Bulli and the TigerAuthor Shalini ReysIllustrator Nankusia Shyam

Bulli groaned and stretched forcing her eyes open Itwas 430 in the morning and already dawn had creptinto the room spilling gently off her face on to thehard clay floor The sun wakes up early in Assam andeveryone is up and about at this hour

Outside the family had started on their chores Shecould hear her mother and Aaita her grandmothersweeping floors and fanning the kitchen fire

2

lsquoBuh buh buh buhhelliprsquo Bullirsquos elder sister Shanti was calling the chickens inthe courtyard to come and get their breakfast Then there was a squawkingfluttering protest from the hens as Babu her little brother ran shriekingpastmdashfor no other reason it would seem than to scare the birds

Bulli knew she had better get up before someone came to fetch her Butshe lay there a while longer enjoying these last moments before the daycame bustling in Above her three gaily-painted cardboard butterflies flittedacross the bamboo wall

3

Bullirsquos house was made of bamboo like all the housesin her village Baghdhora Tila It had bamboo beamsand walls of strong woven bamboo matting Even thedoors and sliding windows were made of bamboo aswere the gate in front of the house the fence aroundit the tall bins in which the rice was stored the teastrainer and the fish traps

Her father made baskets for a living

Bulli got up and went to greet her father He sat by thedoor with Koka her grandfather There were rows ofbaskets stacked behind them They looked grave Oddthey werenrsquot working as they talked

4

She tried to catch her fatherrsquosattention But Pita wasnrsquot reallylistening lsquoYoursquod better goand help your Aairsquo he saidabsently Something was verywrong

But even her usually cheerful Aaitaseemed worried this morningWhat could be the matter

Bulli quietly ate her breakfast lastnightrsquos spicy lentil dhali mdasha weeklytreat and got ready for schoolwondering what was troublingeveryone

5

lsquoBoo-lee-ee O Boo-lee-ersquo

It was Aloka at the gate Bulli threw a few dog-eared books into her battered satchel and ran out Bulli and Alokahad been friends forever Their parents knew each other and it had been decided that Alokarsquos older brother Probirdada would one day marry Bullirsquos sister Shanti So they were almost family They told each other everything

Hand-in-hand the girls set off on the two-kilometre trek to their school in the town lsquoSomethingrsquos wrong at homersquoBulli said lsquoThe grown-ups are all acting very strangelyrsquo

lsquoAt my house toorsquo replied Aloka lsquoProbir da came home from the market yesterday very grumpy He wouldnrsquot eventalk to me I wonder whatrsquos bothering themrsquo

lsquoI know I knowrsquo They jumped startled It was Babu For someone who couldnrsquot be still for a moment Babu couldcertainly move silently when he chose

lsquoWhat do you knowrsquo asked BullilsquoWhat will you give me if I tellrsquolsquoA slap on your face if you donrsquotrsquo

6

Babu knew better than to mess with his sister when she used that tonelsquoThey canrsquot get any more bamboo because the contractor is asking for toomuch money Thousands of rupees Pita does not have the money to biddirectly for forest bamboo from the government I heard them talkingrsquo heblurted out as he danced jerkily ahead on the mud track

They walked on in silence This was serious

7

In a while they came to the outskirts of the town where the brick factorystood A line of people stood at the gate waiting to be let in Bulli shiveredShe had once carried bricks here with her parents when the money had runshort and they had to work for wages to make ends meet Now they mighthave to come back No bamboo meant no baskets to make and sell

Her mind was racing as they got to school Where could she get hold ofbamboo for Pitarsquos baskets

8

Bulli was so deep in her thoughts that she hardly noticed the lessons go by She hung her head looking suitablyrepentant when she was punished for not doing her homework She rattled off the twelve times table with the restof the class She didnrsquot even squeal when Khagen the rowdiest boy in school sent a pellet from his rubber-bandcatapult her way

During the lunch break instead of joining the regular game of oluguti-toluguti Bulli huddled in a corner with Alokatrying to figure out a way to help their families

The remaining lessons too went by in a blur And when the gong sounded for the end of school the two friendsdidnrsquot hang around the school compound as they usually did but headed straight home

lsquoMeet me in one hour by the hanging bridgersquo Bulli told Aloka as they parted ways

Bulli had a plan But she needed a sharp implementmdashlike an axe or a knife She knew where she could find one

9

Her grandmother was spreading amla to dry on a mat by the jars of lemonsand olives pickling in the sun lsquoAaita wherersquos Pitarsquo Bulli tried to soundcasual Better not to arouse suspicion Grown-ups had a way of stepping inand spoiling everything

lsquoGone to Guwahati with Probir da to look for bamboorsquo replied Aaitaswatting away her granddaughterrsquos hand from the sour gooseberries Toolate Bulli had grabbed a handful and scampered off

She found her grandfather in the work shed Good he was alone at leastfor now Babu was off somewherendash-probably tormenting Shanti or playingpitthoo with his friends

10

lsquoLook Irsquove got something for yoursquo Kokarsquos eyes twinkled behind the thick lenses as he held out a perfect tinybasket He had made her a whole collection of these toysmdashbaskets in all shapes little chairs sofas tables even adoll-sized bullock cart complete with canopy lsquoAnd what did my clever girl learn at school today Wersquod better watchout or soon she will become a scholar and go to Delhi And then shersquoll become prime minister and start bossing usaroundrsquo

Bulli giggled lsquoKoka Koka tell me a storyrsquo She looked around the shed The heap of bamboo stems usuallystacked almost to the ceiling was now reduced to just a small pile Koka expertly sliced a length of bamboo into smaller pieces lsquoAnd which one do you want to hear this timersquo Heused the sharp broad blade of his daoto peel off the hard outer skin as he spoke

lsquoThe tiger story the tiger storyrsquo

lsquoDonrsquot you ever tire of hearing that onersquo

11

In one quick move Koka had halved a piece lengthwise Shuk shuk shuk withlightning speed the dao split the bamboo Then a bend and a turn and thefine even strips fanned out between his fingers

These were for japis the wide-brimmed upside-down ice-cream cone hatsthat farmers wore while transplanting paddy The rains were over this yearand the grain stood ripening in the fields So these japis would be lined withpatches of coloured felt or metallic paper with trimmings of sequins braidand baubles to decorate the walls at festival time

12

Koka counted out five strips and crossed them over the tip of the mould heused to shape the crown Bulli had seen him do this a thousand times butshe still watched as he wove more strips around and across the frame

The cone done his fingers moved swiftly around the base adding strips andweaving them to form the shade and then the turned-down brim Soon theouter layer of the japi was done mdash a net of five-pointed stars

13

He started on the inner layer Bulli picked up a pair of scissors to cut theshiny paper into neat triangles for the trimming In the corner she spiedPitarsquos dao Excellent Now all she had to do was smuggle it out of the house

Koka finished the inner lining of the japi He arranged the papers Bullihanded him and sandwiched them between the two layers Slightly widerbamboo strips were placed across the underside of the shade for strengthThen a hoop around the base of the cone and another around the rimsecured with string to hold the layers in place and it was ready All that wasleft now was to glue on some sequins and a length of braid around thebrim

14

And as they worked Koka told his story lsquoA long time agohelliprsquo

lsquoHow longrsquo Bulli wanted to know

lsquoDonrsquot interrupt childhellip

lsquoIt was in my kokarsquos kokarsquos kokarsquos pitarsquos timendashmaybe even before thatThere were only five houses by the river with the hill behind and the jungleall around The people grew rice and vegetables for themselves andwhatever little was extra they sold in the market

15

lsquoOne year the rains fell harder than usual The sky was black as coal even in the morning The sun fell asleepthinking it was night The rain kept pouring down The river rose higher and higher until the dam burst and the water flooded over intothe fields towards our village

16

lsquoAnd still the downpour continuedThe water was knee-high by nowand still rising The people wereafraid They huddled together wetand hungry If they didnrsquot dosomething soon their belongingswould be washed away and theywould drown

lsquoThen they heard itBrroouuaarrrrrhellip aabrrooaarrrhellip soloud that the rain stopped and thesun peeped out from behind theclouds to see what was going on

17

Way up on the top of the hill stood a tigerndashhandsome huge his coatglistening like pure gold He was calling to themBrroouuaarrrrrhellip aabrrooaarrrhellip come up heeerrreerr helliprsquo

lsquoBut tigers canrsquot speak our languagersquo Bulli cut in

lsquoHave you ever met a tigerrsquo She had to admit that she hadnrsquot

lsquoThen how do you know they canrsquotrsquo he asked

18

lsquoAt first the people were afraid to go Theyrsquod never been up the hill before and they werenrsquot sure that this wasnrsquot atrick They certainly didnrsquot want to become a tasty meal for some wild animal lsquoThe tiger saw them hesitate Brroouuaarrrrrhellip aabrrooaarrrhellip come up heeerrreerr wherrrre itrsquos dry and safehellip Heroared again trying to sound as friendly as he couldlsquoThis time they went They hadnrsquot much choice The tiger came halfway down the slope to lead them safely to thetop The villagers followed him They were not afraid any more He was a kind tiger He had saved them from thefloodlsquoUp on the hill there were ponds and streams full of fish plenty of fruit trees and bamboo groves The villagerswere pleased to find such a beautiful spot to build their new homes But now something else troubled them Theirfields were left far behind at the bottom of the hill What would they do for a living

lsquoAhem aabrrooaarrrhellip I couldnrsquot help overhearinghellip If yoursquoll perrrmitt me to make a suggestionhellip It was the tiger whohad been standing nearby and was as well-mannered as he was kind Follow me if you please He led them to abamboo grove

Therersquos plenty of bamboo here for you to use Itrsquos strong and waterproof mdash good for building houses and supple enoughto make baskets which you can sell in the market People always need baskets in which to carry and store

19

Therersquos plenty of bamboo here for you to use Itrsquos strong and waterproofmdashgoodfor building houses and supple enough to make baskets which you can sell inthe market People always need baskets in which to carry and store

lsquoWith one sweep of a front paw the tiger knocked down a stem andshredded it into strips with his claws Then he showed them how to weavemats and baskets And then he was gone He disappeared into the thickjungle But they knew he was watching them from behind the trees

20

lsquoSo they set about rebuilding their village which they named Baghdhora Tila in honour of the bagh the tiger onthe tila the hill who saved them from the flood and taught them a new craftlsquoAnd that is how we came to be here and to weave baskets for a livingrsquo

lsquoWhat happened to the tigerrsquo Bulli was getting restless by now but she knew she was expected to asklsquoOh hersquos still around Lives in the forest and watches over the village They say he appears every once in a while tohelp us in times of troublersquo

Bulli stood up lsquoI have to get the fishrsquo she said by way of explanation

She went over to the corner where the tools were kept and made a big show of putting away the scissors andmetallic paper When she left the work shed she was carrying hidden in the folds of her skirt her fatherrsquos dao

Bulli picked up her gear She and Aloka went out every afternoon to get fish for dinner It was part of their dailyroutine so no one paid much heed Bulli hid the dao in the fish basket and ran out

21

Aloka was already at the hanging bridge that stretched and swayed acrossthe stream separating the jungle from their village lsquoDid you get itrsquo sheaskedlsquoItrsquos herersquo Bulli patted the basket at her waist lsquoLetrsquos get the fish firstrsquo sheadded

The hillside was dotted with shallow ponds teeming with silvery fish thatfed on the water plants Bulli and Aloka dipped their bamboo bottle-shapedfish catchers into one then lifted them out They picked out the weeds andthrew the fish into their baskets Soon their baskets were full

22

The girls headed back towards the hanging bridgeThe plan was to go into the jungle and bring backsome bamboo for their parents Finding the bamboowould be no problem It grew in thick clumps all overthe forest Bulli and Aloka were sure they could carrythe bamboo back to the village Theyrsquod balanced fivebricks each on their heads during their time at thefactory How they would get it into their houseswithout being found out was entirely another matter

Their luck had held so far They could only pray thattheir parents would be so happy to see the bamboothat they wouldnrsquot think to ask how it got therePleased with their clever plan the two friends crossedinto the forest

23

Oh no They werenrsquot alone Babuand Khagen were kicking a dentedplastic ball around the clearingBulli and Aloka slipped quietly pastthem behind the trees only to runinto Sangeeta with her smallbrother Uppal in tow collectingfirewood lsquoWhere are you goingrsquo SangeetaaskedlsquoTo get some bamboorsquolsquoWersquore coming toorsquo The sister andbrother joined the team

24

The girls didnrsquot argue There wasnrsquot much time before sundown Silently they filed through the thick undergrowthuntil they came upon a dense grove of bamboo

Bulli took out the dao Shersquod never used one before but trying to look as if she did this every day she touched itssharp blade to the stem There was a crunch and a thud behind them They froze lsquoWhoooo whoooo- Irsquom the ghost of the jungle What are you doing on my landrsquo

They laughed half-relieved Babu and Khagen had found them

lsquoHere yoursquod better give me that I know how to use these thingsrsquo Khagen made a grab for the daolsquoShhhrsquo Aloka put her finger to her lips They heard a rustling in the trees Something moved This was beginning toget scary

Uppal let out a howl lsquoI donrsquot like this place I want to go homersquoBulli the bravest of them all took command lsquoSangeeta tell your brother to shut up Babu stop fidgeting Irsquomgoing to have a lookrsquo

25

With a bit of shoving the group squatted on the ground watching intently as Bulli moved towards the sound

The rustling grew louder A twig snapped They distinctly saw a yellow stripe flash past Bullirsquos couragedisappeared She turned and ran The others followed their hearts pounding They didnrsquot stop until they reachedthe bridge

lsquoWherersquos the daorsquo Bulli asked Khagen pantinglsquoI donrsquot know I thought you had itrsquo

lsquoWell wersquod better go back and look for itrsquo lsquoYou gomdashitrsquos your daorsquo Khagenrsquos brashness scarcely disguised the panic in his voice

Only Aloka was willing to go with Bulli They held hands as they retraced their steps through the jungleThe dao lay where Khagen had dropped it And there next to it was a broken stem of bamboo lsquoSo thatrsquos what gotthose scaredy-cats so frightenedrsquo they laughed

26

Dusk was falling The birds were calling to each other from their roosts Thefrogs croaked and splashed in the ponds and the crickets had alreadystarted their chirruping Soon the night would swoop down on them Theygirls knew they had better get home soon

It took them a while to realize they were lost One wrong turn somewherehad taken them deeper into the jungle than they had ever been before Bulliand Aloka clung to each other trembling wondering which way to go

27

Then they heard it A slow majestic swish Everything else had gone silentThey strained to get a better look in the half-light This was no bamboostem Could it be A flash of a gold and brown striped tail

Bulli remembered Kokarsquos story They must follow the sound Trustinglythey went with the crackle pop swish through the thick foliage on to thetrack leading to the hanging bridge They couldnrsquot see much mdashjust the hintof a whisker the twitch of an ear and once a glint of kind amber eyes thatseemed to say No need to worry I will show you the way

28

The girls turned to thank theirfriendmdashbut there was no onethere Just the jungle noise behindthem and the village lights upahead

Bulli said goodnight to Aloka andran off They would talk aboutwhat they had seen tomorrow Shehad to get home and put the daoin its usual place before it wasmissed

29

She had just replaced the dao andwas handing the fish to Aai withsome excuse about being so latewhen they heard the gate openPita was back from Guwahati Hewas smiling

The family crowded round himeager to hear the news lsquoWe founda dealer in the city willing to sell usbamboo at the old price if webought a large enough quantityrsquohe said happily lsquoSo we orderedenough for all the basket weaversTheyrsquoll be sending a trucktomorrowrsquo

30

Bulli was bursting to tell her own story So amid all the excitement withoutbeing asked she announced to no one in particular lsquoAloka and I met a tigerin the jungle todayrsquo

Everybody laughed lsquoDonrsquot be sillyrsquo said Shanti in her best older-sister tonelsquoThere arenrsquot any tigers here any morersquo

Bulli looked at her grandpa He didnrsquot say anything But behind thespectacles she saw the wink and smiled Koka knew

31

About the illustrations

The art of the Pardhan-Gond tribals of the Dindori Valley in Mandla Madhya Pradesh usestonal and contrasting colour blocks built up from dotted sections The artists paint treesshrubs birds and animals in a powerful and lyrical way Gond art is usually executed on theoutside walls of the mud huts of the people

32

This book was made possible by Pratham Books StoryWeaver platform Content under CreativeCommons licenses can be downloaded translated and can even be used to create new stories ‐provided you give appropriate credit and indicate if changes were made To know more about thisand the full terms of use and attribution please visit the following link

Disclaimer httpswwwstoryweaverorginterms_and_conditions

Some rights reserved This book is CC -BY -40 licensed You can copy modify distributeand perform the work even for commercial purposes all without asking permissionFor full terms of use and attribution httpcreativecommonsorglicensesby40

Story AttributionThis story Bulli and the Tiger is written by Shalini Reys copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license

Other CreditsBulli and the Tiger has been published on StoryWeaver by Pratham Books The development and production of this book has been supported by Sapphira KevinaMarie and Vijay Goradia wwwprathambooksorg

Illustration AttributionsCover page People looking towards an animal and peacocks by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 licensePage 2 A girl stretching over a mat by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 3 A hen and herchicks by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 4 A woman holding a pan to winnow grains byNankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 5 A house made of bamboo with a path leading down fromit by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 7 Two birds in the bushes by Nankusia Shyam copyPratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 8 Background with abstract art in cornerv by Nankusia Shyam copy PrathamBooks 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 10 Two faces staring into the sky by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Somerights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 12 A bamboo basket in the corner by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reservedReleased under CC BY 40 license Page 13 Hands weaving a basket by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40license Page 14 Background with abstract art in the corner by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license

Bulli groaned and stretched forcing her eyes open Itwas 430 in the morning and already dawn had creptinto the room spilling gently off her face on to thehard clay floor The sun wakes up early in Assam andeveryone is up and about at this hour

Outside the family had started on their chores Shecould hear her mother and Aaita her grandmothersweeping floors and fanning the kitchen fire

2

lsquoBuh buh buh buhhelliprsquo Bullirsquos elder sister Shanti was calling the chickens inthe courtyard to come and get their breakfast Then there was a squawkingfluttering protest from the hens as Babu her little brother ran shriekingpastmdashfor no other reason it would seem than to scare the birds

Bulli knew she had better get up before someone came to fetch her Butshe lay there a while longer enjoying these last moments before the daycame bustling in Above her three gaily-painted cardboard butterflies flittedacross the bamboo wall

3

Bullirsquos house was made of bamboo like all the housesin her village Baghdhora Tila It had bamboo beamsand walls of strong woven bamboo matting Even thedoors and sliding windows were made of bamboo aswere the gate in front of the house the fence aroundit the tall bins in which the rice was stored the teastrainer and the fish traps

Her father made baskets for a living

Bulli got up and went to greet her father He sat by thedoor with Koka her grandfather There were rows ofbaskets stacked behind them They looked grave Oddthey werenrsquot working as they talked

4

She tried to catch her fatherrsquosattention But Pita wasnrsquot reallylistening lsquoYoursquod better goand help your Aairsquo he saidabsently Something was verywrong

But even her usually cheerful Aaitaseemed worried this morningWhat could be the matter

Bulli quietly ate her breakfast lastnightrsquos spicy lentil dhali mdasha weeklytreat and got ready for schoolwondering what was troublingeveryone

5

lsquoBoo-lee-ee O Boo-lee-ersquo

It was Aloka at the gate Bulli threw a few dog-eared books into her battered satchel and ran out Bulli and Alokahad been friends forever Their parents knew each other and it had been decided that Alokarsquos older brother Probirdada would one day marry Bullirsquos sister Shanti So they were almost family They told each other everything

Hand-in-hand the girls set off on the two-kilometre trek to their school in the town lsquoSomethingrsquos wrong at homersquoBulli said lsquoThe grown-ups are all acting very strangelyrsquo

lsquoAt my house toorsquo replied Aloka lsquoProbir da came home from the market yesterday very grumpy He wouldnrsquot eventalk to me I wonder whatrsquos bothering themrsquo

lsquoI know I knowrsquo They jumped startled It was Babu For someone who couldnrsquot be still for a moment Babu couldcertainly move silently when he chose

lsquoWhat do you knowrsquo asked BullilsquoWhat will you give me if I tellrsquolsquoA slap on your face if you donrsquotrsquo

6

Babu knew better than to mess with his sister when she used that tonelsquoThey canrsquot get any more bamboo because the contractor is asking for toomuch money Thousands of rupees Pita does not have the money to biddirectly for forest bamboo from the government I heard them talkingrsquo heblurted out as he danced jerkily ahead on the mud track

They walked on in silence This was serious

7

In a while they came to the outskirts of the town where the brick factorystood A line of people stood at the gate waiting to be let in Bulli shiveredShe had once carried bricks here with her parents when the money had runshort and they had to work for wages to make ends meet Now they mighthave to come back No bamboo meant no baskets to make and sell

Her mind was racing as they got to school Where could she get hold ofbamboo for Pitarsquos baskets

8

Bulli was so deep in her thoughts that she hardly noticed the lessons go by She hung her head looking suitablyrepentant when she was punished for not doing her homework She rattled off the twelve times table with the restof the class She didnrsquot even squeal when Khagen the rowdiest boy in school sent a pellet from his rubber-bandcatapult her way

During the lunch break instead of joining the regular game of oluguti-toluguti Bulli huddled in a corner with Alokatrying to figure out a way to help their families

The remaining lessons too went by in a blur And when the gong sounded for the end of school the two friendsdidnrsquot hang around the school compound as they usually did but headed straight home

lsquoMeet me in one hour by the hanging bridgersquo Bulli told Aloka as they parted ways

Bulli had a plan But she needed a sharp implementmdashlike an axe or a knife She knew where she could find one

9

Her grandmother was spreading amla to dry on a mat by the jars of lemonsand olives pickling in the sun lsquoAaita wherersquos Pitarsquo Bulli tried to soundcasual Better not to arouse suspicion Grown-ups had a way of stepping inand spoiling everything

lsquoGone to Guwahati with Probir da to look for bamboorsquo replied Aaitaswatting away her granddaughterrsquos hand from the sour gooseberries Toolate Bulli had grabbed a handful and scampered off

She found her grandfather in the work shed Good he was alone at leastfor now Babu was off somewherendash-probably tormenting Shanti or playingpitthoo with his friends

10

lsquoLook Irsquove got something for yoursquo Kokarsquos eyes twinkled behind the thick lenses as he held out a perfect tinybasket He had made her a whole collection of these toysmdashbaskets in all shapes little chairs sofas tables even adoll-sized bullock cart complete with canopy lsquoAnd what did my clever girl learn at school today Wersquod better watchout or soon she will become a scholar and go to Delhi And then shersquoll become prime minister and start bossing usaroundrsquo

Bulli giggled lsquoKoka Koka tell me a storyrsquo She looked around the shed The heap of bamboo stems usuallystacked almost to the ceiling was now reduced to just a small pile Koka expertly sliced a length of bamboo into smaller pieces lsquoAnd which one do you want to hear this timersquo Heused the sharp broad blade of his daoto peel off the hard outer skin as he spoke

lsquoThe tiger story the tiger storyrsquo

lsquoDonrsquot you ever tire of hearing that onersquo

11

In one quick move Koka had halved a piece lengthwise Shuk shuk shuk withlightning speed the dao split the bamboo Then a bend and a turn and thefine even strips fanned out between his fingers

These were for japis the wide-brimmed upside-down ice-cream cone hatsthat farmers wore while transplanting paddy The rains were over this yearand the grain stood ripening in the fields So these japis would be lined withpatches of coloured felt or metallic paper with trimmings of sequins braidand baubles to decorate the walls at festival time

12

Koka counted out five strips and crossed them over the tip of the mould heused to shape the crown Bulli had seen him do this a thousand times butshe still watched as he wove more strips around and across the frame

The cone done his fingers moved swiftly around the base adding strips andweaving them to form the shade and then the turned-down brim Soon theouter layer of the japi was done mdash a net of five-pointed stars

13

He started on the inner layer Bulli picked up a pair of scissors to cut theshiny paper into neat triangles for the trimming In the corner she spiedPitarsquos dao Excellent Now all she had to do was smuggle it out of the house

Koka finished the inner lining of the japi He arranged the papers Bullihanded him and sandwiched them between the two layers Slightly widerbamboo strips were placed across the underside of the shade for strengthThen a hoop around the base of the cone and another around the rimsecured with string to hold the layers in place and it was ready All that wasleft now was to glue on some sequins and a length of braid around thebrim

14

And as they worked Koka told his story lsquoA long time agohelliprsquo

lsquoHow longrsquo Bulli wanted to know

lsquoDonrsquot interrupt childhellip

lsquoIt was in my kokarsquos kokarsquos kokarsquos pitarsquos timendashmaybe even before thatThere were only five houses by the river with the hill behind and the jungleall around The people grew rice and vegetables for themselves andwhatever little was extra they sold in the market

15

lsquoOne year the rains fell harder than usual The sky was black as coal even in the morning The sun fell asleepthinking it was night The rain kept pouring down The river rose higher and higher until the dam burst and the water flooded over intothe fields towards our village

16

lsquoAnd still the downpour continuedThe water was knee-high by nowand still rising The people wereafraid They huddled together wetand hungry If they didnrsquot dosomething soon their belongingswould be washed away and theywould drown

lsquoThen they heard itBrroouuaarrrrrhellip aabrrooaarrrhellip soloud that the rain stopped and thesun peeped out from behind theclouds to see what was going on

17

Way up on the top of the hill stood a tigerndashhandsome huge his coatglistening like pure gold He was calling to themBrroouuaarrrrrhellip aabrrooaarrrhellip come up heeerrreerr helliprsquo

lsquoBut tigers canrsquot speak our languagersquo Bulli cut in

lsquoHave you ever met a tigerrsquo She had to admit that she hadnrsquot

lsquoThen how do you know they canrsquotrsquo he asked

18

lsquoAt first the people were afraid to go Theyrsquod never been up the hill before and they werenrsquot sure that this wasnrsquot atrick They certainly didnrsquot want to become a tasty meal for some wild animal lsquoThe tiger saw them hesitate Brroouuaarrrrrhellip aabrrooaarrrhellip come up heeerrreerr wherrrre itrsquos dry and safehellip Heroared again trying to sound as friendly as he couldlsquoThis time they went They hadnrsquot much choice The tiger came halfway down the slope to lead them safely to thetop The villagers followed him They were not afraid any more He was a kind tiger He had saved them from thefloodlsquoUp on the hill there were ponds and streams full of fish plenty of fruit trees and bamboo groves The villagerswere pleased to find such a beautiful spot to build their new homes But now something else troubled them Theirfields were left far behind at the bottom of the hill What would they do for a living

lsquoAhem aabrrooaarrrhellip I couldnrsquot help overhearinghellip If yoursquoll perrrmitt me to make a suggestionhellip It was the tiger whohad been standing nearby and was as well-mannered as he was kind Follow me if you please He led them to abamboo grove

Therersquos plenty of bamboo here for you to use Itrsquos strong and waterproof mdash good for building houses and supple enoughto make baskets which you can sell in the market People always need baskets in which to carry and store

19

Therersquos plenty of bamboo here for you to use Itrsquos strong and waterproofmdashgoodfor building houses and supple enough to make baskets which you can sell inthe market People always need baskets in which to carry and store

lsquoWith one sweep of a front paw the tiger knocked down a stem andshredded it into strips with his claws Then he showed them how to weavemats and baskets And then he was gone He disappeared into the thickjungle But they knew he was watching them from behind the trees

20

lsquoSo they set about rebuilding their village which they named Baghdhora Tila in honour of the bagh the tiger onthe tila the hill who saved them from the flood and taught them a new craftlsquoAnd that is how we came to be here and to weave baskets for a livingrsquo

lsquoWhat happened to the tigerrsquo Bulli was getting restless by now but she knew she was expected to asklsquoOh hersquos still around Lives in the forest and watches over the village They say he appears every once in a while tohelp us in times of troublersquo

Bulli stood up lsquoI have to get the fishrsquo she said by way of explanation

She went over to the corner where the tools were kept and made a big show of putting away the scissors andmetallic paper When she left the work shed she was carrying hidden in the folds of her skirt her fatherrsquos dao

Bulli picked up her gear She and Aloka went out every afternoon to get fish for dinner It was part of their dailyroutine so no one paid much heed Bulli hid the dao in the fish basket and ran out

21

Aloka was already at the hanging bridge that stretched and swayed acrossthe stream separating the jungle from their village lsquoDid you get itrsquo sheaskedlsquoItrsquos herersquo Bulli patted the basket at her waist lsquoLetrsquos get the fish firstrsquo sheadded

The hillside was dotted with shallow ponds teeming with silvery fish thatfed on the water plants Bulli and Aloka dipped their bamboo bottle-shapedfish catchers into one then lifted them out They picked out the weeds andthrew the fish into their baskets Soon their baskets were full

22

The girls headed back towards the hanging bridgeThe plan was to go into the jungle and bring backsome bamboo for their parents Finding the bamboowould be no problem It grew in thick clumps all overthe forest Bulli and Aloka were sure they could carrythe bamboo back to the village Theyrsquod balanced fivebricks each on their heads during their time at thefactory How they would get it into their houseswithout being found out was entirely another matter

Their luck had held so far They could only pray thattheir parents would be so happy to see the bamboothat they wouldnrsquot think to ask how it got therePleased with their clever plan the two friends crossedinto the forest

23

Oh no They werenrsquot alone Babuand Khagen were kicking a dentedplastic ball around the clearingBulli and Aloka slipped quietly pastthem behind the trees only to runinto Sangeeta with her smallbrother Uppal in tow collectingfirewood lsquoWhere are you goingrsquo SangeetaaskedlsquoTo get some bamboorsquolsquoWersquore coming toorsquo The sister andbrother joined the team

24

The girls didnrsquot argue There wasnrsquot much time before sundown Silently they filed through the thick undergrowthuntil they came upon a dense grove of bamboo

Bulli took out the dao Shersquod never used one before but trying to look as if she did this every day she touched itssharp blade to the stem There was a crunch and a thud behind them They froze lsquoWhoooo whoooo- Irsquom the ghost of the jungle What are you doing on my landrsquo

They laughed half-relieved Babu and Khagen had found them

lsquoHere yoursquod better give me that I know how to use these thingsrsquo Khagen made a grab for the daolsquoShhhrsquo Aloka put her finger to her lips They heard a rustling in the trees Something moved This was beginning toget scary

Uppal let out a howl lsquoI donrsquot like this place I want to go homersquoBulli the bravest of them all took command lsquoSangeeta tell your brother to shut up Babu stop fidgeting Irsquomgoing to have a lookrsquo

25

With a bit of shoving the group squatted on the ground watching intently as Bulli moved towards the sound

The rustling grew louder A twig snapped They distinctly saw a yellow stripe flash past Bullirsquos couragedisappeared She turned and ran The others followed their hearts pounding They didnrsquot stop until they reachedthe bridge

lsquoWherersquos the daorsquo Bulli asked Khagen pantinglsquoI donrsquot know I thought you had itrsquo

lsquoWell wersquod better go back and look for itrsquo lsquoYou gomdashitrsquos your daorsquo Khagenrsquos brashness scarcely disguised the panic in his voice

Only Aloka was willing to go with Bulli They held hands as they retraced their steps through the jungleThe dao lay where Khagen had dropped it And there next to it was a broken stem of bamboo lsquoSo thatrsquos what gotthose scaredy-cats so frightenedrsquo they laughed

26

Dusk was falling The birds were calling to each other from their roosts Thefrogs croaked and splashed in the ponds and the crickets had alreadystarted their chirruping Soon the night would swoop down on them Theygirls knew they had better get home soon

It took them a while to realize they were lost One wrong turn somewherehad taken them deeper into the jungle than they had ever been before Bulliand Aloka clung to each other trembling wondering which way to go

27

Then they heard it A slow majestic swish Everything else had gone silentThey strained to get a better look in the half-light This was no bamboostem Could it be A flash of a gold and brown striped tail

Bulli remembered Kokarsquos story They must follow the sound Trustinglythey went with the crackle pop swish through the thick foliage on to thetrack leading to the hanging bridge They couldnrsquot see much mdashjust the hintof a whisker the twitch of an ear and once a glint of kind amber eyes thatseemed to say No need to worry I will show you the way

28

The girls turned to thank theirfriendmdashbut there was no onethere Just the jungle noise behindthem and the village lights upahead

Bulli said goodnight to Aloka andran off They would talk aboutwhat they had seen tomorrow Shehad to get home and put the daoin its usual place before it wasmissed

29

She had just replaced the dao andwas handing the fish to Aai withsome excuse about being so latewhen they heard the gate openPita was back from Guwahati Hewas smiling

The family crowded round himeager to hear the news lsquoWe founda dealer in the city willing to sell usbamboo at the old price if webought a large enough quantityrsquohe said happily lsquoSo we orderedenough for all the basket weaversTheyrsquoll be sending a trucktomorrowrsquo

30

Bulli was bursting to tell her own story So amid all the excitement withoutbeing asked she announced to no one in particular lsquoAloka and I met a tigerin the jungle todayrsquo

Everybody laughed lsquoDonrsquot be sillyrsquo said Shanti in her best older-sister tonelsquoThere arenrsquot any tigers here any morersquo

Bulli looked at her grandpa He didnrsquot say anything But behind thespectacles she saw the wink and smiled Koka knew

31

About the illustrations

The art of the Pardhan-Gond tribals of the Dindori Valley in Mandla Madhya Pradesh usestonal and contrasting colour blocks built up from dotted sections The artists paint treesshrubs birds and animals in a powerful and lyrical way Gond art is usually executed on theoutside walls of the mud huts of the people

32

This book was made possible by Pratham Books StoryWeaver platform Content under CreativeCommons licenses can be downloaded translated and can even be used to create new stories ‐provided you give appropriate credit and indicate if changes were made To know more about thisand the full terms of use and attribution please visit the following link

Disclaimer httpswwwstoryweaverorginterms_and_conditions

Some rights reserved This book is CC -BY -40 licensed You can copy modify distributeand perform the work even for commercial purposes all without asking permissionFor full terms of use and attribution httpcreativecommonsorglicensesby40

Story AttributionThis story Bulli and the Tiger is written by Shalini Reys copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license

Other CreditsBulli and the Tiger has been published on StoryWeaver by Pratham Books The development and production of this book has been supported by Sapphira KevinaMarie and Vijay Goradia wwwprathambooksorg

Illustration AttributionsCover page People looking towards an animal and peacocks by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 licensePage 2 A girl stretching over a mat by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 3 A hen and herchicks by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 4 A woman holding a pan to winnow grains byNankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 5 A house made of bamboo with a path leading down fromit by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 7 Two birds in the bushes by Nankusia Shyam copyPratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 8 Background with abstract art in cornerv by Nankusia Shyam copy PrathamBooks 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 10 Two faces staring into the sky by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Somerights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 12 A bamboo basket in the corner by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reservedReleased under CC BY 40 license Page 13 Hands weaving a basket by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40license Page 14 Background with abstract art in the corner by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license

lsquoBuh buh buh buhhelliprsquo Bullirsquos elder sister Shanti was calling the chickens inthe courtyard to come and get their breakfast Then there was a squawkingfluttering protest from the hens as Babu her little brother ran shriekingpastmdashfor no other reason it would seem than to scare the birds

Bulli knew she had better get up before someone came to fetch her Butshe lay there a while longer enjoying these last moments before the daycame bustling in Above her three gaily-painted cardboard butterflies flittedacross the bamboo wall

3

Bullirsquos house was made of bamboo like all the housesin her village Baghdhora Tila It had bamboo beamsand walls of strong woven bamboo matting Even thedoors and sliding windows were made of bamboo aswere the gate in front of the house the fence aroundit the tall bins in which the rice was stored the teastrainer and the fish traps

Her father made baskets for a living

Bulli got up and went to greet her father He sat by thedoor with Koka her grandfather There were rows ofbaskets stacked behind them They looked grave Oddthey werenrsquot working as they talked

4

She tried to catch her fatherrsquosattention But Pita wasnrsquot reallylistening lsquoYoursquod better goand help your Aairsquo he saidabsently Something was verywrong

But even her usually cheerful Aaitaseemed worried this morningWhat could be the matter

Bulli quietly ate her breakfast lastnightrsquos spicy lentil dhali mdasha weeklytreat and got ready for schoolwondering what was troublingeveryone

5

lsquoBoo-lee-ee O Boo-lee-ersquo

It was Aloka at the gate Bulli threw a few dog-eared books into her battered satchel and ran out Bulli and Alokahad been friends forever Their parents knew each other and it had been decided that Alokarsquos older brother Probirdada would one day marry Bullirsquos sister Shanti So they were almost family They told each other everything

Hand-in-hand the girls set off on the two-kilometre trek to their school in the town lsquoSomethingrsquos wrong at homersquoBulli said lsquoThe grown-ups are all acting very strangelyrsquo

lsquoAt my house toorsquo replied Aloka lsquoProbir da came home from the market yesterday very grumpy He wouldnrsquot eventalk to me I wonder whatrsquos bothering themrsquo

lsquoI know I knowrsquo They jumped startled It was Babu For someone who couldnrsquot be still for a moment Babu couldcertainly move silently when he chose

lsquoWhat do you knowrsquo asked BullilsquoWhat will you give me if I tellrsquolsquoA slap on your face if you donrsquotrsquo

6

Babu knew better than to mess with his sister when she used that tonelsquoThey canrsquot get any more bamboo because the contractor is asking for toomuch money Thousands of rupees Pita does not have the money to biddirectly for forest bamboo from the government I heard them talkingrsquo heblurted out as he danced jerkily ahead on the mud track

They walked on in silence This was serious

7

In a while they came to the outskirts of the town where the brick factorystood A line of people stood at the gate waiting to be let in Bulli shiveredShe had once carried bricks here with her parents when the money had runshort and they had to work for wages to make ends meet Now they mighthave to come back No bamboo meant no baskets to make and sell

Her mind was racing as they got to school Where could she get hold ofbamboo for Pitarsquos baskets

8

Bulli was so deep in her thoughts that she hardly noticed the lessons go by She hung her head looking suitablyrepentant when she was punished for not doing her homework She rattled off the twelve times table with the restof the class She didnrsquot even squeal when Khagen the rowdiest boy in school sent a pellet from his rubber-bandcatapult her way

During the lunch break instead of joining the regular game of oluguti-toluguti Bulli huddled in a corner with Alokatrying to figure out a way to help their families

The remaining lessons too went by in a blur And when the gong sounded for the end of school the two friendsdidnrsquot hang around the school compound as they usually did but headed straight home

lsquoMeet me in one hour by the hanging bridgersquo Bulli told Aloka as they parted ways

Bulli had a plan But she needed a sharp implementmdashlike an axe or a knife She knew where she could find one

9

Her grandmother was spreading amla to dry on a mat by the jars of lemonsand olives pickling in the sun lsquoAaita wherersquos Pitarsquo Bulli tried to soundcasual Better not to arouse suspicion Grown-ups had a way of stepping inand spoiling everything

lsquoGone to Guwahati with Probir da to look for bamboorsquo replied Aaitaswatting away her granddaughterrsquos hand from the sour gooseberries Toolate Bulli had grabbed a handful and scampered off

She found her grandfather in the work shed Good he was alone at leastfor now Babu was off somewherendash-probably tormenting Shanti or playingpitthoo with his friends

10

lsquoLook Irsquove got something for yoursquo Kokarsquos eyes twinkled behind the thick lenses as he held out a perfect tinybasket He had made her a whole collection of these toysmdashbaskets in all shapes little chairs sofas tables even adoll-sized bullock cart complete with canopy lsquoAnd what did my clever girl learn at school today Wersquod better watchout or soon she will become a scholar and go to Delhi And then shersquoll become prime minister and start bossing usaroundrsquo

