Baba and Kali

Baba and Kali

By Justine C. Tajonera

Once upon a time, there was a community of Triceratops that lived together in the plains of what is now known as South Dakota. They were peaceful and ate mostly plants, low bushes, grasses and trees that they could reach. They had an active community life and they liked eating together, playing and exploring the gorges and nearby hills and lakes. That was where Baba grew up. He and his sister, Kali, lived with their parents and the whole herd of Triceratops. They usually played with their cousins, Mika, Matu, Jani, Jakk, Jere, and Jes. 

One day, Baba's parents told Kali and Baba to stay with their older cousins because they were going to explore a nearby plain to see if that was where the herd was going to go during the next season. "Baba, please don't go far from your cousins. Okay?" Baba said yes. "Protect your sister, Kali." They told him. "Okay, Mama and Dada," Baba said to his parents. Now, the thing is, Baba is a very adventurous Triceratops. He likes going off on his own to explore. That was precisely why his Mama and Dada took him aside just to tell him to stick with his cousins. 

Off Mama and Dada went. Baba took Kali to where his cousins were. His favorite cousins were Mika and Matu. They liked pushing around twigs and challenging each other to horn fights. The cousins loved horn fights and sometimes other kids from other families would stop what they were doing just to watch these horn fights. Mika and Matu were older than Baba and they usually won. Baba was very frustrated by these horn fights because he knew that he couldn't win over his older cousins. Kali just watched or cheered him on. 

This particular afternoon, Baba was tired of playing the usual horn fights. "I'm not going to win again, anyway," he said to himself. So, breaking his promise to his parents, he walked off away from his cousins and decided to explore the nearby forest alone. Kali saw him and called out to him, "Baba! Baba! Please don't leave me! I want to go with you."

"No, Kali, stay with our cousins," Baba told Kali. 

"But I want to go with you."

"Why? You're just going to be troublesome and I don't want to babysit you."

"But Baba, I'm just going to follow you. I promise I'll stay quiet and you won't even notice that I'm there."

"Okay, you can come. But don't be any trouble. Just pretend you're invisible," he told her. 

"Okay, Baba."

True enough, Kali acted like she was invisible and just followed her brother. Baba walked really far into the forest. He was trying to chase some winged dinosaurs and he saw some colorful plants. He kept walking and walking and Kali was getting tired following him. 

"Shouldn't we go back already, Baba?" Kali asked him. 

"What did I say, Kali? I told you that I don't want you to trouble me. Don't just stay invisible. Don't talk."

"Okay, Baba," Kali said, "Oops! This is the last time I'll talk."

So, Kali followed Baba as much as she could. But she was smaller than Baba and she just couldn't keep up with him. Since she couldn't talk, she just sat down and tried to catch her breath. She didn't tell him to stop and wait for her because she promised Baba that she wouldn't talk. Baba forged on and he didn't realize that he had left his sister behind. 

Kali was so tired that she stopped walking at all and she couldn't see Baba anymore. Unfortunately, she was near the nest of some Tyrannosaurus Rex. Two juveniles spotted her and roared, arguing who would chase Kali first. 

Kali was very frightened. 

"Baba!" she shouted, "Baba, I'm scared! Help me!!!!" 

Baba heard his sister's shout. At first he was angry because he told her not to talk but she sounded really scared so he ran back trying to find where she was.

Kali was running for her life. She kept screaming Baba's name. The two Tyrannosaurus Rex juveniles were gaining on Kali and they thought that this was going to be an easy catch. 

Baba roared a big roar when he saw the two T-Rex going after his sister. 

"Don't you dare touch my sister!" Baba shouted at the two T-Rex. 

The two T-Rex hesitated. Baba was much bigger than Kali and he looked really angry. Kali hid behind her big brother. Baba challenged the two small T-Rex and they decided that it wasn't worth the trouble so they backed off. 

"Oh, Baba! Thank you for rescuing me!" Kali said as she was crying from being so frightened. 

"It's okay, Kali! I'm so sorry for leaving you behind. I'll never do that again." Baba felt really bad and he let his baby sister rest first before they headed back to their herd. 

"Hey, Baba, Kali!" Matu called out them as they approached the herd, "Where did you come from?"

"Oh, nowhere," Baba replied as he guided his sister to where the other kids were, "Kali and I had an adventure. Right, Kali?"

"Right Baba," Kali winked at her brother. Baba learned his lesson. From that day forward, he always took care of his sister and he always listened to what his Mama and Dada told him. 

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Image credit: Lucas George Wendt of Unsplash

Note: This was part of a fairy tale series that I wrote on 750words.com. 

July 15, 2012