Tin Tin and the Jambu Tree
Tin Tin the squirrel went on a trip and returned home after a few days. His house was inside a hollow branch. Tin Tin looked out of his tiny window. He was happy to be back home and it felt good to look around at his usual neighbourhood. “But wait, what is this?” The squirrel jumped out of his bed and peeped out of his window.
There was a new tree standing tall, not too far from his home.
Tin Tin was sure that he had never seen this tree before. It had shiny red bulb-like fruits. “What is this tree?” thought Tin Tin. “How did it suddenly appear near my house?” Tin Tin went near it and slowly climbed a branch of this unknown tree.
There was already a bird, a Barbet, sitting on the tree and pecking at a red fruit. “I was not at home for a few days and while I was away, this tree had suddenly appeared here,” said the squirrel looking very surprised.
The Barbet laughed. “This tree was always here but it never bore fruits before. Maybe that’s why you never noticed it,” said the Barbet.
“Oh!” said Tin Tin suddenly remembering that the Rose-apple (Jambu) tree had in fact always been there. Only he never knew that it would bear such shiny red fruits. He took a bite. The fruit was crunchy; just how squirrels liked it.
“What are these called?” Tin Tin asked the Barbet.
“Jambu,” replied the Barbet. “If this tree wasn’t so well hidden amongst the other trees, everyone would see it because it looks so red with all these fruit.”
Tin Tin was not too happy to hear that. “If everyone sees it, the fruit will finish very soon,” he thought.
“This tree is right next to my home. So I am the rightful owner of this tree.” Tin Tin told the Barbet. “So don’t tell the others. If everyone comes here, you and I won’t have enough Jambu for ourselves.”
“But there are so many fruits on this tree. It’s much more than what you and I could eat,” said the Barbet.
“Then let them be on the tree,” said Tin Tin sounding angry, “I don’t want everyone to know about this.”
The next morning Tin Tin went to the Jambu tree for breakfast. There were more red fruit than the day before. He ate as much as he could. The Barbet also came. Tin Tin didn’t like that. “Please don’t eat a lot,” said Tin Tin, “otherwise
it will all finish soon.”
“But there is such a lot. I was thinking of bringing some friends over,” said the Barbet.
“Don’t bring anyone here. No one else is allowed on this tree. If you bring anyone I will stop you also from coming,” warned the squirrel.
Everyday Tin Tin ate as many fruits as he could, whenever he felt hungry. The Barbet also came a few times a day and Tin Tin didn’t like that. All the fruits on the tree were bright red and ripe by now. But Tin Tin didn’t want to share the Jambu with anyone at all.
Then one morning, Tin Tin woke up and looked out the window. “I must go quickly and have my Jambu breakfast,” he thought. But he couldn’t see the Jambu tree from his window. “Where is the Jambu tree? Where has it disappeared to?” thought the squirrel feeling shocked.
He ran out quickly. There was the Jambu tree standing where it always was. But it was not red anymore. None of the Jambu fruits were there to be seen. Not even a single one. The tree looked barren with empty branches.
“That Barbet,” said Tin Tin grinding his teeth angrily. “He must have come early in the morning with all of his friends and finished off all the fruits.”
The little squirrel was shivering with anger. Just then the Barbet flew in and sat on a branch. “Why are you back?” shouted Tin Tin. “You and your friends finished all the fruits.”
The Barbet looked surprised. “I didn’t come before,” he said. “I just woke up and came here for my breakfast.”
“Liar,” shouted Tin Tin. “You must have come with your friends earlier, before I woke up. How else could all the fruits that were here yesterday vanish by today morning?”
“I don’t know,” said the Barbet. “Only you and I know about this tree. Where did all the fruits vanish into?”
“They all vanished into your stomach,” shouted the squirrel.
The Barbet also got angry. “You have gone mad,” he screamed, “I didn’t even come here before you.”
“Why are you two shouting early morning?” asked the Owl who was sleeping on a branch next to the Jambu tree. He was annoyed because his sleep was disturbed.
“I am shouting because all the Jambu fruits are missing and I know that it was the Barbet who ate them all with his friends,” shouted Tin Tin.
“No, I did not,” shouted the Barbet even louder.
“Well, did you two look down?” asked the Owl in a sarcastic tone. Both Tin Tin and the Barbet looked down. It looked like a red carpet below the tree. The ground was covered with fallen Jambu fruit. “When the Jambu fruit get very ripe, they fall off easily, even for the slightest shake. Last night’s wind and rain has made all the fruits fall to the ground,” said the Owl and went back to sleep.
Tin Tin looked embarrassed. “Maybe we should have looked around before we started fighting,” said the Barbet.
“I am sorry. I shouldn’t have suspected you,” said Tin Tin. “Look, there are small white Jambu flowers on the branches. When the next batch of Jambu fruit ripen I will let you bring your friends and eat as much as you want.”