Animal story : Owl and ocelot

Th Apao *

As I write this article, it reminds me of immemorial relation and friendship between hill people and valley people, namely the Naga ancestors and Meitei ancestors. They have few exchange of goods and relationship were cordial. When Hill people come, Maharaja received them as guest and vice versa for their travel shelter and food.

There was perhaps invasion and rebellion from time to time but it was just a formal status. There was not ugly things like nowadays, for instance like recent event. There was peace and security to all— whether he comes up or he goes down— but in present scenario, it seems some hungerness is between us.

If our relation move apart, one day our brotherhood and sisterhood is ending and our descendants will live in perpetual hatred to one another and leave stigma as in below story.

"In the days when many mystery and unanswerable events were taking place, Owl and Ocelot (Felis pardalis, a kind of wild cat with black marks on its fur) was best chum ever among different lineage. As though they are supposed to be making friend with own kind; Owl and Ocelot was befriended as they have similarities in their food habit as they have carnivorous diet, nocturnal in nature, swiftness in hunting prey; almost without missing as they both have sharp claws and powerful beak in Owl and fangs in Ocelot. As a rule, they always share equally whether Ocelot grasp or Owl snatch their prey.

One fine moonlit night, they go hunting and scrouged all over the forest they lived so long in abound but unlucky though Owl fly and spied above also Ocelot twirled around to get something to eat; they find nothing. Owl suggest that he should fly to farmers barn; for perhaps he may find even a mouse.

Ocelot agreed and waited making fire to roast the hunted meat and eat in most delicious way. On the other hand Owl found his prey as soon as he reached the farmer's barn. He lose no time to swoop down and clutched between his strong and powerful claws.

Contented heart he hold the rat: bigger than he expected to find, fly to Ocelot where the fire then leaping high. Ocelot was delighted to see what his friend brought and then he began to slip out some words of appreciation and value of friend as Owl can fly height and fast.

As they were roasting the rat, Ocelot began to explain that it is the culture of hunter that the head of hunted animal goes to the person who killed it. Owl does not agree as the head are bony and he did not liked due to other reason. While Ocelot — not exception from cat family — say that he should not have the head since they have culture to offer head of any kill to their Supreme deity as a sacrifice.

The disagreement was hot and endless since they are hungry as there is a saying, " Hungry man is an angry man."

Their argument become so intense that Owl out of anger took ember and beat his very friend Ocelot that Ocelot body was full of marks in black over his plain brownish fur as before beaten. In retaliation, Ocelot using all his might and courage slap Owl's face that broke Owl neck and head swing upto two hundred and seventy degree (270°). Thus, their long promising friendship ends on that day itself.

This is how the strong bond of friendship end and leave an ' evocative legacy ' of their fights.

Even now, all the descendants of Ocelot have black marks over brownish fur; sometime beautiful as well as camouflage in their hunting and hiding. Whereas the descendants of Owl have fixed eyes yet they can turn their head 3/4 around. The usage of turning neck to extreme help them to see what is behind them or sideways."

The above story is author by me, it is very much fable in nature that even a young child will knew it as unrealistic and make up story to amuse them.

Infact, bird and terrestrial animal would never befriended like them even though they may have similar habit of living. But the idiot is here to point out that sometime our friendship goes as long as we are well-off in everything but brush off when our weakness are visible, when starvation occurred and strife for own guts, when illness befallen upon us saying that it was our fate and culture have its valid for our evil plight. Even a small spark can ignite and destroyed our long standing promise, trust and loyalty.