In the charming Indian village of Anandapur was a magical pond. It thrived on the purity of friendships, most notably between Gopu the frog and Meena the fish. But one sunny day, a new arrival changed everything—a turtle named Tinku.
From the moment he entered, Radha, a wise young girl, noticed Tinku’s shifty eyes and furtive glances. She felt something was off but couldn’t put her finger on it. It was a lesson in body language that she shared with her young friends. “Always watch how someone acts, not just what they say,” she advised.
Tinku admired Gopu and Meena’s friendship but also envied it. With cunning intentions, he decided he could rule the pond if he could make Gopu and Meena fall apart. Tinku first approached Gopu. “Hey, have you ever wondered why Meena never comes to the shallow end to visit you?” he said, feigning concern.
Gopu felt his heart sink, “Well, no. I thought she liked the deeper parts.”
“That may be true,” Tinku responded with a sly grin, “but she also thinks you’re unsophisticated because you can’t navigate the deeper parts.”
Next, Tinku swam over to Meena. “Meena, do you know what Gopu said about you? He thinks you’re naive because you can’t hop onto lily pads or catch insects like he can.”
Meena felt a wave of sadness wash over her. She had always admired Gopu’s agility on the lily pads.
Tinku also began spreading rumours among other pond dwellers. The local kingfisher, parrot, and even the mongoose heard differing stories about Gopu and Meena’s supposed thoughts about each other. It was a classic case of gossip, and the message of its dangers spread among the village children.
Suspicion grew, and soon, Radha noticed that Gopu and Meena started avoiding each other. During their community gatherings, they stayed at opposite ends of the pond. It was a poignant moment for the children to observe how mistrust could distance even close friends. “Clearing misunderstandings is vital,” said Radha.