Bulli giggled lsquoKoka Koka tell me a storyrsquo She looked around the shed The heap of bamboo stems usuallystacked almost to the ceiling was now reduced to just a small pile Koka expertly sliced a length of bamboo into smaller pieces lsquoAnd which one do you want to hear this timersquo Heused the sharp broad blade of his daoto peel off the hard outer skin as he spoke

lsquoThe tiger story the tiger storyrsquo

lsquoDonrsquot you ever tire of hearing that onersquo

11

In one quick move Koka had halved a piece lengthwise Shuk shuk shuk withlightning speed the dao split the bamboo Then a bend and a turn and thefine even strips fanned out between his fingers

These were for japis the wide-brimmed upside-down ice-cream cone hatsthat farmers wore while transplanting paddy The rains were over this yearand the grain stood ripening in the fields So these japis would be lined withpatches of coloured felt or metallic paper with trimmings of sequins braidand baubles to decorate the walls at festival time

12

Koka counted out five strips and crossed them over the tip of the mould heused to shape the crown Bulli had seen him do this a thousand times butshe still watched as he wove more strips around and across the frame

The cone done his fingers moved swiftly around the base adding strips andweaving them to form the shade and then the turned-down brim Soon theouter layer of the japi was done mdash a net of five-pointed stars

13

He started on the inner layer Bulli picked up a pair of scissors to cut theshiny paper into neat triangles for the trimming In the corner she spiedPitarsquos dao Excellent Now all she had to do was smuggle it out of the house

Koka finished the inner lining of the japi He arranged the papers Bullihanded him and sandwiched them between the two layers Slightly widerbamboo strips were placed across the underside of the shade for strengthThen a hoop around the base of the cone and another around the rimsecured with string to hold the layers in place and it was ready All that wasleft now was to glue on some sequins and a length of braid around thebrim

14

And as they worked Koka told his story lsquoA long time agohelliprsquo

lsquoHow longrsquo Bulli wanted to know

lsquoDonrsquot interrupt childhellip

lsquoIt was in my kokarsquos kokarsquos kokarsquos pitarsquos timendashmaybe even before thatThere were only five houses by the river with the hill behind and the jungleall around The people grew rice and vegetables for themselves andwhatever little was extra they sold in the market

15

lsquoOne year the rains fell harder than usual The sky was black as coal even in the morning The sun fell asleepthinking it was night The rain kept pouring down The river rose higher and higher until the dam burst and the water flooded over intothe fields towards our village

16

lsquoAnd still the downpour continuedThe water was knee-high by nowand still rising The people wereafraid They huddled together wetand hungry If they didnrsquot dosomething soon their belongingswould be washed away and theywould drown

lsquoThen they heard itBrroouuaarrrrrhellip aabrrooaarrrhellip soloud that the rain stopped and thesun peeped out from behind theclouds to see what was going on

17

Way up on the top of the hill stood a tigerndashhandsome huge his coatglistening like pure gold He was calling to themBrroouuaarrrrrhellip aabrrooaarrrhellip come up heeerrreerr helliprsquo

lsquoBut tigers canrsquot speak our languagersquo Bulli cut in

lsquoHave you ever met a tigerrsquo She had to admit that she hadnrsquot

lsquoThen how do you know they canrsquotrsquo he asked

18

lsquoAt first the people were afraid to go Theyrsquod never been up the hill before and they werenrsquot sure that this wasnrsquot atrick They certainly didnrsquot want to become a tasty meal for some wild animal lsquoThe tiger saw them hesitate Brroouuaarrrrrhellip aabrrooaarrrhellip come up heeerrreerr wherrrre itrsquos dry and safehellip Heroared again trying to sound as friendly as he couldlsquoThis time they went They hadnrsquot much choice The tiger came halfway down the slope to lead them safely to thetop The villagers followed him They were not afraid any more He was a kind tiger He had saved them from thefloodlsquoUp on the hill there were ponds and streams full of fish plenty of fruit trees and bamboo groves The villagerswere pleased to find such a beautiful spot to build their new homes But now something else troubled them Theirfields were left far behind at the bottom of the hill What would they do for a living

lsquoAhem aabrrooaarrrhellip I couldnrsquot help overhearinghellip If yoursquoll perrrmitt me to make a suggestionhellip It was the tiger whohad been standing nearby and was as well-mannered as he was kind Follow me if you please He led them to abamboo grove

Therersquos plenty of bamboo here for you to use Itrsquos strong and waterproof mdash good for building houses and supple enoughto make baskets which you can sell in the market People always need baskets in which to carry and store

19

Therersquos plenty of bamboo here for you to use Itrsquos strong and waterproofmdashgoodfor building houses and supple enough to make baskets which you can sell inthe market People always need baskets in which to carry and store

lsquoWith one sweep of a front paw the tiger knocked down a stem andshredded it into strips with his claws Then he showed them how to weavemats and baskets And then he was gone He disappeared into the thickjungle But they knew he was watching them from behind the trees

20

lsquoSo they set about rebuilding their village which they named Baghdhora Tila in honour of the bagh the tiger onthe tila the hill who saved them from the flood and taught them a new craftlsquoAnd that is how we came to be here and to weave baskets for a livingrsquo

lsquoWhat happened to the tigerrsquo Bulli was getting restless by now but she knew she was expected to asklsquoOh hersquos still around Lives in the forest and watches over the village They say he appears every once in a while tohelp us in times of troublersquo

Bulli stood up lsquoI have to get the fishrsquo she said by way of explanation

She went over to the corner where the tools were kept and made a big show of putting away the scissors andmetallic paper When she left the work shed she was carrying hidden in the folds of her skirt her fatherrsquos dao

Bulli picked up her gear She and Aloka went out every afternoon to get fish for dinner It was part of their dailyroutine so no one paid much heed Bulli hid the dao in the fish basket and ran out

21

Aloka was already at the hanging bridge that stretched and swayed acrossthe stream separating the jungle from their village lsquoDid you get itrsquo sheaskedlsquoItrsquos herersquo Bulli patted the basket at her waist lsquoLetrsquos get the fish firstrsquo sheadded

The hillside was dotted with shallow ponds teeming with silvery fish thatfed on the water plants Bulli and Aloka dipped their bamboo bottle-shapedfish catchers into one then lifted them out They picked out the weeds andthrew the fish into their baskets Soon their baskets were full

22

The girls headed back towards the hanging bridgeThe plan was to go into the jungle and bring backsome bamboo for their parents Finding the bamboowould be no problem It grew in thick clumps all overthe forest Bulli and Aloka were sure they could carrythe bamboo back to the village Theyrsquod balanced fivebricks each on their heads during their time at thefactory How they would get it into their houseswithout being found out was entirely another matter

Their luck had held so far They could only pray thattheir parents would be so happy to see the bamboothat they wouldnrsquot think to ask how it got therePleased with their clever plan the two friends crossedinto the forest

23

Oh no They werenrsquot alone Babuand Khagen were kicking a dentedplastic ball around the clearingBulli and Aloka slipped quietly pastthem behind the trees only to runinto Sangeeta with her smallbrother Uppal in tow collectingfirewood lsquoWhere are you goingrsquo SangeetaaskedlsquoTo get some bamboorsquolsquoWersquore coming toorsquo The sister andbrother joined the team

24

The girls didnrsquot argue There wasnrsquot much time before sundown Silently they filed through the thick undergrowthuntil they came upon a dense grove of bamboo

Bulli took out the dao Shersquod never used one before but trying to look as if she did this every day she touched itssharp blade to the stem There was a crunch and a thud behind them They froze lsquoWhoooo whoooo- Irsquom the ghost of the jungle What are you doing on my landrsquo

They laughed half-relieved Babu and Khagen had found them

lsquoHere yoursquod better give me that I know how to use these thingsrsquo Khagen made a grab for the daolsquoShhhrsquo Aloka put her finger to her lips They heard a rustling in the trees Something moved This was beginning toget scary

Uppal let out a howl lsquoI donrsquot like this place I want to go homersquoBulli the bravest of them all took command lsquoSangeeta tell your brother to shut up Babu stop fidgeting Irsquomgoing to have a lookrsquo

25

With a bit of shoving the group squatted on the ground watching intently as Bulli moved towards the sound

The rustling grew louder A twig snapped They distinctly saw a yellow stripe flash past Bullirsquos couragedisappeared She turned and ran The others followed their hearts pounding They didnrsquot stop until they reachedthe bridge

lsquoWherersquos the daorsquo Bulli asked Khagen pantinglsquoI donrsquot know I thought you had itrsquo

lsquoWell wersquod better go back and look for itrsquo lsquoYou gomdashitrsquos your daorsquo Khagenrsquos brashness scarcely disguised the panic in his voice

Only Aloka was willing to go with Bulli They held hands as they retraced their steps through the jungleThe dao lay where Khagen had dropped it And there next to it was a broken stem of bamboo lsquoSo thatrsquos what gotthose scaredy-cats so frightenedrsquo they laughed

26

Dusk was falling The birds were calling to each other from their roosts Thefrogs croaked and splashed in the ponds and the crickets had alreadystarted their chirruping Soon the night would swoop down on them Theygirls knew they had better get home soon

It took them a while to realize they were lost One wrong turn somewherehad taken them deeper into the jungle than they had ever been before Bulliand Aloka clung to each other trembling wondering which way to go

27

Then they heard it A slow majestic swish Everything else had gone silentThey strained to get a better look in the half-light This was no bamboostem Could it be A flash of a gold and brown striped tail

Bulli remembered Kokarsquos story They must follow the sound Trustinglythey went with the crackle pop swish through the thick foliage on to thetrack leading to the hanging bridge They couldnrsquot see much mdashjust the hintof a whisker the twitch of an ear and once a glint of kind amber eyes thatseemed to say No need to worry I will show you the way

28

The girls turned to thank theirfriendmdashbut there was no onethere Just the jungle noise behindthem and the village lights upahead

Bulli said goodnight to Aloka andran off They would talk aboutwhat they had seen tomorrow Shehad to get home and put the daoin its usual place before it wasmissed

29

She had just replaced the dao andwas handing the fish to Aai withsome excuse about being so latewhen they heard the gate openPita was back from Guwahati Hewas smiling

The family crowded round himeager to hear the news lsquoWe founda dealer in the city willing to sell usbamboo at the old price if webought a large enough quantityrsquohe said happily lsquoSo we orderedenough for all the basket weaversTheyrsquoll be sending a trucktomorrowrsquo

30

Bulli was bursting to tell her own story So amid all the excitement withoutbeing asked she announced to no one in particular lsquoAloka and I met a tigerin the jungle todayrsquo

Everybody laughed lsquoDonrsquot be sillyrsquo said Shanti in her best older-sister tonelsquoThere arenrsquot any tigers here any morersquo

Bulli looked at her grandpa He didnrsquot say anything But behind thespectacles she saw the wink and smiled Koka knew

31

About the illustrations

The art of the Pardhan-Gond tribals of the Dindori Valley in Mandla Madhya Pradesh usestonal and contrasting colour blocks built up from dotted sections The artists paint treesshrubs birds and animals in a powerful and lyrical way Gond art is usually executed on theoutside walls of the mud huts of the people

32

This book was made possible by Pratham Books StoryWeaver platform Content under CreativeCommons licenses can be downloaded translated and can even be used to create new stories ‐provided you give appropriate credit and indicate if changes were made To know more about thisand the full terms of use and attribution please visit the following link

Disclaimer httpswwwstoryweaverorginterms_and_conditions

Some rights reserved This book is CC -BY -40 licensed You can copy modify distributeand perform the work even for commercial purposes all without asking permissionFor full terms of use and attribution httpcreativecommonsorglicensesby40

Story AttributionThis story Bulli and the Tiger is written by Shalini Reys copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license

Other CreditsBulli and the Tiger has been published on StoryWeaver by Pratham Books The development and production of this book has been supported by Sapphira KevinaMarie and Vijay Goradia wwwprathambooksorg

Illustration AttributionsCover page People looking towards an animal and peacocks by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 licensePage 2 A girl stretching over a mat by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 3 A hen and herchicks by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 4 A woman holding a pan to winnow grains byNankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 5 A house made of bamboo with a path leading down fromit by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 7 Two birds in the bushes by Nankusia Shyam copyPratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 8 Background with abstract art in cornerv by Nankusia Shyam copy PrathamBooks 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 10 Two faces staring into the sky by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Somerights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 12 A bamboo basket in the corner by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reservedReleased under CC BY 40 license Page 13 Hands weaving a basket by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40license Page 14 Background with abstract art in the corner by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license

Bullirsquos house was made of bamboo like all the housesin her village Baghdhora Tila It had bamboo beamsand walls of strong woven bamboo matting Even thedoors and sliding windows were made of bamboo aswere the gate in front of the house the fence aroundit the tall bins in which the rice was stored the teastrainer and the fish traps

Her father made baskets for a living

Bulli got up and went to greet her father He sat by thedoor with Koka her grandfather There were rows ofbaskets stacked behind them They looked grave Oddthey werenrsquot working as they talked

4

She tried to catch her fatherrsquosattention But Pita wasnrsquot reallylistening lsquoYoursquod better goand help your Aairsquo he saidabsently Something was verywrong

But even her usually cheerful Aaitaseemed worried this morningWhat could be the matter

Bulli quietly ate her breakfast lastnightrsquos spicy lentil dhali mdasha weeklytreat and got ready for schoolwondering what was troublingeveryone

5

lsquoBoo-lee-ee O Boo-lee-ersquo

It was Aloka at the gate Bulli threw a few dog-eared books into her battered satchel and ran out Bulli and Alokahad been friends forever Their parents knew each other and it had been decided that Alokarsquos older brother Probirdada would one day marry Bullirsquos sister Shanti So they were almost family They told each other everything

Hand-in-hand the girls set off on the two-kilometre trek to their school in the town lsquoSomethingrsquos wrong at homersquoBulli said lsquoThe grown-ups are all acting very strangelyrsquo

lsquoAt my house toorsquo replied Aloka lsquoProbir da came home from the market yesterday very grumpy He wouldnrsquot eventalk to me I wonder whatrsquos bothering themrsquo

lsquoI know I knowrsquo They jumped startled It was Babu For someone who couldnrsquot be still for a moment Babu couldcertainly move silently when he chose

lsquoWhat do you knowrsquo asked BullilsquoWhat will you give me if I tellrsquolsquoA slap on your face if you donrsquotrsquo

6

Babu knew better than to mess with his sister when she used that tonelsquoThey canrsquot get any more bamboo because the contractor is asking for toomuch money Thousands of rupees Pita does not have the money to biddirectly for forest bamboo from the government I heard them talkingrsquo heblurted out as he danced jerkily ahead on the mud track

They walked on in silence This was serious

7

In a while they came to the outskirts of the town where the brick factorystood A line of people stood at the gate waiting to be let in Bulli shiveredShe had once carried bricks here with her parents when the money had runshort and they had to work for wages to make ends meet Now they mighthave to come back No bamboo meant no baskets to make and sell

Her mind was racing as they got to school Where could she get hold ofbamboo for Pitarsquos baskets

8

Bulli was so deep in her thoughts that she hardly noticed the lessons go by She hung her head looking suitablyrepentant when she was punished for not doing her homework She rattled off the twelve times table with the restof the class She didnrsquot even squeal when Khagen the rowdiest boy in school sent a pellet from his rubber-bandcatapult her way

During the lunch break instead of joining the regular game of oluguti-toluguti Bulli huddled in a corner with Alokatrying to figure out a way to help their families

The remaining lessons too went by in a blur And when the gong sounded for the end of school the two friendsdidnrsquot hang around the school compound as they usually did but headed straight home

lsquoMeet me in one hour by the hanging bridgersquo Bulli told Aloka as they parted ways

Bulli had a plan But she needed a sharp implementmdashlike an axe or a knife She knew where she could find one

9

Her grandmother was spreading amla to dry on a mat by the jars of lemonsand olives pickling in the sun lsquoAaita wherersquos Pitarsquo Bulli tried to soundcasual Better not to arouse suspicion Grown-ups had a way of stepping inand spoiling everything

lsquoGone to Guwahati with Probir da to look for bamboorsquo replied Aaitaswatting away her granddaughterrsquos hand from the sour gooseberries Toolate Bulli had grabbed a handful and scampered off

She found her grandfather in the work shed Good he was alone at leastfor now Babu was off somewherendash-probably tormenting Shanti or playingpitthoo with his friends

10

lsquoLook Irsquove got something for yoursquo Kokarsquos eyes twinkled behind the thick lenses as he held out a perfect tinybasket He had made her a whole collection of these toysmdashbaskets in all shapes little chairs sofas tables even adoll-sized bullock cart complete with canopy lsquoAnd what did my clever girl learn at school today Wersquod better watchout or soon she will become a scholar and go to Delhi And then shersquoll become prime minister and start bossing usaroundrsquo

Bulli giggled lsquoKoka Koka tell me a storyrsquo She looked around the shed The heap of bamboo stems usuallystacked almost to the ceiling was now reduced to just a small pile Koka expertly sliced a length of bamboo into smaller pieces lsquoAnd which one do you want to hear this timersquo Heused the sharp broad blade of his daoto peel off the hard outer skin as he spoke

lsquoThe tiger story the tiger storyrsquo

lsquoDonrsquot you ever tire of hearing that onersquo

11

In one quick move Koka had halved a piece lengthwise Shuk shuk shuk withlightning speed the dao split the bamboo Then a bend and a turn and thefine even strips fanned out between his fingers

These were for japis the wide-brimmed upside-down ice-cream cone hatsthat farmers wore while transplanting paddy The rains were over this yearand the grain stood ripening in the fields So these japis would be lined withpatches of coloured felt or metallic paper with trimmings of sequins braidand baubles to decorate the walls at festival time

12

Koka counted out five strips and crossed them over the tip of the mould heused to shape the crown Bulli had seen him do this a thousand times butshe still watched as he wove more strips around and across the frame

The cone done his fingers moved swiftly around the base adding strips andweaving them to form the shade and then the turned-down brim Soon theouter layer of the japi was done mdash a net of five-pointed stars

13

He started on the inner layer Bulli picked up a pair of scissors to cut theshiny paper into neat triangles for the trimming In the corner she spiedPitarsquos dao Excellent Now all she had to do was smuggle it out of the house

Koka finished the inner lining of the japi He arranged the papers Bullihanded him and sandwiched them between the two layers Slightly widerbamboo strips were placed across the underside of the shade for strengthThen a hoop around the base of the cone and another around the rimsecured with string to hold the layers in place and it was ready All that wasleft now was to glue on some sequins and a length of braid around thebrim

14

And as they worked Koka told his story lsquoA long time agohelliprsquo

lsquoHow longrsquo Bulli wanted to know

lsquoDonrsquot interrupt childhellip

lsquoIt was in my kokarsquos kokarsquos kokarsquos pitarsquos timendashmaybe even before thatThere were only five houses by the river with the hill behind and the jungleall around The people grew rice and vegetables for themselves andwhatever little was extra they sold in the market

15

lsquoOne year the rains fell harder than usual The sky was black as coal even in the morning The sun fell asleepthinking it was night The rain kept pouring down The river rose higher and higher until the dam burst and the water flooded over intothe fields towards our village

16

lsquoAnd still the downpour continuedThe water was knee-high by nowand still rising The people wereafraid They huddled together wetand hungry If they didnrsquot dosomething soon their belongingswould be washed away and theywould drown

lsquoThen they heard itBrroouuaarrrrrhellip aabrrooaarrrhellip soloud that the rain stopped and thesun peeped out from behind theclouds to see what was going on

17

Way up on the top of the hill stood a tigerndashhandsome huge his coatglistening like pure gold He was calling to themBrroouuaarrrrrhellip aabrrooaarrrhellip come up heeerrreerr helliprsquo

lsquoBut tigers canrsquot speak our languagersquo Bulli cut in

lsquoHave you ever met a tigerrsquo She had to admit that she hadnrsquot

lsquoThen how do you know they canrsquotrsquo he asked

18

lsquoAt first the people were afraid to go Theyrsquod never been up the hill before and they werenrsquot sure that this wasnrsquot atrick They certainly didnrsquot want to become a tasty meal for some wild animal lsquoThe tiger saw them hesitate Brroouuaarrrrrhellip aabrrooaarrrhellip come up heeerrreerr wherrrre itrsquos dry and safehellip Heroared again trying to sound as friendly as he couldlsquoThis time they went They hadnrsquot much choice The tiger came halfway down the slope to lead them safely to thetop The villagers followed him They were not afraid any more He was a kind tiger He had saved them from thefloodlsquoUp on the hill there were ponds and streams full of fish plenty of fruit trees and bamboo groves The villagerswere pleased to find such a beautiful spot to build their new homes But now something else troubled them Theirfields were left far behind at the bottom of the hill What would they do for a living

lsquoAhem aabrrooaarrrhellip I couldnrsquot help overhearinghellip If yoursquoll perrrmitt me to make a suggestionhellip It was the tiger whohad been standing nearby and was as well-mannered as he was kind Follow me if you please He led them to abamboo grove

Therersquos plenty of bamboo here for you to use Itrsquos strong and waterproof mdash good for building houses and supple enoughto make baskets which you can sell in the market People always need baskets in which to carry and store

19

Therersquos plenty of bamboo here for you to use Itrsquos strong and waterproofmdashgoodfor building houses and supple enough to make baskets which you can sell inthe market People always need baskets in which to carry and store

lsquoWith one sweep of a front paw the tiger knocked down a stem andshredded it into strips with his claws Then he showed them how to weavemats and baskets And then he was gone He disappeared into the thickjungle But they knew he was watching them from behind the trees

20

lsquoSo they set about rebuilding their village which they named Baghdhora Tila in honour of the bagh the tiger onthe tila the hill who saved them from the flood and taught them a new craftlsquoAnd that is how we came to be here and to weave baskets for a livingrsquo

lsquoWhat happened to the tigerrsquo Bulli was getting restless by now but she knew she was expected to asklsquoOh hersquos still around Lives in the forest and watches over the village They say he appears every once in a while tohelp us in times of troublersquo

Bulli stood up lsquoI have to get the fishrsquo she said by way of explanation

She went over to the corner where the tools were kept and made a big show of putting away the scissors andmetallic paper When she left the work shed she was carrying hidden in the folds of her skirt her fatherrsquos dao

Bulli picked up her gear She and Aloka went out every afternoon to get fish for dinner It was part of their dailyroutine so no one paid much heed Bulli hid the dao in the fish basket and ran out

21

Aloka was already at the hanging bridge that stretched and swayed acrossthe stream separating the jungle from their village lsquoDid you get itrsquo sheaskedlsquoItrsquos herersquo Bulli patted the basket at her waist lsquoLetrsquos get the fish firstrsquo sheadded

The hillside was dotted with shallow ponds teeming with silvery fish thatfed on the water plants Bulli and Aloka dipped their bamboo bottle-shapedfish catchers into one then lifted them out They picked out the weeds andthrew the fish into their baskets Soon their baskets were full

22

The girls headed back towards the hanging bridgeThe plan was to go into the jungle and bring backsome bamboo for their parents Finding the bamboowould be no problem It grew in thick clumps all overthe forest Bulli and Aloka were sure they could carrythe bamboo back to the village Theyrsquod balanced fivebricks each on their heads during their time at thefactory How they would get it into their houseswithout being found out was entirely another matter

Their luck had held so far They could only pray thattheir parents would be so happy to see the bamboothat they wouldnrsquot think to ask how it got therePleased with their clever plan the two friends crossedinto the forest

23

Oh no They werenrsquot alone Babuand Khagen were kicking a dentedplastic ball around the clearingBulli and Aloka slipped quietly pastthem behind the trees only to runinto Sangeeta with her smallbrother Uppal in tow collectingfirewood lsquoWhere are you goingrsquo SangeetaaskedlsquoTo get some bamboorsquolsquoWersquore coming toorsquo The sister andbrother joined the team

24

The girls didnrsquot argue There wasnrsquot much time before sundown Silently they filed through the thick undergrowthuntil they came upon a dense grove of bamboo

Bulli took out the dao Shersquod never used one before but trying to look as if she did this every day she touched itssharp blade to the stem There was a crunch and a thud behind them They froze lsquoWhoooo whoooo- Irsquom the ghost of the jungle What are you doing on my landrsquo

They laughed half-relieved Babu and Khagen had found them

lsquoHere yoursquod better give me that I know how to use these thingsrsquo Khagen made a grab for the daolsquoShhhrsquo Aloka put her finger to her lips They heard a rustling in the trees Something moved This was beginning toget scary

Uppal let out a howl lsquoI donrsquot like this place I want to go homersquoBulli the bravest of them all took command lsquoSangeeta tell your brother to shut up Babu stop fidgeting Irsquomgoing to have a lookrsquo

25

With a bit of shoving the group squatted on the ground watching intently as Bulli moved towards the sound

The rustling grew louder A twig snapped They distinctly saw a yellow stripe flash past Bullirsquos couragedisappeared She turned and ran The others followed their hearts pounding They didnrsquot stop until they reachedthe bridge

lsquoWherersquos the daorsquo Bulli asked Khagen pantinglsquoI donrsquot know I thought you had itrsquo

lsquoWell wersquod better go back and look for itrsquo lsquoYou gomdashitrsquos your daorsquo Khagenrsquos brashness scarcely disguised the panic in his voice

Only Aloka was willing to go with Bulli They held hands as they retraced their steps through the jungleThe dao lay where Khagen had dropped it And there next to it was a broken stem of bamboo lsquoSo thatrsquos what gotthose scaredy-cats so frightenedrsquo they laughed

26

Dusk was falling The birds were calling to each other from their roosts Thefrogs croaked and splashed in the ponds and the crickets had alreadystarted their chirruping Soon the night would swoop down on them Theygirls knew they had better get home soon

It took them a while to realize they were lost One wrong turn somewherehad taken them deeper into the jungle than they had ever been before Bulliand Aloka clung to each other trembling wondering which way to go

27

Then they heard it A slow majestic swish Everything else had gone silentThey strained to get a better look in the half-light This was no bamboostem Could it be A flash of a gold and brown striped tail

Bulli remembered Kokarsquos story They must follow the sound Trustinglythey went with the crackle pop swish through the thick foliage on to thetrack leading to the hanging bridge They couldnrsquot see much mdashjust the hintof a whisker the twitch of an ear and once a glint of kind amber eyes thatseemed to say No need to worry I will show you the way

28

The girls turned to thank theirfriendmdashbut there was no onethere Just the jungle noise behindthem and the village lights upahead

Bulli said goodnight to Aloka andran off They would talk aboutwhat they had seen tomorrow Shehad to get home and put the daoin its usual place before it wasmissed

29

She had just replaced the dao andwas handing the fish to Aai withsome excuse about being so latewhen they heard the gate openPita was back from Guwahati Hewas smiling

The family crowded round himeager to hear the news lsquoWe founda dealer in the city willing to sell usbamboo at the old price if webought a large enough quantityrsquohe said happily lsquoSo we orderedenough for all the basket weaversTheyrsquoll be sending a trucktomorrowrsquo

30

Bulli was bursting to tell her own story So amid all the excitement withoutbeing asked she announced to no one in particular lsquoAloka and I met a tigerin the jungle todayrsquo

Everybody laughed lsquoDonrsquot be sillyrsquo said Shanti in her best older-sister tonelsquoThere arenrsquot any tigers here any morersquo

Bulli looked at her grandpa He didnrsquot say anything But behind thespectacles she saw the wink and smiled Koka knew

31

About the illustrations

The art of the Pardhan-Gond tribals of the Dindori Valley in Mandla Madhya Pradesh usestonal and contrasting colour blocks built up from dotted sections The artists paint treesshrubs birds and animals in a powerful and lyrical way Gond art is usually executed on theoutside walls of the mud huts of the people

32

This book was made possible by Pratham Books StoryWeaver platform Content under CreativeCommons licenses can be downloaded translated and can even be used to create new stories ‐provided you give appropriate credit and indicate if changes were made To know more about thisand the full terms of use and attribution please visit the following link

Disclaimer httpswwwstoryweaverorginterms_and_conditions

Some rights reserved This book is CC -BY -40 licensed You can copy modify distributeand perform the work even for commercial purposes all without asking permissionFor full terms of use and attribution httpcreativecommonsorglicensesby40

Story AttributionThis story Bulli and the Tiger is written by Shalini Reys copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license

Other CreditsBulli and the Tiger has been published on StoryWeaver by Pratham Books The development and production of this book has been supported by Sapphira KevinaMarie and Vijay Goradia wwwprathambooksorg

Illustration AttributionsCover page People looking towards an animal and peacocks by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 licensePage 2 A girl stretching over a mat by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 3 A hen and herchicks by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 4 A woman holding a pan to winnow grains byNankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 5 A house made of bamboo with a path leading down fromit by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 7 Two birds in the bushes by Nankusia Shyam copyPratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 8 Background with abstract art in cornerv by Nankusia Shyam copy PrathamBooks 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 10 Two faces staring into the sky by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Somerights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 12 A bamboo basket in the corner by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reservedReleased under CC BY 40 license Page 13 Hands weaving a basket by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40license Page 14 Background with abstract art in the corner by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license

She tried to catch her fatherrsquosattention But Pita wasnrsquot reallylistening lsquoYoursquod better goand help your Aairsquo he saidabsently Something was verywrong

But even her usually cheerful Aaitaseemed worried this morningWhat could be the matter

Bulli quietly ate her breakfast lastnightrsquos spicy lentil dhali mdasha weeklytreat and got ready for schoolwondering what was troublingeveryone

5

lsquoBoo-lee-ee O Boo-lee-ersquo

It was Aloka at the gate Bulli threw a few dog-eared books into her battered satchel and ran out Bulli and Alokahad been friends forever Their parents knew each other and it had been decided that Alokarsquos older brother Probirdada would one day marry Bullirsquos sister Shanti So they were almost family They told each other everything

Hand-in-hand the girls set off on the two-kilometre trek to their school in the town lsquoSomethingrsquos wrong at homersquoBulli said lsquoThe grown-ups are all acting very strangelyrsquo

lsquoAt my house toorsquo replied Aloka lsquoProbir da came home from the market yesterday very grumpy He wouldnrsquot eventalk to me I wonder whatrsquos bothering themrsquo

lsquoI know I knowrsquo They jumped startled It was Babu For someone who couldnrsquot be still for a moment Babu couldcertainly move silently when he chose

lsquoWhat do you knowrsquo asked BullilsquoWhat will you give me if I tellrsquolsquoA slap on your face if you donrsquotrsquo

6

Babu knew better than to mess with his sister when she used that tonelsquoThey canrsquot get any more bamboo because the contractor is asking for toomuch money Thousands of rupees Pita does not have the money to biddirectly for forest bamboo from the government I heard them talkingrsquo heblurted out as he danced jerkily ahead on the mud track

They walked on in silence This was serious

7

In a while they came to the outskirts of the town where the brick factorystood A line of people stood at the gate waiting to be let in Bulli shiveredShe had once carried bricks here with her parents when the money had runshort and they had to work for wages to make ends meet Now they mighthave to come back No bamboo meant no baskets to make and sell

Her mind was racing as they got to school Where could she get hold ofbamboo for Pitarsquos baskets

8

Bulli was so deep in her thoughts that she hardly noticed the lessons go by She hung her head looking suitablyrepentant when she was punished for not doing her homework She rattled off the twelve times table with the restof the class She didnrsquot even squeal when Khagen the rowdiest boy in school sent a pellet from his rubber-bandcatapult her way

During the lunch break instead of joining the regular game of oluguti-toluguti Bulli huddled in a corner with Alokatrying to figure out a way to help their families

The remaining lessons too went by in a blur And when the gong sounded for the end of school the two friendsdidnrsquot hang around the school compound as they usually did but headed straight home

lsquoMeet me in one hour by the hanging bridgersquo Bulli told Aloka as they parted ways

Bulli had a plan But she needed a sharp implementmdashlike an axe or a knife She knew where she could find one

9

Her grandmother was spreading amla to dry on a mat by the jars of lemonsand olives pickling in the sun lsquoAaita wherersquos Pitarsquo Bulli tried to soundcasual Better not to arouse suspicion Grown-ups had a way of stepping inand spoiling everything

lsquoGone to Guwahati with Probir da to look for bamboorsquo replied Aaitaswatting away her granddaughterrsquos hand from the sour gooseberries Toolate Bulli had grabbed a handful and scampered off

She found her grandfather in the work shed Good he was alone at leastfor now Babu was off somewherendash-probably tormenting Shanti or playingpitthoo with his friends

10

lsquoLook Irsquove got something for yoursquo Kokarsquos eyes twinkled behind the thick lenses as he held out a perfect tinybasket He had made her a whole collection of these toysmdashbaskets in all shapes little chairs sofas tables even adoll-sized bullock cart complete with canopy lsquoAnd what did my clever girl learn at school today Wersquod better watchout or soon she will become a scholar and go to Delhi And then shersquoll become prime minister and start bossing usaroundrsquo

Bulli giggled lsquoKoka Koka tell me a storyrsquo She looked around the shed The heap of bamboo stems usuallystacked almost to the ceiling was now reduced to just a small pile Koka expertly sliced a length of bamboo into smaller pieces lsquoAnd which one do you want to hear this timersquo Heused the sharp broad blade of his daoto peel off the hard outer skin as he spoke

lsquoThe tiger story the tiger storyrsquo

lsquoDonrsquot you ever tire of hearing that onersquo

11

In one quick move Koka had halved a piece lengthwise Shuk shuk shuk withlightning speed the dao split the bamboo Then a bend and a turn and thefine even strips fanned out between his fingers

These were for japis the wide-brimmed upside-down ice-cream cone hatsthat farmers wore while transplanting paddy The rains were over this yearand the grain stood ripening in the fields So these japis would be lined withpatches of coloured felt or metallic paper with trimmings of sequins braidand baubles to decorate the walls at festival time

12

Koka counted out five strips and crossed them over the tip of the mould heused to shape the crown Bulli had seen him do this a thousand times butshe still watched as he wove more strips around and across the frame

The cone done his fingers moved swiftly around the base adding strips andweaving them to form the shade and then the turned-down brim Soon theouter layer of the japi was done mdash a net of five-pointed stars

13

He started on the inner layer Bulli picked up a pair of scissors to cut theshiny paper into neat triangles for the trimming In the corner she spiedPitarsquos dao Excellent Now all she had to do was smuggle it out of the house

Koka finished the inner lining of the japi He arranged the papers Bullihanded him and sandwiched them between the two layers Slightly widerbamboo strips were placed across the underside of the shade for strengthThen a hoop around the base of the cone and another around the rimsecured with string to hold the layers in place and it was ready All that wasleft now was to glue on some sequins and a length of braid around thebrim

14

And as they worked Koka told his story lsquoA long time agohelliprsquo

lsquoHow longrsquo Bulli wanted to know

lsquoDonrsquot interrupt childhellip

lsquoIt was in my kokarsquos kokarsquos kokarsquos pitarsquos timendashmaybe even before thatThere were only five houses by the river with the hill behind and the jungleall around The people grew rice and vegetables for themselves andwhatever little was extra they sold in the market

15

lsquoOne year the rains fell harder than usual The sky was black as coal even in the morning The sun fell asleepthinking it was night The rain kept pouring down The river rose higher and higher until the dam burst and the water flooded over intothe fields towards our village

16

lsquoAnd still the downpour continuedThe water was knee-high by nowand still rising The people wereafraid They huddled together wetand hungry If they didnrsquot dosomething soon their belongingswould be washed away and theywould drown

lsquoThen they heard itBrroouuaarrrrrhellip aabrrooaarrrhellip soloud that the rain stopped and thesun peeped out from behind theclouds to see what was going on

17

Way up on the top of the hill stood a tigerndashhandsome huge his coatglistening like pure gold He was calling to themBrroouuaarrrrrhellip aabrrooaarrrhellip come up heeerrreerr helliprsquo

lsquoBut tigers canrsquot speak our languagersquo Bulli cut in

lsquoHave you ever met a tigerrsquo She had to admit that she hadnrsquot

lsquoThen how do you know they canrsquotrsquo he asked

18

lsquoAt first the people were afraid to go Theyrsquod never been up the hill before and they werenrsquot sure that this wasnrsquot atrick They certainly didnrsquot want to become a tasty meal for some wild animal lsquoThe tiger saw them hesitate Brroouuaarrrrrhellip aabrrooaarrrhellip come up heeerrreerr wherrrre itrsquos dry and safehellip Heroared again trying to sound as friendly as he couldlsquoThis time they went They hadnrsquot much choice The tiger came halfway down the slope to lead them safely to thetop The villagers followed him They were not afraid any more He was a kind tiger He had saved them from thefloodlsquoUp on the hill there were ponds and streams full of fish plenty of fruit trees and bamboo groves The villagerswere pleased to find such a beautiful spot to build their new homes But now something else troubled them Theirfields were left far behind at the bottom of the hill What would they do for a living

lsquoAhem aabrrooaarrrhellip I couldnrsquot help overhearinghellip If yoursquoll perrrmitt me to make a suggestionhellip It was the tiger whohad been standing nearby and was as well-mannered as he was kind Follow me if you please He led them to abamboo grove

Therersquos plenty of bamboo here for you to use Itrsquos strong and waterproof mdash good for building houses and supple enoughto make baskets which you can sell in the market People always need baskets in which to carry and store

19

Therersquos plenty of bamboo here for you to use Itrsquos strong and waterproofmdashgoodfor building houses and supple enough to make baskets which you can sell inthe market People always need baskets in which to carry and store

lsquoWith one sweep of a front paw the tiger knocked down a stem andshredded it into strips with his claws Then he showed them how to weavemats and baskets And then he was gone He disappeared into the thickjungle But they knew he was watching them from behind the trees

20

lsquoSo they set about rebuilding their village which they named Baghdhora Tila in honour of the bagh the tiger onthe tila the hill who saved them from the flood and taught them a new craftlsquoAnd that is how we came to be here and to weave baskets for a livingrsquo

lsquoWhat happened to the tigerrsquo Bulli was getting restless by now but she knew she was expected to asklsquoOh hersquos still around Lives in the forest and watches over the village They say he appears every once in a while tohelp us in times of troublersquo

Bulli stood up lsquoI have to get the fishrsquo she said by way of explanation

She went over to the corner where the tools were kept and made a big show of putting away the scissors andmetallic paper When she left the work shed she was carrying hidden in the folds of her skirt her fatherrsquos dao

Bulli picked up her gear She and Aloka went out every afternoon to get fish for dinner It was part of their dailyroutine so no one paid much heed Bulli hid the dao in the fish basket and ran out

21

Aloka was already at the hanging bridge that stretched and swayed acrossthe stream separating the jungle from their village lsquoDid you get itrsquo sheaskedlsquoItrsquos herersquo Bulli patted the basket at her waist lsquoLetrsquos get the fish firstrsquo sheadded

The hillside was dotted with shallow ponds teeming with silvery fish thatfed on the water plants Bulli and Aloka dipped their bamboo bottle-shapedfish catchers into one then lifted them out They picked out the weeds andthrew the fish into their baskets Soon their baskets were full

22

The girls headed back towards the hanging bridgeThe plan was to go into the jungle and bring backsome bamboo for their parents Finding the bamboowould be no problem It grew in thick clumps all overthe forest Bulli and Aloka were sure they could carrythe bamboo back to the village Theyrsquod balanced fivebricks each on their heads during their time at thefactory How they would get it into their houseswithout being found out was entirely another matter

Their luck had held so far They could only pray thattheir parents would be so happy to see the bamboothat they wouldnrsquot think to ask how it got therePleased with their clever plan the two friends crossedinto the forest

