Read Tikkipala for Free Online Page B

she used to read together.

Chapter 3
    â€˜When you are grown up you must never shout,’ Sangita told Anwar. ‘Because the sound of grownup men shouting angrily is horrible and scares everything away. Even the birds fly off when they hear angry shouting.’
    â€˜I know. Papa told me that I must never shout at my pony because that’s not the right way for riders to act and Papa knows about everything.’
    The pony arrived in the middle of the following day. Anwar, who had been waiting at the front gates since early morning, and whose eyes stung with so much peering into the distance, began to scream with joy when he saw the dust cloud sent up by the arriving lorry.
    It was half an hour before the lorry came into sight. A tiny labouring beetle of a vehicle, straining almost silently up the steepness of the winding mountain road. Round bend after bend went the dust cloud, while the little boy shook with anticipation.
    Then suddenly, it was there and the malis came and directed the driver to the earth bank they had cut to the height of the back of the lorry, so that the pony could be unloaded.
    The back of the lorry was opened.
    There followed long, exciting moments during which it seemed that someone inside was trying to persuade the pony to come out. Then a bustling white body came hurtling out in a toss of flaring tail and mane.
    The Raja had to hold Anwar tightly, to prevent him from rushing up the bank and greeting his new pony.
    â€˜Wait a moment, my boy. Although I have checked its nature as far as possible, we still do not know everything about this animal. I can see a wild look in its eyes which concerns me somewhat.’
    â€˜Ruby isn’t wild, she’s just happy about getting here,’ said Anwar later, as he and his father stood at the stable door watching the syce rub the pony down.
    â€˜This is a male pony, Anwar,’ said the Raja. ‘And Ruby is a female name.’
    â€˜He’s happy about getting here,’ corrected the boy.
    â€˜Also a ruby is red, and your pony is white.’
    â€˜Ever since you showed me the ruby in your collection, I have decided that I am going to call my horse after it, because it is the reddest and beautifullest thing.’
    â€˜Most red and most beautiful,’ corrected the Raja. He smiled proudly and added, ‘I can see you are going to be a geologist when you are grown up. Already you have the enthusiasm.’
    â€˜I am going to be a soldier,’ cried Anwar. ‘And I’m going to gallop round the country with a spear in my hand, killing people and doing angry shouting.’
    â€˜When can I ride him, when can I ride him?’ the little boy kept asking at ten minute intervals for the rest of the day.
    â€˜Let him have a rest and settle down first,’ said the Raja. Then to the groom, ‘Are you sure this is the animal we purchased last week, Hari? It seems larger and a little wilder than I remembered. I sincerely hope we have not been tricked.’
    â€˜It is the very same, Sahib. He is just a little nervous after his long journey and because of being in the new place. I will take him for a long walk this evening and talk Urdu to him, which is the language of horses. By tomorrow he will be soothed.’
    â€˜Me too, me too,’ cried Anwar. ‘I want to talk Urdu to Ruby.’
    That evening, with the Raja walking ahead to make sure the way was clear, Anwar ran alongside the led pony, pleading and begging. ‘Just let me sit on her back for a moment, Hari. I can’t wait till morning.’
    â€˜She hasn’t got a saddle on, baby sahib.’
    â€˜I don’t mind,’ cried the boy. ‘I can ride bare back if you give me a leg up.’
    â€˜Is this alright, Raja sahib?’ asked the syce.
    â€˜So long as you don’t leave go of him,’ said the Raja. ‘Keep a tight hand on his mouth, and you, Anwar, grip well with your legs, and hold onto the mane so you