The Dream

 Sia woke up to loud cooker-whistles from the kitchen. It was a day before her fifth birthday. She had marked the date on a desk-top calendar on her study table. “Good morning, Pappa!” She rubbed her eyes and walked to the kitchen to greet her father. He was slicing onions in the kitchen. He smiled at her and said, “Good morning dear one. Did you sleep well?” Not answering him, Sia ran to find where her mother was . She was watering plants in the garden. “Amma! Amma! I saw a dream!”, she told her excitedly. Her mother put down the watering can and hugged Sia. She said, “Good morning Sia! Yes, tell me about your dream”. Sia spotted a butterfly flitting in and out of a rose flower. Looking at the fluttering, yellow wings she said, “I saw a forest in my dream. There were many trees and flowers. I saw rabbits, elephants and deer. I saw a special tree with yellow flowers. Birds with colourful feathers chirped from the branches.” Her mother resumed watering the plants and said, “That is a beautiful dream, Siya”. After a few seconds Sia said, “I wish I could live in that forest forever”. Amma smiled at her and said, “Sia, why don’t you plant trees here? You can create a little forest for parrots, drongos and squirrels”. Sia was very happy. In the evening, Sia and her parents planted young saplings of a guava tree and a mango tree in their backyard. “Let us do it every year a day before my birthday”, said Sia to her parents. That night Sia saw forest fairies in her dream. They were all smiling at her.