23

Oh no They werenrsquot alone Babuand Khagen were kicking a dentedplastic ball around the clearingBulli and Aloka slipped quietly pastthem behind the trees only to runinto Sangeeta with her smallbrother Uppal in tow collectingfirewood lsquoWhere are you goingrsquo SangeetaaskedlsquoTo get some bamboorsquolsquoWersquore coming toorsquo The sister andbrother joined the team

24

The girls didnrsquot argue There wasnrsquot much time before sundown Silently they filed through the thick undergrowthuntil they came upon a dense grove of bamboo

Bulli took out the dao Shersquod never used one before but trying to look as if she did this every day she touched itssharp blade to the stem There was a crunch and a thud behind them They froze lsquoWhoooo whoooo- Irsquom the ghost of the jungle What are you doing on my landrsquo

They laughed half-relieved Babu and Khagen had found them

lsquoHere yoursquod better give me that I know how to use these thingsrsquo Khagen made a grab for the daolsquoShhhrsquo Aloka put her finger to her lips They heard a rustling in the trees Something moved This was beginning toget scary

Uppal let out a howl lsquoI donrsquot like this place I want to go homersquoBulli the bravest of them all took command lsquoSangeeta tell your brother to shut up Babu stop fidgeting Irsquomgoing to have a lookrsquo

25

With a bit of shoving the group squatted on the ground watching intently as Bulli moved towards the sound

The rustling grew louder A twig snapped They distinctly saw a yellow stripe flash past Bullirsquos couragedisappeared She turned and ran The others followed their hearts pounding They didnrsquot stop until they reachedthe bridge

lsquoWherersquos the daorsquo Bulli asked Khagen pantinglsquoI donrsquot know I thought you had itrsquo

lsquoWell wersquod better go back and look for itrsquo lsquoYou gomdashitrsquos your daorsquo Khagenrsquos brashness scarcely disguised the panic in his voice

Only Aloka was willing to go with Bulli They held hands as they retraced their steps through the jungleThe dao lay where Khagen had dropped it And there next to it was a broken stem of bamboo lsquoSo thatrsquos what gotthose scaredy-cats so frightenedrsquo they laughed

26

Dusk was falling The birds were calling to each other from their roosts Thefrogs croaked and splashed in the ponds and the crickets had alreadystarted their chirruping Soon the night would swoop down on them Theygirls knew they had better get home soon

It took them a while to realize they were lost One wrong turn somewherehad taken them deeper into the jungle than they had ever been before Bulliand Aloka clung to each other trembling wondering which way to go

27

Then they heard it A slow majestic swish Everything else had gone silentThey strained to get a better look in the half-light This was no bamboostem Could it be A flash of a gold and brown striped tail

Bulli remembered Kokarsquos story They must follow the sound Trustinglythey went with the crackle pop swish through the thick foliage on to thetrack leading to the hanging bridge They couldnrsquot see much mdashjust the hintof a whisker the twitch of an ear and once a glint of kind amber eyes thatseemed to say No need to worry I will show you the way

28

The girls turned to thank theirfriendmdashbut there was no onethere Just the jungle noise behindthem and the village lights upahead

Bulli said goodnight to Aloka andran off They would talk aboutwhat they had seen tomorrow Shehad to get home and put the daoin its usual place before it wasmissed

29

She had just replaced the dao andwas handing the fish to Aai withsome excuse about being so latewhen they heard the gate openPita was back from Guwahati Hewas smiling

The family crowded round himeager to hear the news lsquoWe founda dealer in the city willing to sell usbamboo at the old price if webought a large enough quantityrsquohe said happily lsquoSo we orderedenough for all the basket weaversTheyrsquoll be sending a trucktomorrowrsquo

30

Bulli was bursting to tell her own story So amid all the excitement withoutbeing asked she announced to no one in particular lsquoAloka and I met a tigerin the jungle todayrsquo

Everybody laughed lsquoDonrsquot be sillyrsquo said Shanti in her best older-sister tonelsquoThere arenrsquot any tigers here any morersquo

Bulli looked at her grandpa He didnrsquot say anything But behind thespectacles she saw the wink and smiled Koka knew

31

About the illustrations

The art of the Pardhan-Gond tribals of the Dindori Valley in Mandla Madhya Pradesh usestonal and contrasting colour blocks built up from dotted sections The artists paint treesshrubs birds and animals in a powerful and lyrical way Gond art is usually executed on theoutside walls of the mud huts of the people

32

This book was made possible by Pratham Books StoryWeaver platform Content under CreativeCommons licenses can be downloaded translated and can even be used to create new stories ‐provided you give appropriate credit and indicate if changes were made To know more about thisand the full terms of use and attribution please visit the following link

Disclaimer httpswwwstoryweaverorginterms_and_conditions

Some rights reserved This book is CC -BY -40 licensed You can copy modify distributeand perform the work even for commercial purposes all without asking permissionFor full terms of use and attribution httpcreativecommonsorglicensesby40

Story AttributionThis story Bulli and the Tiger is written by Shalini Reys copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license

Other CreditsBulli and the Tiger has been published on StoryWeaver by Pratham Books The development and production of this book has been supported by Sapphira KevinaMarie and Vijay Goradia wwwprathambooksorg

Illustration AttributionsCover page People looking towards an animal and peacocks by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 licensePage 2 A girl stretching over a mat by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 3 A hen and herchicks by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 4 A woman holding a pan to winnow grains byNankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 5 A house made of bamboo with a path leading down fromit by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 7 Two birds in the bushes by Nankusia Shyam copyPratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 8 Background with abstract art in cornerv by Nankusia Shyam copy PrathamBooks 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 10 Two faces staring into the sky by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Somerights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 12 A bamboo basket in the corner by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reservedReleased under CC BY 40 license Page 13 Hands weaving a basket by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40license Page 14 Background with abstract art in the corner by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license

lsquoBoo-lee-ee O Boo-lee-ersquo

It was Aloka at the gate Bulli threw a few dog-eared books into her battered satchel and ran out Bulli and Alokahad been friends forever Their parents knew each other and it had been decided that Alokarsquos older brother Probirdada would one day marry Bullirsquos sister Shanti So they were almost family They told each other everything

Hand-in-hand the girls set off on the two-kilometre trek to their school in the town lsquoSomethingrsquos wrong at homersquoBulli said lsquoThe grown-ups are all acting very strangelyrsquo

lsquoAt my house toorsquo replied Aloka lsquoProbir da came home from the market yesterday very grumpy He wouldnrsquot eventalk to me I wonder whatrsquos bothering themrsquo

lsquoI know I knowrsquo They jumped startled It was Babu For someone who couldnrsquot be still for a moment Babu couldcertainly move silently when he chose

lsquoWhat do you knowrsquo asked BullilsquoWhat will you give me if I tellrsquolsquoA slap on your face if you donrsquotrsquo

6

Babu knew better than to mess with his sister when she used that tonelsquoThey canrsquot get any more bamboo because the contractor is asking for toomuch money Thousands of rupees Pita does not have the money to biddirectly for forest bamboo from the government I heard them talkingrsquo heblurted out as he danced jerkily ahead on the mud track

They walked on in silence This was serious

7

In a while they came to the outskirts of the town where the brick factorystood A line of people stood at the gate waiting to be let in Bulli shiveredShe had once carried bricks here with her parents when the money had runshort and they had to work for wages to make ends meet Now they mighthave to come back No bamboo meant no baskets to make and sell

Her mind was racing as they got to school Where could she get hold ofbamboo for Pitarsquos baskets

8

Bulli was so deep in her thoughts that she hardly noticed the lessons go by She hung her head looking suitablyrepentant when she was punished for not doing her homework She rattled off the twelve times table with the restof the class She didnrsquot even squeal when Khagen the rowdiest boy in school sent a pellet from his rubber-bandcatapult her way

During the lunch break instead of joining the regular game of oluguti-toluguti Bulli huddled in a corner with Alokatrying to figure out a way to help their families

The remaining lessons too went by in a blur And when the gong sounded for the end of school the two friendsdidnrsquot hang around the school compound as they usually did but headed straight home

lsquoMeet me in one hour by the hanging bridgersquo Bulli told Aloka as they parted ways

Bulli had a plan But she needed a sharp implementmdashlike an axe or a knife She knew where she could find one

9

Her grandmother was spreading amla to dry on a mat by the jars of lemonsand olives pickling in the sun lsquoAaita wherersquos Pitarsquo Bulli tried to soundcasual Better not to arouse suspicion Grown-ups had a way of stepping inand spoiling everything

lsquoGone to Guwahati with Probir da to look for bamboorsquo replied Aaitaswatting away her granddaughterrsquos hand from the sour gooseberries Toolate Bulli had grabbed a handful and scampered off

She found her grandfather in the work shed Good he was alone at leastfor now Babu was off somewherendash-probably tormenting Shanti or playingpitthoo with his friends

10

lsquoLook Irsquove got something for yoursquo Kokarsquos eyes twinkled behind the thick lenses as he held out a perfect tinybasket He had made her a whole collection of these toysmdashbaskets in all shapes little chairs sofas tables even adoll-sized bullock cart complete with canopy lsquoAnd what did my clever girl learn at school today Wersquod better watchout or soon she will become a scholar and go to Delhi And then shersquoll become prime minister and start bossing usaroundrsquo

Bulli giggled lsquoKoka Koka tell me a storyrsquo She looked around the shed The heap of bamboo stems usuallystacked almost to the ceiling was now reduced to just a small pile Koka expertly sliced a length of bamboo into smaller pieces lsquoAnd which one do you want to hear this timersquo Heused the sharp broad blade of his daoto peel off the hard outer skin as he spoke

lsquoThe tiger story the tiger storyrsquo

lsquoDonrsquot you ever tire of hearing that onersquo

11

In one quick move Koka had halved a piece lengthwise Shuk shuk shuk withlightning speed the dao split the bamboo Then a bend and a turn and thefine even strips fanned out between his fingers

These were for japis the wide-brimmed upside-down ice-cream cone hatsthat farmers wore while transplanting paddy The rains were over this yearand the grain stood ripening in the fields So these japis would be lined withpatches of coloured felt or metallic paper with trimmings of sequins braidand baubles to decorate the walls at festival time

12

Koka counted out five strips and crossed them over the tip of the mould heused to shape the crown Bulli had seen him do this a thousand times butshe still watched as he wove more strips around and across the frame

The cone done his fingers moved swiftly around the base adding strips andweaving them to form the shade and then the turned-down brim Soon theouter layer of the japi was done mdash a net of five-pointed stars

13

He started on the inner layer Bulli picked up a pair of scissors to cut theshiny paper into neat triangles for the trimming In the corner she spiedPitarsquos dao Excellent Now all she had to do was smuggle it out of the house

Koka finished the inner lining of the japi He arranged the papers Bullihanded him and sandwiched them between the two layers Slightly widerbamboo strips were placed across the underside of the shade for strengthThen a hoop around the base of the cone and another around the rimsecured with string to hold the layers in place and it was ready All that wasleft now was to glue on some sequins and a length of braid around thebrim

14

And as they worked Koka told his story lsquoA long time agohelliprsquo

lsquoHow longrsquo Bulli wanted to know

lsquoDonrsquot interrupt childhellip

lsquoIt was in my kokarsquos kokarsquos kokarsquos pitarsquos timendashmaybe even before thatThere were only five houses by the river with the hill behind and the jungleall around The people grew rice and vegetables for themselves andwhatever little was extra they sold in the market

15

lsquoOne year the rains fell harder than usual The sky was black as coal even in the morning The sun fell asleepthinking it was night The rain kept pouring down The river rose higher and higher until the dam burst and the water flooded over intothe fields towards our village

16

lsquoAnd still the downpour continuedThe water was knee-high by nowand still rising The people wereafraid They huddled together wetand hungry If they didnrsquot dosomething soon their belongingswould be washed away and theywould drown

lsquoThen they heard itBrroouuaarrrrrhellip aabrrooaarrrhellip soloud that the rain stopped and thesun peeped out from behind theclouds to see what was going on

17

Way up on the top of the hill stood a tigerndashhandsome huge his coatglistening like pure gold He was calling to themBrroouuaarrrrrhellip aabrrooaarrrhellip come up heeerrreerr helliprsquo

lsquoBut tigers canrsquot speak our languagersquo Bulli cut in

lsquoHave you ever met a tigerrsquo She had to admit that she hadnrsquot

lsquoThen how do you know they canrsquotrsquo he asked

18

lsquoAt first the people were afraid to go Theyrsquod never been up the hill before and they werenrsquot sure that this wasnrsquot atrick They certainly didnrsquot want to become a tasty meal for some wild animal lsquoThe tiger saw them hesitate Brroouuaarrrrrhellip aabrrooaarrrhellip come up heeerrreerr wherrrre itrsquos dry and safehellip Heroared again trying to sound as friendly as he couldlsquoThis time they went They hadnrsquot much choice The tiger came halfway down the slope to lead them safely to thetop The villagers followed him They were not afraid any more He was a kind tiger He had saved them from thefloodlsquoUp on the hill there were ponds and streams full of fish plenty of fruit trees and bamboo groves The villagerswere pleased to find such a beautiful spot to build their new homes But now something else troubled them Theirfields were left far behind at the bottom of the hill What would they do for a living

lsquoAhem aabrrooaarrrhellip I couldnrsquot help overhearinghellip If yoursquoll perrrmitt me to make a suggestionhellip It was the tiger whohad been standing nearby and was as well-mannered as he was kind Follow me if you please He led them to abamboo grove

Therersquos plenty of bamboo here for you to use Itrsquos strong and waterproof mdash good for building houses and supple enoughto make baskets which you can sell in the market People always need baskets in which to carry and store

19

Therersquos plenty of bamboo here for you to use Itrsquos strong and waterproofmdashgoodfor building houses and supple enough to make baskets which you can sell inthe market People always need baskets in which to carry and store

lsquoWith one sweep of a front paw the tiger knocked down a stem andshredded it into strips with his claws Then he showed them how to weavemats and baskets And then he was gone He disappeared into the thickjungle But they knew he was watching them from behind the trees

20

lsquoSo they set about rebuilding their village which they named Baghdhora Tila in honour of the bagh the tiger onthe tila the hill who saved them from the flood and taught them a new craftlsquoAnd that is how we came to be here and to weave baskets for a livingrsquo

lsquoWhat happened to the tigerrsquo Bulli was getting restless by now but she knew she was expected to asklsquoOh hersquos still around Lives in the forest and watches over the village They say he appears every once in a while tohelp us in times of troublersquo

Bulli stood up lsquoI have to get the fishrsquo she said by way of explanation

She went over to the corner where the tools were kept and made a big show of putting away the scissors andmetallic paper When she left the work shed she was carrying hidden in the folds of her skirt her fatherrsquos dao

Bulli picked up her gear She and Aloka went out every afternoon to get fish for dinner It was part of their dailyroutine so no one paid much heed Bulli hid the dao in the fish basket and ran out

21

Aloka was already at the hanging bridge that stretched and swayed acrossthe stream separating the jungle from their village lsquoDid you get itrsquo sheaskedlsquoItrsquos herersquo Bulli patted the basket at her waist lsquoLetrsquos get the fish firstrsquo sheadded

The hillside was dotted with shallow ponds teeming with silvery fish thatfed on the water plants Bulli and Aloka dipped their bamboo bottle-shapedfish catchers into one then lifted them out They picked out the weeds andthrew the fish into their baskets Soon their baskets were full

22

The girls headed back towards the hanging bridgeThe plan was to go into the jungle and bring backsome bamboo for their parents Finding the bamboowould be no problem It grew in thick clumps all overthe forest Bulli and Aloka were sure they could carrythe bamboo back to the village Theyrsquod balanced fivebricks each on their heads during their time at thefactory How they would get it into their houseswithout being found out was entirely another matter

Their luck had held so far They could only pray thattheir parents would be so happy to see the bamboothat they wouldnrsquot think to ask how it got therePleased with their clever plan the two friends crossedinto the forest

23

Oh no They werenrsquot alone Babuand Khagen were kicking a dentedplastic ball around the clearingBulli and Aloka slipped quietly pastthem behind the trees only to runinto Sangeeta with her smallbrother Uppal in tow collectingfirewood lsquoWhere are you goingrsquo SangeetaaskedlsquoTo get some bamboorsquolsquoWersquore coming toorsquo The sister andbrother joined the team

24

The girls didnrsquot argue There wasnrsquot much time before sundown Silently they filed through the thick undergrowthuntil they came upon a dense grove of bamboo

Bulli took out the dao Shersquod never used one before but trying to look as if she did this every day she touched itssharp blade to the stem There was a crunch and a thud behind them They froze lsquoWhoooo whoooo- Irsquom the ghost of the jungle What are you doing on my landrsquo

They laughed half-relieved Babu and Khagen had found them

lsquoHere yoursquod better give me that I know how to use these thingsrsquo Khagen made a grab for the daolsquoShhhrsquo Aloka put her finger to her lips They heard a rustling in the trees Something moved This was beginning toget scary

Uppal let out a howl lsquoI donrsquot like this place I want to go homersquoBulli the bravest of them all took command lsquoSangeeta tell your brother to shut up Babu stop fidgeting Irsquomgoing to have a lookrsquo

25

With a bit of shoving the group squatted on the ground watching intently as Bulli moved towards the sound

The rustling grew louder A twig snapped They distinctly saw a yellow stripe flash past Bullirsquos couragedisappeared She turned and ran The others followed their hearts pounding They didnrsquot stop until they reachedthe bridge

lsquoWherersquos the daorsquo Bulli asked Khagen pantinglsquoI donrsquot know I thought you had itrsquo

lsquoWell wersquod better go back and look for itrsquo lsquoYou gomdashitrsquos your daorsquo Khagenrsquos brashness scarcely disguised the panic in his voice

Only Aloka was willing to go with Bulli They held hands as they retraced their steps through the jungleThe dao lay where Khagen had dropped it And there next to it was a broken stem of bamboo lsquoSo thatrsquos what gotthose scaredy-cats so frightenedrsquo they laughed

26

Dusk was falling The birds were calling to each other from their roosts Thefrogs croaked and splashed in the ponds and the crickets had alreadystarted their chirruping Soon the night would swoop down on them Theygirls knew they had better get home soon

It took them a while to realize they were lost One wrong turn somewherehad taken them deeper into the jungle than they had ever been before Bulliand Aloka clung to each other trembling wondering which way to go

27

Then they heard it A slow majestic swish Everything else had gone silentThey strained to get a better look in the half-light This was no bamboostem Could it be A flash of a gold and brown striped tail

Bulli remembered Kokarsquos story They must follow the sound Trustinglythey went with the crackle pop swish through the thick foliage on to thetrack leading to the hanging bridge They couldnrsquot see much mdashjust the hintof a whisker the twitch of an ear and once a glint of kind amber eyes thatseemed to say No need to worry I will show you the way

28

The girls turned to thank theirfriendmdashbut there was no onethere Just the jungle noise behindthem and the village lights upahead

Bulli said goodnight to Aloka andran off They would talk aboutwhat they had seen tomorrow Shehad to get home and put the daoin its usual place before it wasmissed

29

She had just replaced the dao andwas handing the fish to Aai withsome excuse about being so latewhen they heard the gate openPita was back from Guwahati Hewas smiling

The family crowded round himeager to hear the news lsquoWe founda dealer in the city willing to sell usbamboo at the old price if webought a large enough quantityrsquohe said happily lsquoSo we orderedenough for all the basket weaversTheyrsquoll be sending a trucktomorrowrsquo

30

Bulli was bursting to tell her own story So amid all the excitement withoutbeing asked she announced to no one in particular lsquoAloka and I met a tigerin the jungle todayrsquo

Everybody laughed lsquoDonrsquot be sillyrsquo said Shanti in her best older-sister tonelsquoThere arenrsquot any tigers here any morersquo

Bulli looked at her grandpa He didnrsquot say anything But behind thespectacles she saw the wink and smiled Koka knew

31

About the illustrations

The art of the Pardhan-Gond tribals of the Dindori Valley in Mandla Madhya Pradesh usestonal and contrasting colour blocks built up from dotted sections The artists paint treesshrubs birds and animals in a powerful and lyrical way Gond art is usually executed on theoutside walls of the mud huts of the people

32

This book was made possible by Pratham Books StoryWeaver platform Content under CreativeCommons licenses can be downloaded translated and can even be used to create new stories ‐provided you give appropriate credit and indicate if changes were made To know more about thisand the full terms of use and attribution please visit the following link

Disclaimer httpswwwstoryweaverorginterms_and_conditions

Some rights reserved This book is CC -BY -40 licensed You can copy modify distributeand perform the work even for commercial purposes all without asking permissionFor full terms of use and attribution httpcreativecommonsorglicensesby40

Story AttributionThis story Bulli and the Tiger is written by Shalini Reys copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license

Other CreditsBulli and the Tiger has been published on StoryWeaver by Pratham Books The development and production of this book has been supported by Sapphira KevinaMarie and Vijay Goradia wwwprathambooksorg

Illustration AttributionsCover page People looking towards an animal and peacocks by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 licensePage 2 A girl stretching over a mat by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 3 A hen and herchicks by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 4 A woman holding a pan to winnow grains byNankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 5 A house made of bamboo with a path leading down fromit by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 7 Two birds in the bushes by Nankusia Shyam copyPratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 8 Background with abstract art in cornerv by Nankusia Shyam copy PrathamBooks 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 10 Two faces staring into the sky by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Somerights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 12 A bamboo basket in the corner by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reservedReleased under CC BY 40 license Page 13 Hands weaving a basket by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40license Page 14 Background with abstract art in the corner by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license

Babu knew better than to mess with his sister when she used that tonelsquoThey canrsquot get any more bamboo because the contractor is asking for toomuch money Thousands of rupees Pita does not have the money to biddirectly for forest bamboo from the government I heard them talkingrsquo heblurted out as he danced jerkily ahead on the mud track

They walked on in silence This was serious

7

In a while they came to the outskirts of the town where the brick factorystood A line of people stood at the gate waiting to be let in Bulli shiveredShe had once carried bricks here with her parents when the money had runshort and they had to work for wages to make ends meet Now they mighthave to come back No bamboo meant no baskets to make and sell

Her mind was racing as they got to school Where could she get hold ofbamboo for Pitarsquos baskets

8

Bulli was so deep in her thoughts that she hardly noticed the lessons go by She hung her head looking suitablyrepentant when she was punished for not doing her homework She rattled off the twelve times table with the restof the class She didnrsquot even squeal when Khagen the rowdiest boy in school sent a pellet from his rubber-bandcatapult her way

During the lunch break instead of joining the regular game of oluguti-toluguti Bulli huddled in a corner with Alokatrying to figure out a way to help their families

The remaining lessons too went by in a blur And when the gong sounded for the end of school the two friendsdidnrsquot hang around the school compound as they usually did but headed straight home

lsquoMeet me in one hour by the hanging bridgersquo Bulli told Aloka as they parted ways

Bulli had a plan But she needed a sharp implementmdashlike an axe or a knife She knew where she could find one

9

Her grandmother was spreading amla to dry on a mat by the jars of lemonsand olives pickling in the sun lsquoAaita wherersquos Pitarsquo Bulli tried to soundcasual Better not to arouse suspicion Grown-ups had a way of stepping inand spoiling everything

lsquoGone to Guwahati with Probir da to look for bamboorsquo replied Aaitaswatting away her granddaughterrsquos hand from the sour gooseberries Toolate Bulli had grabbed a handful and scampered off

She found her grandfather in the work shed Good he was alone at leastfor now Babu was off somewherendash-probably tormenting Shanti or playingpitthoo with his friends

10

lsquoLook Irsquove got something for yoursquo Kokarsquos eyes twinkled behind the thick lenses as he held out a perfect tinybasket He had made her a whole collection of these toysmdashbaskets in all shapes little chairs sofas tables even adoll-sized bullock cart complete with canopy lsquoAnd what did my clever girl learn at school today Wersquod better watchout or soon she will become a scholar and go to Delhi And then shersquoll become prime minister and start bossing usaroundrsquo

Bulli giggled lsquoKoka Koka tell me a storyrsquo She looked around the shed The heap of bamboo stems usuallystacked almost to the ceiling was now reduced to just a small pile Koka expertly sliced a length of bamboo into smaller pieces lsquoAnd which one do you want to hear this timersquo Heused the sharp broad blade of his daoto peel off the hard outer skin as he spoke

lsquoThe tiger story the tiger storyrsquo

lsquoDonrsquot you ever tire of hearing that onersquo

11

In one quick move Koka had halved a piece lengthwise Shuk shuk shuk withlightning speed the dao split the bamboo Then a bend and a turn and thefine even strips fanned out between his fingers

These were for japis the wide-brimmed upside-down ice-cream cone hatsthat farmers wore while transplanting paddy The rains were over this yearand the grain stood ripening in the fields So these japis would be lined withpatches of coloured felt or metallic paper with trimmings of sequins braidand baubles to decorate the walls at festival time

12

Koka counted out five strips and crossed them over the tip of the mould heused to shape the crown Bulli had seen him do this a thousand times butshe still watched as he wove more strips around and across the frame

The cone done his fingers moved swiftly around the base adding strips andweaving them to form the shade and then the turned-down brim Soon theouter layer of the japi was done mdash a net of five-pointed stars

13

He started on the inner layer Bulli picked up a pair of scissors to cut theshiny paper into neat triangles for the trimming In the corner she spiedPitarsquos dao Excellent Now all she had to do was smuggle it out of the house

Koka finished the inner lining of the japi He arranged the papers Bullihanded him and sandwiched them between the two layers Slightly widerbamboo strips were placed across the underside of the shade for strengthThen a hoop around the base of the cone and another around the rimsecured with string to hold the layers in place and it was ready All that wasleft now was to glue on some sequins and a length of braid around thebrim

14

And as they worked Koka told his story lsquoA long time agohelliprsquo

lsquoHow longrsquo Bulli wanted to know

lsquoDonrsquot interrupt childhellip

lsquoIt was in my kokarsquos kokarsquos kokarsquos pitarsquos timendashmaybe even before thatThere were only five houses by the river with the hill behind and the jungleall around The people grew rice and vegetables for themselves andwhatever little was extra they sold in the market

15

lsquoOne year the rains fell harder than usual The sky was black as coal even in the morning The sun fell asleepthinking it was night The rain kept pouring down The river rose higher and higher until the dam burst and the water flooded over intothe fields towards our village

16

lsquoAnd still the downpour continuedThe water was knee-high by nowand still rising The people wereafraid They huddled together wetand hungry If they didnrsquot dosomething soon their belongingswould be washed away and theywould drown

lsquoThen they heard itBrroouuaarrrrrhellip aabrrooaarrrhellip soloud that the rain stopped and thesun peeped out from behind theclouds to see what was going on

17

Way up on the top of the hill stood a tigerndashhandsome huge his coatglistening like pure gold He was calling to themBrroouuaarrrrrhellip aabrrooaarrrhellip come up heeerrreerr helliprsquo

lsquoBut tigers canrsquot speak our languagersquo Bulli cut in

lsquoHave you ever met a tigerrsquo She had to admit that she hadnrsquot

lsquoThen how do you know they canrsquotrsquo he asked

18

lsquoAt first the people were afraid to go Theyrsquod never been up the hill before and they werenrsquot sure that this wasnrsquot atrick They certainly didnrsquot want to become a tasty meal for some wild animal lsquoThe tiger saw them hesitate Brroouuaarrrrrhellip aabrrooaarrrhellip come up heeerrreerr wherrrre itrsquos dry and safehellip Heroared again trying to sound as friendly as he couldlsquoThis time they went They hadnrsquot much choice The tiger came halfway down the slope to lead them safely to thetop The villagers followed him They were not afraid any more He was a kind tiger He had saved them from thefloodlsquoUp on the hill there were ponds and streams full of fish plenty of fruit trees and bamboo groves The villagerswere pleased to find such a beautiful spot to build their new homes But now something else troubled them Theirfields were left far behind at the bottom of the hill What would they do for a living

lsquoAhem aabrrooaarrrhellip I couldnrsquot help overhearinghellip If yoursquoll perrrmitt me to make a suggestionhellip It was the tiger whohad been standing nearby and was as well-mannered as he was kind Follow me if you please He led them to abamboo grove

Therersquos plenty of bamboo here for you to use Itrsquos strong and waterproof mdash good for building houses and supple enoughto make baskets which you can sell in the market People always need baskets in which to carry and store

19

Therersquos plenty of bamboo here for you to use Itrsquos strong and waterproofmdashgoodfor building houses and supple enough to make baskets which you can sell inthe market People always need baskets in which to carry and store

lsquoWith one sweep of a front paw the tiger knocked down a stem andshredded it into strips with his claws Then he showed them how to weavemats and baskets And then he was gone He disappeared into the thickjungle But they knew he was watching them from behind the trees

20

lsquoSo they set about rebuilding their village which they named Baghdhora Tila in honour of the bagh the tiger onthe tila the hill who saved them from the flood and taught them a new craftlsquoAnd that is how we came to be here and to weave baskets for a livingrsquo

lsquoWhat happened to the tigerrsquo Bulli was getting restless by now but she knew she was expected to asklsquoOh hersquos still around Lives in the forest and watches over the village They say he appears every once in a while tohelp us in times of troublersquo

Bulli stood up lsquoI have to get the fishrsquo she said by way of explanation

She went over to the corner where the tools were kept and made a big show of putting away the scissors andmetallic paper When she left the work shed she was carrying hidden in the folds of her skirt her fatherrsquos dao

Bulli picked up her gear She and Aloka went out every afternoon to get fish for dinner It was part of their dailyroutine so no one paid much heed Bulli hid the dao in the fish basket and ran out

21

Aloka was already at the hanging bridge that stretched and swayed acrossthe stream separating the jungle from their village lsquoDid you get itrsquo sheaskedlsquoItrsquos herersquo Bulli patted the basket at her waist lsquoLetrsquos get the fish firstrsquo sheadded

The hillside was dotted with shallow ponds teeming with silvery fish thatfed on the water plants Bulli and Aloka dipped their bamboo bottle-shapedfish catchers into one then lifted them out They picked out the weeds andthrew the fish into their baskets Soon their baskets were full

22

The girls headed back towards the hanging bridgeThe plan was to go into the jungle and bring backsome bamboo for their parents Finding the bamboowould be no problem It grew in thick clumps all overthe forest Bulli and Aloka were sure they could carrythe bamboo back to the village Theyrsquod balanced fivebricks each on their heads during their time at thefactory How they would get it into their houseswithout being found out was entirely another matter

Their luck had held so far They could only pray thattheir parents would be so happy to see the bamboothat they wouldnrsquot think to ask how it got therePleased with their clever plan the two friends crossedinto the forest

23

Oh no They werenrsquot alone Babuand Khagen were kicking a dentedplastic ball around the clearingBulli and Aloka slipped quietly pastthem behind the trees only to runinto Sangeeta with her smallbrother Uppal in tow collectingfirewood lsquoWhere are you goingrsquo SangeetaaskedlsquoTo get some bamboorsquolsquoWersquore coming toorsquo The sister andbrother joined the team

24

The girls didnrsquot argue There wasnrsquot much time before sundown Silently they filed through the thick undergrowthuntil they came upon a dense grove of bamboo

Bulli took out the dao Shersquod never used one before but trying to look as if she did this every day she touched itssharp blade to the stem There was a crunch and a thud behind them They froze lsquoWhoooo whoooo- Irsquom the ghost of the jungle What are you doing on my landrsquo

They laughed half-relieved Babu and Khagen had found them

lsquoHere yoursquod better give me that I know how to use these thingsrsquo Khagen made a grab for the daolsquoShhhrsquo Aloka put her finger to her lips They heard a rustling in the trees Something moved This was beginning toget scary

Uppal let out a howl lsquoI donrsquot like this place I want to go homersquoBulli the bravest of them all took command lsquoSangeeta tell your brother to shut up Babu stop fidgeting Irsquomgoing to have a lookrsquo

25

With a bit of shoving the group squatted on the ground watching intently as Bulli moved towards the sound

The rustling grew louder A twig snapped They distinctly saw a yellow stripe flash past Bullirsquos couragedisappeared She turned and ran The others followed their hearts pounding They didnrsquot stop until they reachedthe bridge

lsquoWherersquos the daorsquo Bulli asked Khagen pantinglsquoI donrsquot know I thought you had itrsquo

lsquoWell wersquod better go back and look for itrsquo lsquoYou gomdashitrsquos your daorsquo Khagenrsquos brashness scarcely disguised the panic in his voice

Only Aloka was willing to go with Bulli They held hands as they retraced their steps through the jungleThe dao lay where Khagen had dropped it And there next to it was a broken stem of bamboo lsquoSo thatrsquos what gotthose scaredy-cats so frightenedrsquo they laughed

26

Dusk was falling The birds were calling to each other from their roosts Thefrogs croaked and splashed in the ponds and the crickets had alreadystarted their chirruping Soon the night would swoop down on them Theygirls knew they had better get home soon

It took them a while to realize they were lost One wrong turn somewherehad taken them deeper into the jungle than they had ever been before Bulliand Aloka clung to each other trembling wondering which way to go

27

Then they heard it A slow majestic swish Everything else had gone silentThey strained to get a better look in the half-light This was no bamboostem Could it be A flash of a gold and brown striped tail

Bulli remembered Kokarsquos story They must follow the sound Trustinglythey went with the crackle pop swish through the thick foliage on to thetrack leading to the hanging bridge They couldnrsquot see much mdashjust the hintof a whisker the twitch of an ear and once a glint of kind amber eyes thatseemed to say No need to worry I will show you the way

28

The girls turned to thank theirfriendmdashbut there was no onethere Just the jungle noise behindthem and the village lights upahead

Bulli said goodnight to Aloka andran off They would talk aboutwhat they had seen tomorrow Shehad to get home and put the daoin its usual place before it wasmissed

29

She had just replaced the dao andwas handing the fish to Aai withsome excuse about being so latewhen they heard the gate openPita was back from Guwahati Hewas smiling

The family crowded round himeager to hear the news lsquoWe founda dealer in the city willing to sell usbamboo at the old price if webought a large enough quantityrsquohe said happily lsquoSo we orderedenough for all the basket weaversTheyrsquoll be sending a trucktomorrowrsquo

30

Bulli was bursting to tell her own story So amid all the excitement withoutbeing asked she announced to no one in particular lsquoAloka and I met a tigerin the jungle todayrsquo

Everybody laughed lsquoDonrsquot be sillyrsquo said Shanti in her best older-sister tonelsquoThere arenrsquot any tigers here any morersquo

Bulli looked at her grandpa He didnrsquot say anything But behind thespectacles she saw the wink and smiled Koka knew

31

About the illustrations

The art of the Pardhan-Gond tribals of the Dindori Valley in Mandla Madhya Pradesh usestonal and contrasting colour blocks built up from dotted sections The artists paint treesshrubs birds and animals in a powerful and lyrical way Gond art is usually executed on theoutside walls of the mud huts of the people

32

This book was made possible by Pratham Books StoryWeaver platform Content under CreativeCommons licenses can be downloaded translated and can even be used to create new stories ‐provided you give appropriate credit and indicate if changes were made To know more about thisand the full terms of use and attribution please visit the following link

Disclaimer httpswwwstoryweaverorginterms_and_conditions

Some rights reserved This book is CC -BY -40 licensed You can copy modify distributeand perform the work even for commercial purposes all without asking permissionFor full terms of use and attribution httpcreativecommonsorglicensesby40

Story AttributionThis story Bulli and the Tiger is written by Shalini Reys copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license

Other CreditsBulli and the Tiger has been published on StoryWeaver by Pratham Books The development and production of this book has been supported by Sapphira KevinaMarie and Vijay Goradia wwwprathambooksorg

Illustration AttributionsCover page People looking towards an animal and peacocks by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 licensePage 2 A girl stretching over a mat by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 3 A hen and herchicks by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 4 A woman holding a pan to winnow grains byNankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 5 A house made of bamboo with a path leading down fromit by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 7 Two birds in the bushes by Nankusia Shyam copyPratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 8 Background with abstract art in cornerv by Nankusia Shyam copy PrathamBooks 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 10 Two faces staring into the sky by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Somerights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 12 A bamboo basket in the corner by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reservedReleased under CC BY 40 license Page 13 Hands weaving a basket by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40license Page 14 Background with abstract art in the corner by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license

In a while they came to the outskirts of the town where the brick factorystood A line of people stood at the gate waiting to be let in Bulli shiveredShe had once carried bricks here with her parents when the money had runshort and they had to work for wages to make ends meet Now they mighthave to come back No bamboo meant no baskets to make and sell

Her mind was racing as they got to school Where could she get hold ofbamboo for Pitarsquos baskets

8

Bulli was so deep in her thoughts that she hardly noticed the lessons go by She hung her head looking suitablyrepentant when she was punished for not doing her homework She rattled off the twelve times table with the restof the class She didnrsquot even squeal when Khagen the rowdiest boy in school sent a pellet from his rubber-bandcatapult her way

During the lunch break instead of joining the regular game of oluguti-toluguti Bulli huddled in a corner with Alokatrying to figure out a way to help their families

The remaining lessons too went by in a blur And when the gong sounded for the end of school the two friendsdidnrsquot hang around the school compound as they usually did but headed straight home

lsquoMeet me in one hour by the hanging bridgersquo Bulli told Aloka as they parted ways

Bulli had a plan But she needed a sharp implementmdashlike an axe or a knife She knew where she could find one

9

Her grandmother was spreading amla to dry on a mat by the jars of lemonsand olives pickling in the sun lsquoAaita wherersquos Pitarsquo Bulli tried to soundcasual Better not to arouse suspicion Grown-ups had a way of stepping inand spoiling everything

lsquoGone to Guwahati with Probir da to look for bamboorsquo replied Aaitaswatting away her granddaughterrsquos hand from the sour gooseberries Toolate Bulli had grabbed a handful and scampered off

She found her grandfather in the work shed Good he was alone at leastfor now Babu was off somewherendash-probably tormenting Shanti or playingpitthoo with his friends

10

lsquoLook Irsquove got something for yoursquo Kokarsquos eyes twinkled behind the thick lenses as he held out a perfect tinybasket He had made her a whole collection of these toysmdashbaskets in all shapes little chairs sofas tables even adoll-sized bullock cart complete with canopy lsquoAnd what did my clever girl learn at school today Wersquod better watchout or soon she will become a scholar and go to Delhi And then shersquoll become prime minister and start bossing usaroundrsquo

Bulli giggled lsquoKoka Koka tell me a storyrsquo She looked around the shed The heap of bamboo stems usuallystacked almost to the ceiling was now reduced to just a small pile Koka expertly sliced a length of bamboo into smaller pieces lsquoAnd which one do you want to hear this timersquo Heused the sharp broad blade of his daoto peel off the hard outer skin as he spoke

lsquoThe tiger story the tiger storyrsquo

lsquoDonrsquot you ever tire of hearing that onersquo

11

In one quick move Koka had halved a piece lengthwise Shuk shuk shuk withlightning speed the dao split the bamboo Then a bend and a turn and thefine even strips fanned out between his fingers

These were for japis the wide-brimmed upside-down ice-cream cone hatsthat farmers wore while transplanting paddy The rains were over this yearand the grain stood ripening in the fields So these japis would be lined withpatches of coloured felt or metallic paper with trimmings of sequins braidand baubles to decorate the walls at festival time

12

Koka counted out five strips and crossed them over the tip of the mould heused to shape the crown Bulli had seen him do this a thousand times butshe still watched as he wove more strips around and across the frame

The cone done his fingers moved swiftly around the base adding strips andweaving them to form the shade and then the turned-down brim Soon theouter layer of the japi was done mdash a net of five-pointed stars

13

He started on the inner layer Bulli picked up a pair of scissors to cut theshiny paper into neat triangles for the trimming In the corner she spiedPitarsquos dao Excellent Now all she had to do was smuggle it out of the house

