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The Frog and the Nightingale



Bingle Bog became silent instantly. All the animals and birds were stunned into silence by a strange music. They were all used to the croaking of the bullfrog so far. The frog croaked away day and night and called it ‘The Voice of the Heart’. The frog considered himself the King of the Bog.

It was then that the nightingale appeared on the banyan tree and started singing. The nightingale soon became a sensation in the Bog. All the animals and birds gravitated towards the banyan tree to listen to the nightingale’s songs.

“You sing quite well, you know,” the Frog said to the Nightingale when the singing stopped.

“Oh, thank you so much,” said the Nightingale. “It’s so kind of you.”

“You know me?” Frog was a little surprised in spite of himself. He had come wearing his latest suit gifted by a bhakt. His name was embossed in gold on the coat.

“Oh, who doesn’t know you ji?” Nightingale said without concealing her admiration. “You are the great king of this Bog, the hero of heroes, the champion of champions, the warrior of warriors, the guardian of the Bog’s culture and tradition, the defender of its gods and totems...”

“I am also a connoisseur of music, you know.”

“Oh! Yet you say I sing well. I’m flattered ji. Thank you, thank you.”

“But your music lacks focus, you know. Without focus, music has no strength.”

Soon Frog became Nightingale’s instructor. Frog issued tickets to those who wished to listen to Nightingale. The price of the tickets went higher and higher day by day because of GST and Cess and Toll and whatever else that Frog chose to call it. “It is all for your future welfare,” Frog told the Bogians through his Voice of the Heart. The Bogians had immense faith in their king.

Nightingale sang different tunes under Frog’s instruction. Tunes with focus. But the Bogians began to lose interest in the new songs. They began to grumble on Facebook and WhatsApp and other social media.

Frog shouted at Nightingale. “You lousy bird! Your focus! Your focus!”

Frog taught Nightingale to focus. Day and night, Nightingale went through the yogic practices given by Frog. Day and night. Week after week.

Nightingale lost her voice finally. Lost her life.

She died.

‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’ posters emerged soon all over the Bog.

The Bogians once again got used to posters and slogans and Frog’s croaks.

PS. Inspired by Vikram Seth’s poem The Frog and the Nightingale.


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