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Today's Paper | November 23, 2024

Published 20 Nov, 2021 09:00am

Looking for trouble

Dazel the duck was not her cheery self. She was bored. "I have nothing to do," she said to her friend Din Din, glumly.

"That sounds so strange coming from you, Dazel," said Din Din with a laugh as they walked around Fruit Park where Din Din lived with the other dinosaurs. "You are always so energetic and motivated, what has brought about this change in you.

"I don't have a clue," moaned Dazel. "I hate being this way. I need an adventure," she declared.

Suddenly she was flapping her wings and saying, "C'mon Din Din, we can do it. Let's go adventure hunting!"

"Oh boy! Not again." Din Din said shaking his head as he tried to keep up with the flying Dazel.

Soon the two friends were out of Fruit Park and trekking towards a narrow, rockypath leading to a range of low mountains. The terrain gradually became gravelly and unsteady. Soon, Dazel landed on a stunted rock. Din Din huffed and puffed behind her.

"There is no adventure here," gasped Din Din. "Let's go back, please."

As soon as he said this, a flock of crows flew up to Dazel and Din Din and surrounded them. They screeched and cawed until Dazel winced in exasperation.

"What is the matter," Dazel squawked, annoyed. "Why are you making such a hue and cry?"

"What are 'you' both doing here," screeched a large, raven crow with a vicious-looking, pointed beak. "I am the leader of the crow rouges and this is our territory. You can't venture here without permission."

"Yes, and now you have to pay for trespassing," joined in another of the crow cronies, pecking at Dazel's yellow feathers. He ferociously pulled out one bright feather from Dazel's wings.

"Ouch," yelped Dazel in pain. Din Din strode forward menacingly towards the attacking crow to protect his bird friend but immediately, a flock of crows came closer and began to ruthlessly poke their curved beaks into Din Din's flesh. Din Din cried out in pain. His size did not help him; he was outnumbered by the cawing crows and their persistent attack.

"Let's take them prisoners," said the leader and another group of crows descended on the two friends and threw a net made of interwoven weeds over them. Swiftly they tied the ends of the net to nearby rocks until they had deftly imprisoned Dazel and Din Din."You will stay here," cackled the crow leader, "and rot!" His team of crows laughed maliciously at his cruel words. With this ominous sound ringing in their ears, the two friends saw the crows fly off.

"Oh Din Din, I'm so sorry for getting us into this mess," said Dazel mournfully, as she tried to flap her wings to free them from the suffocating net. When she flapped her wings the feathers got caught in the tough, rough weeds. "Ouch," she cried.

"Oh dear," said Din Din. "Let me help you." He gently used his nose and blunt mouth to free the bright feathers from the weeds. Once the feathers were free from the rough weed net, Din Din said kindly, "Dazel, please don't worry. There was no way we could have known about these crows. We will get free. My family will realize we are not home and they will come searching for us by night time."

"Night time!" Dazel said mournfully. "That's hours away! Look Din Din, you are bleeding at the places where the crows scratched you. Oh dear! Why did I come looking for excitement! I should have been grateful for all I had. But no! I need to have excitement in my life. Why can't I just enjoy the routine?"

While Dazel moaned and complained and repented, Din Din had been at work with his blunt teeth. He was a plant eating dinosaur and his teeth were shaped to cut through leaves, twigs and branches. Steadily his teeth gnawed at the weeds until slowly and gradually the net came undone from one side. The hole was big enough for Dazel to fly out.

"Oh Din Din!" Dazel cried in relief. "You are such a hero!"

"Now stop wasting your energy and lift the net with your beak," said Din Din. Dazel quickly did as she was instructed. Din Din's calm guidance helped her to finally free him from the insidious net trap.

Once free, the two friends hurried down the rocky slope and set off towards the Fruit Park.

"Now I know why my mother doesn't let me venture up the mountains," said Din Din, as the friends reached the familiar Fruit Park surroundings.

They went to the lake to share their terrible ordeal with Delma, the dolphin.

"Oh Delma," cried Dazel. "You won't believe what happened to us today." Dazel poured out the whole story. "And Din Din was the hero! He remained calm in the crisis and tackled the problem so intelligently. That's what helped us get free!" Delma smiled at her two best friends.

"I'm just glad you both are safe."

"And I'm glad I'm cured of my constant desire for adventure and activity," exclaimed Dazel solemnly. I pledge to be contented with what I have and not go looking for trouble."

"Let's see how long that sentiment lasts," said Din Din. And the three friends laughed good naturedly.


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