Koka finished the inner lining of the japi He arranged the papers Bullihanded him and sandwiched them between the two layers Slightly widerbamboo strips were placed across the underside of the shade for strengthThen a hoop around the base of the cone and another around the rimsecured with string to hold the layers in place and it was ready All that wasleft now was to glue on some sequins and a length of braid around thebrim

14

And as they worked Koka told his story lsquoA long time agohelliprsquo

lsquoHow longrsquo Bulli wanted to know

lsquoDonrsquot interrupt childhellip

lsquoIt was in my kokarsquos kokarsquos kokarsquos pitarsquos timendashmaybe even before thatThere were only five houses by the river with the hill behind and the jungleall around The people grew rice and vegetables for themselves andwhatever little was extra they sold in the market

15

lsquoOne year the rains fell harder than usual The sky was black as coal even in the morning The sun fell asleepthinking it was night The rain kept pouring down The river rose higher and higher until the dam burst and the water flooded over intothe fields towards our village

16

lsquoAnd still the downpour continuedThe water was knee-high by nowand still rising The people wereafraid They huddled together wetand hungry If they didnrsquot dosomething soon their belongingswould be washed away and theywould drown

lsquoThen they heard itBrroouuaarrrrrhellip aabrrooaarrrhellip soloud that the rain stopped and thesun peeped out from behind theclouds to see what was going on

17

Way up on the top of the hill stood a tigerndashhandsome huge his coatglistening like pure gold He was calling to themBrroouuaarrrrrhellip aabrrooaarrrhellip come up heeerrreerr helliprsquo

lsquoBut tigers canrsquot speak our languagersquo Bulli cut in

lsquoHave you ever met a tigerrsquo She had to admit that she hadnrsquot

lsquoThen how do you know they canrsquotrsquo he asked

18

lsquoAt first the people were afraid to go Theyrsquod never been up the hill before and they werenrsquot sure that this wasnrsquot atrick They certainly didnrsquot want to become a tasty meal for some wild animal lsquoThe tiger saw them hesitate Brroouuaarrrrrhellip aabrrooaarrrhellip come up heeerrreerr wherrrre itrsquos dry and safehellip Heroared again trying to sound as friendly as he couldlsquoThis time they went They hadnrsquot much choice The tiger came halfway down the slope to lead them safely to thetop The villagers followed him They were not afraid any more He was a kind tiger He had saved them from thefloodlsquoUp on the hill there were ponds and streams full of fish plenty of fruit trees and bamboo groves The villagerswere pleased to find such a beautiful spot to build their new homes But now something else troubled them Theirfields were left far behind at the bottom of the hill What would they do for a living

lsquoAhem aabrrooaarrrhellip I couldnrsquot help overhearinghellip If yoursquoll perrrmitt me to make a suggestionhellip It was the tiger whohad been standing nearby and was as well-mannered as he was kind Follow me if you please He led them to abamboo grove

Therersquos plenty of bamboo here for you to use Itrsquos strong and waterproof mdash good for building houses and supple enoughto make baskets which you can sell in the market People always need baskets in which to carry and store

19

Therersquos plenty of bamboo here for you to use Itrsquos strong and waterproofmdashgoodfor building houses and supple enough to make baskets which you can sell inthe market People always need baskets in which to carry and store

lsquoWith one sweep of a front paw the tiger knocked down a stem andshredded it into strips with his claws Then he showed them how to weavemats and baskets And then he was gone He disappeared into the thickjungle But they knew he was watching them from behind the trees

20

lsquoSo they set about rebuilding their village which they named Baghdhora Tila in honour of the bagh the tiger onthe tila the hill who saved them from the flood and taught them a new craftlsquoAnd that is how we came to be here and to weave baskets for a livingrsquo

lsquoWhat happened to the tigerrsquo Bulli was getting restless by now but she knew she was expected to asklsquoOh hersquos still around Lives in the forest and watches over the village They say he appears every once in a while tohelp us in times of troublersquo

Bulli stood up lsquoI have to get the fishrsquo she said by way of explanation

She went over to the corner where the tools were kept and made a big show of putting away the scissors andmetallic paper When she left the work shed she was carrying hidden in the folds of her skirt her fatherrsquos dao

Bulli picked up her gear She and Aloka went out every afternoon to get fish for dinner It was part of their dailyroutine so no one paid much heed Bulli hid the dao in the fish basket and ran out

21

Aloka was already at the hanging bridge that stretched and swayed acrossthe stream separating the jungle from their village lsquoDid you get itrsquo sheaskedlsquoItrsquos herersquo Bulli patted the basket at her waist lsquoLetrsquos get the fish firstrsquo sheadded

The hillside was dotted with shallow ponds teeming with silvery fish thatfed on the water plants Bulli and Aloka dipped their bamboo bottle-shapedfish catchers into one then lifted them out They picked out the weeds andthrew the fish into their baskets Soon their baskets were full

22

The girls headed back towards the hanging bridgeThe plan was to go into the jungle and bring backsome bamboo for their parents Finding the bamboowould be no problem It grew in thick clumps all overthe forest Bulli and Aloka were sure they could carrythe bamboo back to the village Theyrsquod balanced fivebricks each on their heads during their time at thefactory How they would get it into their houseswithout being found out was entirely another matter

Their luck had held so far They could only pray thattheir parents would be so happy to see the bamboothat they wouldnrsquot think to ask how it got therePleased with their clever plan the two friends crossedinto the forest

23

Oh no They werenrsquot alone Babuand Khagen were kicking a dentedplastic ball around the clearingBulli and Aloka slipped quietly pastthem behind the trees only to runinto Sangeeta with her smallbrother Uppal in tow collectingfirewood lsquoWhere are you goingrsquo SangeetaaskedlsquoTo get some bamboorsquolsquoWersquore coming toorsquo The sister andbrother joined the team

24

The girls didnrsquot argue There wasnrsquot much time before sundown Silently they filed through the thick undergrowthuntil they came upon a dense grove of bamboo

Bulli took out the dao Shersquod never used one before but trying to look as if she did this every day she touched itssharp blade to the stem There was a crunch and a thud behind them They froze lsquoWhoooo whoooo- Irsquom the ghost of the jungle What are you doing on my landrsquo

They laughed half-relieved Babu and Khagen had found them

lsquoHere yoursquod better give me that I know how to use these thingsrsquo Khagen made a grab for the daolsquoShhhrsquo Aloka put her finger to her lips They heard a rustling in the trees Something moved This was beginning toget scary

Uppal let out a howl lsquoI donrsquot like this place I want to go homersquoBulli the bravest of them all took command lsquoSangeeta tell your brother to shut up Babu stop fidgeting Irsquomgoing to have a lookrsquo

25

With a bit of shoving the group squatted on the ground watching intently as Bulli moved towards the sound

The rustling grew louder A twig snapped They distinctly saw a yellow stripe flash past Bullirsquos couragedisappeared She turned and ran The others followed their hearts pounding They didnrsquot stop until they reachedthe bridge

lsquoWherersquos the daorsquo Bulli asked Khagen pantinglsquoI donrsquot know I thought you had itrsquo

lsquoWell wersquod better go back and look for itrsquo lsquoYou gomdashitrsquos your daorsquo Khagenrsquos brashness scarcely disguised the panic in his voice

Only Aloka was willing to go with Bulli They held hands as they retraced their steps through the jungleThe dao lay where Khagen had dropped it And there next to it was a broken stem of bamboo lsquoSo thatrsquos what gotthose scaredy-cats so frightenedrsquo they laughed

26

Dusk was falling The birds were calling to each other from their roosts Thefrogs croaked and splashed in the ponds and the crickets had alreadystarted their chirruping Soon the night would swoop down on them Theygirls knew they had better get home soon

It took them a while to realize they were lost One wrong turn somewherehad taken them deeper into the jungle than they had ever been before Bulliand Aloka clung to each other trembling wondering which way to go

27

Then they heard it A slow majestic swish Everything else had gone silentThey strained to get a better look in the half-light This was no bamboostem Could it be A flash of a gold and brown striped tail

Bulli remembered Kokarsquos story They must follow the sound Trustinglythey went with the crackle pop swish through the thick foliage on to thetrack leading to the hanging bridge They couldnrsquot see much mdashjust the hintof a whisker the twitch of an ear and once a glint of kind amber eyes thatseemed to say No need to worry I will show you the way

28

The girls turned to thank theirfriendmdashbut there was no onethere Just the jungle noise behindthem and the village lights upahead

Bulli said goodnight to Aloka andran off They would talk aboutwhat they had seen tomorrow Shehad to get home and put the daoin its usual place before it wasmissed

29

She had just replaced the dao andwas handing the fish to Aai withsome excuse about being so latewhen they heard the gate openPita was back from Guwahati Hewas smiling

The family crowded round himeager to hear the news lsquoWe founda dealer in the city willing to sell usbamboo at the old price if webought a large enough quantityrsquohe said happily lsquoSo we orderedenough for all the basket weaversTheyrsquoll be sending a trucktomorrowrsquo

30

Bulli was bursting to tell her own story So amid all the excitement withoutbeing asked she announced to no one in particular lsquoAloka and I met a tigerin the jungle todayrsquo

Everybody laughed lsquoDonrsquot be sillyrsquo said Shanti in her best older-sister tonelsquoThere arenrsquot any tigers here any morersquo

Bulli looked at her grandpa He didnrsquot say anything But behind thespectacles she saw the wink and smiled Koka knew

31

About the illustrations

The art of the Pardhan-Gond tribals of the Dindori Valley in Mandla Madhya Pradesh usestonal and contrasting colour blocks built up from dotted sections The artists paint treesshrubs birds and animals in a powerful and lyrical way Gond art is usually executed on theoutside walls of the mud huts of the people

32

This book was made possible by Pratham Books StoryWeaver platform Content under CreativeCommons licenses can be downloaded translated and can even be used to create new stories ‐provided you give appropriate credit and indicate if changes were made To know more about thisand the full terms of use and attribution please visit the following link

Disclaimer httpswwwstoryweaverorginterms_and_conditions

Some rights reserved This book is CC -BY -40 licensed You can copy modify distributeand perform the work even for commercial purposes all without asking permissionFor full terms of use and attribution httpcreativecommonsorglicensesby40

Story AttributionThis story Bulli and the Tiger is written by Shalini Reys copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license

Other CreditsBulli and the Tiger has been published on StoryWeaver by Pratham Books The development and production of this book has been supported by Sapphira KevinaMarie and Vijay Goradia wwwprathambooksorg

Illustration AttributionsCover page People looking towards an animal and peacocks by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 licensePage 2 A girl stretching over a mat by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 3 A hen and herchicks by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 4 A woman holding a pan to winnow grains byNankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 5 A house made of bamboo with a path leading down fromit by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 7 Two birds in the bushes by Nankusia Shyam copyPratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 8 Background with abstract art in cornerv by Nankusia Shyam copy PrathamBooks 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 10 Two faces staring into the sky by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Somerights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 12 A bamboo basket in the corner by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reservedReleased under CC BY 40 license Page 13 Hands weaving a basket by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40license Page 14 Background with abstract art in the corner by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license

Bulli was so deep in her thoughts that she hardly noticed the lessons go by She hung her head looking suitablyrepentant when she was punished for not doing her homework She rattled off the twelve times table with the restof the class She didnrsquot even squeal when Khagen the rowdiest boy in school sent a pellet from his rubber-bandcatapult her way

During the lunch break instead of joining the regular game of oluguti-toluguti Bulli huddled in a corner with Alokatrying to figure out a way to help their families

The remaining lessons too went by in a blur And when the gong sounded for the end of school the two friendsdidnrsquot hang around the school compound as they usually did but headed straight home

lsquoMeet me in one hour by the hanging bridgersquo Bulli told Aloka as they parted ways

Bulli had a plan But she needed a sharp implementmdashlike an axe or a knife She knew where she could find one

9

Her grandmother was spreading amla to dry on a mat by the jars of lemonsand olives pickling in the sun lsquoAaita wherersquos Pitarsquo Bulli tried to soundcasual Better not to arouse suspicion Grown-ups had a way of stepping inand spoiling everything

lsquoGone to Guwahati with Probir da to look for bamboorsquo replied Aaitaswatting away her granddaughterrsquos hand from the sour gooseberries Toolate Bulli had grabbed a handful and scampered off

She found her grandfather in the work shed Good he was alone at leastfor now Babu was off somewherendash-probably tormenting Shanti or playingpitthoo with his friends

10

lsquoLook Irsquove got something for yoursquo Kokarsquos eyes twinkled behind the thick lenses as he held out a perfect tinybasket He had made her a whole collection of these toysmdashbaskets in all shapes little chairs sofas tables even adoll-sized bullock cart complete with canopy lsquoAnd what did my clever girl learn at school today Wersquod better watchout or soon she will become a scholar and go to Delhi And then shersquoll become prime minister and start bossing usaroundrsquo

Bulli giggled lsquoKoka Koka tell me a storyrsquo She looked around the shed The heap of bamboo stems usuallystacked almost to the ceiling was now reduced to just a small pile Koka expertly sliced a length of bamboo into smaller pieces lsquoAnd which one do you want to hear this timersquo Heused the sharp broad blade of his daoto peel off the hard outer skin as he spoke

lsquoThe tiger story the tiger storyrsquo

lsquoDonrsquot you ever tire of hearing that onersquo

11

In one quick move Koka had halved a piece lengthwise Shuk shuk shuk withlightning speed the dao split the bamboo Then a bend and a turn and thefine even strips fanned out between his fingers

These were for japis the wide-brimmed upside-down ice-cream cone hatsthat farmers wore while transplanting paddy The rains were over this yearand the grain stood ripening in the fields So these japis would be lined withpatches of coloured felt or metallic paper with trimmings of sequins braidand baubles to decorate the walls at festival time

12

Koka counted out five strips and crossed them over the tip of the mould heused to shape the crown Bulli had seen him do this a thousand times butshe still watched as he wove more strips around and across the frame

The cone done his fingers moved swiftly around the base adding strips andweaving them to form the shade and then the turned-down brim Soon theouter layer of the japi was done mdash a net of five-pointed stars

13

He started on the inner layer Bulli picked up a pair of scissors to cut theshiny paper into neat triangles for the trimming In the corner she spiedPitarsquos dao Excellent Now all she had to do was smuggle it out of the house

Koka finished the inner lining of the japi He arranged the papers Bullihanded him and sandwiched them between the two layers Slightly widerbamboo strips were placed across the underside of the shade for strengthThen a hoop around the base of the cone and another around the rimsecured with string to hold the layers in place and it was ready All that wasleft now was to glue on some sequins and a length of braid around thebrim

14

And as they worked Koka told his story lsquoA long time agohelliprsquo

lsquoHow longrsquo Bulli wanted to know

lsquoDonrsquot interrupt childhellip

lsquoIt was in my kokarsquos kokarsquos kokarsquos pitarsquos timendashmaybe even before thatThere were only five houses by the river with the hill behind and the jungleall around The people grew rice and vegetables for themselves andwhatever little was extra they sold in the market

15

lsquoOne year the rains fell harder than usual The sky was black as coal even in the morning The sun fell asleepthinking it was night The rain kept pouring down The river rose higher and higher until the dam burst and the water flooded over intothe fields towards our village

16

lsquoAnd still the downpour continuedThe water was knee-high by nowand still rising The people wereafraid They huddled together wetand hungry If they didnrsquot dosomething soon their belongingswould be washed away and theywould drown

lsquoThen they heard itBrroouuaarrrrrhellip aabrrooaarrrhellip soloud that the rain stopped and thesun peeped out from behind theclouds to see what was going on

17

Way up on the top of the hill stood a tigerndashhandsome huge his coatglistening like pure gold He was calling to themBrroouuaarrrrrhellip aabrrooaarrrhellip come up heeerrreerr helliprsquo

lsquoBut tigers canrsquot speak our languagersquo Bulli cut in

lsquoHave you ever met a tigerrsquo She had to admit that she hadnrsquot

lsquoThen how do you know they canrsquotrsquo he asked

18

lsquoAt first the people were afraid to go Theyrsquod never been up the hill before and they werenrsquot sure that this wasnrsquot atrick They certainly didnrsquot want to become a tasty meal for some wild animal lsquoThe tiger saw them hesitate Brroouuaarrrrrhellip aabrrooaarrrhellip come up heeerrreerr wherrrre itrsquos dry and safehellip Heroared again trying to sound as friendly as he couldlsquoThis time they went They hadnrsquot much choice The tiger came halfway down the slope to lead them safely to thetop The villagers followed him They were not afraid any more He was a kind tiger He had saved them from thefloodlsquoUp on the hill there were ponds and streams full of fish plenty of fruit trees and bamboo groves The villagerswere pleased to find such a beautiful spot to build their new homes But now something else troubled them Theirfields were left far behind at the bottom of the hill What would they do for a living

lsquoAhem aabrrooaarrrhellip I couldnrsquot help overhearinghellip If yoursquoll perrrmitt me to make a suggestionhellip It was the tiger whohad been standing nearby and was as well-mannered as he was kind Follow me if you please He led them to abamboo grove

Therersquos plenty of bamboo here for you to use Itrsquos strong and waterproof mdash good for building houses and supple enoughto make baskets which you can sell in the market People always need baskets in which to carry and store

19

Therersquos plenty of bamboo here for you to use Itrsquos strong and waterproofmdashgoodfor building houses and supple enough to make baskets which you can sell inthe market People always need baskets in which to carry and store

lsquoWith one sweep of a front paw the tiger knocked down a stem andshredded it into strips with his claws Then he showed them how to weavemats and baskets And then he was gone He disappeared into the thickjungle But they knew he was watching them from behind the trees

20

lsquoSo they set about rebuilding their village which they named Baghdhora Tila in honour of the bagh the tiger onthe tila the hill who saved them from the flood and taught them a new craftlsquoAnd that is how we came to be here and to weave baskets for a livingrsquo

lsquoWhat happened to the tigerrsquo Bulli was getting restless by now but she knew she was expected to asklsquoOh hersquos still around Lives in the forest and watches over the village They say he appears every once in a while tohelp us in times of troublersquo

Bulli stood up lsquoI have to get the fishrsquo she said by way of explanation

She went over to the corner where the tools were kept and made a big show of putting away the scissors andmetallic paper When she left the work shed she was carrying hidden in the folds of her skirt her fatherrsquos dao

Bulli picked up her gear She and Aloka went out every afternoon to get fish for dinner It was part of their dailyroutine so no one paid much heed Bulli hid the dao in the fish basket and ran out

21

Aloka was already at the hanging bridge that stretched and swayed acrossthe stream separating the jungle from their village lsquoDid you get itrsquo sheaskedlsquoItrsquos herersquo Bulli patted the basket at her waist lsquoLetrsquos get the fish firstrsquo sheadded

The hillside was dotted with shallow ponds teeming with silvery fish thatfed on the water plants Bulli and Aloka dipped their bamboo bottle-shapedfish catchers into one then lifted them out They picked out the weeds andthrew the fish into their baskets Soon their baskets were full

22

The girls headed back towards the hanging bridgeThe plan was to go into the jungle and bring backsome bamboo for their parents Finding the bamboowould be no problem It grew in thick clumps all overthe forest Bulli and Aloka were sure they could carrythe bamboo back to the village Theyrsquod balanced fivebricks each on their heads during their time at thefactory How they would get it into their houseswithout being found out was entirely another matter

Their luck had held so far They could only pray thattheir parents would be so happy to see the bamboothat they wouldnrsquot think to ask how it got therePleased with their clever plan the two friends crossedinto the forest

23

Oh no They werenrsquot alone Babuand Khagen were kicking a dentedplastic ball around the clearingBulli and Aloka slipped quietly pastthem behind the trees only to runinto Sangeeta with her smallbrother Uppal in tow collectingfirewood lsquoWhere are you goingrsquo SangeetaaskedlsquoTo get some bamboorsquolsquoWersquore coming toorsquo The sister andbrother joined the team

24

The girls didnrsquot argue There wasnrsquot much time before sundown Silently they filed through the thick undergrowthuntil they came upon a dense grove of bamboo

Bulli took out the dao Shersquod never used one before but trying to look as if she did this every day she touched itssharp blade to the stem There was a crunch and a thud behind them They froze lsquoWhoooo whoooo- Irsquom the ghost of the jungle What are you doing on my landrsquo

They laughed half-relieved Babu and Khagen had found them

lsquoHere yoursquod better give me that I know how to use these thingsrsquo Khagen made a grab for the daolsquoShhhrsquo Aloka put her finger to her lips They heard a rustling in the trees Something moved This was beginning toget scary

Uppal let out a howl lsquoI donrsquot like this place I want to go homersquoBulli the bravest of them all took command lsquoSangeeta tell your brother to shut up Babu stop fidgeting Irsquomgoing to have a lookrsquo

25

With a bit of shoving the group squatted on the ground watching intently as Bulli moved towards the sound

The rustling grew louder A twig snapped They distinctly saw a yellow stripe flash past Bullirsquos couragedisappeared She turned and ran The others followed their hearts pounding They didnrsquot stop until they reachedthe bridge

lsquoWherersquos the daorsquo Bulli asked Khagen pantinglsquoI donrsquot know I thought you had itrsquo

lsquoWell wersquod better go back and look for itrsquo lsquoYou gomdashitrsquos your daorsquo Khagenrsquos brashness scarcely disguised the panic in his voice

Only Aloka was willing to go with Bulli They held hands as they retraced their steps through the jungleThe dao lay where Khagen had dropped it And there next to it was a broken stem of bamboo lsquoSo thatrsquos what gotthose scaredy-cats so frightenedrsquo they laughed

26

Dusk was falling The birds were calling to each other from their roosts Thefrogs croaked and splashed in the ponds and the crickets had alreadystarted their chirruping Soon the night would swoop down on them Theygirls knew they had better get home soon

It took them a while to realize they were lost One wrong turn somewherehad taken them deeper into the jungle than they had ever been before Bulliand Aloka clung to each other trembling wondering which way to go

27

Then they heard it A slow majestic swish Everything else had gone silentThey strained to get a better look in the half-light This was no bamboostem Could it be A flash of a gold and brown striped tail

Bulli remembered Kokarsquos story They must follow the sound Trustinglythey went with the crackle pop swish through the thick foliage on to thetrack leading to the hanging bridge They couldnrsquot see much mdashjust the hintof a whisker the twitch of an ear and once a glint of kind amber eyes thatseemed to say No need to worry I will show you the way

28

The girls turned to thank theirfriendmdashbut there was no onethere Just the jungle noise behindthem and the village lights upahead

Bulli said goodnight to Aloka andran off They would talk aboutwhat they had seen tomorrow Shehad to get home and put the daoin its usual place before it wasmissed

29

She had just replaced the dao andwas handing the fish to Aai withsome excuse about being so latewhen they heard the gate openPita was back from Guwahati Hewas smiling

The family crowded round himeager to hear the news lsquoWe founda dealer in the city willing to sell usbamboo at the old price if webought a large enough quantityrsquohe said happily lsquoSo we orderedenough for all the basket weaversTheyrsquoll be sending a trucktomorrowrsquo

30

Bulli was bursting to tell her own story So amid all the excitement withoutbeing asked she announced to no one in particular lsquoAloka and I met a tigerin the jungle todayrsquo

Everybody laughed lsquoDonrsquot be sillyrsquo said Shanti in her best older-sister tonelsquoThere arenrsquot any tigers here any morersquo

Bulli looked at her grandpa He didnrsquot say anything But behind thespectacles she saw the wink and smiled Koka knew

31

About the illustrations

The art of the Pardhan-Gond tribals of the Dindori Valley in Mandla Madhya Pradesh usestonal and contrasting colour blocks built up from dotted sections The artists paint treesshrubs birds and animals in a powerful and lyrical way Gond art is usually executed on theoutside walls of the mud huts of the people

32

This book was made possible by Pratham Books StoryWeaver platform Content under CreativeCommons licenses can be downloaded translated and can even be used to create new stories ‐provided you give appropriate credit and indicate if changes were made To know more about thisand the full terms of use and attribution please visit the following link

Disclaimer httpswwwstoryweaverorginterms_and_conditions

Some rights reserved This book is CC -BY -40 licensed You can copy modify distributeand perform the work even for commercial purposes all without asking permissionFor full terms of use and attribution httpcreativecommonsorglicensesby40

Story AttributionThis story Bulli and the Tiger is written by Shalini Reys copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license

Other CreditsBulli and the Tiger has been published on StoryWeaver by Pratham Books The development and production of this book has been supported by Sapphira KevinaMarie and Vijay Goradia wwwprathambooksorg

Illustration AttributionsCover page People looking towards an animal and peacocks by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 licensePage 2 A girl stretching over a mat by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 3 A hen and herchicks by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 4 A woman holding a pan to winnow grains byNankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 5 A house made of bamboo with a path leading down fromit by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 7 Two birds in the bushes by Nankusia Shyam copyPratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 8 Background with abstract art in cornerv by Nankusia Shyam copy PrathamBooks 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 10 Two faces staring into the sky by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Somerights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 12 A bamboo basket in the corner by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reservedReleased under CC BY 40 license Page 13 Hands weaving a basket by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40license Page 14 Background with abstract art in the corner by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license

Her grandmother was spreading amla to dry on a mat by the jars of lemonsand olives pickling in the sun lsquoAaita wherersquos Pitarsquo Bulli tried to soundcasual Better not to arouse suspicion Grown-ups had a way of stepping inand spoiling everything

lsquoGone to Guwahati with Probir da to look for bamboorsquo replied Aaitaswatting away her granddaughterrsquos hand from the sour gooseberries Toolate Bulli had grabbed a handful and scampered off

She found her grandfather in the work shed Good he was alone at leastfor now Babu was off somewherendash-probably tormenting Shanti or playingpitthoo with his friends

10

lsquoLook Irsquove got something for yoursquo Kokarsquos eyes twinkled behind the thick lenses as he held out a perfect tinybasket He had made her a whole collection of these toysmdashbaskets in all shapes little chairs sofas tables even adoll-sized bullock cart complete with canopy lsquoAnd what did my clever girl learn at school today Wersquod better watchout or soon she will become a scholar and go to Delhi And then shersquoll become prime minister and start bossing usaroundrsquo

Bulli giggled lsquoKoka Koka tell me a storyrsquo She looked around the shed The heap of bamboo stems usuallystacked almost to the ceiling was now reduced to just a small pile Koka expertly sliced a length of bamboo into smaller pieces lsquoAnd which one do you want to hear this timersquo Heused the sharp broad blade of his daoto peel off the hard outer skin as he spoke

lsquoThe tiger story the tiger storyrsquo

lsquoDonrsquot you ever tire of hearing that onersquo

11

In one quick move Koka had halved a piece lengthwise Shuk shuk shuk withlightning speed the dao split the bamboo Then a bend and a turn and thefine even strips fanned out between his fingers

These were for japis the wide-brimmed upside-down ice-cream cone hatsthat farmers wore while transplanting paddy The rains were over this yearand the grain stood ripening in the fields So these japis would be lined withpatches of coloured felt or metallic paper with trimmings of sequins braidand baubles to decorate the walls at festival time

12

Koka counted out five strips and crossed them over the tip of the mould heused to shape the crown Bulli had seen him do this a thousand times butshe still watched as he wove more strips around and across the frame

The cone done his fingers moved swiftly around the base adding strips andweaving them to form the shade and then the turned-down brim Soon theouter layer of the japi was done mdash a net of five-pointed stars

13

He started on the inner layer Bulli picked up a pair of scissors to cut theshiny paper into neat triangles for the trimming In the corner she spiedPitarsquos dao Excellent Now all she had to do was smuggle it out of the house

Koka finished the inner lining of the japi He arranged the papers Bullihanded him and sandwiched them between the two layers Slightly widerbamboo strips were placed across the underside of the shade for strengthThen a hoop around the base of the cone and another around the rimsecured with string to hold the layers in place and it was ready All that wasleft now was to glue on some sequins and a length of braid around thebrim

14

And as they worked Koka told his story lsquoA long time agohelliprsquo

lsquoHow longrsquo Bulli wanted to know

lsquoDonrsquot interrupt childhellip

lsquoIt was in my kokarsquos kokarsquos kokarsquos pitarsquos timendashmaybe even before thatThere were only five houses by the river with the hill behind and the jungleall around The people grew rice and vegetables for themselves andwhatever little was extra they sold in the market

15

lsquoOne year the rains fell harder than usual The sky was black as coal even in the morning The sun fell asleepthinking it was night The rain kept pouring down The river rose higher and higher until the dam burst and the water flooded over intothe fields towards our village

16

lsquoAnd still the downpour continuedThe water was knee-high by nowand still rising The people wereafraid They huddled together wetand hungry If they didnrsquot dosomething soon their belongingswould be washed away and theywould drown

lsquoThen they heard itBrroouuaarrrrrhellip aabrrooaarrrhellip soloud that the rain stopped and thesun peeped out from behind theclouds to see what was going on

17

Way up on the top of the hill stood a tigerndashhandsome huge his coatglistening like pure gold He was calling to themBrroouuaarrrrrhellip aabrrooaarrrhellip come up heeerrreerr helliprsquo

lsquoBut tigers canrsquot speak our languagersquo Bulli cut in

lsquoHave you ever met a tigerrsquo She had to admit that she hadnrsquot

lsquoThen how do you know they canrsquotrsquo he asked

18

lsquoAt first the people were afraid to go Theyrsquod never been up the hill before and they werenrsquot sure that this wasnrsquot atrick They certainly didnrsquot want to become a tasty meal for some wild animal lsquoThe tiger saw them hesitate Brroouuaarrrrrhellip aabrrooaarrrhellip come up heeerrreerr wherrrre itrsquos dry and safehellip Heroared again trying to sound as friendly as he couldlsquoThis time they went They hadnrsquot much choice The tiger came halfway down the slope to lead them safely to thetop The villagers followed him They were not afraid any more He was a kind tiger He had saved them from thefloodlsquoUp on the hill there were ponds and streams full of fish plenty of fruit trees and bamboo groves The villagerswere pleased to find such a beautiful spot to build their new homes But now something else troubled them Theirfields were left far behind at the bottom of the hill What would they do for a living

lsquoAhem aabrrooaarrrhellip I couldnrsquot help overhearinghellip If yoursquoll perrrmitt me to make a suggestionhellip It was the tiger whohad been standing nearby and was as well-mannered as he was kind Follow me if you please He led them to abamboo grove

Therersquos plenty of bamboo here for you to use Itrsquos strong and waterproof mdash good for building houses and supple enoughto make baskets which you can sell in the market People always need baskets in which to carry and store

19

Therersquos plenty of bamboo here for you to use Itrsquos strong and waterproofmdashgoodfor building houses and supple enough to make baskets which you can sell inthe market People always need baskets in which to carry and store

lsquoWith one sweep of a front paw the tiger knocked down a stem andshredded it into strips with his claws Then he showed them how to weavemats and baskets And then he was gone He disappeared into the thickjungle But they knew he was watching them from behind the trees

20

lsquoSo they set about rebuilding their village which they named Baghdhora Tila in honour of the bagh the tiger onthe tila the hill who saved them from the flood and taught them a new craftlsquoAnd that is how we came to be here and to weave baskets for a livingrsquo

lsquoWhat happened to the tigerrsquo Bulli was getting restless by now but she knew she was expected to asklsquoOh hersquos still around Lives in the forest and watches over the village They say he appears every once in a while tohelp us in times of troublersquo

Bulli stood up lsquoI have to get the fishrsquo she said by way of explanation

She went over to the corner where the tools were kept and made a big show of putting away the scissors andmetallic paper When she left the work shed she was carrying hidden in the folds of her skirt her fatherrsquos dao

Bulli picked up her gear She and Aloka went out every afternoon to get fish for dinner It was part of their dailyroutine so no one paid much heed Bulli hid the dao in the fish basket and ran out

21

Aloka was already at the hanging bridge that stretched and swayed acrossthe stream separating the jungle from their village lsquoDid you get itrsquo sheaskedlsquoItrsquos herersquo Bulli patted the basket at her waist lsquoLetrsquos get the fish firstrsquo sheadded

The hillside was dotted with shallow ponds teeming with silvery fish thatfed on the water plants Bulli and Aloka dipped their bamboo bottle-shapedfish catchers into one then lifted them out They picked out the weeds andthrew the fish into their baskets Soon their baskets were full

22

The girls headed back towards the hanging bridgeThe plan was to go into the jungle and bring backsome bamboo for their parents Finding the bamboowould be no problem It grew in thick clumps all overthe forest Bulli and Aloka were sure they could carrythe bamboo back to the village Theyrsquod balanced fivebricks each on their heads during their time at thefactory How they would get it into their houseswithout being found out was entirely another matter

Their luck had held so far They could only pray thattheir parents would be so happy to see the bamboothat they wouldnrsquot think to ask how it got therePleased with their clever plan the two friends crossedinto the forest

23

Oh no They werenrsquot alone Babuand Khagen were kicking a dentedplastic ball around the clearingBulli and Aloka slipped quietly pastthem behind the trees only to runinto Sangeeta with her smallbrother Uppal in tow collectingfirewood lsquoWhere are you goingrsquo SangeetaaskedlsquoTo get some bamboorsquolsquoWersquore coming toorsquo The sister andbrother joined the team

24

The girls didnrsquot argue There wasnrsquot much time before sundown Silently they filed through the thick undergrowthuntil they came upon a dense grove of bamboo

Bulli took out the dao Shersquod never used one before but trying to look as if she did this every day she touched itssharp blade to the stem There was a crunch and a thud behind them They froze lsquoWhoooo whoooo- Irsquom the ghost of the jungle What are you doing on my landrsquo

They laughed half-relieved Babu and Khagen had found them

lsquoHere yoursquod better give me that I know how to use these thingsrsquo Khagen made a grab for the daolsquoShhhrsquo Aloka put her finger to her lips They heard a rustling in the trees Something moved This was beginning toget scary

Uppal let out a howl lsquoI donrsquot like this place I want to go homersquoBulli the bravest of them all took command lsquoSangeeta tell your brother to shut up Babu stop fidgeting Irsquomgoing to have a lookrsquo

25

With a bit of shoving the group squatted on the ground watching intently as Bulli moved towards the sound

The rustling grew louder A twig snapped They distinctly saw a yellow stripe flash past Bullirsquos couragedisappeared She turned and ran The others followed their hearts pounding They didnrsquot stop until they reachedthe bridge

lsquoWherersquos the daorsquo Bulli asked Khagen pantinglsquoI donrsquot know I thought you had itrsquo

lsquoWell wersquod better go back and look for itrsquo lsquoYou gomdashitrsquos your daorsquo Khagenrsquos brashness scarcely disguised the panic in his voice

Only Aloka was willing to go with Bulli They held hands as they retraced their steps through the jungleThe dao lay where Khagen had dropped it And there next to it was a broken stem of bamboo lsquoSo thatrsquos what gotthose scaredy-cats so frightenedrsquo they laughed

26

Dusk was falling The birds were calling to each other from their roosts Thefrogs croaked and splashed in the ponds and the crickets had alreadystarted their chirruping Soon the night would swoop down on them Theygirls knew they had better get home soon

It took them a while to realize they were lost One wrong turn somewherehad taken them deeper into the jungle than they had ever been before Bulliand Aloka clung to each other trembling wondering which way to go

27

Then they heard it A slow majestic swish Everything else had gone silentThey strained to get a better look in the half-light This was no bamboostem Could it be A flash of a gold and brown striped tail

Bulli remembered Kokarsquos story They must follow the sound Trustinglythey went with the crackle pop swish through the thick foliage on to thetrack leading to the hanging bridge They couldnrsquot see much mdashjust the hintof a whisker the twitch of an ear and once a glint of kind amber eyes thatseemed to say No need to worry I will show you the way

28

The girls turned to thank theirfriendmdashbut there was no onethere Just the jungle noise behindthem and the village lights upahead

Bulli said goodnight to Aloka andran off They would talk aboutwhat they had seen tomorrow Shehad to get home and put the daoin its usual place before it wasmissed

29

She had just replaced the dao andwas handing the fish to Aai withsome excuse about being so latewhen they heard the gate openPita was back from Guwahati Hewas smiling

The family crowded round himeager to hear the news lsquoWe founda dealer in the city willing to sell usbamboo at the old price if webought a large enough quantityrsquohe said happily lsquoSo we orderedenough for all the basket weaversTheyrsquoll be sending a trucktomorrowrsquo

30

Bulli was bursting to tell her own story So amid all the excitement withoutbeing asked she announced to no one in particular lsquoAloka and I met a tigerin the jungle todayrsquo

Everybody laughed lsquoDonrsquot be sillyrsquo said Shanti in her best older-sister tonelsquoThere arenrsquot any tigers here any morersquo

Bulli looked at her grandpa He didnrsquot say anything But behind thespectacles she saw the wink and smiled Koka knew

31

About the illustrations

The art of the Pardhan-Gond tribals of the Dindori Valley in Mandla Madhya Pradesh usestonal and contrasting colour blocks built up from dotted sections The artists paint treesshrubs birds and animals in a powerful and lyrical way Gond art is usually executed on theoutside walls of the mud huts of the people

32

This book was made possible by Pratham Books StoryWeaver platform Content under CreativeCommons licenses can be downloaded translated and can even be used to create new stories ‐provided you give appropriate credit and indicate if changes were made To know more about thisand the full terms of use and attribution please visit the following link

Disclaimer httpswwwstoryweaverorginterms_and_conditions

Some rights reserved This book is CC -BY -40 licensed You can copy modify distributeand perform the work even for commercial purposes all without asking permissionFor full terms of use and attribution httpcreativecommonsorglicensesby40

Story AttributionThis story Bulli and the Tiger is written by Shalini Reys copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license

Other CreditsBulli and the Tiger has been published on StoryWeaver by Pratham Books The development and production of this book has been supported by Sapphira KevinaMarie and Vijay Goradia wwwprathambooksorg

Illustration AttributionsCover page People looking towards an animal and peacocks by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 licensePage 2 A girl stretching over a mat by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 3 A hen and herchicks by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 4 A woman holding a pan to winnow grains byNankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 5 A house made of bamboo with a path leading down fromit by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 7 Two birds in the bushes by Nankusia Shyam copyPratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 8 Background with abstract art in cornerv by Nankusia Shyam copy PrathamBooks 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 10 Two faces staring into the sky by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Somerights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 12 A bamboo basket in the corner by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reservedReleased under CC BY 40 license Page 13 Hands weaving a basket by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40license Page 14 Background with abstract art in the corner by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license

lsquoLook Irsquove got something for yoursquo Kokarsquos eyes twinkled behind the thick lenses as he held out a perfect tinybasket He had made her a whole collection of these toysmdashbaskets in all shapes little chairs sofas tables even adoll-sized bullock cart complete with canopy lsquoAnd what did my clever girl learn at school today Wersquod better watchout or soon she will become a scholar and go to Delhi And then shersquoll become prime minister and start bossing usaroundrsquo

Bulli giggled lsquoKoka Koka tell me a storyrsquo She looked around the shed The heap of bamboo stems usuallystacked almost to the ceiling was now reduced to just a small pile Koka expertly sliced a length of bamboo into smaller pieces lsquoAnd which one do you want to hear this timersquo Heused the sharp broad blade of his daoto peel off the hard outer skin as he spoke

lsquoThe tiger story the tiger storyrsquo

lsquoDonrsquot you ever tire of hearing that onersquo

11

In one quick move Koka had halved a piece lengthwise Shuk shuk shuk withlightning speed the dao split the bamboo Then a bend and a turn and thefine even strips fanned out between his fingers

These were for japis the wide-brimmed upside-down ice-cream cone hatsthat farmers wore while transplanting paddy The rains were over this yearand the grain stood ripening in the fields So these japis would be lined withpatches of coloured felt or metallic paper with trimmings of sequins braidand baubles to decorate the walls at festival time

12

Koka counted out five strips and crossed them over the tip of the mould heused to shape the crown Bulli had seen him do this a thousand times butshe still watched as he wove more strips around and across the frame

