Chapter 1

During these summer holidays, my

house was under renovation. As such, we
decided to skip going on a vacation.
Instead, my parents thought of sending me
to my grandparents house. My grandpa
came to fetch me. I was obviously very
miffed. Spending vacation in a small village
of Bihar was definitely not my idea of fun.
I am very fond of my grandparents, but the
town of Araria is hardly a place where you
can spend a memorable vacation.
Nevertheless, I agreed to go there as I was
hardly having any fun here. Grandma was
not well, so she could not come to pick me
up but she was waiting for me. When I
spoke to her over phone, I could feel her
excitement. She had already got mangoes,
litchis and corns picked for me from our
orchards.

Grandpa and I reached Araria by train.
It was a comfortable journey. The view
from the window was refreshing as there
was lot of greenery and I could see
hardworking farmers working in their
farms. Grandma and Dinu kaka (grandpas
manager cum driver) had come to pick us.
Grandma hugged me immediately and
kissed me on my forehead. At 5:00 p.m. we
reached home and soon thereafter had an
early dinner. Being a small town everyone
retired early for the day and we all went to
bed at 7:30 p.m.

Chapter 2

While I tried my best to fall asleep that
early, I could not. I went up to grandpa
and told him that I was unable to fall
asleep. So my grandpa took me to a room
which was the library of the house. The
shelves were filled with books. He went to
one of the shelves and took out his
favourite book as a child The Golden
Treasury of Childrens Literature. His
eyes shone with pride as he told me that it
had taken him months to complete this
book. He confided that even today, he
reads this book quite often. I could
believe him easily just by seeing the
interesting cover page on the book and its
thickness.

In the same room there was an old but
very comfortable rocking chair. I had not
seen this room during any of my former
visits to my grandpas house. I asked my
grandpa about the chair and he told me
that it belonged to my great-great-great-
great grandfather.

My mind was spinning with all the four
great(s). So I thought of calling him my G4
grandpa and chuckled, however, I did not
share my amusement with grandpa.
Grandpa left me to read in the library and
went off to his room. I rocked in G4s
chair wondered as to how he would have
looked and what he would have liked.

Chapter 3

Suddenly my eyes went heavy and the
fatigue from the journey started to
overpower me and

I was startled to suddenly see a fairly
old man. I thought it was an odd hour for
somebody to be visiting us. He was tall and
smart and wore clothes that seemed a little
out of fashion. But then I told myself that
lot of people in this area dressed
traditionally.

Hello Raghu! So you are here, huh he
said.

I stood-up from G4s chair to touch his
feet, being our custom to greet elders in
this manner. He looked amused and
blessed me. I dont know why but I instantly
liked him.

So, are you happy to spend your
vacations here?

I was a little stunned. I could not
answer him at once.

He asked me again You did not tell me.
How do you like it here?

I wanted to lie about liking it here but
within me I suddenly felt the urge to
confide in him and said, it is hardly any
fun here without my friends.

Oh yes, thats quite true. But you never know
where you will find your next adventure?

Yes! I hope I find some to keep me busy
here, or it will get boring.

Oh! You will definitely have your
adventure I can assure you that
much.

Suddenly I found myself in the armchair
and was confused. Where did the man go?
Was I dreaming? What a foolish dream?
And, who was the man? What an idiot am
I, I didnt even ask who he was? .

Chapter 4

I was confused about the man. Was it a
dream?

Raghu.. come and have your
breakfast. I heard my grandma calling me
and I answered Coming

At the breakfast table, my grandma
looked at me and asked as to why, I was
looking so lost! I hadnt even started my
breakfast. I did not know what to tell her.
I replied softly - Nothing.

Grandma hoped that I was well and
feeling nice and comfortable in their
house.

No, no.. nothing is wrong I am
feeling very nice here.

