There are many kinds of people in the village. They speak many languages. Some pray in a temple and some in a mosque. The people went mad, burning temples and mosques. They fought with one another.
Many people fled from the village, including Prem. His house was also burnt in the fire. He took his clothes, some coins and his little Ganesh statue and ran away.
Prem Reached Pambupatti
As soon as Prem reached Pambupatti, he fainted near a well. He later found himself in a house of an old man with white hair and heard. The old man took care of Prem and neighbours came to see him. Prem asked the old man how could people of this village are so friendly and good with each other. He said that people in his village fought in the name of religion.
The Old Man told Prem the story of Pambupatti
The old man told Prem that he could tell this story to his villagers. May be the story can heal their wounds. But Prem does not want to return to his village. The old man started his story and said there were no schools and teachers long back. People used to live in caves and eat fruits and berries from the forest. There were only reptiles in Pambupatti forest.
The Reptiles had a Meeting Every Month
Everyone used to come in the meeting like tortoises, lizards, crocodiles, etc. The president of these meetings was Makara, the biggest crocodile of the forest. All the animals gave give importance as he was powerful and strong. All the animals followed what Makara says.
Makara sent a letter to tortoises not to come in the meeting. Ahistay, the big old star tortoise was very angry. None of the tortoises had the courage to attend the meeting. Makara announced in the meeting that he wanted all the tortoises to leave the forest and move out of Pambupatti. All the tortoises have been given one week time to leave the forest because they were very slow. Makara said there will be more food water, space in the forest if tortoises leave the forest.
A Strange Smell began to Fill the Forest
After the tortoises left the forest, the smell of rotting fruits and animals filled the forest. These were the food of the tortoises which were now not used in their absence. Even Makara was fed with the smell.
Makara Wrote a letter to Snakes to Leave the Forest
After a month, Makara wrote a letter to the snakes to leave the forest in a day. Naga, the head of the snakes wanted more time but Makara declined his plea. Makara said the snakes were slimy and make funny noises, so they have to leave the forest. No one dared to oppose Makara and the snakes left. After a few weeks, the number of rats in the forest increases in the absence of snakes. The rats had taken over the forest. They ate up the eggs of the lizards and crocodiles. Makara’s own nest of eggs had been destroyed.
Makara Ordered Lizards to Leave the Forest
Makara did not like lizards as they have a strange habit to change their colours and ordered them to leave the forest. The lizards left the forest with their babies on their backs.
Life becomes Awful in Pambupatti
Rats grew bolder and became fearless. The number of frogs increased and there was no one to eat them in the forest. The number of insects rose in the absence of lizards. It was a terrible time for the crocodile. They could not understand what had happened to their forest. All the reptiles such as tortoises, snakes, lizards, etc came back to Pambupatti with their families. In two months, the forest was back to normal. The rats, insects and the smell disappeared.
The Old Man told Prem to Spread a Message
The old man told Prem to convey a message to more and more people in his village that the world belongs to everyone. Each one of us has a place in this world. They may laugh over it but will realise the truth later.