The cone done his fingers moved swiftly around the base adding strips andweaving them to form the shade and then the turned-down brim Soon theouter layer of the japi was done mdash a net of five-pointed stars

13

He started on the inner layer Bulli picked up a pair of scissors to cut theshiny paper into neat triangles for the trimming In the corner she spiedPitarsquos dao Excellent Now all she had to do was smuggle it out of the house

Koka finished the inner lining of the japi He arranged the papers Bullihanded him and sandwiched them between the two layers Slightly widerbamboo strips were placed across the underside of the shade for strengthThen a hoop around the base of the cone and another around the rimsecured with string to hold the layers in place and it was ready All that wasleft now was to glue on some sequins and a length of braid around thebrim

14

And as they worked Koka told his story lsquoA long time agohelliprsquo

lsquoHow longrsquo Bulli wanted to know

lsquoDonrsquot interrupt childhellip

lsquoIt was in my kokarsquos kokarsquos kokarsquos pitarsquos timendashmaybe even before thatThere were only five houses by the river with the hill behind and the jungleall around The people grew rice and vegetables for themselves andwhatever little was extra they sold in the market

15

lsquoOne year the rains fell harder than usual The sky was black as coal even in the morning The sun fell asleepthinking it was night The rain kept pouring down The river rose higher and higher until the dam burst and the water flooded over intothe fields towards our village

16

lsquoAnd still the downpour continuedThe water was knee-high by nowand still rising The people wereafraid They huddled together wetand hungry If they didnrsquot dosomething soon their belongingswould be washed away and theywould drown

lsquoThen they heard itBrroouuaarrrrrhellip aabrrooaarrrhellip soloud that the rain stopped and thesun peeped out from behind theclouds to see what was going on

17

Way up on the top of the hill stood a tigerndashhandsome huge his coatglistening like pure gold He was calling to themBrroouuaarrrrrhellip aabrrooaarrrhellip come up heeerrreerr helliprsquo

lsquoBut tigers canrsquot speak our languagersquo Bulli cut in

lsquoHave you ever met a tigerrsquo She had to admit that she hadnrsquot

lsquoThen how do you know they canrsquotrsquo he asked

18

lsquoAt first the people were afraid to go Theyrsquod never been up the hill before and they werenrsquot sure that this wasnrsquot atrick They certainly didnrsquot want to become a tasty meal for some wild animal lsquoThe tiger saw them hesitate Brroouuaarrrrrhellip aabrrooaarrrhellip come up heeerrreerr wherrrre itrsquos dry and safehellip Heroared again trying to sound as friendly as he couldlsquoThis time they went They hadnrsquot much choice The tiger came halfway down the slope to lead them safely to thetop The villagers followed him They were not afraid any more He was a kind tiger He had saved them from thefloodlsquoUp on the hill there were ponds and streams full of fish plenty of fruit trees and bamboo groves The villagerswere pleased to find such a beautiful spot to build their new homes But now something else troubled them Theirfields were left far behind at the bottom of the hill What would they do for a living

lsquoAhem aabrrooaarrrhellip I couldnrsquot help overhearinghellip If yoursquoll perrrmitt me to make a suggestionhellip It was the tiger whohad been standing nearby and was as well-mannered as he was kind Follow me if you please He led them to abamboo grove

Therersquos plenty of bamboo here for you to use Itrsquos strong and waterproof mdash good for building houses and supple enoughto make baskets which you can sell in the market People always need baskets in which to carry and store

19

Therersquos plenty of bamboo here for you to use Itrsquos strong and waterproofmdashgoodfor building houses and supple enough to make baskets which you can sell inthe market People always need baskets in which to carry and store

lsquoWith one sweep of a front paw the tiger knocked down a stem andshredded it into strips with his claws Then he showed them how to weavemats and baskets And then he was gone He disappeared into the thickjungle But they knew he was watching them from behind the trees

20

lsquoSo they set about rebuilding their village which they named Baghdhora Tila in honour of the bagh the tiger onthe tila the hill who saved them from the flood and taught them a new craftlsquoAnd that is how we came to be here and to weave baskets for a livingrsquo

lsquoWhat happened to the tigerrsquo Bulli was getting restless by now but she knew she was expected to asklsquoOh hersquos still around Lives in the forest and watches over the village They say he appears every once in a while tohelp us in times of troublersquo

Bulli stood up lsquoI have to get the fishrsquo she said by way of explanation

She went over to the corner where the tools were kept and made a big show of putting away the scissors andmetallic paper When she left the work shed she was carrying hidden in the folds of her skirt her fatherrsquos dao

Bulli picked up her gear She and Aloka went out every afternoon to get fish for dinner It was part of their dailyroutine so no one paid much heed Bulli hid the dao in the fish basket and ran out

21

Aloka was already at the hanging bridge that stretched and swayed acrossthe stream separating the jungle from their village lsquoDid you get itrsquo sheaskedlsquoItrsquos herersquo Bulli patted the basket at her waist lsquoLetrsquos get the fish firstrsquo sheadded

The hillside was dotted with shallow ponds teeming with silvery fish thatfed on the water plants Bulli and Aloka dipped their bamboo bottle-shapedfish catchers into one then lifted them out They picked out the weeds andthrew the fish into their baskets Soon their baskets were full

22

The girls headed back towards the hanging bridgeThe plan was to go into the jungle and bring backsome bamboo for their parents Finding the bamboowould be no problem It grew in thick clumps all overthe forest Bulli and Aloka were sure they could carrythe bamboo back to the village Theyrsquod balanced fivebricks each on their heads during their time at thefactory How they would get it into their houseswithout being found out was entirely another matter

Their luck had held so far They could only pray thattheir parents would be so happy to see the bamboothat they wouldnrsquot think to ask how it got therePleased with their clever plan the two friends crossedinto the forest

23

Oh no They werenrsquot alone Babuand Khagen were kicking a dentedplastic ball around the clearingBulli and Aloka slipped quietly pastthem behind the trees only to runinto Sangeeta with her smallbrother Uppal in tow collectingfirewood lsquoWhere are you goingrsquo SangeetaaskedlsquoTo get some bamboorsquolsquoWersquore coming toorsquo The sister andbrother joined the team

24

The girls didnrsquot argue There wasnrsquot much time before sundown Silently they filed through the thick undergrowthuntil they came upon a dense grove of bamboo

Bulli took out the dao Shersquod never used one before but trying to look as if she did this every day she touched itssharp blade to the stem There was a crunch and a thud behind them They froze lsquoWhoooo whoooo- Irsquom the ghost of the jungle What are you doing on my landrsquo

They laughed half-relieved Babu and Khagen had found them

lsquoHere yoursquod better give me that I know how to use these thingsrsquo Khagen made a grab for the daolsquoShhhrsquo Aloka put her finger to her lips They heard a rustling in the trees Something moved This was beginning toget scary

Uppal let out a howl lsquoI donrsquot like this place I want to go homersquoBulli the bravest of them all took command lsquoSangeeta tell your brother to shut up Babu stop fidgeting Irsquomgoing to have a lookrsquo

25

With a bit of shoving the group squatted on the ground watching intently as Bulli moved towards the sound

The rustling grew louder A twig snapped They distinctly saw a yellow stripe flash past Bullirsquos couragedisappeared She turned and ran The others followed their hearts pounding They didnrsquot stop until they reachedthe bridge

lsquoWherersquos the daorsquo Bulli asked Khagen pantinglsquoI donrsquot know I thought you had itrsquo

lsquoWell wersquod better go back and look for itrsquo lsquoYou gomdashitrsquos your daorsquo Khagenrsquos brashness scarcely disguised the panic in his voice

Only Aloka was willing to go with Bulli They held hands as they retraced their steps through the jungleThe dao lay where Khagen had dropped it And there next to it was a broken stem of bamboo lsquoSo thatrsquos what gotthose scaredy-cats so frightenedrsquo they laughed

26

Dusk was falling The birds were calling to each other from their roosts Thefrogs croaked and splashed in the ponds and the crickets had alreadystarted their chirruping Soon the night would swoop down on them Theygirls knew they had better get home soon

It took them a while to realize they were lost One wrong turn somewherehad taken them deeper into the jungle than they had ever been before Bulliand Aloka clung to each other trembling wondering which way to go

27

Then they heard it A slow majestic swish Everything else had gone silentThey strained to get a better look in the half-light This was no bamboostem Could it be A flash of a gold and brown striped tail

Bulli remembered Kokarsquos story They must follow the sound Trustinglythey went with the crackle pop swish through the thick foliage on to thetrack leading to the hanging bridge They couldnrsquot see much mdashjust the hintof a whisker the twitch of an ear and once a glint of kind amber eyes thatseemed to say No need to worry I will show you the way

28

The girls turned to thank theirfriendmdashbut there was no onethere Just the jungle noise behindthem and the village lights upahead

Bulli said goodnight to Aloka andran off They would talk aboutwhat they had seen tomorrow Shehad to get home and put the daoin its usual place before it wasmissed

29

She had just replaced the dao andwas handing the fish to Aai withsome excuse about being so latewhen they heard the gate openPita was back from Guwahati Hewas smiling

The family crowded round himeager to hear the news lsquoWe founda dealer in the city willing to sell usbamboo at the old price if webought a large enough quantityrsquohe said happily lsquoSo we orderedenough for all the basket weaversTheyrsquoll be sending a trucktomorrowrsquo

30

Bulli was bursting to tell her own story So amid all the excitement withoutbeing asked she announced to no one in particular lsquoAloka and I met a tigerin the jungle todayrsquo

Everybody laughed lsquoDonrsquot be sillyrsquo said Shanti in her best older-sister tonelsquoThere arenrsquot any tigers here any morersquo

Bulli looked at her grandpa He didnrsquot say anything But behind thespectacles she saw the wink and smiled Koka knew

31

About the illustrations

The art of the Pardhan-Gond tribals of the Dindori Valley in Mandla Madhya Pradesh usestonal and contrasting colour blocks built up from dotted sections The artists paint treesshrubs birds and animals in a powerful and lyrical way Gond art is usually executed on theoutside walls of the mud huts of the people

32

This book was made possible by Pratham Books StoryWeaver platform Content under CreativeCommons licenses can be downloaded translated and can even be used to create new stories ‐provided you give appropriate credit and indicate if changes were made To know more about thisand the full terms of use and attribution please visit the following link

Disclaimer httpswwwstoryweaverorginterms_and_conditions

Some rights reserved This book is CC -BY -40 licensed You can copy modify distributeand perform the work even for commercial purposes all without asking permissionFor full terms of use and attribution httpcreativecommonsorglicensesby40

Story AttributionThis story Bulli and the Tiger is written by Shalini Reys copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license

Other CreditsBulli and the Tiger has been published on StoryWeaver by Pratham Books The development and production of this book has been supported by Sapphira KevinaMarie and Vijay Goradia wwwprathambooksorg

Illustration AttributionsCover page People looking towards an animal and peacocks by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 licensePage 2 A girl stretching over a mat by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 3 A hen and herchicks by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 4 A woman holding a pan to winnow grains byNankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 5 A house made of bamboo with a path leading down fromit by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 7 Two birds in the bushes by Nankusia Shyam copyPratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 8 Background with abstract art in cornerv by Nankusia Shyam copy PrathamBooks 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 10 Two faces staring into the sky by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Somerights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 12 A bamboo basket in the corner by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reservedReleased under CC BY 40 license Page 13 Hands weaving a basket by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40license Page 14 Background with abstract art in the corner by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license

In one quick move Koka had halved a piece lengthwise Shuk shuk shuk withlightning speed the dao split the bamboo Then a bend and a turn and thefine even strips fanned out between his fingers

These were for japis the wide-brimmed upside-down ice-cream cone hatsthat farmers wore while transplanting paddy The rains were over this yearand the grain stood ripening in the fields So these japis would be lined withpatches of coloured felt or metallic paper with trimmings of sequins braidand baubles to decorate the walls at festival time

12

Koka counted out five strips and crossed them over the tip of the mould heused to shape the crown Bulli had seen him do this a thousand times butshe still watched as he wove more strips around and across the frame

The cone done his fingers moved swiftly around the base adding strips andweaving them to form the shade and then the turned-down brim Soon theouter layer of the japi was done mdash a net of five-pointed stars

13

He started on the inner layer Bulli picked up a pair of scissors to cut theshiny paper into neat triangles for the trimming In the corner she spiedPitarsquos dao Excellent Now all she had to do was smuggle it out of the house

Koka finished the inner lining of the japi He arranged the papers Bullihanded him and sandwiched them between the two layers Slightly widerbamboo strips were placed across the underside of the shade for strengthThen a hoop around the base of the cone and another around the rimsecured with string to hold the layers in place and it was ready All that wasleft now was to glue on some sequins and a length of braid around thebrim

14

And as they worked Koka told his story lsquoA long time agohelliprsquo

lsquoHow longrsquo Bulli wanted to know

lsquoDonrsquot interrupt childhellip

lsquoIt was in my kokarsquos kokarsquos kokarsquos pitarsquos timendashmaybe even before thatThere were only five houses by the river with the hill behind and the jungleall around The people grew rice and vegetables for themselves andwhatever little was extra they sold in the market

15

lsquoOne year the rains fell harder than usual The sky was black as coal even in the morning The sun fell asleepthinking it was night The rain kept pouring down The river rose higher and higher until the dam burst and the water flooded over intothe fields towards our village

16

lsquoAnd still the downpour continuedThe water was knee-high by nowand still rising The people wereafraid They huddled together wetand hungry If they didnrsquot dosomething soon their belongingswould be washed away and theywould drown

lsquoThen they heard itBrroouuaarrrrrhellip aabrrooaarrrhellip soloud that the rain stopped and thesun peeped out from behind theclouds to see what was going on

17

Way up on the top of the hill stood a tigerndashhandsome huge his coatglistening like pure gold He was calling to themBrroouuaarrrrrhellip aabrrooaarrrhellip come up heeerrreerr helliprsquo

lsquoBut tigers canrsquot speak our languagersquo Bulli cut in

lsquoHave you ever met a tigerrsquo She had to admit that she hadnrsquot

lsquoThen how do you know they canrsquotrsquo he asked

18

lsquoAt first the people were afraid to go Theyrsquod never been up the hill before and they werenrsquot sure that this wasnrsquot atrick They certainly didnrsquot want to become a tasty meal for some wild animal lsquoThe tiger saw them hesitate Brroouuaarrrrrhellip aabrrooaarrrhellip come up heeerrreerr wherrrre itrsquos dry and safehellip Heroared again trying to sound as friendly as he couldlsquoThis time they went They hadnrsquot much choice The tiger came halfway down the slope to lead them safely to thetop The villagers followed him They were not afraid any more He was a kind tiger He had saved them from thefloodlsquoUp on the hill there were ponds and streams full of fish plenty of fruit trees and bamboo groves The villagerswere pleased to find such a beautiful spot to build their new homes But now something else troubled them Theirfields were left far behind at the bottom of the hill What would they do for a living

lsquoAhem aabrrooaarrrhellip I couldnrsquot help overhearinghellip If yoursquoll perrrmitt me to make a suggestionhellip It was the tiger whohad been standing nearby and was as well-mannered as he was kind Follow me if you please He led them to abamboo grove

Therersquos plenty of bamboo here for you to use Itrsquos strong and waterproof mdash good for building houses and supple enoughto make baskets which you can sell in the market People always need baskets in which to carry and store

19

Therersquos plenty of bamboo here for you to use Itrsquos strong and waterproofmdashgoodfor building houses and supple enough to make baskets which you can sell inthe market People always need baskets in which to carry and store

lsquoWith one sweep of a front paw the tiger knocked down a stem andshredded it into strips with his claws Then he showed them how to weavemats and baskets And then he was gone He disappeared into the thickjungle But they knew he was watching them from behind the trees

20

lsquoSo they set about rebuilding their village which they named Baghdhora Tila in honour of the bagh the tiger onthe tila the hill who saved them from the flood and taught them a new craftlsquoAnd that is how we came to be here and to weave baskets for a livingrsquo

lsquoWhat happened to the tigerrsquo Bulli was getting restless by now but she knew she was expected to asklsquoOh hersquos still around Lives in the forest and watches over the village They say he appears every once in a while tohelp us in times of troublersquo

Bulli stood up lsquoI have to get the fishrsquo she said by way of explanation

She went over to the corner where the tools were kept and made a big show of putting away the scissors andmetallic paper When she left the work shed she was carrying hidden in the folds of her skirt her fatherrsquos dao

Bulli picked up her gear She and Aloka went out every afternoon to get fish for dinner It was part of their dailyroutine so no one paid much heed Bulli hid the dao in the fish basket and ran out

21

Aloka was already at the hanging bridge that stretched and swayed acrossthe stream separating the jungle from their village lsquoDid you get itrsquo sheaskedlsquoItrsquos herersquo Bulli patted the basket at her waist lsquoLetrsquos get the fish firstrsquo sheadded

The hillside was dotted with shallow ponds teeming with silvery fish thatfed on the water plants Bulli and Aloka dipped their bamboo bottle-shapedfish catchers into one then lifted them out They picked out the weeds andthrew the fish into their baskets Soon their baskets were full

22

The girls headed back towards the hanging bridgeThe plan was to go into the jungle and bring backsome bamboo for their parents Finding the bamboowould be no problem It grew in thick clumps all overthe forest Bulli and Aloka were sure they could carrythe bamboo back to the village Theyrsquod balanced fivebricks each on their heads during their time at thefactory How they would get it into their houseswithout being found out was entirely another matter

Their luck had held so far They could only pray thattheir parents would be so happy to see the bamboothat they wouldnrsquot think to ask how it got therePleased with their clever plan the two friends crossedinto the forest

23

Oh no They werenrsquot alone Babuand Khagen were kicking a dentedplastic ball around the clearingBulli and Aloka slipped quietly pastthem behind the trees only to runinto Sangeeta with her smallbrother Uppal in tow collectingfirewood lsquoWhere are you goingrsquo SangeetaaskedlsquoTo get some bamboorsquolsquoWersquore coming toorsquo The sister andbrother joined the team

24

The girls didnrsquot argue There wasnrsquot much time before sundown Silently they filed through the thick undergrowthuntil they came upon a dense grove of bamboo

Bulli took out the dao Shersquod never used one before but trying to look as if she did this every day she touched itssharp blade to the stem There was a crunch and a thud behind them They froze lsquoWhoooo whoooo- Irsquom the ghost of the jungle What are you doing on my landrsquo

They laughed half-relieved Babu and Khagen had found them

lsquoHere yoursquod better give me that I know how to use these thingsrsquo Khagen made a grab for the daolsquoShhhrsquo Aloka put her finger to her lips They heard a rustling in the trees Something moved This was beginning toget scary

Uppal let out a howl lsquoI donrsquot like this place I want to go homersquoBulli the bravest of them all took command lsquoSangeeta tell your brother to shut up Babu stop fidgeting Irsquomgoing to have a lookrsquo

25

With a bit of shoving the group squatted on the ground watching intently as Bulli moved towards the sound

The rustling grew louder A twig snapped They distinctly saw a yellow stripe flash past Bullirsquos couragedisappeared She turned and ran The others followed their hearts pounding They didnrsquot stop until they reachedthe bridge

lsquoWherersquos the daorsquo Bulli asked Khagen pantinglsquoI donrsquot know I thought you had itrsquo

lsquoWell wersquod better go back and look for itrsquo lsquoYou gomdashitrsquos your daorsquo Khagenrsquos brashness scarcely disguised the panic in his voice

Only Aloka was willing to go with Bulli They held hands as they retraced their steps through the jungleThe dao lay where Khagen had dropped it And there next to it was a broken stem of bamboo lsquoSo thatrsquos what gotthose scaredy-cats so frightenedrsquo they laughed

26

Dusk was falling The birds were calling to each other from their roosts Thefrogs croaked and splashed in the ponds and the crickets had alreadystarted their chirruping Soon the night would swoop down on them Theygirls knew they had better get home soon

It took them a while to realize they were lost One wrong turn somewherehad taken them deeper into the jungle than they had ever been before Bulliand Aloka clung to each other trembling wondering which way to go

27

Then they heard it A slow majestic swish Everything else had gone silentThey strained to get a better look in the half-light This was no bamboostem Could it be A flash of a gold and brown striped tail

Bulli remembered Kokarsquos story They must follow the sound Trustinglythey went with the crackle pop swish through the thick foliage on to thetrack leading to the hanging bridge They couldnrsquot see much mdashjust the hintof a whisker the twitch of an ear and once a glint of kind amber eyes thatseemed to say No need to worry I will show you the way

28

The girls turned to thank theirfriendmdashbut there was no onethere Just the jungle noise behindthem and the village lights upahead

Bulli said goodnight to Aloka andran off They would talk aboutwhat they had seen tomorrow Shehad to get home and put the daoin its usual place before it wasmissed

29

She had just replaced the dao andwas handing the fish to Aai withsome excuse about being so latewhen they heard the gate openPita was back from Guwahati Hewas smiling

The family crowded round himeager to hear the news lsquoWe founda dealer in the city willing to sell usbamboo at the old price if webought a large enough quantityrsquohe said happily lsquoSo we orderedenough for all the basket weaversTheyrsquoll be sending a trucktomorrowrsquo

30

Bulli was bursting to tell her own story So amid all the excitement withoutbeing asked she announced to no one in particular lsquoAloka and I met a tigerin the jungle todayrsquo

Everybody laughed lsquoDonrsquot be sillyrsquo said Shanti in her best older-sister tonelsquoThere arenrsquot any tigers here any morersquo

Bulli looked at her grandpa He didnrsquot say anything But behind thespectacles she saw the wink and smiled Koka knew

31

About the illustrations

The art of the Pardhan-Gond tribals of the Dindori Valley in Mandla Madhya Pradesh usestonal and contrasting colour blocks built up from dotted sections The artists paint treesshrubs birds and animals in a powerful and lyrical way Gond art is usually executed on theoutside walls of the mud huts of the people

32

This book was made possible by Pratham Books StoryWeaver platform Content under CreativeCommons licenses can be downloaded translated and can even be used to create new stories ‐provided you give appropriate credit and indicate if changes were made To know more about thisand the full terms of use and attribution please visit the following link

Disclaimer httpswwwstoryweaverorginterms_and_conditions

Some rights reserved This book is CC -BY -40 licensed You can copy modify distributeand perform the work even for commercial purposes all without asking permissionFor full terms of use and attribution httpcreativecommonsorglicensesby40

Story AttributionThis story Bulli and the Tiger is written by Shalini Reys copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license

Other CreditsBulli and the Tiger has been published on StoryWeaver by Pratham Books The development and production of this book has been supported by Sapphira KevinaMarie and Vijay Goradia wwwprathambooksorg

Illustration AttributionsCover page People looking towards an animal and peacocks by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 licensePage 2 A girl stretching over a mat by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 3 A hen and herchicks by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 4 A woman holding a pan to winnow grains byNankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 5 A house made of bamboo with a path leading down fromit by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 7 Two birds in the bushes by Nankusia Shyam copyPratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 8 Background with abstract art in cornerv by Nankusia Shyam copy PrathamBooks 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 10 Two faces staring into the sky by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Somerights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 12 A bamboo basket in the corner by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reservedReleased under CC BY 40 license Page 13 Hands weaving a basket by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40license Page 14 Background with abstract art in the corner by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license

Koka counted out five strips and crossed them over the tip of the mould heused to shape the crown Bulli had seen him do this a thousand times butshe still watched as he wove more strips around and across the frame

The cone done his fingers moved swiftly around the base adding strips andweaving them to form the shade and then the turned-down brim Soon theouter layer of the japi was done mdash a net of five-pointed stars

13

He started on the inner layer Bulli picked up a pair of scissors to cut theshiny paper into neat triangles for the trimming In the corner she spiedPitarsquos dao Excellent Now all she had to do was smuggle it out of the house

Koka finished the inner lining of the japi He arranged the papers Bullihanded him and sandwiched them between the two layers Slightly widerbamboo strips were placed across the underside of the shade for strengthThen a hoop around the base of the cone and another around the rimsecured with string to hold the layers in place and it was ready All that wasleft now was to glue on some sequins and a length of braid around thebrim

14

And as they worked Koka told his story lsquoA long time agohelliprsquo

lsquoHow longrsquo Bulli wanted to know

lsquoDonrsquot interrupt childhellip

lsquoIt was in my kokarsquos kokarsquos kokarsquos pitarsquos timendashmaybe even before thatThere were only five houses by the river with the hill behind and the jungleall around The people grew rice and vegetables for themselves andwhatever little was extra they sold in the market

15

lsquoOne year the rains fell harder than usual The sky was black as coal even in the morning The sun fell asleepthinking it was night The rain kept pouring down The river rose higher and higher until the dam burst and the water flooded over intothe fields towards our village

16

lsquoAnd still the downpour continuedThe water was knee-high by nowand still rising The people wereafraid They huddled together wetand hungry If they didnrsquot dosomething soon their belongingswould be washed away and theywould drown

lsquoThen they heard itBrroouuaarrrrrhellip aabrrooaarrrhellip soloud that the rain stopped and thesun peeped out from behind theclouds to see what was going on

17

Way up on the top of the hill stood a tigerndashhandsome huge his coatglistening like pure gold He was calling to themBrroouuaarrrrrhellip aabrrooaarrrhellip come up heeerrreerr helliprsquo

lsquoBut tigers canrsquot speak our languagersquo Bulli cut in

lsquoHave you ever met a tigerrsquo She had to admit that she hadnrsquot

lsquoThen how do you know they canrsquotrsquo he asked

18

lsquoAt first the people were afraid to go Theyrsquod never been up the hill before and they werenrsquot sure that this wasnrsquot atrick They certainly didnrsquot want to become a tasty meal for some wild animal lsquoThe tiger saw them hesitate Brroouuaarrrrrhellip aabrrooaarrrhellip come up heeerrreerr wherrrre itrsquos dry and safehellip Heroared again trying to sound as friendly as he couldlsquoThis time they went They hadnrsquot much choice The tiger came halfway down the slope to lead them safely to thetop The villagers followed him They were not afraid any more He was a kind tiger He had saved them from thefloodlsquoUp on the hill there were ponds and streams full of fish plenty of fruit trees and bamboo groves The villagerswere pleased to find such a beautiful spot to build their new homes But now something else troubled them Theirfields were left far behind at the bottom of the hill What would they do for a living

lsquoAhem aabrrooaarrrhellip I couldnrsquot help overhearinghellip If yoursquoll perrrmitt me to make a suggestionhellip It was the tiger whohad been standing nearby and was as well-mannered as he was kind Follow me if you please He led them to abamboo grove

Therersquos plenty of bamboo here for you to use Itrsquos strong and waterproof mdash good for building houses and supple enoughto make baskets which you can sell in the market People always need baskets in which to carry and store

19

Therersquos plenty of bamboo here for you to use Itrsquos strong and waterproofmdashgoodfor building houses and supple enough to make baskets which you can sell inthe market People always need baskets in which to carry and store

lsquoWith one sweep of a front paw the tiger knocked down a stem andshredded it into strips with his claws Then he showed them how to weavemats and baskets And then he was gone He disappeared into the thickjungle But they knew he was watching them from behind the trees

20

lsquoSo they set about rebuilding their village which they named Baghdhora Tila in honour of the bagh the tiger onthe tila the hill who saved them from the flood and taught them a new craftlsquoAnd that is how we came to be here and to weave baskets for a livingrsquo

lsquoWhat happened to the tigerrsquo Bulli was getting restless by now but she knew she was expected to asklsquoOh hersquos still around Lives in the forest and watches over the village They say he appears every once in a while tohelp us in times of troublersquo

Bulli stood up lsquoI have to get the fishrsquo she said by way of explanation

She went over to the corner where the tools were kept and made a big show of putting away the scissors andmetallic paper When she left the work shed she was carrying hidden in the folds of her skirt her fatherrsquos dao

Bulli picked up her gear She and Aloka went out every afternoon to get fish for dinner It was part of their dailyroutine so no one paid much heed Bulli hid the dao in the fish basket and ran out

21

Aloka was already at the hanging bridge that stretched and swayed acrossthe stream separating the jungle from their village lsquoDid you get itrsquo sheaskedlsquoItrsquos herersquo Bulli patted the basket at her waist lsquoLetrsquos get the fish firstrsquo sheadded

The hillside was dotted with shallow ponds teeming with silvery fish thatfed on the water plants Bulli and Aloka dipped their bamboo bottle-shapedfish catchers into one then lifted them out They picked out the weeds andthrew the fish into their baskets Soon their baskets were full

22

The girls headed back towards the hanging bridgeThe plan was to go into the jungle and bring backsome bamboo for their parents Finding the bamboowould be no problem It grew in thick clumps all overthe forest Bulli and Aloka were sure they could carrythe bamboo back to the village Theyrsquod balanced fivebricks each on their heads during their time at thefactory How they would get it into their houseswithout being found out was entirely another matter

Their luck had held so far They could only pray thattheir parents would be so happy to see the bamboothat they wouldnrsquot think to ask how it got therePleased with their clever plan the two friends crossedinto the forest

23

Oh no They werenrsquot alone Babuand Khagen were kicking a dentedplastic ball around the clearingBulli and Aloka slipped quietly pastthem behind the trees only to runinto Sangeeta with her smallbrother Uppal in tow collectingfirewood lsquoWhere are you goingrsquo SangeetaaskedlsquoTo get some bamboorsquolsquoWersquore coming toorsquo The sister andbrother joined the team

24

The girls didnrsquot argue There wasnrsquot much time before sundown Silently they filed through the thick undergrowthuntil they came upon a dense grove of bamboo

Bulli took out the dao Shersquod never used one before but trying to look as if she did this every day she touched itssharp blade to the stem There was a crunch and a thud behind them They froze lsquoWhoooo whoooo- Irsquom the ghost of the jungle What are you doing on my landrsquo

They laughed half-relieved Babu and Khagen had found them

lsquoHere yoursquod better give me that I know how to use these thingsrsquo Khagen made a grab for the daolsquoShhhrsquo Aloka put her finger to her lips They heard a rustling in the trees Something moved This was beginning toget scary

Uppal let out a howl lsquoI donrsquot like this place I want to go homersquoBulli the bravest of them all took command lsquoSangeeta tell your brother to shut up Babu stop fidgeting Irsquomgoing to have a lookrsquo

25

With a bit of shoving the group squatted on the ground watching intently as Bulli moved towards the sound

The rustling grew louder A twig snapped They distinctly saw a yellow stripe flash past Bullirsquos couragedisappeared She turned and ran The others followed their hearts pounding They didnrsquot stop until they reachedthe bridge

lsquoWherersquos the daorsquo Bulli asked Khagen pantinglsquoI donrsquot know I thought you had itrsquo

lsquoWell wersquod better go back and look for itrsquo lsquoYou gomdashitrsquos your daorsquo Khagenrsquos brashness scarcely disguised the panic in his voice

Only Aloka was willing to go with Bulli They held hands as they retraced their steps through the jungleThe dao lay where Khagen had dropped it And there next to it was a broken stem of bamboo lsquoSo thatrsquos what gotthose scaredy-cats so frightenedrsquo they laughed

26

Dusk was falling The birds were calling to each other from their roosts Thefrogs croaked and splashed in the ponds and the crickets had alreadystarted their chirruping Soon the night would swoop down on them Theygirls knew they had better get home soon

It took them a while to realize they were lost One wrong turn somewherehad taken them deeper into the jungle than they had ever been before Bulliand Aloka clung to each other trembling wondering which way to go

27

Then they heard it A slow majestic swish Everything else had gone silentThey strained to get a better look in the half-light This was no bamboostem Could it be A flash of a gold and brown striped tail

Bulli remembered Kokarsquos story They must follow the sound Trustinglythey went with the crackle pop swish through the thick foliage on to thetrack leading to the hanging bridge They couldnrsquot see much mdashjust the hintof a whisker the twitch of an ear and once a glint of kind amber eyes thatseemed to say No need to worry I will show you the way

28

The girls turned to thank theirfriendmdashbut there was no onethere Just the jungle noise behindthem and the village lights upahead

Bulli said goodnight to Aloka andran off They would talk aboutwhat they had seen tomorrow Shehad to get home and put the daoin its usual place before it wasmissed

29

She had just replaced the dao andwas handing the fish to Aai withsome excuse about being so latewhen they heard the gate openPita was back from Guwahati Hewas smiling

The family crowded round himeager to hear the news lsquoWe founda dealer in the city willing to sell usbamboo at the old price if webought a large enough quantityrsquohe said happily lsquoSo we orderedenough for all the basket weaversTheyrsquoll be sending a trucktomorrowrsquo

30

Bulli was bursting to tell her own story So amid all the excitement withoutbeing asked she announced to no one in particular lsquoAloka and I met a tigerin the jungle todayrsquo

Everybody laughed lsquoDonrsquot be sillyrsquo said Shanti in her best older-sister tonelsquoThere arenrsquot any tigers here any morersquo

Bulli looked at her grandpa He didnrsquot say anything But behind thespectacles she saw the wink and smiled Koka knew

31

About the illustrations

The art of the Pardhan-Gond tribals of the Dindori Valley in Mandla Madhya Pradesh usestonal and contrasting colour blocks built up from dotted sections The artists paint treesshrubs birds and animals in a powerful and lyrical way Gond art is usually executed on theoutside walls of the mud huts of the people

32

This book was made possible by Pratham Books StoryWeaver platform Content under CreativeCommons licenses can be downloaded translated and can even be used to create new stories ‐provided you give appropriate credit and indicate if changes were made To know more about thisand the full terms of use and attribution please visit the following link

Disclaimer httpswwwstoryweaverorginterms_and_conditions

Some rights reserved This book is CC -BY -40 licensed You can copy modify distributeand perform the work even for commercial purposes all without asking permissionFor full terms of use and attribution httpcreativecommonsorglicensesby40

Story AttributionThis story Bulli and the Tiger is written by Shalini Reys copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license

Other CreditsBulli and the Tiger has been published on StoryWeaver by Pratham Books The development and production of this book has been supported by Sapphira KevinaMarie and Vijay Goradia wwwprathambooksorg

Illustration AttributionsCover page People looking towards an animal and peacocks by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 licensePage 2 A girl stretching over a mat by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 3 A hen and herchicks by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 4 A woman holding a pan to winnow grains byNankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 5 A house made of bamboo with a path leading down fromit by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 7 Two birds in the bushes by Nankusia Shyam copyPratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 8 Background with abstract art in cornerv by Nankusia Shyam copy PrathamBooks 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 10 Two faces staring into the sky by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Somerights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 12 A bamboo basket in the corner by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reservedReleased under CC BY 40 license Page 13 Hands weaving a basket by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40license Page 14 Background with abstract art in the corner by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license

He started on the inner layer Bulli picked up a pair of scissors to cut theshiny paper into neat triangles for the trimming In the corner she spiedPitarsquos dao Excellent Now all she had to do was smuggle it out of the house

Koka finished the inner lining of the japi He arranged the papers Bullihanded him and sandwiched them between the two layers Slightly widerbamboo strips were placed across the underside of the shade for strengthThen a hoop around the base of the cone and another around the rimsecured with string to hold the layers in place and it was ready All that wasleft now was to glue on some sequins and a length of braid around thebrim

14

And as they worked Koka told his story lsquoA long time agohelliprsquo

lsquoHow longrsquo Bulli wanted to know

lsquoDonrsquot interrupt childhellip

lsquoIt was in my kokarsquos kokarsquos kokarsquos pitarsquos timendashmaybe even before thatThere were only five houses by the river with the hill behind and the jungleall around The people grew rice and vegetables for themselves andwhatever little was extra they sold in the market

15

lsquoOne year the rains fell harder than usual The sky was black as coal even in the morning The sun fell asleepthinking it was night The rain kept pouring down The river rose higher and higher until the dam burst and the water flooded over intothe fields towards our village

16

lsquoAnd still the downpour continuedThe water was knee-high by nowand still rising The people wereafraid They huddled together wetand hungry If they didnrsquot dosomething soon their belongingswould be washed away and theywould drown

lsquoThen they heard itBrroouuaarrrrrhellip aabrrooaarrrhellip soloud that the rain stopped and thesun peeped out from behind theclouds to see what was going on

17

Way up on the top of the hill stood a tigerndashhandsome huge his coatglistening like pure gold He was calling to themBrroouuaarrrrrhellip aabrrooaarrrhellip come up heeerrreerr helliprsquo

lsquoBut tigers canrsquot speak our languagersquo Bulli cut in

lsquoHave you ever met a tigerrsquo She had to admit that she hadnrsquot

lsquoThen how do you know they canrsquotrsquo he asked

18

lsquoAt first the people were afraid to go Theyrsquod never been up the hill before and they werenrsquot sure that this wasnrsquot atrick They certainly didnrsquot want to become a tasty meal for some wild animal lsquoThe tiger saw them hesitate Brroouuaarrrrrhellip aabrrooaarrrhellip come up heeerrreerr wherrrre itrsquos dry and safehellip Heroared again trying to sound as friendly as he couldlsquoThis time they went They hadnrsquot much choice The tiger came halfway down the slope to lead them safely to thetop The villagers followed him They were not afraid any more He was a kind tiger He had saved them from thefloodlsquoUp on the hill there were ponds and streams full of fish plenty of fruit trees and bamboo groves The villagerswere pleased to find such a beautiful spot to build their new homes But now something else troubled them Theirfields were left far behind at the bottom of the hill What would they do for a living

lsquoAhem aabrrooaarrrhellip I couldnrsquot help overhearinghellip If yoursquoll perrrmitt me to make a suggestionhellip It was the tiger whohad been standing nearby and was as well-mannered as he was kind Follow me if you please He led them to abamboo grove

Therersquos plenty of bamboo here for you to use Itrsquos strong and waterproof mdash good for building houses and supple enoughto make baskets which you can sell in the market People always need baskets in which to carry and store

19

Therersquos plenty of bamboo here for you to use Itrsquos strong and waterproofmdashgoodfor building houses and supple enough to make baskets which you can sell inthe market People always need baskets in which to carry and store

lsquoWith one sweep of a front paw the tiger knocked down a stem andshredded it into strips with his claws Then he showed them how to weavemats and baskets And then he was gone He disappeared into the thickjungle But they knew he was watching them from behind the trees

20

lsquoSo they set about rebuilding their village which they named Baghdhora Tila in honour of the bagh the tiger onthe tila the hill who saved them from the flood and taught them a new craftlsquoAnd that is how we came to be here and to weave baskets for a livingrsquo

lsquoWhat happened to the tigerrsquo Bulli was getting restless by now but she knew she was expected to asklsquoOh hersquos still around Lives in the forest and watches over the village They say he appears every once in a while tohelp us in times of troublersquo

Bulli stood up lsquoI have to get the fishrsquo she said by way of explanation

She went over to the corner where the tools were kept and made a big show of putting away the scissors andmetallic paper When she left the work shed she was carrying hidden in the folds of her skirt her fatherrsquos dao

Bulli picked up her gear She and Aloka went out every afternoon to get fish for dinner It was part of their dailyroutine so no one paid much heed Bulli hid the dao in the fish basket and ran out

21

Aloka was already at the hanging bridge that stretched and swayed acrossthe stream separating the jungle from their village lsquoDid you get itrsquo sheaskedlsquoItrsquos herersquo Bulli patted the basket at her waist lsquoLetrsquos get the fish firstrsquo sheadded

The hillside was dotted with shallow ponds teeming with silvery fish thatfed on the water plants Bulli and Aloka dipped their bamboo bottle-shapedfish catchers into one then lifted them out They picked out the weeds andthrew the fish into their baskets Soon their baskets were full

