The Anaconda
Ginny was a new addition to the goose family in a swamp of the Amazon. Stags, zebras, lions elephants among others would come to swamp to quench their thirst. This was one of the swamps of the Amazon that never ran dry. There was also Crooky the crocodile that inhabited the swamp. It was a virtual paradise for the animals of the swamp as food was never scarce. Initially when Crooky was not all that enormous it would feed on the fish in the swamp that were aplenty. It was astonishing however to see the size to which it had grown just by feeding on the wide variety of fish in the swamp.
Gradually it started preying on a goose or two that strayed away from the flock. Ginny’s mother instructed Ginny to stay close to the flock surrounded by the older birds. Ginny did just that. Soon the attacks from the crocodile got regular and more frequent to a point where the geese no longer dared to venture into the swamp.
Crooky started to treat the swamp as its own personal territory. It started attacking even the animals that came to drink water. It did not spare even the bigger animals like the elephant that came near the water’s edge. It once caught hold of an elephant’s trunk. All the animals were wary of drinking from the swamp or of getting too close to it for comfort. Crooky had lately devoured an entire zebra that had been drinking water from the swamp. Crooky caught the victim unawares by stealthily approaching it giving it absolutely no time to react. Within a matter of a few seconds the zebra had been torn to shreds.
Simha the lion and the King of the Amazon called a meeting of all the animalsto decide on the course of action to deal with Crooky the crocodile. Each one had an idea but the one that appealed to all came from Ginny. Ginny suggested that they invite Ana - the Anaconda from the neighbouring swamp to deal with Crooky. But the problem was that who would approach Ana. Though every-one knew that Ana – the Anaconda hunted only when it was hungry no one dared to approach it. Eventually it was Ginny who took up the challenge of roping in Ana’s support to make their mission a success.
Ginny loved swimming in the swamp and to think of the horrendous encounters of Crooky with the animals and fellow geese that it had witnessed at a close range emboldened it and hardened its resolve to get rid of Crooky. Moreover Ginny was too small to make a meal for Ana. So it set out on its journey to the neighbouring swamp area. Finally Ginni saw Ana coiled under a tree and resting. Ana also saw Ginny but decided not to attack. It lay coiled and emboldened by this gesture Ginni cleared its throat. Aunty Ana, ”I have come to enlist your support in vanquishing the most ferocious reptile in our swamp. It boasts that it is the most powerful of all the animals in the Amazon and that no animal or reptile can match it in strength and power. As the animals in our swamp area have tried and failed I have come seeking a contender in these parts who can give Crooky – the crocodile a befitting reply. Can you then vanquish this giant?” asked Ginny.
Curiosity got the better of Ana as it wanted to see the monster that boasted of great power and strength and it followed Ginny. As it neared the swamp it went into the water. Crooky saw Ana and approached it angrily intending to kill. But things had obviously gone all wrong for Crooky as it was soon to discover. As Crooky approached Ana it opened its jaws to a wide one hundred and eighty degrees and grabbed Crooky by the neck at lightning speed. Simultaneously it also coiled its body around Crooky literally sucking away its life. Its razor sharp teeth pierced the rough skin of the crocodile all along. The animals on the land were quite unprepared for the greatest of swamp-attack that they were now witnessing. They were all transfixed. It was quite a relief to see their tormentor being swallowed whole by Ana – the Anaconda. All the animals and birds whooped in joy and cheered Ana who bade them all good-bye and thanked Ginny for a hearty meal. Ginny had indeed got the swamp back for all the animals and birds alike.
