much calmer. His anger faded, and he said, "So, now tell me, who took my bundle?"

Miya Fooski pretended to think for a moment and said, "Ah, that is a kind of fortune-telling I don't know. But my companion over there, Bhatji Maharaj, he might know it. Let me go and ask him."

The man said, "Yes, yes, let's ask him! Call him over."

Miya said, "He's a little deaf. He won't hear if I shout. Here, I'll go and bring him."

Saying this, Miya Fooski ran off.

Tabha Bhat was frozen in place. He was thinking, "Miya has grabbed the bundle-man's nose, pulled his ears, and even hit him on the head three times! Any second now, that man is going to grab Miya's throat and beat him to a pulp!"

Bhatji was sunk in deep surprise.

The man with the bundle didn't grab Miya's throat. He didn't even lay a finger on him.

And the biggest surprise of all was that Miya Fooski was now walking towards him, smiling, nodding his head, and winking.

Miya Fooski went up to Tabha Bhat and started smiling, pressing his lips together. He gently put a finger to his own nose and said, "Stay quiet, Bhatji! Did you see my trick?"

Bhatji said, "You rascal! What have you done?"

Miya chuckled softly and said, "What I did was 100 percent perfect! Did you see my style? I pulled the bundle-man's nose, twisted his ears, and... I gave his head five taps in total!"

Bhatji did not understand Miya Fooski's trick at all.

Miya Fooski said, "There's no time for long stories. Now it's time for the final act. That bundle-man believes I am a real master fortune-teller."

Bhatji said, "How?"

Miya said, "I didn't come here to explain all that."

Bhatji said, "Tell me quickly! I need to understand what nonsense you've been spouting!"

Miya said, "I've been using my brains, that's what! Now is not the time for talk. That bundle-man has asked me a question: 'If you are a real fortune-teller, tell me where my bundle went and who took it.'"

Tabha Bhat exclaimed, "You've really done it now! This will be the death of us!"

Miya said, "Be quiet! Not the death of us, but the eating of us! Tell me, do you want to eat this bundle-man's laddus (sweets)? If you do, I'll set up the trick."

Bhatji said angrily, "I don't want any laddus! Please, just finish your trick quickly. That will be as good as eating laddus for me. What's left of your plan?"

Miya said, "I told you. I have to tell him where his bundle went."

Bhatji, completely annoyed, snapped, "His bundle went to the same place my turban went!"

As soon as he heard this, Miya Fooski clapped his hands and said, "Bravo, Bhatji, bravo! You have finally gained wisdom just like me. That's 100 percent true! Well, I'm off."

Bhatji said, "Wait, wait! Don't you dare say anything like that!"

Bhatji kept talking, but Miya Fooski kept walking. He didn't stop to listen.

He reached the man with the bundle.

The man with the bundle was watching from a distance. He could see Miya and Bhatji having some kind of intense discussion, but he couldn't understand what it was about. He couldn't hear their words or make out their expressions.

Miya came back and said with a laugh, "Mr. Bundle-Man! Your question was very difficult. That master fortune-teller scolded me at first! He said, 'You have become a 'tap' fortune-teller, but you still don't understand the calculations of time?'"

"I told him, 'I have only learned the fortune-telling of taps. You are the one who knows about auspicious and inauspicious timings. That is why I came to ask you: Where did Mr. Bundle-Man's bundle go?'"

"This made the master fortune-teller even more annoyed. He said, 'My turban is also missing, isn't it?'"

"I said, 'Yes.' He said, 'The bundle went missing in the exact same auspicious period that my turban went missing. And both 'Potli' (bundle) and 'Paghdi' (turban) start with the letter P.'"

"Names starting with P have the Virgo zodiac sign. The astrological time-period at that moment was one of 'Calamity.' If an item with the Virgo sign goes missing during this period, and it has the same gender, then wherever the first item went, the second one went too. A 'turban' is a feminine word, and a 'bundle' is also a feminine word. Therefore, where the turban went, the bundle went!"

The man with the bundle exclaimed, "Meaning?"

Miya said, "It means that some thief... someone who secretly snatches things... has come and taken both the bundle and the turban."

The man asked, "But how will we find them now? Can he tell us that?"

Miya said, "That's the big problem! It was the 'Calamity' period, so the thief might be found, or he might not. But there is one thing: if we find a clue to the turban, we will also find a clue to the bundle. Because where the turban went, the bundle went. That's what the master fortune-teller said. Therefore, we must first find the turban."

The man said, "So now what?"

Miya said, "So now, we start searching for the turban."

...What happens next? Wait and watch!