A Peacock Song. Part Three. Nataliya Bogoluibova

right. We shouldn’t exclude the fact that the clown might be involved.” Krish nodded. “We have to go to the circus and take a good look around.”

      CHAPTER THREE

      “Let’s separate. We shall watch with the peeled eye.” Krish the Peacock suggested. “I’m going to the circus. You’ll talk to the locals, maybe somebody saw something. Take Barry the Parrot with you. He speaks fluent Hindi and might be of great help.” Raja the Chipmunk nodded.

      “Come on, Barry, let’s go. We’ve got work to do!” Raja cried, and jumped off the sidewalk.

      “Look out!” someone screamed.

      A paw grasped the chipmunk at the tail and pulled him back, just as a big and fast-moving truck swept past.

      Raja swung round to face his savior. A blue gray lizard was gawking at him with great curiosity. Barry the Parrot ran to the chipmunk; his beak was wide open of anxiety.

      “That was close. You’re lucky,” Oliver the Lizard said.

      “Thank you!” Raja the Chipmunk exclaimed in agitation; his eyes were huge. The bright turban, he was wearing, crooked.

      “Trying to get yourself killed, silly you?” Barry was furious.

      “I’m all right, Barry. Stop fidgeting!” Raja begged him.

      Krish the Peacock was running to them at full speed. He was whooping and flopping his wings.

      “The peacocks are adorable creatures. But the voice sounds hilariously awful.” Oliver the Lizard complained when he turned his head and saw the peacock.

      Barry lowered his head onto one side and smirked. He said, “Krish doesn’t think so, and he might be severely offended.”

      “Um… I’m sorry for being that rude. I’m just a depressed lizard with nothing to lose because I’ve already lost my tail!”

      “What?” Raja the Chipmunk cried out in bewilderment. “How do you feel about that? I mean…losing your tail.”

      “I feel awful. Put that in capital letters: AWFUL!” Oliver the Lizard moaned, his eyes filled with tears.

      “Come on, don’t cry!” Krish said, “A good song may help! I know so many cheerful songs, there’s one…”

      “Krish, wait a moment. Let’s ask him a few questions first,” the parrot said. “Where are you from? And what are you doing in the city of Jaipur?”

      “I’m from the forests of Mizoram. It’s in Northeast of India where the atmosphere is cool, fresh, and quiet. I came here to find the famous magician Sparky,” Oliver said, “His magic is powerful enough to make my tail grow again.”

      “You must be wrong with the choice of the person that you are looking for. Sparky is a clown. This is the first time I’ve heard that he does magic!” Krish the Peacock giggled.

      “Is Sparky a circus clown?” Oliver the Lizard exclaimed. “No. Look, no…that can’t be the truth.”

      “We aren’t circus-lovers, but we go to the circus quite often now. We can prove that Sparky is not who you think he is!” Raja was thrilled with this news.

      “All right. But first, I need some water. I’m very thirsty. How could you tolerate the day’s heat?” Oliver grumbled. “It’s unbearable! I was sure I would have gotten used to it eventually, but it sapped every bit of energy out of me. I haven’t been myself since I lost my tail.”

      “You should start doing something new and exciting!” Raja the Chipmunk suggested. “The most fun we ever have is when we’re doing something we’re not really supposed to!”

      “Perhaps, it will help and you’ll stop complaining until we find a way to solve your problem with the tail.” Krish the Peacock said to the depressed lizard.

      “Sorry, but I can’t really sugar coat my feelings all the time.” Oliver said with a sad smile. “By the way, talking about new experiences that can distract me from my problems…Can I drive your rickshaw, Raja?”

      “Are you crazy as road lizards? Sorry, you ARE a lizard! Now I realize the reference is lost on you.” Raja the Chipmunk was confused. “No way! I won’t let you drive my rickshaw!”

      “Why? Driving a rickshaw isn’t riskier than the other stuff I do. Of course, I’m aware of Indian traffic and the lack of any rules,” the lizard said, staring quizzically at the chipmunk.

      “If you’ve got no experience, my best advice to you is NEVER, and I mean NEVER try to drive yourself in India…it’s suicide!” Raja replied in a confident voice.

      “Did you notice who was driving that crazy truck that you had hardly escaped from?” Krish asked.

      “Well, I didn’t really see his face. But I did notice the red orange wig and the bright clown cap!” Raja replied.

      “Coincidence?” Krish wondered. “No, I don’t think so.”

      CHAPTER FOUR

      “No trace of the missing elephant and the lions!” Barry the Parrot said, and flopped into a chair beside Raja the Chipmunk and Krish the Peacock. He wrinkled his nose in a quizzical expression. “What’s about the diary? Have you guessed the meaning of the rhyme?”

      “Not yet,” the chipmunk sighed with disappointment.

      “Let’s read Donut’s diary again. We must have missed something. I feel it.” Barry said, spilling roasted peanuts on the desk. “Help yourself!”

      I WOULD’T BE MUTE!

      THE LIONS WERE GOOD,

      BUT TURNED INTO SOOT.

      “Well, I think there are no objections to the fact that the lions were good, right? That’s something about soot…”

      “Any ideas? Why were they turned into soot?” Raja asked.

      TO FIND THAT BOOT,

      MIME BURNT THE WOOD.

      I DO WHAT I SHOULD…

      “I think Donut knew something. The elephant was silenced because he wanted to reveal someone’s secret. Look, he wrote that he wouldn’t be mute!” Krish affirmed.

      “Why did the mime want to find that boot?” Barry asked. “The mime means clown. Did he go nuts to burn the wood? Where and why did he lose his boot?”

      “I have no idea!” Raja felt stupid and helpless.

      “The experts told me that the elephant was carved from sandalwood, which came from the forests of Mizoram. The birthplace of our new friend – Oliver the Lizard! It’s interesting, isn’t it?” Krish took the elephant figurine out of his pocket and put it on the table next to peanuts.

      “I think we have to find the mime. I mean the clown. As soon as possible.” Barry said in a confident voice.

      Raja slapped his head and said, “While examining Donut’s room, I found a clown’s fake nose in the drawer!”

      “The driver of that crazy truck was wearing a clown’s wig and a hat!” Krish the Peacock added.

      “All the evidence leads to one person. THE CLOWN!” Barry the Parrot twittered in anxiety and anticipation.

      “It’s time for action! Raja, stop chomping peanuts. Let’s go!” Krish whooped.

      Raja, offended, turned his head and said, “It’s not me!”

      “I mean I’m not chomping. No peanuts left on the table…”

      They looked at each other. None of them were chewing peanuts at the moment. But someone in the room was!

      “We must get out!” Raja said, his voice rising to a hysterical whine. “Out! Out of here! Now!”

      “Wait