“Ummm” Raghav looked Puzzled
“What?” Atul asked
“Did you look at this?” Raghav stretched his hand. He held a white feather of a bird in his hand. The feather was unusually big
“Ummm” Atul took the feather in his hand. Suddenly his face lit up
“Do you see this thin gold line on the feather” He asked Raghav
“Ummmmm” Raghav responded
“I had read somewhere” Atul continued without waiting for a confirmation “that these are special feathers.”
“Special?” Raghu was curious. He was always interested in such “special” stuff
“Its called a fairy-tail” Atul said still scanning the feather. The thin golden line ran along the edges of the pure white feather
“Fairy tale?”
“No! Fairy tail as in tail of a animal” Atul was excited “See the feather is supposed to be from the tail of a fairy”
“Fairies don’t have tail” Raghav laughed “Actually fairies don’t exist”
“If they don’t exist how come you are confident that they don’t have tails” Atul reasoned “They have tails like bird so that they can fly. Arre! Flying funda remains same everywhere”
“Well!” Raghav started to argue
“See! Now listen! See these fairies have rules that any part of their being should not fall in the hands of the humans” Atul was serious “They have to give you anything to get it back”
‘You are pulling my leg, aren’t you?”
“Fine! Don’t believe me but keep this with you and see if a fairy comes for it” Atul challenged
“I don’t believe it.” Raghav laughed “You are just making fun of me”
“Ok! Do whatever you want” Atul threw the feather on the ground and walked away in a huff
Raghav stood there looking at Atul go and then he looked at the feather on the ground. He stood there for a few minutes before picking up the feather and keeping it carefully in his book. He wanted the fairy to come.
Atul was looking at him hiding behind a tree. He was desperately trying to control his laughter.
Boy! He had a story to tell everybody!
===================================
Six Months later
“Hello” Atul picked up an unknown number
“Hi Atul, Raghav here”
“Hey Raghav! Long time no see How are you?”
“I am fine. How are you?”
“I am doing just fine”
“Hey! I called to invite you”
“Invitation? Getting married?” Atul teased
“No! Got married 1 month back. Could not call you. Sorry!” Raghav explained “But I just bought a 4 bedroom flat and a new car. So just inviting few friends”
“Got married? 4 bedroom flat? Car? What the hell have you been up to?”
“Oh! Nothing! You know same old. Just got a little lucky”
“You are hiding something from me? Come on! Out with it”
“Oh! Actually nothing great! Just lucky I guess!”
“Come on! I have been your buddy for so long! Tell me!”
“Ok! I guess I can tell you” Raghav relented “Actually it all because of your advice.”
“Advice? My advice?”
“Yes! That feather!” Raghav lowered his voice “That’s true. The fairy came and as you said, I asked money in exchange for her feather. She had no choice but to give me all that”
There was silence at the other end.
“Hello! Atul? Are you there?”
“Huh! Yes!” Atul recovered from the shock “Sorry! The fairy? She came? Fairy with a tail?”
“Oh! No! She did not have a tail. I told you. Just wings. But they cannot let humans have any part of their body. She had to give me what I wanted” Raghav beamed from the other side
There was silence on the other end again
“Hello? Atul?”
“Huh! Yes!” Atul had not recovered from the shock yet
“So I will be expecting you?” Raghav asked
“Yes! Oh! Yes! Sorry! I will certainly try to come! I have another call”
“Oh! Ok Sorry! I will call you back. And listen. Keep the secret with you. I have told people that my distant Uncle left his money for me. You know how people are? They will just laugh. Not everyone is helpful like you! You know!” Atul said “Ok! Buddy! See you then”
The phone went silent while Atul just stood there still trying to get in terms of the the conversation with Raghav
===============================================
“Ready?” Raghav’s wife asked as Raghav was keeping the phone down
“Oh! Yes!” Raghav smiled back “So did you decide the colors of the new curtains? I get bored in shopping”
“Almost” She looked around the house “One month back, I did not even imagine we would be sitting in such a big house. Your Uncle sure did leave a lot of property for you”
“You are my lucky charm” Raghav smiled at her. She blushed
“Who was on the phone?”
“Oh just an old friend. Talked to him after a long time”
“What did you talk about?” She asked
“Oh! Nothing! He always told me nice stories”
“Oh! So did he tell you one today?”
“No! Infact I told him a good one today”
“Story? You? Tell me one”
“Someday dear! Someday” Raghav smiled at her.
He placed the feather with the golden line in the book. It served as a good bookmark.
“Ready?” He asked his wife. She smiled back as they both left for the market.
====================================================
Alternate Ending
“Ready?” Raghav’s wife asked as Raghav was keeping the phone down
“Oh! Yes!” Raghav smiled back “So did you decide the colors of the new curtains? I get bored in shopping”
“Don’t worry! We will finish shopping in no time.”
“Who was on the phone?” She asked
“Oh just an old friend. Talked to him after a long time”
Raghav looked at his wife. She was really beautiful
“I feel so lucky to have you in my life” Raghav told her “I fell in love with you the first time I saw you, even with those wings. Thank God! They have disappeared”
“I love you too! I told you once I marry you, all the traces of me being a fairy vanishes and that includes the wings”
“That’s a relief”
“I was surprised that you asked me to marry you in exchange of my feather” She smiled “And it was so funny that you wanted to see my tail. Fairies don’t have tails”
“Somebody told me that” Raghav Sheepishly answered
“The same someone who told you to bargain with a fairy?” She asked again
Raghav nodded his head.
“I am lucky he did!” She smiled “Now lets go”
He held her hand as they walked out of their newly bought 4-bedroom flat. They walked toward the car parked in the building compound. The security guard at the building gate felt a strong wind against his face. Wind that blew because of fluttering of wings.
He saluted the couple still confused at the origin of the whiff of wind.
============================================================
Note: Inspired while seeing a billboard during morning journey to office. The billboard said “Fairy tale”. Played with the spelling of tale
Whatta imagination!! ๐ Ending one is nice ; leg pulling. The second one does not say how marrying a fairy get him all these luxuries; or is it bonus of marrying a fairy ? ๐ something like kissing the ugly frog who turns into princess !! ๐
But I liked the theme I can play around and create story for 5 year old niece ๐
brilliant imagination ๐ and great narration…
as of now I am confused, which ending is better ๐
BlueMist
Thank You
Thats the point! Once he gets the fairy, the fairy gets him everything. Get the hen which lays the golden egg. Not just the egg. ๐ After all she is the fairy
Kunal
Thank you! Sayb both are good ๐ It makes me feel better
– Punds
Well narrated and excellent imagination.
amazing!….i lykd both d endings!!