A - TOON MOON JUNGLE TAILOR

TOON MOON JUNGLE TAILOR

This is the beautiful TOON MOON JUNGLE. So many different kinds of
animals, birds and water animals live here. All of them are very
friendly with each other. They help each other in their needs. The
jungle is very beautiful, there is greenery all around, there can be
found in it small and big trees, tall grasses, shrubs and bushes all of
which house the animals. Natural springs flow down the mountain slopes
as streams and the water is crystal clear. These jungle creatures love
and respect each other and all of them live peacefully and harmoniously
in this TOON MOON JUNGLE.

It was a very cold afternoon. A group of animals of this jungle sat
under a big shady tree and were chatting among themselves. In that
group were----- Fleet Feet Rabbit, Crunchy Munchy Rat, Sly Wly Fox,
Trunky Tusky Elephant, Billy Willy Bear, Horny Bull, Tally Wally
Giraffe, Flighty Eagle, Smally Sparrow and Jumpy Monkey.

Suddenly, Jumpy Monkey got up and climbed up the tree and sat on one of
its tallest branch. He had a ripe fruit in his hand and was eating it.
It seemed he was very hungry and also relished his food. After
finishing his meal, he scratched his head and sat quietly for sometime.
Then suddenly Jumpy came down and said, "Recently I saw a man in such a
beautiful and colourful dress. He looked so nice in his clothes. Now,
we animals should also start wearing colourful dresses and look smart
and decent like them.

Fleet Feet Rabbit was nibbling at some carrots. He stopped nibbling and
said, "But who will make clothes for us?"

Jumpy replied, "Leave all that to me. Very soon I will set up my
tailoring shop and stitch clothes for all jungle friends. But first let
me learn the art of tailoring."

"From where will you learn to make clothes," asked Crunchy
Munchy.

"Leave all that to me and wait for sometime and see what happens then."
So saying Jumpy went away towards the east

Jumpy was not seen in Toon Moon Jungle for the next fifteen days. Jumpy
spent those fifteen precious days in the town of Meru.He sat on a tree
and constantly watched the tailor at work at 'Raj Tailors'. He watched
the tailor at work and at the same time observed, how the tailor master
had the measuring tape hung round his neck, scissors in hand, cutting
and sewing. As soon as he felt his tailoring lessons were over, he went
back to Toon Moon Jungle, the place where he lived. Under the huge
banyan tree, Jumpy opened his tailoring shop named 'Jumpy
Tailors'.

On the inaugural day, Jumpy invited all his jungle friends. Sheru the
Lion was the chief guest who cut the ribbon for the inauguration of
'Jumpy Tailors'. What a gala opening it was. In the last line of his
speech Jumpy said, "Now I am competent enough to make dresses for you
all. You get your piece of cloth and see how well I can stitch dresses
for you. Hope you all trust me".

The first customer of 'Jumpy Tailors' was Mrs. Petite Rabbit. She had
brought a cloth with colourful floral designs. After taking her
measurements, Jumpy told her to collect her dress the next day. Jumpy
was busy the whole day in his cutting and stitching work.

The next morning, out stepped Petite Rabbit from Jumpy's shop. She was
wearing a beautiful dress and a cap with frills and a beautiful
baby-ribbon bow. She walked out, full of vanity, showing off her gait
and poise. She walked down the road very gracefully. There were
wonderous stares at her from the other animals. There were also
whispers among those starers????one of them said, "She looks so sweet
and beautiful". Someone else spoke out, "Jumpy is really a good tailor.
I also want to look beautiful in a beautiful dress. Let me rush off and
get my cloth."

Next day Crunchy Munchy Rat came to Jumpy with a colourful piece of
cloth. Jumpy delivered Crunchy's dress and beautiful cap the same
evening. Soon queuing started at Jumpy's shop. He was getting a lot of
order. He made clothes for Fleet Feet Rabbit, Sly Wly Fox, Billy Willy
Bear, Tally Wally Giraffe and many others. The birds came, only to
stitch their bonnets which had frills and laces and baby-ribbon bows.
Jumpy made dresses for himself from the left out pieces. He took pain
to design his multi-coloured patchwork dress in which he looked more
like a clown.

