The Spotted Fawn and the Green Ferns

The sun was round and warm in Lake Stevens. It shone through the big evergreen branches. It painted yellow patches of light on the soft forest path.

Shaurya was out for a walk with Mamma and Baba. Mamma held one of Shaurya's little hands. Baba held the other. Shaurya had his little red shoes on. Step, step, step went Shaurya. Pat, pat, pat went his feet on the trail.

"Look at the pretty trees, Shaurya," Baba said in his deep, kind voice.

Shaurya looked up. High above, the tall trees swayed. Swish, went the wind. Swish, swish, swish. The green needles danced against the blue sky.

Shaurya stopped. His little eyes grew wide. By the side of the path, something big and green was waving. It was not a tree. It was a fern. A giant, leafy fern.

"Look, Shaurya," Mamma said softly. "A fern. A big, green fern."

Shaurya reached out his chubby little hand. He touched the tip of a fern leaf. It was soft. It tickled his fingers. Tickle, tickle, tickle. Shaurya giggled. His giggle was like a tiny bell.

Mamma knelt down in the soft grass. Baba knelt down too. Together, they looked closely at the fern.

Some fern leaves were wide and open like green fans. Fan, fan, fan. But some fern leaves were very young. They were rolled up in tight, round spirals. They looked like little green snail shells.

"This is a fiddlehead," Baba whispered gently. "It is a baby leaf. When it grows, it will uncurl. Roll, roll, roll, all the way open."

Shaurya pointed his finger. "Ooh!" he said.

"Ooh," repeated Mamma with a warm smile. "Roll, roll, open."

Just then, the tall ferns rustled. Rustle, rustle, shhh.

Shaurya turned his head. Baba turned his head. Mamma held her breath and smiled.

Behind the green ferns, two big, soft ears popped up. Twitch, twitch went the ears. Then two gentle, dark brown eyes peeked out. It was a deer. A mama deer.

And right beside her, resting in the soft clover, was a tiny baby deer. A little fawn.

"Look, Shaurya," Mamma whispered into his ear. "A baby deer. In Bengali, we call a deer horin. Horin. See the horin?"

Shaurya leaned forward from Baba's lap. He looked and looked.

The little fawn was very small, just like Shaurya. Its fur was light brown and smooth. And on its back, it had tiny white spots. Spot, spot, spot.

"Look at the dots," whispered Baba softly. "One, two, three little spots. They look like tiny white stars on its coat."

The mama deer dipped her head. She gave her baby a soft lick on the forehead. Lick, lick, lick. The baby fawn gave a little blink. Blink, blink.

The fawn was safe. The fawn was quiet. It tucked its long, slender legs under its tummy. It rested its chin on a bed of cool moss.

Shaurya patted his own tummy with his little hand. Pat, pat, pat. He watched the fawn breathe. Up and down went the fawn's back. Up and down, slow and calm.

"The baby is resting," Mamma whispered. "The forest is a cozy home."

A gentle breeze blew across the trail. It rustled the cedar trees. Hush, hush, whispered the leaves. It rustled the ferns. Whisper, whisper, went the green fronds.

The mama deer took one slow, quiet step. Tip-toe, tip-toe. Her hooves made almost no sound on the damp earth. She looked at Shaurya. She was not scared. Shaurya was very gentle. Shaurya was very quiet.

Shaurya waved his little hand. A tiny, slow wave. "Buh-bye," his eyes seemed to say.

The fawn closed its big brown eyes. It rested in the green shade, cozy and peaceful.

Baba lifted Shaurya up into his strong arms. Baba gave Shaurya a soft bounce. Up, down, up, down. Shaurya laid his head against Baba's shoulder. Baba's sweater smelled like fresh air and warm wool.

"Time to walk home, little one," Baba said.

They walked back along the trail. Step, step, step. Through the forest, past the giant ferns, past the mossy logs, all the way to their warm, bright house by the lake.

Inside, the kitchen was cozy. A sweet, warm smell filled the air. Mamma made a warm bowl of khichuri. Yellow rice and soft daal with a little drop of golden ghee. Yum, yum, yum.

Mamma held the little spoon. "Open wide, my little horin," Mamma sang softly.

Shaurya opened his mouth. Nom, nom, nom. The warm food felt so good in his tummy. It warmed him up from his head to his little toes.

After dinner came bath time. Splash, splash, splash in the warm water. Shaurya played with his yellow rubber duck. Duckie floated on top of the water. "Quack, quack," Baba said, making the duck dance. Shaurya splashed with both hands. Splish, splash! Droplets flew up like tiny raindrops.

Mamma wrapped Shaurya in a big, fluffy blue towel. She bundled him up like a little burrito. Snuggle, snuggle, snuggle. She dried his soft black hair. She dried his tiny fingers and his round little toes. One, two, three, four, five toes on this foot. One, two, three, four, five toes on that foot.

Baba put on Shaurya's cozy pajamas. The pajamas were soft and warm, with little pictures of sleepy bears.

Shaurya gave a big yawn. Aaaaa-ah. His little mouth opened wide. His eyelids began to feel heavy. Heavy, heavy, heavy.

Mamma sat in the rocking chair by the window. Outside, the sky was turning dark blue. The pink clouds faded away. Out on the quiet lake, the water was smooth like glass. The tall cedar trees stood quiet and still. Far away in the green ferns, the little baby fawn was sleeping peacefully beside its mother.

Mamma began to sing in her sweet, gentle voice:

"Ghum parani mashi pishi, Moder bari esho... Khoka ghumiyeche, para juralo..."

The Bengali lullaby floated through the quiet room. Rock, rock, rock went the chair. Creak, creak, soft and slow.

Baba came over and kissed Shaurya's warm cheek. "Sleep tight, Shaurya," Baba whispered.

Shaurya rested his head on Mamma's chest. He heard the steady beat of Mamma's heart. Thump, thump, thump, thump. Safe and steady.

Shaurya closed his big, bright eyes. In his dreams, he saw the soft green ferns uncurling. Roll, roll, open. He saw the gentle spotted fawn resting on the green moss. He saw the tall trees swaying under the starry sky.

Everything was quiet. Everything was peaceful.

Sleep well, little Shaurya. Goodnight, sweet boy.