Once upon a time, in a small village in northern Tamil Nadu, India, there lived a girl named Kanupriya. You may call her Kanu. When Kanu was 2 years old, she was watching her mom make kolam* in their front yard. Just then a little pup came limping to them. He was clearly very hungry and thirsty. Kanu and her mom fed the pup and from that day, the pup never left their side. Kanu named the pup Kuppu. Soon, Kanu and Kuppu became best friends and they both spent the entire day with each other.
When Kanu went to school, Kuppu waited for her outside the school gate and then he walked home with her. Kanu never ate anything without offering it first to Kuppu, especially vadai* which was Kuppu’s favorite. Whenever mom fried a fresh batch of vadai, Kuppu would get very excited with just the aroma. He wouldn’t keep calm until Kanu fed him one hot, crispy vadai.
One day, Kuppu and Kanu went to school. Kanu waved him goodbye and Kuppu sat outside the gate as always. When it was time to go home, Kanu came out running to meet Kuppu, but for the first time, Kuppu wasn’t there to receive her.
Kanu looked for her high and low, but she could not find Kuppu anywhere. She asked guard uncle if he has seen Kuppu around.
“He was here ten minutes ago. Must be somewhere nearby”, said guard uncle.
Kanu noticed that guard uncle was munching on a vadai, and it was still hot. She asked, “Uncle, from where did you get this vadai?”
“This? I just bought a plate of vadai from a vadai seller. Today, I forgot to pack my lunch.”
That’s it. Kanu understood what must have happened to Kuppu. He must have gotten excited by the aroma of vadais and went after the vadai seller.
With the help of the guard, Kanu chased the vadai seller. She asked directions from a lot of people on the way- the fisherwoman, her friend Pratibha’s mom, and the neighborhood temple’s priest.
At last, Kanu caught up with the vadai seller. There he was. Little Kuppu enjoying his vadai! Oh, how happy he seemed!
Kanu waited till he finished his last bite. And then went up to say hi.
Together, they walked home.
Glossary
Kolam*: Decorative designs drawn on the floor, traditionally with rice flour, etc. in southern India
Vadai*: A crispy, savory South Indian snack that appears like a donut
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