22

The girls headed back towards the hanging bridgeThe plan was to go into the jungle and bring backsome bamboo for their parents Finding the bamboowould be no problem It grew in thick clumps all overthe forest Bulli and Aloka were sure they could carrythe bamboo back to the village Theyrsquod balanced fivebricks each on their heads during their time at thefactory How they would get it into their houseswithout being found out was entirely another matter

Their luck had held so far They could only pray thattheir parents would be so happy to see the bamboothat they wouldnrsquot think to ask how it got therePleased with their clever plan the two friends crossedinto the forest

23

Oh no They werenrsquot alone Babuand Khagen were kicking a dentedplastic ball around the clearingBulli and Aloka slipped quietly pastthem behind the trees only to runinto Sangeeta with her smallbrother Uppal in tow collectingfirewood lsquoWhere are you goingrsquo SangeetaaskedlsquoTo get some bamboorsquolsquoWersquore coming toorsquo The sister andbrother joined the team

24

The girls didnrsquot argue There wasnrsquot much time before sundown Silently they filed through the thick undergrowthuntil they came upon a dense grove of bamboo

Bulli took out the dao Shersquod never used one before but trying to look as if she did this every day she touched itssharp blade to the stem There was a crunch and a thud behind them They froze lsquoWhoooo whoooo- Irsquom the ghost of the jungle What are you doing on my landrsquo

They laughed half-relieved Babu and Khagen had found them

lsquoHere yoursquod better give me that I know how to use these thingsrsquo Khagen made a grab for the daolsquoShhhrsquo Aloka put her finger to her lips They heard a rustling in the trees Something moved This was beginning toget scary

Uppal let out a howl lsquoI donrsquot like this place I want to go homersquoBulli the bravest of them all took command lsquoSangeeta tell your brother to shut up Babu stop fidgeting Irsquomgoing to have a lookrsquo

25

With a bit of shoving the group squatted on the ground watching intently as Bulli moved towards the sound

The rustling grew louder A twig snapped They distinctly saw a yellow stripe flash past Bullirsquos couragedisappeared She turned and ran The others followed their hearts pounding They didnrsquot stop until they reachedthe bridge

lsquoWherersquos the daorsquo Bulli asked Khagen pantinglsquoI donrsquot know I thought you had itrsquo

lsquoWell wersquod better go back and look for itrsquo lsquoYou gomdashitrsquos your daorsquo Khagenrsquos brashness scarcely disguised the panic in his voice

Only Aloka was willing to go with Bulli They held hands as they retraced their steps through the jungleThe dao lay where Khagen had dropped it And there next to it was a broken stem of bamboo lsquoSo thatrsquos what gotthose scaredy-cats so frightenedrsquo they laughed

26

Dusk was falling The birds were calling to each other from their roosts Thefrogs croaked and splashed in the ponds and the crickets had alreadystarted their chirruping Soon the night would swoop down on them Theygirls knew they had better get home soon

It took them a while to realize they were lost One wrong turn somewherehad taken them deeper into the jungle than they had ever been before Bulliand Aloka clung to each other trembling wondering which way to go

27

Then they heard it A slow majestic swish Everything else had gone silentThey strained to get a better look in the half-light This was no bamboostem Could it be A flash of a gold and brown striped tail

Bulli remembered Kokarsquos story They must follow the sound Trustinglythey went with the crackle pop swish through the thick foliage on to thetrack leading to the hanging bridge They couldnrsquot see much mdashjust the hintof a whisker the twitch of an ear and once a glint of kind amber eyes thatseemed to say No need to worry I will show you the way

28

The girls turned to thank theirfriendmdashbut there was no onethere Just the jungle noise behindthem and the village lights upahead

Bulli said goodnight to Aloka andran off They would talk aboutwhat they had seen tomorrow Shehad to get home and put the daoin its usual place before it wasmissed

29

She had just replaced the dao andwas handing the fish to Aai withsome excuse about being so latewhen they heard the gate openPita was back from Guwahati Hewas smiling

The family crowded round himeager to hear the news lsquoWe founda dealer in the city willing to sell usbamboo at the old price if webought a large enough quantityrsquohe said happily lsquoSo we orderedenough for all the basket weaversTheyrsquoll be sending a trucktomorrowrsquo

30

Bulli was bursting to tell her own story So amid all the excitement withoutbeing asked she announced to no one in particular lsquoAloka and I met a tigerin the jungle todayrsquo

Everybody laughed lsquoDonrsquot be sillyrsquo said Shanti in her best older-sister tonelsquoThere arenrsquot any tigers here any morersquo

Bulli looked at her grandpa He didnrsquot say anything But behind thespectacles she saw the wink and smiled Koka knew

31

About the illustrations

The art of the Pardhan-Gond tribals of the Dindori Valley in Mandla Madhya Pradesh usestonal and contrasting colour blocks built up from dotted sections The artists paint treesshrubs birds and animals in a powerful and lyrical way Gond art is usually executed on theoutside walls of the mud huts of the people

32

This book was made possible by Pratham Books StoryWeaver platform Content under CreativeCommons licenses can be downloaded translated and can even be used to create new stories ‐provided you give appropriate credit and indicate if changes were made To know more about thisand the full terms of use and attribution please visit the following link

Disclaimer httpswwwstoryweaverorginterms_and_conditions

Some rights reserved This book is CC -BY -40 licensed You can copy modify distributeand perform the work even for commercial purposes all without asking permissionFor full terms of use and attribution httpcreativecommonsorglicensesby40

Story AttributionThis story Bulli and the Tiger is written by Shalini Reys copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license

Other CreditsBulli and the Tiger has been published on StoryWeaver by Pratham Books The development and production of this book has been supported by Sapphira KevinaMarie and Vijay Goradia wwwprathambooksorg

Illustration AttributionsCover page People looking towards an animal and peacocks by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 licensePage 2 A girl stretching over a mat by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 3 A hen and herchicks by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 4 A woman holding a pan to winnow grains byNankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 5 A house made of bamboo with a path leading down fromit by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 7 Two birds in the bushes by Nankusia Shyam copyPratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 8 Background with abstract art in cornerv by Nankusia Shyam copy PrathamBooks 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 10 Two faces staring into the sky by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Somerights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 12 A bamboo basket in the corner by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reservedReleased under CC BY 40 license Page 13 Hands weaving a basket by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40license Page 14 Background with abstract art in the corner by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license

And as they worked Koka told his story lsquoA long time agohelliprsquo

lsquoHow longrsquo Bulli wanted to know

lsquoDonrsquot interrupt childhellip

lsquoIt was in my kokarsquos kokarsquos kokarsquos pitarsquos timendashmaybe even before thatThere were only five houses by the river with the hill behind and the jungleall around The people grew rice and vegetables for themselves andwhatever little was extra they sold in the market

15

lsquoOne year the rains fell harder than usual The sky was black as coal even in the morning The sun fell asleepthinking it was night The rain kept pouring down The river rose higher and higher until the dam burst and the water flooded over intothe fields towards our village

16

lsquoAnd still the downpour continuedThe water was knee-high by nowand still rising The people wereafraid They huddled together wetand hungry If they didnrsquot dosomething soon their belongingswould be washed away and theywould drown

lsquoThen they heard itBrroouuaarrrrrhellip aabrrooaarrrhellip soloud that the rain stopped and thesun peeped out from behind theclouds to see what was going on

17

Way up on the top of the hill stood a tigerndashhandsome huge his coatglistening like pure gold He was calling to themBrroouuaarrrrrhellip aabrrooaarrrhellip come up heeerrreerr helliprsquo

lsquoBut tigers canrsquot speak our languagersquo Bulli cut in

lsquoHave you ever met a tigerrsquo She had to admit that she hadnrsquot

lsquoThen how do you know they canrsquotrsquo he asked

18

lsquoAt first the people were afraid to go Theyrsquod never been up the hill before and they werenrsquot sure that this wasnrsquot atrick They certainly didnrsquot want to become a tasty meal for some wild animal lsquoThe tiger saw them hesitate Brroouuaarrrrrhellip aabrrooaarrrhellip come up heeerrreerr wherrrre itrsquos dry and safehellip Heroared again trying to sound as friendly as he couldlsquoThis time they went They hadnrsquot much choice The tiger came halfway down the slope to lead them safely to thetop The villagers followed him They were not afraid any more He was a kind tiger He had saved them from thefloodlsquoUp on the hill there were ponds and streams full of fish plenty of fruit trees and bamboo groves The villagerswere pleased to find such a beautiful spot to build their new homes But now something else troubled them Theirfields were left far behind at the bottom of the hill What would they do for a living

lsquoAhem aabrrooaarrrhellip I couldnrsquot help overhearinghellip If yoursquoll perrrmitt me to make a suggestionhellip It was the tiger whohad been standing nearby and was as well-mannered as he was kind Follow me if you please He led them to abamboo grove

Therersquos plenty of bamboo here for you to use Itrsquos strong and waterproof mdash good for building houses and supple enoughto make baskets which you can sell in the market People always need baskets in which to carry and store

19

Therersquos plenty of bamboo here for you to use Itrsquos strong and waterproofmdashgoodfor building houses and supple enough to make baskets which you can sell inthe market People always need baskets in which to carry and store

lsquoWith one sweep of a front paw the tiger knocked down a stem andshredded it into strips with his claws Then he showed them how to weavemats and baskets And then he was gone He disappeared into the thickjungle But they knew he was watching them from behind the trees

20

lsquoSo they set about rebuilding their village which they named Baghdhora Tila in honour of the bagh the tiger onthe tila the hill who saved them from the flood and taught them a new craftlsquoAnd that is how we came to be here and to weave baskets for a livingrsquo

lsquoWhat happened to the tigerrsquo Bulli was getting restless by now but she knew she was expected to asklsquoOh hersquos still around Lives in the forest and watches over the village They say he appears every once in a while tohelp us in times of troublersquo

Bulli stood up lsquoI have to get the fishrsquo she said by way of explanation

She went over to the corner where the tools were kept and made a big show of putting away the scissors andmetallic paper When she left the work shed she was carrying hidden in the folds of her skirt her fatherrsquos dao

Bulli picked up her gear She and Aloka went out every afternoon to get fish for dinner It was part of their dailyroutine so no one paid much heed Bulli hid the dao in the fish basket and ran out

21

Aloka was already at the hanging bridge that stretched and swayed acrossthe stream separating the jungle from their village lsquoDid you get itrsquo sheaskedlsquoItrsquos herersquo Bulli patted the basket at her waist lsquoLetrsquos get the fish firstrsquo sheadded

The hillside was dotted with shallow ponds teeming with silvery fish thatfed on the water plants Bulli and Aloka dipped their bamboo bottle-shapedfish catchers into one then lifted them out They picked out the weeds andthrew the fish into their baskets Soon their baskets were full

22

The girls headed back towards the hanging bridgeThe plan was to go into the jungle and bring backsome bamboo for their parents Finding the bamboowould be no problem It grew in thick clumps all overthe forest Bulli and Aloka were sure they could carrythe bamboo back to the village Theyrsquod balanced fivebricks each on their heads during their time at thefactory How they would get it into their houseswithout being found out was entirely another matter

Their luck had held so far They could only pray thattheir parents would be so happy to see the bamboothat they wouldnrsquot think to ask how it got therePleased with their clever plan the two friends crossedinto the forest

23

Oh no They werenrsquot alone Babuand Khagen were kicking a dentedplastic ball around the clearingBulli and Aloka slipped quietly pastthem behind the trees only to runinto Sangeeta with her smallbrother Uppal in tow collectingfirewood lsquoWhere are you goingrsquo SangeetaaskedlsquoTo get some bamboorsquolsquoWersquore coming toorsquo The sister andbrother joined the team

24

The girls didnrsquot argue There wasnrsquot much time before sundown Silently they filed through the thick undergrowthuntil they came upon a dense grove of bamboo

Bulli took out the dao Shersquod never used one before but trying to look as if she did this every day she touched itssharp blade to the stem There was a crunch and a thud behind them They froze lsquoWhoooo whoooo- Irsquom the ghost of the jungle What are you doing on my landrsquo

They laughed half-relieved Babu and Khagen had found them

lsquoHere yoursquod better give me that I know how to use these thingsrsquo Khagen made a grab for the daolsquoShhhrsquo Aloka put her finger to her lips They heard a rustling in the trees Something moved This was beginning toget scary

Uppal let out a howl lsquoI donrsquot like this place I want to go homersquoBulli the bravest of them all took command lsquoSangeeta tell your brother to shut up Babu stop fidgeting Irsquomgoing to have a lookrsquo

25

With a bit of shoving the group squatted on the ground watching intently as Bulli moved towards the sound

The rustling grew louder A twig snapped They distinctly saw a yellow stripe flash past Bullirsquos couragedisappeared She turned and ran The others followed their hearts pounding They didnrsquot stop until they reachedthe bridge

lsquoWherersquos the daorsquo Bulli asked Khagen pantinglsquoI donrsquot know I thought you had itrsquo

lsquoWell wersquod better go back and look for itrsquo lsquoYou gomdashitrsquos your daorsquo Khagenrsquos brashness scarcely disguised the panic in his voice

Only Aloka was willing to go with Bulli They held hands as they retraced their steps through the jungleThe dao lay where Khagen had dropped it And there next to it was a broken stem of bamboo lsquoSo thatrsquos what gotthose scaredy-cats so frightenedrsquo they laughed

26

Dusk was falling The birds were calling to each other from their roosts Thefrogs croaked and splashed in the ponds and the crickets had alreadystarted their chirruping Soon the night would swoop down on them Theygirls knew they had better get home soon

It took them a while to realize they were lost One wrong turn somewherehad taken them deeper into the jungle than they had ever been before Bulliand Aloka clung to each other trembling wondering which way to go

27

Then they heard it A slow majestic swish Everything else had gone silentThey strained to get a better look in the half-light This was no bamboostem Could it be A flash of a gold and brown striped tail

Bulli remembered Kokarsquos story They must follow the sound Trustinglythey went with the crackle pop swish through the thick foliage on to thetrack leading to the hanging bridge They couldnrsquot see much mdashjust the hintof a whisker the twitch of an ear and once a glint of kind amber eyes thatseemed to say No need to worry I will show you the way

28

The girls turned to thank theirfriendmdashbut there was no onethere Just the jungle noise behindthem and the village lights upahead

Bulli said goodnight to Aloka andran off They would talk aboutwhat they had seen tomorrow Shehad to get home and put the daoin its usual place before it wasmissed

29

She had just replaced the dao andwas handing the fish to Aai withsome excuse about being so latewhen they heard the gate openPita was back from Guwahati Hewas smiling

The family crowded round himeager to hear the news lsquoWe founda dealer in the city willing to sell usbamboo at the old price if webought a large enough quantityrsquohe said happily lsquoSo we orderedenough for all the basket weaversTheyrsquoll be sending a trucktomorrowrsquo

30

Bulli was bursting to tell her own story So amid all the excitement withoutbeing asked she announced to no one in particular lsquoAloka and I met a tigerin the jungle todayrsquo

Everybody laughed lsquoDonrsquot be sillyrsquo said Shanti in her best older-sister tonelsquoThere arenrsquot any tigers here any morersquo

Bulli looked at her grandpa He didnrsquot say anything But behind thespectacles she saw the wink and smiled Koka knew

31

About the illustrations

The art of the Pardhan-Gond tribals of the Dindori Valley in Mandla Madhya Pradesh usestonal and contrasting colour blocks built up from dotted sections The artists paint treesshrubs birds and animals in a powerful and lyrical way Gond art is usually executed on theoutside walls of the mud huts of the people

32

This book was made possible by Pratham Books StoryWeaver platform Content under CreativeCommons licenses can be downloaded translated and can even be used to create new stories ‐provided you give appropriate credit and indicate if changes were made To know more about thisand the full terms of use and attribution please visit the following link

Disclaimer httpswwwstoryweaverorginterms_and_conditions

Some rights reserved This book is CC -BY -40 licensed You can copy modify distributeand perform the work even for commercial purposes all without asking permissionFor full terms of use and attribution httpcreativecommonsorglicensesby40

Story AttributionThis story Bulli and the Tiger is written by Shalini Reys copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license

Other CreditsBulli and the Tiger has been published on StoryWeaver by Pratham Books The development and production of this book has been supported by Sapphira KevinaMarie and Vijay Goradia wwwprathambooksorg

Illustration AttributionsCover page People looking towards an animal and peacocks by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 licensePage 2 A girl stretching over a mat by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 3 A hen and herchicks by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 4 A woman holding a pan to winnow grains byNankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 5 A house made of bamboo with a path leading down fromit by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 7 Two birds in the bushes by Nankusia Shyam copyPratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 8 Background with abstract art in cornerv by Nankusia Shyam copy PrathamBooks 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 10 Two faces staring into the sky by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Somerights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 12 A bamboo basket in the corner by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reservedReleased under CC BY 40 license Page 13 Hands weaving a basket by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40license Page 14 Background with abstract art in the corner by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license

lsquoOne year the rains fell harder than usual The sky was black as coal even in the morning The sun fell asleepthinking it was night The rain kept pouring down The river rose higher and higher until the dam burst and the water flooded over intothe fields towards our village

16

lsquoAnd still the downpour continuedThe water was knee-high by nowand still rising The people wereafraid They huddled together wetand hungry If they didnrsquot dosomething soon their belongingswould be washed away and theywould drown

lsquoThen they heard itBrroouuaarrrrrhellip aabrrooaarrrhellip soloud that the rain stopped and thesun peeped out from behind theclouds to see what was going on

17

Way up on the top of the hill stood a tigerndashhandsome huge his coatglistening like pure gold He was calling to themBrroouuaarrrrrhellip aabrrooaarrrhellip come up heeerrreerr helliprsquo

lsquoBut tigers canrsquot speak our languagersquo Bulli cut in

lsquoHave you ever met a tigerrsquo She had to admit that she hadnrsquot

lsquoThen how do you know they canrsquotrsquo he asked

18

lsquoAt first the people were afraid to go Theyrsquod never been up the hill before and they werenrsquot sure that this wasnrsquot atrick They certainly didnrsquot want to become a tasty meal for some wild animal lsquoThe tiger saw them hesitate Brroouuaarrrrrhellip aabrrooaarrrhellip come up heeerrreerr wherrrre itrsquos dry and safehellip Heroared again trying to sound as friendly as he couldlsquoThis time they went They hadnrsquot much choice The tiger came halfway down the slope to lead them safely to thetop The villagers followed him They were not afraid any more He was a kind tiger He had saved them from thefloodlsquoUp on the hill there were ponds and streams full of fish plenty of fruit trees and bamboo groves The villagerswere pleased to find such a beautiful spot to build their new homes But now something else troubled them Theirfields were left far behind at the bottom of the hill What would they do for a living

lsquoAhem aabrrooaarrrhellip I couldnrsquot help overhearinghellip If yoursquoll perrrmitt me to make a suggestionhellip It was the tiger whohad been standing nearby and was as well-mannered as he was kind Follow me if you please He led them to abamboo grove

Therersquos plenty of bamboo here for you to use Itrsquos strong and waterproof mdash good for building houses and supple enoughto make baskets which you can sell in the market People always need baskets in which to carry and store

19

Therersquos plenty of bamboo here for you to use Itrsquos strong and waterproofmdashgoodfor building houses and supple enough to make baskets which you can sell inthe market People always need baskets in which to carry and store

lsquoWith one sweep of a front paw the tiger knocked down a stem andshredded it into strips with his claws Then he showed them how to weavemats and baskets And then he was gone He disappeared into the thickjungle But they knew he was watching them from behind the trees

20

lsquoSo they set about rebuilding their village which they named Baghdhora Tila in honour of the bagh the tiger onthe tila the hill who saved them from the flood and taught them a new craftlsquoAnd that is how we came to be here and to weave baskets for a livingrsquo

lsquoWhat happened to the tigerrsquo Bulli was getting restless by now but she knew she was expected to asklsquoOh hersquos still around Lives in the forest and watches over the village They say he appears every once in a while tohelp us in times of troublersquo

Bulli stood up lsquoI have to get the fishrsquo she said by way of explanation

She went over to the corner where the tools were kept and made a big show of putting away the scissors andmetallic paper When she left the work shed she was carrying hidden in the folds of her skirt her fatherrsquos dao

Bulli picked up her gear She and Aloka went out every afternoon to get fish for dinner It was part of their dailyroutine so no one paid much heed Bulli hid the dao in the fish basket and ran out

21

Aloka was already at the hanging bridge that stretched and swayed acrossthe stream separating the jungle from their village lsquoDid you get itrsquo sheaskedlsquoItrsquos herersquo Bulli patted the basket at her waist lsquoLetrsquos get the fish firstrsquo sheadded

The hillside was dotted with shallow ponds teeming with silvery fish thatfed on the water plants Bulli and Aloka dipped their bamboo bottle-shapedfish catchers into one then lifted them out They picked out the weeds andthrew the fish into their baskets Soon their baskets were full

22

The girls headed back towards the hanging bridgeThe plan was to go into the jungle and bring backsome bamboo for their parents Finding the bamboowould be no problem It grew in thick clumps all overthe forest Bulli and Aloka were sure they could carrythe bamboo back to the village Theyrsquod balanced fivebricks each on their heads during their time at thefactory How they would get it into their houseswithout being found out was entirely another matter

Their luck had held so far They could only pray thattheir parents would be so happy to see the bamboothat they wouldnrsquot think to ask how it got therePleased with their clever plan the two friends crossedinto the forest

23

Oh no They werenrsquot alone Babuand Khagen were kicking a dentedplastic ball around the clearingBulli and Aloka slipped quietly pastthem behind the trees only to runinto Sangeeta with her smallbrother Uppal in tow collectingfirewood lsquoWhere are you goingrsquo SangeetaaskedlsquoTo get some bamboorsquolsquoWersquore coming toorsquo The sister andbrother joined the team

24

The girls didnrsquot argue There wasnrsquot much time before sundown Silently they filed through the thick undergrowthuntil they came upon a dense grove of bamboo

Bulli took out the dao Shersquod never used one before but trying to look as if she did this every day she touched itssharp blade to the stem There was a crunch and a thud behind them They froze lsquoWhoooo whoooo- Irsquom the ghost of the jungle What are you doing on my landrsquo

They laughed half-relieved Babu and Khagen had found them

lsquoHere yoursquod better give me that I know how to use these thingsrsquo Khagen made a grab for the daolsquoShhhrsquo Aloka put her finger to her lips They heard a rustling in the trees Something moved This was beginning toget scary

Uppal let out a howl lsquoI donrsquot like this place I want to go homersquoBulli the bravest of them all took command lsquoSangeeta tell your brother to shut up Babu stop fidgeting Irsquomgoing to have a lookrsquo

25

With a bit of shoving the group squatted on the ground watching intently as Bulli moved towards the sound

The rustling grew louder A twig snapped They distinctly saw a yellow stripe flash past Bullirsquos couragedisappeared She turned and ran The others followed their hearts pounding They didnrsquot stop until they reachedthe bridge

lsquoWherersquos the daorsquo Bulli asked Khagen pantinglsquoI donrsquot know I thought you had itrsquo

lsquoWell wersquod better go back and look for itrsquo lsquoYou gomdashitrsquos your daorsquo Khagenrsquos brashness scarcely disguised the panic in his voice

Only Aloka was willing to go with Bulli They held hands as they retraced their steps through the jungleThe dao lay where Khagen had dropped it And there next to it was a broken stem of bamboo lsquoSo thatrsquos what gotthose scaredy-cats so frightenedrsquo they laughed

26

Dusk was falling The birds were calling to each other from their roosts Thefrogs croaked and splashed in the ponds and the crickets had alreadystarted their chirruping Soon the night would swoop down on them Theygirls knew they had better get home soon

It took them a while to realize they were lost One wrong turn somewherehad taken them deeper into the jungle than they had ever been before Bulliand Aloka clung to each other trembling wondering which way to go

27

Then they heard it A slow majestic swish Everything else had gone silentThey strained to get a better look in the half-light This was no bamboostem Could it be A flash of a gold and brown striped tail

Bulli remembered Kokarsquos story They must follow the sound Trustinglythey went with the crackle pop swish through the thick foliage on to thetrack leading to the hanging bridge They couldnrsquot see much mdashjust the hintof a whisker the twitch of an ear and once a glint of kind amber eyes thatseemed to say No need to worry I will show you the way

28

The girls turned to thank theirfriendmdashbut there was no onethere Just the jungle noise behindthem and the village lights upahead

Bulli said goodnight to Aloka andran off They would talk aboutwhat they had seen tomorrow Shehad to get home and put the daoin its usual place before it wasmissed

29

She had just replaced the dao andwas handing the fish to Aai withsome excuse about being so latewhen they heard the gate openPita was back from Guwahati Hewas smiling

The family crowded round himeager to hear the news lsquoWe founda dealer in the city willing to sell usbamboo at the old price if webought a large enough quantityrsquohe said happily lsquoSo we orderedenough for all the basket weaversTheyrsquoll be sending a trucktomorrowrsquo

30

Bulli was bursting to tell her own story So amid all the excitement withoutbeing asked she announced to no one in particular lsquoAloka and I met a tigerin the jungle todayrsquo

Everybody laughed lsquoDonrsquot be sillyrsquo said Shanti in her best older-sister tonelsquoThere arenrsquot any tigers here any morersquo

Bulli looked at her grandpa He didnrsquot say anything But behind thespectacles she saw the wink and smiled Koka knew

31

About the illustrations

The art of the Pardhan-Gond tribals of the Dindori Valley in Mandla Madhya Pradesh usestonal and contrasting colour blocks built up from dotted sections The artists paint treesshrubs birds and animals in a powerful and lyrical way Gond art is usually executed on theoutside walls of the mud huts of the people

32

This book was made possible by Pratham Books StoryWeaver platform Content under CreativeCommons licenses can be downloaded translated and can even be used to create new stories ‐provided you give appropriate credit and indicate if changes were made To know more about thisand the full terms of use and attribution please visit the following link

Disclaimer httpswwwstoryweaverorginterms_and_conditions

Some rights reserved This book is CC -BY -40 licensed You can copy modify distributeand perform the work even for commercial purposes all without asking permissionFor full terms of use and attribution httpcreativecommonsorglicensesby40

Story AttributionThis story Bulli and the Tiger is written by Shalini Reys copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license

Other CreditsBulli and the Tiger has been published on StoryWeaver by Pratham Books The development and production of this book has been supported by Sapphira KevinaMarie and Vijay Goradia wwwprathambooksorg

Illustration AttributionsCover page People looking towards an animal and peacocks by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 licensePage 2 A girl stretching over a mat by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 3 A hen and herchicks by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 4 A woman holding a pan to winnow grains byNankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 5 A house made of bamboo with a path leading down fromit by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 7 Two birds in the bushes by Nankusia Shyam copyPratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 8 Background with abstract art in cornerv by Nankusia Shyam copy PrathamBooks 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 10 Two faces staring into the sky by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Somerights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 12 A bamboo basket in the corner by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reservedReleased under CC BY 40 license Page 13 Hands weaving a basket by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40license Page 14 Background with abstract art in the corner by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license

lsquoAnd still the downpour continuedThe water was knee-high by nowand still rising The people wereafraid They huddled together wetand hungry If they didnrsquot dosomething soon their belongingswould be washed away and theywould drown

lsquoThen they heard itBrroouuaarrrrrhellip aabrrooaarrrhellip soloud that the rain stopped and thesun peeped out from behind theclouds to see what was going on

17

Way up on the top of the hill stood a tigerndashhandsome huge his coatglistening like pure gold He was calling to themBrroouuaarrrrrhellip aabrrooaarrrhellip come up heeerrreerr helliprsquo

lsquoBut tigers canrsquot speak our languagersquo Bulli cut in

lsquoHave you ever met a tigerrsquo She had to admit that she hadnrsquot

lsquoThen how do you know they canrsquotrsquo he asked

18

lsquoAt first the people were afraid to go Theyrsquod never been up the hill before and they werenrsquot sure that this wasnrsquot atrick They certainly didnrsquot want to become a tasty meal for some wild animal lsquoThe tiger saw them hesitate Brroouuaarrrrrhellip aabrrooaarrrhellip come up heeerrreerr wherrrre itrsquos dry and safehellip Heroared again trying to sound as friendly as he couldlsquoThis time they went They hadnrsquot much choice The tiger came halfway down the slope to lead them safely to thetop The villagers followed him They were not afraid any more He was a kind tiger He had saved them from thefloodlsquoUp on the hill there were ponds and streams full of fish plenty of fruit trees and bamboo groves The villagerswere pleased to find such a beautiful spot to build their new homes But now something else troubled them Theirfields were left far behind at the bottom of the hill What would they do for a living

lsquoAhem aabrrooaarrrhellip I couldnrsquot help overhearinghellip If yoursquoll perrrmitt me to make a suggestionhellip It was the tiger whohad been standing nearby and was as well-mannered as he was kind Follow me if you please He led them to abamboo grove

Therersquos plenty of bamboo here for you to use Itrsquos strong and waterproof mdash good for building houses and supple enoughto make baskets which you can sell in the market People always need baskets in which to carry and store

19

Therersquos plenty of bamboo here for you to use Itrsquos strong and waterproofmdashgoodfor building houses and supple enough to make baskets which you can sell inthe market People always need baskets in which to carry and store

lsquoWith one sweep of a front paw the tiger knocked down a stem andshredded it into strips with his claws Then he showed them how to weavemats and baskets And then he was gone He disappeared into the thickjungle But they knew he was watching them from behind the trees

20

lsquoSo they set about rebuilding their village which they named Baghdhora Tila in honour of the bagh the tiger onthe tila the hill who saved them from the flood and taught them a new craftlsquoAnd that is how we came to be here and to weave baskets for a livingrsquo

lsquoWhat happened to the tigerrsquo Bulli was getting restless by now but she knew she was expected to asklsquoOh hersquos still around Lives in the forest and watches over the village They say he appears every once in a while tohelp us in times of troublersquo

Bulli stood up lsquoI have to get the fishrsquo she said by way of explanation

She went over to the corner where the tools were kept and made a big show of putting away the scissors andmetallic paper When she left the work shed she was carrying hidden in the folds of her skirt her fatherrsquos dao

Bulli picked up her gear She and Aloka went out every afternoon to get fish for dinner It was part of their dailyroutine so no one paid much heed Bulli hid the dao in the fish basket and ran out

21

Aloka was already at the hanging bridge that stretched and swayed acrossthe stream separating the jungle from their village lsquoDid you get itrsquo sheaskedlsquoItrsquos herersquo Bulli patted the basket at her waist lsquoLetrsquos get the fish firstrsquo sheadded

The hillside was dotted with shallow ponds teeming with silvery fish thatfed on the water plants Bulli and Aloka dipped their bamboo bottle-shapedfish catchers into one then lifted them out They picked out the weeds andthrew the fish into their baskets Soon their baskets were full

22

The girls headed back towards the hanging bridgeThe plan was to go into the jungle and bring backsome bamboo for their parents Finding the bamboowould be no problem It grew in thick clumps all overthe forest Bulli and Aloka were sure they could carrythe bamboo back to the village Theyrsquod balanced fivebricks each on their heads during their time at thefactory How they would get it into their houseswithout being found out was entirely another matter

Their luck had held so far They could only pray thattheir parents would be so happy to see the bamboothat they wouldnrsquot think to ask how it got therePleased with their clever plan the two friends crossedinto the forest

23

Oh no They werenrsquot alone Babuand Khagen were kicking a dentedplastic ball around the clearingBulli and Aloka slipped quietly pastthem behind the trees only to runinto Sangeeta with her smallbrother Uppal in tow collectingfirewood lsquoWhere are you goingrsquo SangeetaaskedlsquoTo get some bamboorsquolsquoWersquore coming toorsquo The sister andbrother joined the team

24

The girls didnrsquot argue There wasnrsquot much time before sundown Silently they filed through the thick undergrowthuntil they came upon a dense grove of bamboo

Bulli took out the dao Shersquod never used one before but trying to look as if she did this every day she touched itssharp blade to the stem There was a crunch and a thud behind them They froze lsquoWhoooo whoooo- Irsquom the ghost of the jungle What are you doing on my landrsquo

They laughed half-relieved Babu and Khagen had found them

lsquoHere yoursquod better give me that I know how to use these thingsrsquo Khagen made a grab for the daolsquoShhhrsquo Aloka put her finger to her lips They heard a rustling in the trees Something moved This was beginning toget scary

Uppal let out a howl lsquoI donrsquot like this place I want to go homersquoBulli the bravest of them all took command lsquoSangeeta tell your brother to shut up Babu stop fidgeting Irsquomgoing to have a lookrsquo

25

With a bit of shoving the group squatted on the ground watching intently as Bulli moved towards the sound

The rustling grew louder A twig snapped They distinctly saw a yellow stripe flash past Bullirsquos couragedisappeared She turned and ran The others followed their hearts pounding They didnrsquot stop until they reachedthe bridge

lsquoWherersquos the daorsquo Bulli asked Khagen pantinglsquoI donrsquot know I thought you had itrsquo

lsquoWell wersquod better go back and look for itrsquo lsquoYou gomdashitrsquos your daorsquo Khagenrsquos brashness scarcely disguised the panic in his voice

Only Aloka was willing to go with Bulli They held hands as they retraced their steps through the jungleThe dao lay where Khagen had dropped it And there next to it was a broken stem of bamboo lsquoSo thatrsquos what gotthose scaredy-cats so frightenedrsquo they laughed

26

Dusk was falling The birds were calling to each other from their roosts Thefrogs croaked and splashed in the ponds and the crickets had alreadystarted their chirruping Soon the night would swoop down on them Theygirls knew they had better get home soon

It took them a while to realize they were lost One wrong turn somewherehad taken them deeper into the jungle than they had ever been before Bulliand Aloka clung to each other trembling wondering which way to go

27

Then they heard it A slow majestic swish Everything else had gone silentThey strained to get a better look in the half-light This was no bamboostem Could it be A flash of a gold and brown striped tail

Bulli remembered Kokarsquos story They must follow the sound Trustinglythey went with the crackle pop swish through the thick foliage on to thetrack leading to the hanging bridge They couldnrsquot see much mdashjust the hintof a whisker the twitch of an ear and once a glint of kind amber eyes thatseemed to say No need to worry I will show you the way

28

The girls turned to thank theirfriendmdashbut there was no onethere Just the jungle noise behindthem and the village lights upahead

Bulli said goodnight to Aloka andran off They would talk aboutwhat they had seen tomorrow Shehad to get home and put the daoin its usual place before it wasmissed

29

She had just replaced the dao andwas handing the fish to Aai withsome excuse about being so latewhen they heard the gate openPita was back from Guwahati Hewas smiling

The family crowded round himeager to hear the news lsquoWe founda dealer in the city willing to sell usbamboo at the old price if webought a large enough quantityrsquohe said happily lsquoSo we orderedenough for all the basket weaversTheyrsquoll be sending a trucktomorrowrsquo

30

Bulli was bursting to tell her own story So amid all the excitement withoutbeing asked she announced to no one in particular lsquoAloka and I met a tigerin the jungle todayrsquo

Everybody laughed lsquoDonrsquot be sillyrsquo said Shanti in her best older-sister tonelsquoThere arenrsquot any tigers here any morersquo

Bulli looked at her grandpa He didnrsquot say anything But behind thespectacles she saw the wink and smiled Koka knew

31

About the illustrations

The art of the Pardhan-Gond tribals of the Dindori Valley in Mandla Madhya Pradesh usestonal and contrasting colour blocks built up from dotted sections The artists paint treesshrubs birds and animals in a powerful and lyrical way Gond art is usually executed on theoutside walls of the mud huts of the people

32

This book was made possible by Pratham Books StoryWeaver platform Content under CreativeCommons licenses can be downloaded translated and can even be used to create new stories ‐provided you give appropriate credit and indicate if changes were made To know more about thisand the full terms of use and attribution please visit the following link

Disclaimer httpswwwstoryweaverorginterms_and_conditions

Some rights reserved This book is CC -BY -40 licensed You can copy modify distributeand perform the work even for commercial purposes all without asking permissionFor full terms of use and attribution httpcreativecommonsorglicensesby40

Story AttributionThis story Bulli and the Tiger is written by Shalini Reys copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license

Other CreditsBulli and the Tiger has been published on StoryWeaver by Pratham Books The development and production of this book has been supported by Sapphira KevinaMarie and Vijay Goradia wwwprathambooksorg

Illustration AttributionsCover page People looking towards an animal and peacocks by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 licensePage 2 A girl stretching over a mat by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 3 A hen and herchicks by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 4 A woman holding a pan to winnow grains byNankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 5 A house made of bamboo with a path leading down fromit by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 7 Two birds in the bushes by Nankusia Shyam copyPratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 8 Background with abstract art in cornerv by Nankusia Shyam copy PrathamBooks 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 10 Two faces staring into the sky by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Somerights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 12 A bamboo basket in the corner by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reservedReleased under CC BY 40 license Page 13 Hands weaving a basket by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40license Page 14 Background with abstract art in the corner by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license

Way up on the top of the hill stood a tigerndashhandsome huge his coatglistening like pure gold He was calling to themBrroouuaarrrrrhellip aabrrooaarrrhellip come up heeerrreerr helliprsquo

lsquoBut tigers canrsquot speak our languagersquo Bulli cut in

lsquoHave you ever met a tigerrsquo She had to admit that she hadnrsquot

lsquoThen how do you know they canrsquotrsquo he asked

18

lsquoAt first the people were afraid to go Theyrsquod never been up the hill before and they werenrsquot sure that this wasnrsquot atrick They certainly didnrsquot want to become a tasty meal for some wild animal lsquoThe tiger saw them hesitate Brroouuaarrrrrhellip aabrrooaarrrhellip come up heeerrreerr wherrrre itrsquos dry and safehellip Heroared again trying to sound as friendly as he couldlsquoThis time they went They hadnrsquot much choice The tiger came halfway down the slope to lead them safely to thetop The villagers followed him They were not afraid any more He was a kind tiger He had saved them from thefloodlsquoUp on the hill there were ponds and streams full of fish plenty of fruit trees and bamboo groves The villagerswere pleased to find such a beautiful spot to build their new homes But now something else troubled them Theirfields were left far behind at the bottom of the hill What would they do for a living

lsquoAhem aabrrooaarrrhellip I couldnrsquot help overhearinghellip If yoursquoll perrrmitt me to make a suggestionhellip It was the tiger whohad been standing nearby and was as well-mannered as he was kind Follow me if you please He led them to abamboo grove

Therersquos plenty of bamboo here for you to use Itrsquos strong and waterproof mdash good for building houses and supple enoughto make baskets which you can sell in the market People always need baskets in which to carry and store

19

Therersquos plenty of bamboo here for you to use Itrsquos strong and waterproofmdashgoodfor building houses and supple enough to make baskets which you can sell inthe market People always need baskets in which to carry and store

lsquoWith one sweep of a front paw the tiger knocked down a stem andshredded it into strips with his claws Then he showed them how to weavemats and baskets And then he was gone He disappeared into the thickjungle But they knew he was watching them from behind the trees

20

lsquoSo they set about rebuilding their village which they named Baghdhora Tila in honour of the bagh the tiger onthe tila the hill who saved them from the flood and taught them a new craftlsquoAnd that is how we came to be here and to weave baskets for a livingrsquo

lsquoWhat happened to the tigerrsquo Bulli was getting restless by now but she knew she was expected to asklsquoOh hersquos still around Lives in the forest and watches over the village They say he appears every once in a while tohelp us in times of troublersquo

Bulli stood up lsquoI have to get the fishrsquo she said by way of explanation

She went over to the corner where the tools were kept and made a big show of putting away the scissors andmetallic paper When she left the work shed she was carrying hidden in the folds of her skirt her fatherrsquos dao

Bulli picked up her gear She and Aloka went out every afternoon to get fish for dinner It was part of their dailyroutine so no one paid much heed Bulli hid the dao in the fish basket and ran out

