"We can't just leave them here!"

As the four cubs were following Mum Lioness and Med Tiger back to the cave from the scene of Arunachala excavation and tree-felling, they soon came upon a sad group -- the monkeys and the little deer and the beaver whom the rhinos had persuaded to leave the site of destruction.

Med Rhino and Junior, who had been begging his father to ask Mum Lioness if he could play with the cubses, came along behind them.

The displaced creatures looked shocked, as if the loss of their home had left them in a daze.

"Those are the ones we saw earlier," Junior explained to the cubs. "They were almost being run over."

"Where will you go?" Tirucub asked the creatures.

The monkeys and the beaver all shrugged. The little deer began to cry again.

"We can't just leave them here, Mum Lioness," said Arunacub. "Imagine how you would feel if someone crushed our cave to bits!"

"You are right," said Mum Lioness. She addressed the hungry-looking creatures. "Please come back with us. The cubses are very good cooks and will make you lunch."

The creatures' spirits picked up a bit at the thought of a cub-made lunch and they all walked back to the cave together.

The cubses made large quantities of delicious rotis, dripping with butter and honey.

"We have never had these before!" exclaimed the monkeys in approving tones. "What is that little cart for? Why are you putting food in there?"

"Oh, this is Uncle Annamalai's lunch," said Spotty, gently packing in supplies. " We must just dash down and take it to him. We'll be back soon."

Quite soon the cubs were back, and further rounds of rotis were cooked. The monkeys pretended they had only had one each, when really they had had five each, but this was overlooked, because no one knew how long it had been since they had last had a meal. Buttermlk and bananas were also served. The monkeys pulled the same trick, quickly eating their bananas and then acting as if they had been waiting patiently, but no one had given them one yet. Stripes observed this, wishing he could pull off such a thing. He went about, cleaning the honey off all the cubs paws.

Then it was time to discuss what was to become of the creatures.



"It is quite pleasant on this side of the HIll," said the beaver. "Perhaps I can build my home over here."

"Yes," said Tirucub. "We can show you a perfect spot."

"Monkeys," said Mum Lioness, "no one is living in that tall tree beside our cave. Does it seem suitable?"

Still licking honey from their wrists, the monkeys agreed that it seemed quite ideal.

"But no very early chattering," said Mum Lioness sternly.

"Oh no!" they said, as if the very idea were shocking.

"The little deer must live with us until we find her fambly," said Omcub.

The deer looked over at the cub with a look of such love that Omcub added, "Praps your whole fambly might want to move into our cave when we find them."

For the first time since the huge thundering machines had turned the little deer's life upside down, she smiled.

Just then Unca Krishnamoorthy came zooming along.

"There's a rumour going around the hill that the displaced monkeys are gathering over here. I see it's quite true! ... This little one got separated from the others."



Tirucub rolled his eyes theatrically and hit his forehead with his paw. "Time to prepare another round of rotis!"

"Can we try them?" asked all the monkeys at once. "We've never even tried rotis. What are they like?"

Omcub and Spotty and Arunacub looked at each other, trying to keep straight faces, but soon iksploded with laughter.