Ghum-Ghum Gharial's Glorious Adventure

Aparna Kapur

Ghum-Ghum was excited. She
was going for her first swim.
"BBRRRAAAP! GHRRUMB!" said
her family, who were excited too.

Ghum-Ghum’s
snout touched the water and… WHOOOSH!
The
river rushed all around her. Ghum-Ghum
paddled her feet and swished her tail.
"Look, Papa! I’m swimming! Look…!"

"… Papa?"
Ghum-Ghum
looked in front and looked behind. She looked to the right, and then to the
left. "Papa?"
She
was alone. Her family had swum off without her.

An
otter floated past.
"Have
you seen my family, Mr. Otter?" asked Ghum-Ghum.
"No,
but I’ve seen a lot of stars," said the otter. "Would you like to see some?"
"Maybe
next time. Thanks!" said Ghum-Ghum.

Just
then – "BRROFFTT!
RRRAAPP!"
It
was her family! Ghum-Ghum giggled happily, and swam towards the sound.

Suddenly,
a dolphin leapt up in front of her.
"Do
you know where my family is, Miss Dolphin?" asked Ghum-Ghum.
"No,
but I do know where the yummiest fish are," said the dolphin. "Would you like
to eat one?"
"Maybe
next time. Thanks!" said Ghum-Ghum.

Just
then – "DRRUPHH! GHRAAAP!"
It
was her family! Ghum-Ghum giggled happily, and swam towards the sound.

A
snail lay on a rock by the river bank.
"Can you help me find my
family, Sister Snail?" asked Ghum-Ghum.
"I can help you find a nice
flat rock to sit on, if you want," said the snail.
"Maybe next time. Thanks!"
said Ghum-Ghum.

Just then – "PHBTHRR!
FFRAFFFT!"
It was her family! Ghum-Ghum
giggled happily, and swam towards the sound.

Ghum-Ghum
saw a big old gharial. Many little gharials swam around him.
"Have
you seen my family, Grandpa Gharial?"
Ghum-Ghum asked.

"Is your name Ghum-Ghum?" asked the old gharial.
"Yes, I’m Ghum-Ghum," she said.
"Then I HAVE seen your family! They’ve been looking everywhere for you, little one. Listen! There, down the river! Can you hear them?"

Ghum-Ghum listened. All the
other little gharials listened too.
Just then, from up the river
– "GHRAPP! GHUM! BRRAFFTT!
GHUM! GHUUUM! GHOOOOOOM!"
It was her family, and they
weren’t very far off! Ghum-Ghum giggled, and swam towards the sound.

Soon, Ghum-Ghum reached a
sand bank. She crawled onto it, tired
from all her swimming.
"Ghum-Ghum?" said a
voice.
"Papa?"

A large, dark shape came towards
her.
"Papa!"
Papa bent down and lovingly nudged Ghum-Ghum.
"Welcome home,
Ghum-Ghum!" said Papa. "Where did you go off to?"
"I went on a glorious
adventure!" said Ghum-Ghum, giggling. "And tomorrow, I want to go again!"

Ghum-Ghum lives by the great river Ganga with her big, noisy family of gharials. She goes swimming every day, to catch insects and fish for her lunch. Ghum-Ghum meets all kinds of creatures on her daily swims: dolphins, otters, snails, water birds, fishermen in boats, buffaloes, snakes, and many others.
How many of Ghum-Ghum's river friends can you spot in this page and the next?