21

Aloka was already at the hanging bridge that stretched and swayed acrossthe stream separating the jungle from their village lsquoDid you get itrsquo sheaskedlsquoItrsquos herersquo Bulli patted the basket at her waist lsquoLetrsquos get the fish firstrsquo sheadded

The hillside was dotted with shallow ponds teeming with silvery fish thatfed on the water plants Bulli and Aloka dipped their bamboo bottle-shapedfish catchers into one then lifted them out They picked out the weeds andthrew the fish into their baskets Soon their baskets were full

22

The girls headed back towards the hanging bridgeThe plan was to go into the jungle and bring backsome bamboo for their parents Finding the bamboowould be no problem It grew in thick clumps all overthe forest Bulli and Aloka were sure they could carrythe bamboo back to the village Theyrsquod balanced fivebricks each on their heads during their time at thefactory How they would get it into their houseswithout being found out was entirely another matter

Their luck had held so far They could only pray thattheir parents would be so happy to see the bamboothat they wouldnrsquot think to ask how it got therePleased with their clever plan the two friends crossedinto the forest

23

Oh no They werenrsquot alone Babuand Khagen were kicking a dentedplastic ball around the clearingBulli and Aloka slipped quietly pastthem behind the trees only to runinto Sangeeta with her smallbrother Uppal in tow collectingfirewood lsquoWhere are you goingrsquo SangeetaaskedlsquoTo get some bamboorsquolsquoWersquore coming toorsquo The sister andbrother joined the team

24

The girls didnrsquot argue There wasnrsquot much time before sundown Silently they filed through the thick undergrowthuntil they came upon a dense grove of bamboo

Bulli took out the dao Shersquod never used one before but trying to look as if she did this every day she touched itssharp blade to the stem There was a crunch and a thud behind them They froze lsquoWhoooo whoooo- Irsquom the ghost of the jungle What are you doing on my landrsquo

They laughed half-relieved Babu and Khagen had found them

lsquoHere yoursquod better give me that I know how to use these thingsrsquo Khagen made a grab for the daolsquoShhhrsquo Aloka put her finger to her lips They heard a rustling in the trees Something moved This was beginning toget scary

Uppal let out a howl lsquoI donrsquot like this place I want to go homersquoBulli the bravest of them all took command lsquoSangeeta tell your brother to shut up Babu stop fidgeting Irsquomgoing to have a lookrsquo

25

With a bit of shoving the group squatted on the ground watching intently as Bulli moved towards the sound

The rustling grew louder A twig snapped They distinctly saw a yellow stripe flash past Bullirsquos couragedisappeared She turned and ran The others followed their hearts pounding They didnrsquot stop until they reachedthe bridge

lsquoWherersquos the daorsquo Bulli asked Khagen pantinglsquoI donrsquot know I thought you had itrsquo

lsquoWell wersquod better go back and look for itrsquo lsquoYou gomdashitrsquos your daorsquo Khagenrsquos brashness scarcely disguised the panic in his voice

Only Aloka was willing to go with Bulli They held hands as they retraced their steps through the jungleThe dao lay where Khagen had dropped it And there next to it was a broken stem of bamboo lsquoSo thatrsquos what gotthose scaredy-cats so frightenedrsquo they laughed

26

Dusk was falling The birds were calling to each other from their roosts Thefrogs croaked and splashed in the ponds and the crickets had alreadystarted their chirruping Soon the night would swoop down on them Theygirls knew they had better get home soon

It took them a while to realize they were lost One wrong turn somewherehad taken them deeper into the jungle than they had ever been before Bulliand Aloka clung to each other trembling wondering which way to go

27

Then they heard it A slow majestic swish Everything else had gone silentThey strained to get a better look in the half-light This was no bamboostem Could it be A flash of a gold and brown striped tail

Bulli remembered Kokarsquos story They must follow the sound Trustinglythey went with the crackle pop swish through the thick foliage on to thetrack leading to the hanging bridge They couldnrsquot see much mdashjust the hintof a whisker the twitch of an ear and once a glint of kind amber eyes thatseemed to say No need to worry I will show you the way

28

The girls turned to thank theirfriendmdashbut there was no onethere Just the jungle noise behindthem and the village lights upahead

Bulli said goodnight to Aloka andran off They would talk aboutwhat they had seen tomorrow Shehad to get home and put the daoin its usual place before it wasmissed

29

She had just replaced the dao andwas handing the fish to Aai withsome excuse about being so latewhen they heard the gate openPita was back from Guwahati Hewas smiling

The family crowded round himeager to hear the news lsquoWe founda dealer in the city willing to sell usbamboo at the old price if webought a large enough quantityrsquohe said happily lsquoSo we orderedenough for all the basket weaversTheyrsquoll be sending a trucktomorrowrsquo

30

Bulli was bursting to tell her own story So amid all the excitement withoutbeing asked she announced to no one in particular lsquoAloka and I met a tigerin the jungle todayrsquo

Everybody laughed lsquoDonrsquot be sillyrsquo said Shanti in her best older-sister tonelsquoThere arenrsquot any tigers here any morersquo

Bulli looked at her grandpa He didnrsquot say anything But behind thespectacles she saw the wink and smiled Koka knew

31

About the illustrations

The art of the Pardhan-Gond tribals of the Dindori Valley in Mandla Madhya Pradesh usestonal and contrasting colour blocks built up from dotted sections The artists paint treesshrubs birds and animals in a powerful and lyrical way Gond art is usually executed on theoutside walls of the mud huts of the people

32

This book was made possible by Pratham Books StoryWeaver platform Content under CreativeCommons licenses can be downloaded translated and can even be used to create new stories ‐provided you give appropriate credit and indicate if changes were made To know more about thisand the full terms of use and attribution please visit the following link

Disclaimer httpswwwstoryweaverorginterms_and_conditions

Some rights reserved This book is CC -BY -40 licensed You can copy modify distributeand perform the work even for commercial purposes all without asking permissionFor full terms of use and attribution httpcreativecommonsorglicensesby40

Story AttributionThis story Bulli and the Tiger is written by Shalini Reys copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license

Other CreditsBulli and the Tiger has been published on StoryWeaver by Pratham Books The development and production of this book has been supported by Sapphira KevinaMarie and Vijay Goradia wwwprathambooksorg

Illustration AttributionsCover page People looking towards an animal and peacocks by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 licensePage 2 A girl stretching over a mat by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 3 A hen and herchicks by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 4 A woman holding a pan to winnow grains byNankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 5 A house made of bamboo with a path leading down fromit by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 7 Two birds in the bushes by Nankusia Shyam copyPratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 8 Background with abstract art in cornerv by Nankusia Shyam copy PrathamBooks 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 10 Two faces staring into the sky by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Somerights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 12 A bamboo basket in the corner by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reservedReleased under CC BY 40 license Page 13 Hands weaving a basket by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40license Page 14 Background with abstract art in the corner by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license

lsquoAt first the people were afraid to go Theyrsquod never been up the hill before and they werenrsquot sure that this wasnrsquot atrick They certainly didnrsquot want to become a tasty meal for some wild animal lsquoThe tiger saw them hesitate Brroouuaarrrrrhellip aabrrooaarrrhellip come up heeerrreerr wherrrre itrsquos dry and safehellip Heroared again trying to sound as friendly as he couldlsquoThis time they went They hadnrsquot much choice The tiger came halfway down the slope to lead them safely to thetop The villagers followed him They were not afraid any more He was a kind tiger He had saved them from thefloodlsquoUp on the hill there were ponds and streams full of fish plenty of fruit trees and bamboo groves The villagerswere pleased to find such a beautiful spot to build their new homes But now something else troubled them Theirfields were left far behind at the bottom of the hill What would they do for a living

lsquoAhem aabrrooaarrrhellip I couldnrsquot help overhearinghellip If yoursquoll perrrmitt me to make a suggestionhellip It was the tiger whohad been standing nearby and was as well-mannered as he was kind Follow me if you please He led them to abamboo grove

Therersquos plenty of bamboo here for you to use Itrsquos strong and waterproof mdash good for building houses and supple enoughto make baskets which you can sell in the market People always need baskets in which to carry and store

19

Therersquos plenty of bamboo here for you to use Itrsquos strong and waterproofmdashgoodfor building houses and supple enough to make baskets which you can sell inthe market People always need baskets in which to carry and store

lsquoWith one sweep of a front paw the tiger knocked down a stem andshredded it into strips with his claws Then he showed them how to weavemats and baskets And then he was gone He disappeared into the thickjungle But they knew he was watching them from behind the trees

20

lsquoSo they set about rebuilding their village which they named Baghdhora Tila in honour of the bagh the tiger onthe tila the hill who saved them from the flood and taught them a new craftlsquoAnd that is how we came to be here and to weave baskets for a livingrsquo

lsquoWhat happened to the tigerrsquo Bulli was getting restless by now but she knew she was expected to asklsquoOh hersquos still around Lives in the forest and watches over the village They say he appears every once in a while tohelp us in times of troublersquo

Bulli stood up lsquoI have to get the fishrsquo she said by way of explanation

She went over to the corner where the tools were kept and made a big show of putting away the scissors andmetallic paper When she left the work shed she was carrying hidden in the folds of her skirt her fatherrsquos dao

Bulli picked up her gear She and Aloka went out every afternoon to get fish for dinner It was part of their dailyroutine so no one paid much heed Bulli hid the dao in the fish basket and ran out

21

Aloka was already at the hanging bridge that stretched and swayed acrossthe stream separating the jungle from their village lsquoDid you get itrsquo sheaskedlsquoItrsquos herersquo Bulli patted the basket at her waist lsquoLetrsquos get the fish firstrsquo sheadded

The hillside was dotted with shallow ponds teeming with silvery fish thatfed on the water plants Bulli and Aloka dipped their bamboo bottle-shapedfish catchers into one then lifted them out They picked out the weeds andthrew the fish into their baskets Soon their baskets were full

22

The girls headed back towards the hanging bridgeThe plan was to go into the jungle and bring backsome bamboo for their parents Finding the bamboowould be no problem It grew in thick clumps all overthe forest Bulli and Aloka were sure they could carrythe bamboo back to the village Theyrsquod balanced fivebricks each on their heads during their time at thefactory How they would get it into their houseswithout being found out was entirely another matter

Their luck had held so far They could only pray thattheir parents would be so happy to see the bamboothat they wouldnrsquot think to ask how it got therePleased with their clever plan the two friends crossedinto the forest

23

Oh no They werenrsquot alone Babuand Khagen were kicking a dentedplastic ball around the clearingBulli and Aloka slipped quietly pastthem behind the trees only to runinto Sangeeta with her smallbrother Uppal in tow collectingfirewood lsquoWhere are you goingrsquo SangeetaaskedlsquoTo get some bamboorsquolsquoWersquore coming toorsquo The sister andbrother joined the team

24

The girls didnrsquot argue There wasnrsquot much time before sundown Silently they filed through the thick undergrowthuntil they came upon a dense grove of bamboo

Bulli took out the dao Shersquod never used one before but trying to look as if she did this every day she touched itssharp blade to the stem There was a crunch and a thud behind them They froze lsquoWhoooo whoooo- Irsquom the ghost of the jungle What are you doing on my landrsquo

They laughed half-relieved Babu and Khagen had found them

lsquoHere yoursquod better give me that I know how to use these thingsrsquo Khagen made a grab for the daolsquoShhhrsquo Aloka put her finger to her lips They heard a rustling in the trees Something moved This was beginning toget scary

Uppal let out a howl lsquoI donrsquot like this place I want to go homersquoBulli the bravest of them all took command lsquoSangeeta tell your brother to shut up Babu stop fidgeting Irsquomgoing to have a lookrsquo

25

With a bit of shoving the group squatted on the ground watching intently as Bulli moved towards the sound

The rustling grew louder A twig snapped They distinctly saw a yellow stripe flash past Bullirsquos couragedisappeared She turned and ran The others followed their hearts pounding They didnrsquot stop until they reachedthe bridge

lsquoWherersquos the daorsquo Bulli asked Khagen pantinglsquoI donrsquot know I thought you had itrsquo

lsquoWell wersquod better go back and look for itrsquo lsquoYou gomdashitrsquos your daorsquo Khagenrsquos brashness scarcely disguised the panic in his voice

Only Aloka was willing to go with Bulli They held hands as they retraced their steps through the jungleThe dao lay where Khagen had dropped it And there next to it was a broken stem of bamboo lsquoSo thatrsquos what gotthose scaredy-cats so frightenedrsquo they laughed

26

Dusk was falling The birds were calling to each other from their roosts Thefrogs croaked and splashed in the ponds and the crickets had alreadystarted their chirruping Soon the night would swoop down on them Theygirls knew they had better get home soon

It took them a while to realize they were lost One wrong turn somewherehad taken them deeper into the jungle than they had ever been before Bulliand Aloka clung to each other trembling wondering which way to go

27

Then they heard it A slow majestic swish Everything else had gone silentThey strained to get a better look in the half-light This was no bamboostem Could it be A flash of a gold and brown striped tail

Bulli remembered Kokarsquos story They must follow the sound Trustinglythey went with the crackle pop swish through the thick foliage on to thetrack leading to the hanging bridge They couldnrsquot see much mdashjust the hintof a whisker the twitch of an ear and once a glint of kind amber eyes thatseemed to say No need to worry I will show you the way

28

The girls turned to thank theirfriendmdashbut there was no onethere Just the jungle noise behindthem and the village lights upahead

Bulli said goodnight to Aloka andran off They would talk aboutwhat they had seen tomorrow Shehad to get home and put the daoin its usual place before it wasmissed

29

She had just replaced the dao andwas handing the fish to Aai withsome excuse about being so latewhen they heard the gate openPita was back from Guwahati Hewas smiling

The family crowded round himeager to hear the news lsquoWe founda dealer in the city willing to sell usbamboo at the old price if webought a large enough quantityrsquohe said happily lsquoSo we orderedenough for all the basket weaversTheyrsquoll be sending a trucktomorrowrsquo

30

Bulli was bursting to tell her own story So amid all the excitement withoutbeing asked she announced to no one in particular lsquoAloka and I met a tigerin the jungle todayrsquo

Everybody laughed lsquoDonrsquot be sillyrsquo said Shanti in her best older-sister tonelsquoThere arenrsquot any tigers here any morersquo

Bulli looked at her grandpa He didnrsquot say anything But behind thespectacles she saw the wink and smiled Koka knew

31

About the illustrations

The art of the Pardhan-Gond tribals of the Dindori Valley in Mandla Madhya Pradesh usestonal and contrasting colour blocks built up from dotted sections The artists paint treesshrubs birds and animals in a powerful and lyrical way Gond art is usually executed on theoutside walls of the mud huts of the people

32

This book was made possible by Pratham Books StoryWeaver platform Content under CreativeCommons licenses can be downloaded translated and can even be used to create new stories ‐provided you give appropriate credit and indicate if changes were made To know more about thisand the full terms of use and attribution please visit the following link

Disclaimer httpswwwstoryweaverorginterms_and_conditions

Some rights reserved This book is CC -BY -40 licensed You can copy modify distributeand perform the work even for commercial purposes all without asking permissionFor full terms of use and attribution httpcreativecommonsorglicensesby40

Story AttributionThis story Bulli and the Tiger is written by Shalini Reys copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license

Other CreditsBulli and the Tiger has been published on StoryWeaver by Pratham Books The development and production of this book has been supported by Sapphira KevinaMarie and Vijay Goradia wwwprathambooksorg

Illustration AttributionsCover page People looking towards an animal and peacocks by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 licensePage 2 A girl stretching over a mat by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 3 A hen and herchicks by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 4 A woman holding a pan to winnow grains byNankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 5 A house made of bamboo with a path leading down fromit by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 7 Two birds in the bushes by Nankusia Shyam copyPratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 8 Background with abstract art in cornerv by Nankusia Shyam copy PrathamBooks 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 10 Two faces staring into the sky by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Somerights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 12 A bamboo basket in the corner by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reservedReleased under CC BY 40 license Page 13 Hands weaving a basket by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40license Page 14 Background with abstract art in the corner by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license

Therersquos plenty of bamboo here for you to use Itrsquos strong and waterproofmdashgoodfor building houses and supple enough to make baskets which you can sell inthe market People always need baskets in which to carry and store

lsquoWith one sweep of a front paw the tiger knocked down a stem andshredded it into strips with his claws Then he showed them how to weavemats and baskets And then he was gone He disappeared into the thickjungle But they knew he was watching them from behind the trees

20

lsquoSo they set about rebuilding their village which they named Baghdhora Tila in honour of the bagh the tiger onthe tila the hill who saved them from the flood and taught them a new craftlsquoAnd that is how we came to be here and to weave baskets for a livingrsquo

lsquoWhat happened to the tigerrsquo Bulli was getting restless by now but she knew she was expected to asklsquoOh hersquos still around Lives in the forest and watches over the village They say he appears every once in a while tohelp us in times of troublersquo

Bulli stood up lsquoI have to get the fishrsquo she said by way of explanation

She went over to the corner where the tools were kept and made a big show of putting away the scissors andmetallic paper When she left the work shed she was carrying hidden in the folds of her skirt her fatherrsquos dao

Bulli picked up her gear She and Aloka went out every afternoon to get fish for dinner It was part of their dailyroutine so no one paid much heed Bulli hid the dao in the fish basket and ran out

21

Aloka was already at the hanging bridge that stretched and swayed acrossthe stream separating the jungle from their village lsquoDid you get itrsquo sheaskedlsquoItrsquos herersquo Bulli patted the basket at her waist lsquoLetrsquos get the fish firstrsquo sheadded

The hillside was dotted with shallow ponds teeming with silvery fish thatfed on the water plants Bulli and Aloka dipped their bamboo bottle-shapedfish catchers into one then lifted them out They picked out the weeds andthrew the fish into their baskets Soon their baskets were full

22

The girls headed back towards the hanging bridgeThe plan was to go into the jungle and bring backsome bamboo for their parents Finding the bamboowould be no problem It grew in thick clumps all overthe forest Bulli and Aloka were sure they could carrythe bamboo back to the village Theyrsquod balanced fivebricks each on their heads during their time at thefactory How they would get it into their houseswithout being found out was entirely another matter

Their luck had held so far They could only pray thattheir parents would be so happy to see the bamboothat they wouldnrsquot think to ask how it got therePleased with their clever plan the two friends crossedinto the forest

23

Oh no They werenrsquot alone Babuand Khagen were kicking a dentedplastic ball around the clearingBulli and Aloka slipped quietly pastthem behind the trees only to runinto Sangeeta with her smallbrother Uppal in tow collectingfirewood lsquoWhere are you goingrsquo SangeetaaskedlsquoTo get some bamboorsquolsquoWersquore coming toorsquo The sister andbrother joined the team

24

The girls didnrsquot argue There wasnrsquot much time before sundown Silently they filed through the thick undergrowthuntil they came upon a dense grove of bamboo

Bulli took out the dao Shersquod never used one before but trying to look as if she did this every day she touched itssharp blade to the stem There was a crunch and a thud behind them They froze lsquoWhoooo whoooo- Irsquom the ghost of the jungle What are you doing on my landrsquo

They laughed half-relieved Babu and Khagen had found them

lsquoHere yoursquod better give me that I know how to use these thingsrsquo Khagen made a grab for the daolsquoShhhrsquo Aloka put her finger to her lips They heard a rustling in the trees Something moved This was beginning toget scary

Uppal let out a howl lsquoI donrsquot like this place I want to go homersquoBulli the bravest of them all took command lsquoSangeeta tell your brother to shut up Babu stop fidgeting Irsquomgoing to have a lookrsquo

25

With a bit of shoving the group squatted on the ground watching intently as Bulli moved towards the sound

The rustling grew louder A twig snapped They distinctly saw a yellow stripe flash past Bullirsquos couragedisappeared She turned and ran The others followed their hearts pounding They didnrsquot stop until they reachedthe bridge

lsquoWherersquos the daorsquo Bulli asked Khagen pantinglsquoI donrsquot know I thought you had itrsquo

lsquoWell wersquod better go back and look for itrsquo lsquoYou gomdashitrsquos your daorsquo Khagenrsquos brashness scarcely disguised the panic in his voice

Only Aloka was willing to go with Bulli They held hands as they retraced their steps through the jungleThe dao lay where Khagen had dropped it And there next to it was a broken stem of bamboo lsquoSo thatrsquos what gotthose scaredy-cats so frightenedrsquo they laughed

26

Dusk was falling The birds were calling to each other from their roosts Thefrogs croaked and splashed in the ponds and the crickets had alreadystarted their chirruping Soon the night would swoop down on them Theygirls knew they had better get home soon

It took them a while to realize they were lost One wrong turn somewherehad taken them deeper into the jungle than they had ever been before Bulliand Aloka clung to each other trembling wondering which way to go

27

Then they heard it A slow majestic swish Everything else had gone silentThey strained to get a better look in the half-light This was no bamboostem Could it be A flash of a gold and brown striped tail

Bulli remembered Kokarsquos story They must follow the sound Trustinglythey went with the crackle pop swish through the thick foliage on to thetrack leading to the hanging bridge They couldnrsquot see much mdashjust the hintof a whisker the twitch of an ear and once a glint of kind amber eyes thatseemed to say No need to worry I will show you the way

28

The girls turned to thank theirfriendmdashbut there was no onethere Just the jungle noise behindthem and the village lights upahead

Bulli said goodnight to Aloka andran off They would talk aboutwhat they had seen tomorrow Shehad to get home and put the daoin its usual place before it wasmissed

29

She had just replaced the dao andwas handing the fish to Aai withsome excuse about being so latewhen they heard the gate openPita was back from Guwahati Hewas smiling

The family crowded round himeager to hear the news lsquoWe founda dealer in the city willing to sell usbamboo at the old price if webought a large enough quantityrsquohe said happily lsquoSo we orderedenough for all the basket weaversTheyrsquoll be sending a trucktomorrowrsquo

30

Bulli was bursting to tell her own story So amid all the excitement withoutbeing asked she announced to no one in particular lsquoAloka and I met a tigerin the jungle todayrsquo

Everybody laughed lsquoDonrsquot be sillyrsquo said Shanti in her best older-sister tonelsquoThere arenrsquot any tigers here any morersquo

Bulli looked at her grandpa He didnrsquot say anything But behind thespectacles she saw the wink and smiled Koka knew

31

About the illustrations

The art of the Pardhan-Gond tribals of the Dindori Valley in Mandla Madhya Pradesh usestonal and contrasting colour blocks built up from dotted sections The artists paint treesshrubs birds and animals in a powerful and lyrical way Gond art is usually executed on theoutside walls of the mud huts of the people

32

This book was made possible by Pratham Books StoryWeaver platform Content under CreativeCommons licenses can be downloaded translated and can even be used to create new stories ‐provided you give appropriate credit and indicate if changes were made To know more about thisand the full terms of use and attribution please visit the following link

Disclaimer httpswwwstoryweaverorginterms_and_conditions

Some rights reserved This book is CC -BY -40 licensed You can copy modify distributeand perform the work even for commercial purposes all without asking permissionFor full terms of use and attribution httpcreativecommonsorglicensesby40

Story AttributionThis story Bulli and the Tiger is written by Shalini Reys copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license

Other CreditsBulli and the Tiger has been published on StoryWeaver by Pratham Books The development and production of this book has been supported by Sapphira KevinaMarie and Vijay Goradia wwwprathambooksorg

Illustration AttributionsCover page People looking towards an animal and peacocks by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 licensePage 2 A girl stretching over a mat by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 3 A hen and herchicks by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 4 A woman holding a pan to winnow grains byNankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 5 A house made of bamboo with a path leading down fromit by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 7 Two birds in the bushes by Nankusia Shyam copyPratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 8 Background with abstract art in cornerv by Nankusia Shyam copy PrathamBooks 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 10 Two faces staring into the sky by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Somerights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 12 A bamboo basket in the corner by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reservedReleased under CC BY 40 license Page 13 Hands weaving a basket by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40license Page 14 Background with abstract art in the corner by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license

lsquoSo they set about rebuilding their village which they named Baghdhora Tila in honour of the bagh the tiger onthe tila the hill who saved them from the flood and taught them a new craftlsquoAnd that is how we came to be here and to weave baskets for a livingrsquo

lsquoWhat happened to the tigerrsquo Bulli was getting restless by now but she knew she was expected to asklsquoOh hersquos still around Lives in the forest and watches over the village They say he appears every once in a while tohelp us in times of troublersquo

Bulli stood up lsquoI have to get the fishrsquo she said by way of explanation

She went over to the corner where the tools were kept and made a big show of putting away the scissors andmetallic paper When she left the work shed she was carrying hidden in the folds of her skirt her fatherrsquos dao

Bulli picked up her gear She and Aloka went out every afternoon to get fish for dinner It was part of their dailyroutine so no one paid much heed Bulli hid the dao in the fish basket and ran out

21

Aloka was already at the hanging bridge that stretched and swayed acrossthe stream separating the jungle from their village lsquoDid you get itrsquo sheaskedlsquoItrsquos herersquo Bulli patted the basket at her waist lsquoLetrsquos get the fish firstrsquo sheadded

The hillside was dotted with shallow ponds teeming with silvery fish thatfed on the water plants Bulli and Aloka dipped their bamboo bottle-shapedfish catchers into one then lifted them out They picked out the weeds andthrew the fish into their baskets Soon their baskets were full

22

The girls headed back towards the hanging bridgeThe plan was to go into the jungle and bring backsome bamboo for their parents Finding the bamboowould be no problem It grew in thick clumps all overthe forest Bulli and Aloka were sure they could carrythe bamboo back to the village Theyrsquod balanced fivebricks each on their heads during their time at thefactory How they would get it into their houseswithout being found out was entirely another matter

Their luck had held so far They could only pray thattheir parents would be so happy to see the bamboothat they wouldnrsquot think to ask how it got therePleased with their clever plan the two friends crossedinto the forest

23

Oh no They werenrsquot alone Babuand Khagen were kicking a dentedplastic ball around the clearingBulli and Aloka slipped quietly pastthem behind the trees only to runinto Sangeeta with her smallbrother Uppal in tow collectingfirewood lsquoWhere are you goingrsquo SangeetaaskedlsquoTo get some bamboorsquolsquoWersquore coming toorsquo The sister andbrother joined the team

24

The girls didnrsquot argue There wasnrsquot much time before sundown Silently they filed through the thick undergrowthuntil they came upon a dense grove of bamboo

Bulli took out the dao Shersquod never used one before but trying to look as if she did this every day she touched itssharp blade to the stem There was a crunch and a thud behind them They froze lsquoWhoooo whoooo- Irsquom the ghost of the jungle What are you doing on my landrsquo

They laughed half-relieved Babu and Khagen had found them

lsquoHere yoursquod better give me that I know how to use these thingsrsquo Khagen made a grab for the daolsquoShhhrsquo Aloka put her finger to her lips They heard a rustling in the trees Something moved This was beginning toget scary

Uppal let out a howl lsquoI donrsquot like this place I want to go homersquoBulli the bravest of them all took command lsquoSangeeta tell your brother to shut up Babu stop fidgeting Irsquomgoing to have a lookrsquo

25

With a bit of shoving the group squatted on the ground watching intently as Bulli moved towards the sound

The rustling grew louder A twig snapped They distinctly saw a yellow stripe flash past Bullirsquos couragedisappeared She turned and ran The others followed their hearts pounding They didnrsquot stop until they reachedthe bridge

lsquoWherersquos the daorsquo Bulli asked Khagen pantinglsquoI donrsquot know I thought you had itrsquo

lsquoWell wersquod better go back and look for itrsquo lsquoYou gomdashitrsquos your daorsquo Khagenrsquos brashness scarcely disguised the panic in his voice

Only Aloka was willing to go with Bulli They held hands as they retraced their steps through the jungleThe dao lay where Khagen had dropped it And there next to it was a broken stem of bamboo lsquoSo thatrsquos what gotthose scaredy-cats so frightenedrsquo they laughed

26

Dusk was falling The birds were calling to each other from their roosts Thefrogs croaked and splashed in the ponds and the crickets had alreadystarted their chirruping Soon the night would swoop down on them Theygirls knew they had better get home soon

It took them a while to realize they were lost One wrong turn somewherehad taken them deeper into the jungle than they had ever been before Bulliand Aloka clung to each other trembling wondering which way to go

27

Then they heard it A slow majestic swish Everything else had gone silentThey strained to get a better look in the half-light This was no bamboostem Could it be A flash of a gold and brown striped tail

Bulli remembered Kokarsquos story They must follow the sound Trustinglythey went with the crackle pop swish through the thick foliage on to thetrack leading to the hanging bridge They couldnrsquot see much mdashjust the hintof a whisker the twitch of an ear and once a glint of kind amber eyes thatseemed to say No need to worry I will show you the way

28

The girls turned to thank theirfriendmdashbut there was no onethere Just the jungle noise behindthem and the village lights upahead

Bulli said goodnight to Aloka andran off They would talk aboutwhat they had seen tomorrow Shehad to get home and put the daoin its usual place before it wasmissed

29

She had just replaced the dao andwas handing the fish to Aai withsome excuse about being so latewhen they heard the gate openPita was back from Guwahati Hewas smiling

The family crowded round himeager to hear the news lsquoWe founda dealer in the city willing to sell usbamboo at the old price if webought a large enough quantityrsquohe said happily lsquoSo we orderedenough for all the basket weaversTheyrsquoll be sending a trucktomorrowrsquo

30

Bulli was bursting to tell her own story So amid all the excitement withoutbeing asked she announced to no one in particular lsquoAloka and I met a tigerin the jungle todayrsquo

Everybody laughed lsquoDonrsquot be sillyrsquo said Shanti in her best older-sister tonelsquoThere arenrsquot any tigers here any morersquo

Bulli looked at her grandpa He didnrsquot say anything But behind thespectacles she saw the wink and smiled Koka knew

31

About the illustrations

The art of the Pardhan-Gond tribals of the Dindori Valley in Mandla Madhya Pradesh usestonal and contrasting colour blocks built up from dotted sections The artists paint treesshrubs birds and animals in a powerful and lyrical way Gond art is usually executed on theoutside walls of the mud huts of the people

32

This book was made possible by Pratham Books StoryWeaver platform Content under CreativeCommons licenses can be downloaded translated and can even be used to create new stories ‐provided you give appropriate credit and indicate if changes were made To know more about thisand the full terms of use and attribution please visit the following link

Disclaimer httpswwwstoryweaverorginterms_and_conditions

Some rights reserved This book is CC -BY -40 licensed You can copy modify distributeand perform the work even for commercial purposes all without asking permissionFor full terms of use and attribution httpcreativecommonsorglicensesby40

Story AttributionThis story Bulli and the Tiger is written by Shalini Reys copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license

Other CreditsBulli and the Tiger has been published on StoryWeaver by Pratham Books The development and production of this book has been supported by Sapphira KevinaMarie and Vijay Goradia wwwprathambooksorg

Illustration AttributionsCover page People looking towards an animal and peacocks by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 licensePage 2 A girl stretching over a mat by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 3 A hen and herchicks by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 4 A woman holding a pan to winnow grains byNankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 5 A house made of bamboo with a path leading down fromit by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 7 Two birds in the bushes by Nankusia Shyam copyPratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 8 Background with abstract art in cornerv by Nankusia Shyam copy PrathamBooks 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 10 Two faces staring into the sky by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Somerights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 12 A bamboo basket in the corner by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reservedReleased under CC BY 40 license Page 13 Hands weaving a basket by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40license Page 14 Background with abstract art in the corner by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license

Aloka was already at the hanging bridge that stretched and swayed acrossthe stream separating the jungle from their village lsquoDid you get itrsquo sheaskedlsquoItrsquos herersquo Bulli patted the basket at her waist lsquoLetrsquos get the fish firstrsquo sheadded

The hillside was dotted with shallow ponds teeming with silvery fish thatfed on the water plants Bulli and Aloka dipped their bamboo bottle-shapedfish catchers into one then lifted them out They picked out the weeds andthrew the fish into their baskets Soon their baskets were full

22

The girls headed back towards the hanging bridgeThe plan was to go into the jungle and bring backsome bamboo for their parents Finding the bamboowould be no problem It grew in thick clumps all overthe forest Bulli and Aloka were sure they could carrythe bamboo back to the village Theyrsquod balanced fivebricks each on their heads during their time at thefactory How they would get it into their houseswithout being found out was entirely another matter

Their luck had held so far They could only pray thattheir parents would be so happy to see the bamboothat they wouldnrsquot think to ask how it got therePleased with their clever plan the two friends crossedinto the forest

23

Oh no They werenrsquot alone Babuand Khagen were kicking a dentedplastic ball around the clearingBulli and Aloka slipped quietly pastthem behind the trees only to runinto Sangeeta with her smallbrother Uppal in tow collectingfirewood lsquoWhere are you goingrsquo SangeetaaskedlsquoTo get some bamboorsquolsquoWersquore coming toorsquo The sister andbrother joined the team

24

The girls didnrsquot argue There wasnrsquot much time before sundown Silently they filed through the thick undergrowthuntil they came upon a dense grove of bamboo

Bulli took out the dao Shersquod never used one before but trying to look as if she did this every day she touched itssharp blade to the stem There was a crunch and a thud behind them They froze lsquoWhoooo whoooo- Irsquom the ghost of the jungle What are you doing on my landrsquo

They laughed half-relieved Babu and Khagen had found them

lsquoHere yoursquod better give me that I know how to use these thingsrsquo Khagen made a grab for the daolsquoShhhrsquo Aloka put her finger to her lips They heard a rustling in the trees Something moved This was beginning toget scary

Uppal let out a howl lsquoI donrsquot like this place I want to go homersquoBulli the bravest of them all took command lsquoSangeeta tell your brother to shut up Babu stop fidgeting Irsquomgoing to have a lookrsquo

25

With a bit of shoving the group squatted on the ground watching intently as Bulli moved towards the sound

The rustling grew louder A twig snapped They distinctly saw a yellow stripe flash past Bullirsquos couragedisappeared She turned and ran The others followed their hearts pounding They didnrsquot stop until they reachedthe bridge

lsquoWherersquos the daorsquo Bulli asked Khagen pantinglsquoI donrsquot know I thought you had itrsquo

lsquoWell wersquod better go back and look for itrsquo lsquoYou gomdashitrsquos your daorsquo Khagenrsquos brashness scarcely disguised the panic in his voice

Only Aloka was willing to go with Bulli They held hands as they retraced their steps through the jungleThe dao lay where Khagen had dropped it And there next to it was a broken stem of bamboo lsquoSo thatrsquos what gotthose scaredy-cats so frightenedrsquo they laughed

26

Dusk was falling The birds were calling to each other from their roosts Thefrogs croaked and splashed in the ponds and the crickets had alreadystarted their chirruping Soon the night would swoop down on them Theygirls knew they had better get home soon

It took them a while to realize they were lost One wrong turn somewherehad taken them deeper into the jungle than they had ever been before Bulliand Aloka clung to each other trembling wondering which way to go

27

Then they heard it A slow majestic swish Everything else had gone silentThey strained to get a better look in the half-light This was no bamboostem Could it be A flash of a gold and brown striped tail

Bulli remembered Kokarsquos story They must follow the sound Trustinglythey went with the crackle pop swish through the thick foliage on to thetrack leading to the hanging bridge They couldnrsquot see much mdashjust the hintof a whisker the twitch of an ear and once a glint of kind amber eyes thatseemed to say No need to worry I will show you the way

28

The girls turned to thank theirfriendmdashbut there was no onethere Just the jungle noise behindthem and the village lights upahead

Bulli said goodnight to Aloka andran off They would talk aboutwhat they had seen tomorrow Shehad to get home and put the daoin its usual place before it wasmissed

29

She had just replaced the dao andwas handing the fish to Aai withsome excuse about being so latewhen they heard the gate openPita was back from Guwahati Hewas smiling

The family crowded round himeager to hear the news lsquoWe founda dealer in the city willing to sell usbamboo at the old price if webought a large enough quantityrsquohe said happily lsquoSo we orderedenough for all the basket weaversTheyrsquoll be sending a trucktomorrowrsquo

30

Bulli was bursting to tell her own story So amid all the excitement withoutbeing asked she announced to no one in particular lsquoAloka and I met a tigerin the jungle todayrsquo

Everybody laughed lsquoDonrsquot be sillyrsquo said Shanti in her best older-sister tonelsquoThere arenrsquot any tigers here any morersquo

Bulli looked at her grandpa He didnrsquot say anything But behind thespectacles she saw the wink and smiled Koka knew

31

About the illustrations

The art of the Pardhan-Gond tribals of the Dindori Valley in Mandla Madhya Pradesh usestonal and contrasting colour blocks built up from dotted sections The artists paint treesshrubs birds and animals in a powerful and lyrical way Gond art is usually executed on theoutside walls of the mud huts of the people

32

This book was made possible by Pratham Books StoryWeaver platform Content under CreativeCommons licenses can be downloaded translated and can even be used to create new stories ‐provided you give appropriate credit and indicate if changes were made To know more about thisand the full terms of use and attribution please visit the following link

Disclaimer httpswwwstoryweaverorginterms_and_conditions

Some rights reserved This book is CC -BY -40 licensed You can copy modify distributeand perform the work even for commercial purposes all without asking permissionFor full terms of use and attribution httpcreativecommonsorglicensesby40

Story AttributionThis story Bulli and the Tiger is written by Shalini Reys copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license

Other CreditsBulli and the Tiger has been published on StoryWeaver by Pratham Books The development and production of this book has been supported by Sapphira KevinaMarie and Vijay Goradia wwwprathambooksorg

Illustration AttributionsCover page People looking towards an animal and peacocks by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 licensePage 2 A girl stretching over a mat by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 3 A hen and herchicks by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 4 A woman holding a pan to winnow grains byNankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 5 A house made of bamboo with a path leading down fromit by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 7 Two birds in the bushes by Nankusia Shyam copyPratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 8 Background with abstract art in cornerv by Nankusia Shyam copy PrathamBooks 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 10 Two faces staring into the sky by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Somerights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 12 A bamboo basket in the corner by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reservedReleased under CC BY 40 license Page 13 Hands weaving a basket by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40license Page 14 Background with abstract art in the corner by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license

The girls headed back towards the hanging bridgeThe plan was to go into the jungle and bring backsome bamboo for their parents Finding the bamboowould be no problem It grew in thick clumps all overthe forest Bulli and Aloka were sure they could carrythe bamboo back to the village Theyrsquod balanced fivebricks each on their heads during their time at thefactory How they would get it into their houseswithout being found out was entirely another matter

Their luck had held so far They could only pray thattheir parents would be so happy to see the bamboothat they wouldnrsquot think to ask how it got therePleased with their clever plan the two friends crossedinto the forest

23

Oh no They werenrsquot alone Babuand Khagen were kicking a dentedplastic ball around the clearingBulli and Aloka slipped quietly pastthem behind the trees only to runinto Sangeeta with her smallbrother Uppal in tow collectingfirewood lsquoWhere are you goingrsquo SangeetaaskedlsquoTo get some bamboorsquolsquoWersquore coming toorsquo The sister andbrother joined the team

24

The girls didnrsquot argue There wasnrsquot much time before sundown Silently they filed through the thick undergrowthuntil they came upon a dense grove of bamboo

Bulli took out the dao Shersquod never used one before but trying to look as if she did this every day she touched itssharp blade to the stem There was a crunch and a thud behind them They froze lsquoWhoooo whoooo- Irsquom the ghost of the jungle What are you doing on my landrsquo

They laughed half-relieved Babu and Khagen had found them

lsquoHere yoursquod better give me that I know how to use these thingsrsquo Khagen made a grab for the daolsquoShhhrsquo Aloka put her finger to her lips They heard a rustling in the trees Something moved This was beginning toget scary