Trunky Tusky Elephant had not thought about a dress for himself. Now
his interest rose, and at last he came to 'Jumpy Tailors' with his
brightly coloured cloth. Trunky was so huge in size that Jumpy could
not take his measurement all by himself. Just then Billy Bear was
passing by. Jumpy called out, "Billy please help me a little." With
Billy's help he took Trunky's measurement. He told Trunky to collect
his dress after three days. Sheru Lion was also passing by just then.
He called out to Jumpy and said, "Will you make a dress for me." Jumpy
said, "Of course, get your cloth and give it to me. I will take your
measurements and sew you dress." Sheru hurried off and got his piece of
cloth and gave Jumpy his measurements. Jumpy became very busy with his
work. He sat for three days with his cutting and stitching to complete
his order. The delivery date for the dresses of Trunky and Sheru fell
on the same day.

That day, in the morning, Trunky walked down to Jumpy's shop. Jumpy
helped him to put on his new dress. Trunky was very happy. But as soon
as Trunky lifted his trunk and started trumpeting, a noise could be
heard. O God! Trunky's dress was tearing out. At first Trunky was not
aware of the tearing and bursting up of his dress. The moment he
realised this, he was mad with rage. Jumpy was very frightened and
tried to console Trunky saying, "Trunky dear, don't be annoyed, I will
mend your dress to perfection." But in vain. Trunky was not ready to
listen to anything but went on trumpeting with rage.

Jumpy's luck did not favour him that day. Just then Sheru came to
collect his dress. Seeing the commotion, he was stunned for a while.
Seeing Sheru, Jumpy came forward and handed him his dress and also
helped him to put it on. But lo! Luck was not on Jumpy's side that day.
Sheru's dress was too small for him and he was not able to wear it.
Sheru started roaring in anger. Jumpy tried to console him by
saying---"Sheru, I will get a new piece of cloth and stitch a new dress
for you." But neither Sheru nor Trunky were ready to listen to
Jumpy.

By now Jumpy knew that these two would kill him if he stayed any longer
before them. Quickly he jumped away and climbed up the tallest branch
of the banyan tree and was away from their reach. On the other hand,
Sheru was heard saying, "Put an end to your tailoring, Jumpy. You are
unable to stitch clothes for me, who is the King of this Toon Moon
Jungle. I will not allow you to make clothes for anybody else." Trunky
said, "I will break down your shop and that will be the end of 'Jumpy
Tailors'." So saying Trunky went on the rampage of Jumpy's shop and
totally broke it down.

When the tempers calmed down a bit, Jumpy descended from the tall
branch and knelt down before Sheru and Trunky. Jumpy was weeping and
in-between sobs he said, "Please forgive me, I will never stitch
clothes in my life. I will live my carefree jungle life and be happy. I
don't want any commotion and confusion among us. I want that all of us
should live happily and peacefully in Toon Moon Jungle."

Sheru and Trunky Tusky forgave Jumpy. Sheru was the King of Toon Moon
Jungle. He gave orders to all the animals of his Jungle to assemble at
his Meeting Hall in the evening. At the gathering Sheru spoke in a
grave tone. He said, "Friends of my Jungle, I don't want that we should
imitate others and change our style and culture. From today onwards, no
animal of my jungle is to adorn himself in clothes but live in the way
that we have been living till now. Hope you all have heard what I said
and obey my commands. You may now go back to your houses."

The animals of the Toon Moon Jungle realised that nature's lap was
their home. They continued to live together, very happily and
harmoniously in their beautiful natural surrounding. They also felt
that they belonged to a Kingdom of their own---------their very own
Animal Kingdom.

Remember: Imitation is not bad but imitate that which suits you and is
helpful for you.