How Will Amma Live! Author: Jai Bhagwan Gupta Illustrator: Jai Bhagwan Gupta Translator: Smiti Gandhi

Amma was an old woman. She loved eating sweets. One day she really  felt like eating a laddoo. So, she sat down in the courtyard of her house and started making laddoos. In the courtyard was a big tree.  On top of the tree sat a crow named Kag.

When Kag saw the laddoos his mouth started watering. He swooped down, grabbed a laddoo in his beak, and flew to a tree branch. Amma ran after him, but couldn't catch him.  She called out, "Kag, oh Kag, give me back my laddoo!" But Kag shook his head. Kag won't return the laddoo, How will Amma live!

Amma told the tree, "Shake, shake tree! Make Kag fall." The tree said "Amma, I can't do that!". Arrree! Tree won't drop Kag, Kag won't return the laddoo, How will Amma live!

Amma went to the carpenter and said, "Carpenter, Carpenter, cut that tree. It won't shake and drop Kag." The carpenter said "Amma, I can't cut a tree for no reason." Arrree! Carpenter won't cut the tree, Tree won't drop Kag, Kag won't return the laddoo, How will Amma live!

So Amma went to the King, "King, King, punish that carpenter. He won't cut the tree." The King didn't understand anything Amma was saying and refused to listen to her. Uffff! King won't punish the carpenter, Carpenter won't cut the tree, Tree won't drop Kag, Kag won't return the laddo, How will Amma live!

Annoyed, Amma went to the Queen, "Queen, Queen, get upset with the King. He is not listening to me." The Queen said, "Why should I get upset with the King? He still listens to me."Uffff! Queen won't get upset with the King, King won't punish the carpenter, Carpenter won't cut the tree, Tree won't drop Kag, Kag won't return the laddoo, How will Amma live!

Now Amma was starting to get angry. She went to the snake. "Snake, Snake, go bite the queen." "Why should I bite the Queen? She has not harmed me," replied the snake. "I'm not going to do this." Oh!

Snake won't bite the Queen, Queen won't get upset with the King, King won't punish the carpenter, Carpenter won't cut the tree, Tree won't drop Kag, Kag won't return the laddoo, How will Amma live!

Then Amma went to the stick and said "Stick, Stick, you must beat the snake." But the stick replied "Amma, I'm very busy right now. I don't have any time at all." Arrree!

Stick won't beat the snake, Snake won't bite the Queen, Queen won't get upset with the King, King won't punish the carpenter, Carpenter won't cut the tree, Tree won't drop Kag, Kag won't return the laddoo, How will Amma live!

Then Amma went to the rope and said, "Rope, Rope, you must tie up that stick." The rope coiled up even tighter and replied, "Amma, I'm resting right now. I don't feel like doing anything at all. Maybe later." Oh!

Rope won't tie the stick, Stick won't beat the snake, Snake won't bite the Queen, Queen won't get upset with the King, King won't punish the carpenter, Carpenter won't cut the tree, Tree won't drop Kag, Kag won't return the laddoo, How will Amma live!

Then Amma went to the mouse to asked him to chew the rope, but the mouse was fast asleep. Amma shook him, and shook him, but the mouse would not wake up.

Mouse won't chew the rope, Rope won't tie the stick, Stick won't beat the snake, Snake won't bite the Queen, Queen won't get upset with the King, King won't punish the carpenter, Carpenter won't cut the tree, Tree won't drop Kag, Kag won't return the laddoo, How will Amma live!

By now Amma was very tired, angry, and upset, but she would not give up. She went to the cat and asked, "Cat, Cat, do you want to eat a mouse?" The cat jumped up happily, "Yes, Yes, I would love to eat a mouse! Where is it?" All of a sudden, everyone started hurrying and scurrying!

The mouse heard the cat coming and ran to chew the rope. The rope saw the mouse coming and said "No matter how busy I am, Amma I will do your work first." As soon as the stick heard this, she ran to beat the snake. The snake saw the stick and said, "Why are you coming to beat me? See I'm going right now to bite the queen."

The Queen was so scared of the snake that she got upset with the King right  away. The King saw the upset Queen and sent his soldiers to punish the carpenter. The carpenter saw the King's soldiers and ran to cut the tree. The tree saw the carpenter coming and started shaking with fear.

Kag realized what was happening. He opened his mouth and cried "Oh No!" The laddoo fell from his beak and landed straight in the pallu of Amma's sari. Amma finally got her laddoo back. And Kag thought... Amma won't give the laddoo, How will Kag live...