Uppal let out a howl lsquoI donrsquot like this place I want to go homersquoBulli the bravest of them all took command lsquoSangeeta tell your brother to shut up Babu stop fidgeting Irsquomgoing to have a lookrsquo

25

With a bit of shoving the group squatted on the ground watching intently as Bulli moved towards the sound

The rustling grew louder A twig snapped They distinctly saw a yellow stripe flash past Bullirsquos couragedisappeared She turned and ran The others followed their hearts pounding They didnrsquot stop until they reachedthe bridge

lsquoWherersquos the daorsquo Bulli asked Khagen pantinglsquoI donrsquot know I thought you had itrsquo

lsquoWell wersquod better go back and look for itrsquo lsquoYou gomdashitrsquos your daorsquo Khagenrsquos brashness scarcely disguised the panic in his voice

Only Aloka was willing to go with Bulli They held hands as they retraced their steps through the jungleThe dao lay where Khagen had dropped it And there next to it was a broken stem of bamboo lsquoSo thatrsquos what gotthose scaredy-cats so frightenedrsquo they laughed

26

Dusk was falling The birds were calling to each other from their roosts Thefrogs croaked and splashed in the ponds and the crickets had alreadystarted their chirruping Soon the night would swoop down on them Theygirls knew they had better get home soon

It took them a while to realize they were lost One wrong turn somewherehad taken them deeper into the jungle than they had ever been before Bulliand Aloka clung to each other trembling wondering which way to go

27

Then they heard it A slow majestic swish Everything else had gone silentThey strained to get a better look in the half-light This was no bamboostem Could it be A flash of a gold and brown striped tail

Bulli remembered Kokarsquos story They must follow the sound Trustinglythey went with the crackle pop swish through the thick foliage on to thetrack leading to the hanging bridge They couldnrsquot see much mdashjust the hintof a whisker the twitch of an ear and once a glint of kind amber eyes thatseemed to say No need to worry I will show you the way

28

The girls turned to thank theirfriendmdashbut there was no onethere Just the jungle noise behindthem and the village lights upahead

Bulli said goodnight to Aloka andran off They would talk aboutwhat they had seen tomorrow Shehad to get home and put the daoin its usual place before it wasmissed

29

She had just replaced the dao andwas handing the fish to Aai withsome excuse about being so latewhen they heard the gate openPita was back from Guwahati Hewas smiling

The family crowded round himeager to hear the news lsquoWe founda dealer in the city willing to sell usbamboo at the old price if webought a large enough quantityrsquohe said happily lsquoSo we orderedenough for all the basket weaversTheyrsquoll be sending a trucktomorrowrsquo

30

Bulli was bursting to tell her own story So amid all the excitement withoutbeing asked she announced to no one in particular lsquoAloka and I met a tigerin the jungle todayrsquo

Everybody laughed lsquoDonrsquot be sillyrsquo said Shanti in her best older-sister tonelsquoThere arenrsquot any tigers here any morersquo

Bulli looked at her grandpa He didnrsquot say anything But behind thespectacles she saw the wink and smiled Koka knew

31

About the illustrations

The art of the Pardhan-Gond tribals of the Dindori Valley in Mandla Madhya Pradesh usestonal and contrasting colour blocks built up from dotted sections The artists paint treesshrubs birds and animals in a powerful and lyrical way Gond art is usually executed on theoutside walls of the mud huts of the people

32

This book was made possible by Pratham Books StoryWeaver platform Content under CreativeCommons licenses can be downloaded translated and can even be used to create new stories ‐provided you give appropriate credit and indicate if changes were made To know more about thisand the full terms of use and attribution please visit the following link

Disclaimer httpswwwstoryweaverorginterms_and_conditions

Some rights reserved This book is CC -BY -40 licensed You can copy modify distributeand perform the work even for commercial purposes all without asking permissionFor full terms of use and attribution httpcreativecommonsorglicensesby40

Story AttributionThis story Bulli and the Tiger is written by Shalini Reys copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license

Other CreditsBulli and the Tiger has been published on StoryWeaver by Pratham Books The development and production of this book has been supported by Sapphira KevinaMarie and Vijay Goradia wwwprathambooksorg

Illustration AttributionsCover page People looking towards an animal and peacocks by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 licensePage 2 A girl stretching over a mat by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 3 A hen and herchicks by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 4 A woman holding a pan to winnow grains byNankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 5 A house made of bamboo with a path leading down fromit by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 7 Two birds in the bushes by Nankusia Shyam copyPratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 8 Background with abstract art in cornerv by Nankusia Shyam copy PrathamBooks 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 10 Two faces staring into the sky by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Somerights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 12 A bamboo basket in the corner by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reservedReleased under CC BY 40 license Page 13 Hands weaving a basket by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40license Page 14 Background with abstract art in the corner by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license

Oh no They werenrsquot alone Babuand Khagen were kicking a dentedplastic ball around the clearingBulli and Aloka slipped quietly pastthem behind the trees only to runinto Sangeeta with her smallbrother Uppal in tow collectingfirewood lsquoWhere are you goingrsquo SangeetaaskedlsquoTo get some bamboorsquolsquoWersquore coming toorsquo The sister andbrother joined the team

24

The girls didnrsquot argue There wasnrsquot much time before sundown Silently they filed through the thick undergrowthuntil they came upon a dense grove of bamboo

Bulli took out the dao Shersquod never used one before but trying to look as if she did this every day she touched itssharp blade to the stem There was a crunch and a thud behind them They froze lsquoWhoooo whoooo- Irsquom the ghost of the jungle What are you doing on my landrsquo

They laughed half-relieved Babu and Khagen had found them

lsquoHere yoursquod better give me that I know how to use these thingsrsquo Khagen made a grab for the daolsquoShhhrsquo Aloka put her finger to her lips They heard a rustling in the trees Something moved This was beginning toget scary

Uppal let out a howl lsquoI donrsquot like this place I want to go homersquoBulli the bravest of them all took command lsquoSangeeta tell your brother to shut up Babu stop fidgeting Irsquomgoing to have a lookrsquo

25

With a bit of shoving the group squatted on the ground watching intently as Bulli moved towards the sound

The rustling grew louder A twig snapped They distinctly saw a yellow stripe flash past Bullirsquos couragedisappeared She turned and ran The others followed their hearts pounding They didnrsquot stop until they reachedthe bridge

lsquoWherersquos the daorsquo Bulli asked Khagen pantinglsquoI donrsquot know I thought you had itrsquo

lsquoWell wersquod better go back and look for itrsquo lsquoYou gomdashitrsquos your daorsquo Khagenrsquos brashness scarcely disguised the panic in his voice

Only Aloka was willing to go with Bulli They held hands as they retraced their steps through the jungleThe dao lay where Khagen had dropped it And there next to it was a broken stem of bamboo lsquoSo thatrsquos what gotthose scaredy-cats so frightenedrsquo they laughed

26

Dusk was falling The birds were calling to each other from their roosts Thefrogs croaked and splashed in the ponds and the crickets had alreadystarted their chirruping Soon the night would swoop down on them Theygirls knew they had better get home soon

It took them a while to realize they were lost One wrong turn somewherehad taken them deeper into the jungle than they had ever been before Bulliand Aloka clung to each other trembling wondering which way to go

27

Then they heard it A slow majestic swish Everything else had gone silentThey strained to get a better look in the half-light This was no bamboostem Could it be A flash of a gold and brown striped tail

Bulli remembered Kokarsquos story They must follow the sound Trustinglythey went with the crackle pop swish through the thick foliage on to thetrack leading to the hanging bridge They couldnrsquot see much mdashjust the hintof a whisker the twitch of an ear and once a glint of kind amber eyes thatseemed to say No need to worry I will show you the way

28

The girls turned to thank theirfriendmdashbut there was no onethere Just the jungle noise behindthem and the village lights upahead

Bulli said goodnight to Aloka andran off They would talk aboutwhat they had seen tomorrow Shehad to get home and put the daoin its usual place before it wasmissed

29

She had just replaced the dao andwas handing the fish to Aai withsome excuse about being so latewhen they heard the gate openPita was back from Guwahati Hewas smiling

The family crowded round himeager to hear the news lsquoWe founda dealer in the city willing to sell usbamboo at the old price if webought a large enough quantityrsquohe said happily lsquoSo we orderedenough for all the basket weaversTheyrsquoll be sending a trucktomorrowrsquo

30

Bulli was bursting to tell her own story So amid all the excitement withoutbeing asked she announced to no one in particular lsquoAloka and I met a tigerin the jungle todayrsquo

Everybody laughed lsquoDonrsquot be sillyrsquo said Shanti in her best older-sister tonelsquoThere arenrsquot any tigers here any morersquo

Bulli looked at her grandpa He didnrsquot say anything But behind thespectacles she saw the wink and smiled Koka knew

31

About the illustrations

The art of the Pardhan-Gond tribals of the Dindori Valley in Mandla Madhya Pradesh usestonal and contrasting colour blocks built up from dotted sections The artists paint treesshrubs birds and animals in a powerful and lyrical way Gond art is usually executed on theoutside walls of the mud huts of the people

32

This book was made possible by Pratham Books StoryWeaver platform Content under CreativeCommons licenses can be downloaded translated and can even be used to create new stories ‐provided you give appropriate credit and indicate if changes were made To know more about thisand the full terms of use and attribution please visit the following link

Disclaimer httpswwwstoryweaverorginterms_and_conditions

Some rights reserved This book is CC -BY -40 licensed You can copy modify distributeand perform the work even for commercial purposes all without asking permissionFor full terms of use and attribution httpcreativecommonsorglicensesby40

Story AttributionThis story Bulli and the Tiger is written by Shalini Reys copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license

Other CreditsBulli and the Tiger has been published on StoryWeaver by Pratham Books The development and production of this book has been supported by Sapphira KevinaMarie and Vijay Goradia wwwprathambooksorg

Illustration AttributionsCover page People looking towards an animal and peacocks by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 licensePage 2 A girl stretching over a mat by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 3 A hen and herchicks by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 4 A woman holding a pan to winnow grains byNankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 5 A house made of bamboo with a path leading down fromit by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 7 Two birds in the bushes by Nankusia Shyam copyPratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 8 Background with abstract art in cornerv by Nankusia Shyam copy PrathamBooks 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 10 Two faces staring into the sky by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Somerights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 12 A bamboo basket in the corner by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reservedReleased under CC BY 40 license Page 13 Hands weaving a basket by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40license Page 14 Background with abstract art in the corner by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license

The girls didnrsquot argue There wasnrsquot much time before sundown Silently they filed through the thick undergrowthuntil they came upon a dense grove of bamboo

Bulli took out the dao Shersquod never used one before but trying to look as if she did this every day she touched itssharp blade to the stem There was a crunch and a thud behind them They froze lsquoWhoooo whoooo- Irsquom the ghost of the jungle What are you doing on my landrsquo

They laughed half-relieved Babu and Khagen had found them

lsquoHere yoursquod better give me that I know how to use these thingsrsquo Khagen made a grab for the daolsquoShhhrsquo Aloka put her finger to her lips They heard a rustling in the trees Something moved This was beginning toget scary

Uppal let out a howl lsquoI donrsquot like this place I want to go homersquoBulli the bravest of them all took command lsquoSangeeta tell your brother to shut up Babu stop fidgeting Irsquomgoing to have a lookrsquo

25

With a bit of shoving the group squatted on the ground watching intently as Bulli moved towards the sound

The rustling grew louder A twig snapped They distinctly saw a yellow stripe flash past Bullirsquos couragedisappeared She turned and ran The others followed their hearts pounding They didnrsquot stop until they reachedthe bridge

lsquoWherersquos the daorsquo Bulli asked Khagen pantinglsquoI donrsquot know I thought you had itrsquo

lsquoWell wersquod better go back and look for itrsquo lsquoYou gomdashitrsquos your daorsquo Khagenrsquos brashness scarcely disguised the panic in his voice

Only Aloka was willing to go with Bulli They held hands as they retraced their steps through the jungleThe dao lay where Khagen had dropped it And there next to it was a broken stem of bamboo lsquoSo thatrsquos what gotthose scaredy-cats so frightenedrsquo they laughed

26

Dusk was falling The birds were calling to each other from their roosts Thefrogs croaked and splashed in the ponds and the crickets had alreadystarted their chirruping Soon the night would swoop down on them Theygirls knew they had better get home soon

It took them a while to realize they were lost One wrong turn somewherehad taken them deeper into the jungle than they had ever been before Bulliand Aloka clung to each other trembling wondering which way to go

27

Then they heard it A slow majestic swish Everything else had gone silentThey strained to get a better look in the half-light This was no bamboostem Could it be A flash of a gold and brown striped tail

Bulli remembered Kokarsquos story They must follow the sound Trustinglythey went with the crackle pop swish through the thick foliage on to thetrack leading to the hanging bridge They couldnrsquot see much mdashjust the hintof a whisker the twitch of an ear and once a glint of kind amber eyes thatseemed to say No need to worry I will show you the way

28

The girls turned to thank theirfriendmdashbut there was no onethere Just the jungle noise behindthem and the village lights upahead

Bulli said goodnight to Aloka andran off They would talk aboutwhat they had seen tomorrow Shehad to get home and put the daoin its usual place before it wasmissed

29

She had just replaced the dao andwas handing the fish to Aai withsome excuse about being so latewhen they heard the gate openPita was back from Guwahati Hewas smiling

The family crowded round himeager to hear the news lsquoWe founda dealer in the city willing to sell usbamboo at the old price if webought a large enough quantityrsquohe said happily lsquoSo we orderedenough for all the basket weaversTheyrsquoll be sending a trucktomorrowrsquo

30

Bulli was bursting to tell her own story So amid all the excitement withoutbeing asked she announced to no one in particular lsquoAloka and I met a tigerin the jungle todayrsquo

Everybody laughed lsquoDonrsquot be sillyrsquo said Shanti in her best older-sister tonelsquoThere arenrsquot any tigers here any morersquo

Bulli looked at her grandpa He didnrsquot say anything But behind thespectacles she saw the wink and smiled Koka knew

31

About the illustrations

The art of the Pardhan-Gond tribals of the Dindori Valley in Mandla Madhya Pradesh usestonal and contrasting colour blocks built up from dotted sections The artists paint treesshrubs birds and animals in a powerful and lyrical way Gond art is usually executed on theoutside walls of the mud huts of the people

32

This book was made possible by Pratham Books StoryWeaver platform Content under CreativeCommons licenses can be downloaded translated and can even be used to create new stories ‐provided you give appropriate credit and indicate if changes were made To know more about thisand the full terms of use and attribution please visit the following link

Disclaimer httpswwwstoryweaverorginterms_and_conditions

Some rights reserved This book is CC -BY -40 licensed You can copy modify distributeand perform the work even for commercial purposes all without asking permissionFor full terms of use and attribution httpcreativecommonsorglicensesby40

Story AttributionThis story Bulli and the Tiger is written by Shalini Reys copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license

Other CreditsBulli and the Tiger has been published on StoryWeaver by Pratham Books The development and production of this book has been supported by Sapphira KevinaMarie and Vijay Goradia wwwprathambooksorg

Illustration AttributionsCover page People looking towards an animal and peacocks by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 licensePage 2 A girl stretching over a mat by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 3 A hen and herchicks by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 4 A woman holding a pan to winnow grains byNankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 5 A house made of bamboo with a path leading down fromit by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 7 Two birds in the bushes by Nankusia Shyam copyPratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 8 Background with abstract art in cornerv by Nankusia Shyam copy PrathamBooks 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 10 Two faces staring into the sky by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Somerights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 12 A bamboo basket in the corner by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reservedReleased under CC BY 40 license Page 13 Hands weaving a basket by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40license Page 14 Background with abstract art in the corner by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license

With a bit of shoving the group squatted on the ground watching intently as Bulli moved towards the sound

The rustling grew louder A twig snapped They distinctly saw a yellow stripe flash past Bullirsquos couragedisappeared She turned and ran The others followed their hearts pounding They didnrsquot stop until they reachedthe bridge

lsquoWherersquos the daorsquo Bulli asked Khagen pantinglsquoI donrsquot know I thought you had itrsquo

lsquoWell wersquod better go back and look for itrsquo lsquoYou gomdashitrsquos your daorsquo Khagenrsquos brashness scarcely disguised the panic in his voice

Only Aloka was willing to go with Bulli They held hands as they retraced their steps through the jungleThe dao lay where Khagen had dropped it And there next to it was a broken stem of bamboo lsquoSo thatrsquos what gotthose scaredy-cats so frightenedrsquo they laughed

26

Dusk was falling The birds were calling to each other from their roosts Thefrogs croaked and splashed in the ponds and the crickets had alreadystarted their chirruping Soon the night would swoop down on them Theygirls knew they had better get home soon

It took them a while to realize they were lost One wrong turn somewherehad taken them deeper into the jungle than they had ever been before Bulliand Aloka clung to each other trembling wondering which way to go

27

Then they heard it A slow majestic swish Everything else had gone silentThey strained to get a better look in the half-light This was no bamboostem Could it be A flash of a gold and brown striped tail

Bulli remembered Kokarsquos story They must follow the sound Trustinglythey went with the crackle pop swish through the thick foliage on to thetrack leading to the hanging bridge They couldnrsquot see much mdashjust the hintof a whisker the twitch of an ear and once a glint of kind amber eyes thatseemed to say No need to worry I will show you the way

28

The girls turned to thank theirfriendmdashbut there was no onethere Just the jungle noise behindthem and the village lights upahead

Bulli said goodnight to Aloka andran off They would talk aboutwhat they had seen tomorrow Shehad to get home and put the daoin its usual place before it wasmissed

29

She had just replaced the dao andwas handing the fish to Aai withsome excuse about being so latewhen they heard the gate openPita was back from Guwahati Hewas smiling

The family crowded round himeager to hear the news lsquoWe founda dealer in the city willing to sell usbamboo at the old price if webought a large enough quantityrsquohe said happily lsquoSo we orderedenough for all the basket weaversTheyrsquoll be sending a trucktomorrowrsquo

30

Bulli was bursting to tell her own story So amid all the excitement withoutbeing asked she announced to no one in particular lsquoAloka and I met a tigerin the jungle todayrsquo

Everybody laughed lsquoDonrsquot be sillyrsquo said Shanti in her best older-sister tonelsquoThere arenrsquot any tigers here any morersquo

Bulli looked at her grandpa He didnrsquot say anything But behind thespectacles she saw the wink and smiled Koka knew

31

About the illustrations

The art of the Pardhan-Gond tribals of the Dindori Valley in Mandla Madhya Pradesh usestonal and contrasting colour blocks built up from dotted sections The artists paint treesshrubs birds and animals in a powerful and lyrical way Gond art is usually executed on theoutside walls of the mud huts of the people

32

This book was made possible by Pratham Books StoryWeaver platform Content under CreativeCommons licenses can be downloaded translated and can even be used to create new stories ‐provided you give appropriate credit and indicate if changes were made To know more about thisand the full terms of use and attribution please visit the following link

Disclaimer httpswwwstoryweaverorginterms_and_conditions

Some rights reserved This book is CC -BY -40 licensed You can copy modify distributeand perform the work even for commercial purposes all without asking permissionFor full terms of use and attribution httpcreativecommonsorglicensesby40

Story AttributionThis story Bulli and the Tiger is written by Shalini Reys copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license

Other CreditsBulli and the Tiger has been published on StoryWeaver by Pratham Books The development and production of this book has been supported by Sapphira KevinaMarie and Vijay Goradia wwwprathambooksorg

Illustration AttributionsCover page People looking towards an animal and peacocks by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 licensePage 2 A girl stretching over a mat by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 3 A hen and herchicks by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 4 A woman holding a pan to winnow grains byNankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 5 A house made of bamboo with a path leading down fromit by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 7 Two birds in the bushes by Nankusia Shyam copyPratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 8 Background with abstract art in cornerv by Nankusia Shyam copy PrathamBooks 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 10 Two faces staring into the sky by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Somerights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 12 A bamboo basket in the corner by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reservedReleased under CC BY 40 license Page 13 Hands weaving a basket by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40license Page 14 Background with abstract art in the corner by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license

Dusk was falling The birds were calling to each other from their roosts Thefrogs croaked and splashed in the ponds and the crickets had alreadystarted their chirruping Soon the night would swoop down on them Theygirls knew they had better get home soon

It took them a while to realize they were lost One wrong turn somewherehad taken them deeper into the jungle than they had ever been before Bulliand Aloka clung to each other trembling wondering which way to go

27

Then they heard it A slow majestic swish Everything else had gone silentThey strained to get a better look in the half-light This was no bamboostem Could it be A flash of a gold and brown striped tail

Bulli remembered Kokarsquos story They must follow the sound Trustinglythey went with the crackle pop swish through the thick foliage on to thetrack leading to the hanging bridge They couldnrsquot see much mdashjust the hintof a whisker the twitch of an ear and once a glint of kind amber eyes thatseemed to say No need to worry I will show you the way

28

The girls turned to thank theirfriendmdashbut there was no onethere Just the jungle noise behindthem and the village lights upahead

Bulli said goodnight to Aloka andran off They would talk aboutwhat they had seen tomorrow Shehad to get home and put the daoin its usual place before it wasmissed

29

She had just replaced the dao andwas handing the fish to Aai withsome excuse about being so latewhen they heard the gate openPita was back from Guwahati Hewas smiling

The family crowded round himeager to hear the news lsquoWe founda dealer in the city willing to sell usbamboo at the old price if webought a large enough quantityrsquohe said happily lsquoSo we orderedenough for all the basket weaversTheyrsquoll be sending a trucktomorrowrsquo

30

Bulli was bursting to tell her own story So amid all the excitement withoutbeing asked she announced to no one in particular lsquoAloka and I met a tigerin the jungle todayrsquo

Everybody laughed lsquoDonrsquot be sillyrsquo said Shanti in her best older-sister tonelsquoThere arenrsquot any tigers here any morersquo

Bulli looked at her grandpa He didnrsquot say anything But behind thespectacles she saw the wink and smiled Koka knew

31

About the illustrations

The art of the Pardhan-Gond tribals of the Dindori Valley in Mandla Madhya Pradesh usestonal and contrasting colour blocks built up from dotted sections The artists paint treesshrubs birds and animals in a powerful and lyrical way Gond art is usually executed on theoutside walls of the mud huts of the people

32

This book was made possible by Pratham Books StoryWeaver platform Content under CreativeCommons licenses can be downloaded translated and can even be used to create new stories ‐provided you give appropriate credit and indicate if changes were made To know more about thisand the full terms of use and attribution please visit the following link

Disclaimer httpswwwstoryweaverorginterms_and_conditions

Some rights reserved This book is CC -BY -40 licensed You can copy modify distributeand perform the work even for commercial purposes all without asking permissionFor full terms of use and attribution httpcreativecommonsorglicensesby40

Story AttributionThis story Bulli and the Tiger is written by Shalini Reys copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license

Other CreditsBulli and the Tiger has been published on StoryWeaver by Pratham Books The development and production of this book has been supported by Sapphira KevinaMarie and Vijay Goradia wwwprathambooksorg

Illustration AttributionsCover page People looking towards an animal and peacocks by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 licensePage 2 A girl stretching over a mat by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 3 A hen and herchicks by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 4 A woman holding a pan to winnow grains byNankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 5 A house made of bamboo with a path leading down fromit by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 7 Two birds in the bushes by Nankusia Shyam copyPratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 8 Background with abstract art in cornerv by Nankusia Shyam copy PrathamBooks 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 10 Two faces staring into the sky by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Somerights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 12 A bamboo basket in the corner by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reservedReleased under CC BY 40 license Page 13 Hands weaving a basket by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40license Page 14 Background with abstract art in the corner by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license

Then they heard it A slow majestic swish Everything else had gone silentThey strained to get a better look in the half-light This was no bamboostem Could it be A flash of a gold and brown striped tail

Bulli remembered Kokarsquos story They must follow the sound Trustinglythey went with the crackle pop swish through the thick foliage on to thetrack leading to the hanging bridge They couldnrsquot see much mdashjust the hintof a whisker the twitch of an ear and once a glint of kind amber eyes thatseemed to say No need to worry I will show you the way

28

The girls turned to thank theirfriendmdashbut there was no onethere Just the jungle noise behindthem and the village lights upahead

Bulli said goodnight to Aloka andran off They would talk aboutwhat they had seen tomorrow Shehad to get home and put the daoin its usual place before it wasmissed

29

She had just replaced the dao andwas handing the fish to Aai withsome excuse about being so latewhen they heard the gate openPita was back from Guwahati Hewas smiling

The family crowded round himeager to hear the news lsquoWe founda dealer in the city willing to sell usbamboo at the old price if webought a large enough quantityrsquohe said happily lsquoSo we orderedenough for all the basket weaversTheyrsquoll be sending a trucktomorrowrsquo

30

Bulli was bursting to tell her own story So amid all the excitement withoutbeing asked she announced to no one in particular lsquoAloka and I met a tigerin the jungle todayrsquo

Everybody laughed lsquoDonrsquot be sillyrsquo said Shanti in her best older-sister tonelsquoThere arenrsquot any tigers here any morersquo

Bulli looked at her grandpa He didnrsquot say anything But behind thespectacles she saw the wink and smiled Koka knew

31

About the illustrations

The art of the Pardhan-Gond tribals of the Dindori Valley in Mandla Madhya Pradesh usestonal and contrasting colour blocks built up from dotted sections The artists paint treesshrubs birds and animals in a powerful and lyrical way Gond art is usually executed on theoutside walls of the mud huts of the people

32

This book was made possible by Pratham Books StoryWeaver platform Content under CreativeCommons licenses can be downloaded translated and can even be used to create new stories ‐provided you give appropriate credit and indicate if changes were made To know more about thisand the full terms of use and attribution please visit the following link

Disclaimer httpswwwstoryweaverorginterms_and_conditions

Some rights reserved This book is CC -BY -40 licensed You can copy modify distributeand perform the work even for commercial purposes all without asking permissionFor full terms of use and attribution httpcreativecommonsorglicensesby40

Story AttributionThis story Bulli and the Tiger is written by Shalini Reys copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license

Other CreditsBulli and the Tiger has been published on StoryWeaver by Pratham Books The development and production of this book has been supported by Sapphira KevinaMarie and Vijay Goradia wwwprathambooksorg

Illustration AttributionsCover page People looking towards an animal and peacocks by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 licensePage 2 A girl stretching over a mat by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 3 A hen and herchicks by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 4 A woman holding a pan to winnow grains byNankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 5 A house made of bamboo with a path leading down fromit by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 7 Two birds in the bushes by Nankusia Shyam copyPratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 8 Background with abstract art in cornerv by Nankusia Shyam copy PrathamBooks 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 10 Two faces staring into the sky by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Somerights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 12 A bamboo basket in the corner by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reservedReleased under CC BY 40 license Page 13 Hands weaving a basket by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40license Page 14 Background with abstract art in the corner by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license

The girls turned to thank theirfriendmdashbut there was no onethere Just the jungle noise behindthem and the village lights upahead

Bulli said goodnight to Aloka andran off They would talk aboutwhat they had seen tomorrow Shehad to get home and put the daoin its usual place before it wasmissed

29

She had just replaced the dao andwas handing the fish to Aai withsome excuse about being so latewhen they heard the gate openPita was back from Guwahati Hewas smiling

The family crowded round himeager to hear the news lsquoWe founda dealer in the city willing to sell usbamboo at the old price if webought a large enough quantityrsquohe said happily lsquoSo we orderedenough for all the basket weaversTheyrsquoll be sending a trucktomorrowrsquo

30

Bulli was bursting to tell her own story So amid all the excitement withoutbeing asked she announced to no one in particular lsquoAloka and I met a tigerin the jungle todayrsquo

Everybody laughed lsquoDonrsquot be sillyrsquo said Shanti in her best older-sister tonelsquoThere arenrsquot any tigers here any morersquo

Bulli looked at her grandpa He didnrsquot say anything But behind thespectacles she saw the wink and smiled Koka knew

31

About the illustrations

The art of the Pardhan-Gond tribals of the Dindori Valley in Mandla Madhya Pradesh usestonal and contrasting colour blocks built up from dotted sections The artists paint treesshrubs birds and animals in a powerful and lyrical way Gond art is usually executed on theoutside walls of the mud huts of the people

32

This book was made possible by Pratham Books StoryWeaver platform Content under CreativeCommons licenses can be downloaded translated and can even be used to create new stories ‐provided you give appropriate credit and indicate if changes were made To know more about thisand the full terms of use and attribution please visit the following link

Disclaimer httpswwwstoryweaverorginterms_and_conditions

Some rights reserved This book is CC -BY -40 licensed You can copy modify distributeand perform the work even for commercial purposes all without asking permissionFor full terms of use and attribution httpcreativecommonsorglicensesby40

Story AttributionThis story Bulli and the Tiger is written by Shalini Reys copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license

Other CreditsBulli and the Tiger has been published on StoryWeaver by Pratham Books The development and production of this book has been supported by Sapphira KevinaMarie and Vijay Goradia wwwprathambooksorg

Illustration AttributionsCover page People looking towards an animal and peacocks by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 licensePage 2 A girl stretching over a mat by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 3 A hen and herchicks by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 4 A woman holding a pan to winnow grains byNankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 5 A house made of bamboo with a path leading down fromit by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 7 Two birds in the bushes by Nankusia Shyam copyPratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 8 Background with abstract art in cornerv by Nankusia Shyam copy PrathamBooks 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 10 Two faces staring into the sky by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Somerights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 12 A bamboo basket in the corner by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reservedReleased under CC BY 40 license Page 13 Hands weaving a basket by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40license Page 14 Background with abstract art in the corner by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license

She had just replaced the dao andwas handing the fish to Aai withsome excuse about being so latewhen they heard the gate openPita was back from Guwahati Hewas smiling

The family crowded round himeager to hear the news lsquoWe founda dealer in the city willing to sell usbamboo at the old price if webought a large enough quantityrsquohe said happily lsquoSo we orderedenough for all the basket weaversTheyrsquoll be sending a trucktomorrowrsquo

30

Bulli was bursting to tell her own story So amid all the excitement withoutbeing asked she announced to no one in particular lsquoAloka and I met a tigerin the jungle todayrsquo

Everybody laughed lsquoDonrsquot be sillyrsquo said Shanti in her best older-sister tonelsquoThere arenrsquot any tigers here any morersquo

Bulli looked at her grandpa He didnrsquot say anything But behind thespectacles she saw the wink and smiled Koka knew

31

About the illustrations

The art of the Pardhan-Gond tribals of the Dindori Valley in Mandla Madhya Pradesh usestonal and contrasting colour blocks built up from dotted sections The artists paint treesshrubs birds and animals in a powerful and lyrical way Gond art is usually executed on theoutside walls of the mud huts of the people

32

This book was made possible by Pratham Books StoryWeaver platform Content under CreativeCommons licenses can be downloaded translated and can even be used to create new stories ‐provided you give appropriate credit and indicate if changes were made To know more about thisand the full terms of use and attribution please visit the following link

Disclaimer httpswwwstoryweaverorginterms_and_conditions

Some rights reserved This book is CC -BY -40 licensed You can copy modify distributeand perform the work even for commercial purposes all without asking permissionFor full terms of use and attribution httpcreativecommonsorglicensesby40

Story AttributionThis story Bulli and the Tiger is written by Shalini Reys copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license

Other CreditsBulli and the Tiger has been published on StoryWeaver by Pratham Books The development and production of this book has been supported by Sapphira KevinaMarie and Vijay Goradia wwwprathambooksorg

Illustration AttributionsCover page People looking towards an animal and peacocks by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 licensePage 2 A girl stretching over a mat by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 3 A hen and herchicks by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 4 A woman holding a pan to winnow grains byNankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 5 A house made of bamboo with a path leading down fromit by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 7 Two birds in the bushes by Nankusia Shyam copyPratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 8 Background with abstract art in cornerv by Nankusia Shyam copy PrathamBooks 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 10 Two faces staring into the sky by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Somerights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 12 A bamboo basket in the corner by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reservedReleased under CC BY 40 license Page 13 Hands weaving a basket by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40license Page 14 Background with abstract art in the corner by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license

Bulli was bursting to tell her own story So amid all the excitement withoutbeing asked she announced to no one in particular lsquoAloka and I met a tigerin the jungle todayrsquo

Everybody laughed lsquoDonrsquot be sillyrsquo said Shanti in her best older-sister tonelsquoThere arenrsquot any tigers here any morersquo

Bulli looked at her grandpa He didnrsquot say anything But behind thespectacles she saw the wink and smiled Koka knew

31

About the illustrations

The art of the Pardhan-Gond tribals of the Dindori Valley in Mandla Madhya Pradesh usestonal and contrasting colour blocks built up from dotted sections The artists paint treesshrubs birds and animals in a powerful and lyrical way Gond art is usually executed on theoutside walls of the mud huts of the people

32

This book was made possible by Pratham Books StoryWeaver platform Content under CreativeCommons licenses can be downloaded translated and can even be used to create new stories ‐provided you give appropriate credit and indicate if changes were made To know more about thisand the full terms of use and attribution please visit the following link

Disclaimer httpswwwstoryweaverorginterms_and_conditions

Some rights reserved This book is CC -BY -40 licensed You can copy modify distributeand perform the work even for commercial purposes all without asking permissionFor full terms of use and attribution httpcreativecommonsorglicensesby40

Story AttributionThis story Bulli and the Tiger is written by Shalini Reys copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license

Other CreditsBulli and the Tiger has been published on StoryWeaver by Pratham Books The development and production of this book has been supported by Sapphira KevinaMarie and Vijay Goradia wwwprathambooksorg

Illustration AttributionsCover page People looking towards an animal and peacocks by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 licensePage 2 A girl stretching over a mat by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 3 A hen and herchicks by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 4 A woman holding a pan to winnow grains byNankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 5 A house made of bamboo with a path leading down fromit by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 7 Two birds in the bushes by Nankusia Shyam copyPratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 8 Background with abstract art in cornerv by Nankusia Shyam copy PrathamBooks 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 10 Two faces staring into the sky by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Somerights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 12 A bamboo basket in the corner by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reservedReleased under CC BY 40 license Page 13 Hands weaving a basket by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40license Page 14 Background with abstract art in the corner by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license

About the illustrations

The art of the Pardhan-Gond tribals of the Dindori Valley in Mandla Madhya Pradesh usestonal and contrasting colour blocks built up from dotted sections The artists paint treesshrubs birds and animals in a powerful and lyrical way Gond art is usually executed on theoutside walls of the mud huts of the people

32

This book was made possible by Pratham Books StoryWeaver platform Content under CreativeCommons licenses can be downloaded translated and can even be used to create new stories ‐provided you give appropriate credit and indicate if changes were made To know more about thisand the full terms of use and attribution please visit the following link

Disclaimer httpswwwstoryweaverorginterms_and_conditions

Some rights reserved This book is CC -BY -40 licensed You can copy modify distributeand perform the work even for commercial purposes all without asking permissionFor full terms of use and attribution httpcreativecommonsorglicensesby40

Story AttributionThis story Bulli and the Tiger is written by Shalini Reys copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license

Other CreditsBulli and the Tiger has been published on StoryWeaver by Pratham Books The development and production of this book has been supported by Sapphira KevinaMarie and Vijay Goradia wwwprathambooksorg

Illustration AttributionsCover page People looking towards an animal and peacocks by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 licensePage 2 A girl stretching over a mat by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 3 A hen and herchicks by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 4 A woman holding a pan to winnow grains byNankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 5 A house made of bamboo with a path leading down fromit by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 7 Two birds in the bushes by Nankusia Shyam copyPratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 8 Background with abstract art in cornerv by Nankusia Shyam copy PrathamBooks 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 10 Two faces staring into the sky by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Somerights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 12 A bamboo basket in the corner by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reservedReleased under CC BY 40 license Page 13 Hands weaving a basket by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40license Page 14 Background with abstract art in the corner by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license

This book was made possible by Pratham Books StoryWeaver platform Content under CreativeCommons licenses can be downloaded translated and can even be used to create new stories ‐provided you give appropriate credit and indicate if changes were made To know more about thisand the full terms of use and attribution please visit the following link

Disclaimer httpswwwstoryweaverorginterms_and_conditions

Some rights reserved This book is CC -BY -40 licensed You can copy modify distributeand perform the work even for commercial purposes all without asking permissionFor full terms of use and attribution httpcreativecommonsorglicensesby40

Story AttributionThis story Bulli and the Tiger is written by Shalini Reys copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license

Other CreditsBulli and the Tiger has been published on StoryWeaver by Pratham Books The development and production of this book has been supported by Sapphira KevinaMarie and Vijay Goradia wwwprathambooksorg

Illustration AttributionsCover page People looking towards an animal and peacocks by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 licensePage 2 A girl stretching over a mat by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 3 A hen and herchicks by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 4 A woman holding a pan to winnow grains byNankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 5 A house made of bamboo with a path leading down fromit by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 7 Two birds in the bushes by Nankusia Shyam copyPratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 8 Background with abstract art in cornerv by Nankusia Shyam copy PrathamBooks 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 10 Two faces staring into the sky by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Somerights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 12 A bamboo basket in the corner by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reservedReleased under CC BY 40 license Page 13 Hands weaving a basket by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40license Page 14 Background with abstract art in the corner by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license

This book was made possible by Pratham Books StoryWeaver platform Content under CreativeCommons licenses can be downloaded translated and can even be used to create new stories ‐provided you give appropriate credit and indicate if changes were made To know more about thisand the full terms of use and attribution please visit the following link

Disclaimer httpswwwstoryweaverorginterms_and_conditions

Some rights reserved This book is CC -BY -40 licensed You can copy modify distributeand perform the work even for commercial purposes all without asking permissionFor full terms of use and attribution httpcreativecommonsorglicensesby40

Illustration AttributionsPage 15 A bamboo house top by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 16 Sea creatures andpeople together in the water by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 17 A big creature withpeople and peacocks by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 18 A blue sky by Nankusia Shyamcopy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 20 A bird on a bamboo stalk by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 22 Two fish in the ocean by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Releasedunder CC BY 40 license Page 23 Animals and birds among bamboos by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40license Page 24 Deer and birds among bamboos by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 27 Asnake twirled around a tree stem by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 28 An animal stickingout its head from the bushes by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 29 A creature sticking outits head from the trees by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 30 Two girls in a forest with asnake by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license

This book was made possible by Pratham Books StoryWeaver platform Content under CreativeCommons licenses can be downloaded translated and can even be used to create new stories ‐provided you give appropriate credit and indicate if changes were made To know more about thisand the full terms of use and attribution please visit the following link

Disclaimer httpswwwstoryweaverorginterms_and_conditions

Some rights reserved This book is CC -BY -40 licensed You can copy modify distributeand perform the work even for commercial purposes all without asking permissionFor full terms of use and attribution httpcreativecommonsorglicensesby40

Illustration AttributionsPage 31 Two people carrying things by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license Page 32 A bamboobasket in the corner by Nankusia Shyam copy Pratham Books 2010 Some rights reserved Released under CC BY 40 license

This is a Level 4 book for children who can read fluently and with confidence

(English)Bulli and the Tiger

Bulli is a little girl growing up in Assam in a basket-weaversrsquocommunity When the bamboo suppliers threaten to raise the rates andput their whole village in jeopardy Bulli knows she has to find otherways of finding bamboo even if it means facing the legendary tigerShalini Reysrsquos adventure-filled story is illustrated by Nankusiya Shyamin the Gond style

Pratham Books goes digital to weave a whole new chapter in the realm of multilingual childrens stories Knitting together children authors illustrators andpublishers Folding in teachers and translators To create a rich fabric of openly licensed multilingual stories for the children of India and the world Our uniqueonline platform StoryWeaver is a playground where children parents teachers and librarians can get creative Come start weaving today and help us get abook in every childs hand