Later, I went for a walk with grandpa
and I learnt from him the history of the
place. He took me to a picture gallery in
the house. Most of the older pictures
were painted by some artist and the ones
that were fifty years or lesser were in the
form of photographs. These were family
photographs and included the later
generations.

To my amazement I saw a familiar face
among the strange faces that had been
painted. It resembled the man from my
dream the other day. The painting was
quite old and the glass on the frame was
chipped from one corner. The man in the
painting was actually looking a bit younger.
He had the same eyes. He had a touch of
devilry in them and arrogance of a man who
knew his worth.

I asked my grandpa about the person in
the painting. He told me that he was the
same person to whom the rocking chair in
the library belonged to.

Is he my G4? I asked him.

G4! Now son what is that? grandpa
had an amused look on his face.

There were four big greats before I
could reach grandpa. I sure can call him
my G4 grandpa, cant I?

You sure can. grandpa answered,
quite amused by my antics.

For a moment I was just lost in my own
thoughts.

The day remained uneventful
otherwise. After the dinner I went to the
library and picked up the same book. This
time in the contents I found the story of
Peter Pan. Once again Captain Hook was
being troubled by Peter Pan. Poor Captain
Hook
Chapter 5

Did you call me poor? You
young fool!

Hey! Who are you? I asked.

You little fool! Dont you remember me!
You were reading about me a little while
ago. Looks like you havent had almonds
during your life, the voice boomed.

Captain Hook? I asked with disbelief.

And who do you think would come to
visit you at this hour? Hook said.

Come now, dont be rude to the boy
Captain. Let me handle this, said another
voice.

Then two translucent figures came into
form in front of me. I instantly recognized
one of them from my last nights dream and
the other was a guy wearing the costume
of a pirate and he had a hook in his right
hand. He matched the description of
Captain Hook in the book.

He was tall, fair and handsome but for
the thick beard he wore.

His clothes were made of a fine looking
velvet and silk. Though, if compared with
the latest fashion, it was outdated and
very garish for male attire, he had a sulking
expression on his face. He seemed to be
highly annoyed with something.

I was so flabbergasted that I could not
utter a word.

I heard G4 saying something but it took
me sometime to register and respond to
him.

Here Raghu, meet my friend Captain
Hook.. And Captain, this is my grandson.
He lives in Delhi and has come to visit my
home.

So! Why are we here? Meeting the
boy? I am bored, and how is he of any
benefit to me? asked the captain rudely.

Hmph! I snorted. As if, I was
interested in a villain like him. He might
have been famous during his days but at
the end of the day it was Peter Pan who
was the hero.

Suddenly, Captain Hook was very angry
and rushed towards me with a sword in his
left hand. G4 was swift and saved me from
Hook. He negotiated with him for a while
then Hook came to me, cleared his throat
and said, Little pal, the God in your world
is not letting me enter the heavens.

And why should he, you devil? I said.
You are a villain. You have been troubling
Peter Pan and his friends. God doesnt let
people like you into heaven.

So you think that I am the villain?
Even though you know Peter Pan didnt
want to grow up.

So..

Well I think, Peter needed just a little
push to see things more clearly. Peter was
a good, intelligent boy but he was wasting
all his precious years. Life when filled with
fun is good for sometime but
overindulgence of anything tends to turn it
bad.

And you would want me to believe you
did not over indulge?

Of course I did. But because of my
doing just what you accused me of, I lost
my hand, I did not have a family, I had my
mates but, they were only with me because
of fear rather than any affection or
respect. As he said all this, his face
turned pale, he became sad and soon
speechless.

I know you wont believe me Hook
looked defeated.

But I do Captain, I do I said.

I went to him and held his hook and the
other hand in my hand. Now I have
understood what you did was right. Peter
was an orphan; he did not have anybody
who could take care of him, guide him or
scold him. So you tried to do that in your
own way. You are a good man Captain
Hook, even though God doesnt let you
into his heaven. If ever I met Him, I will
tell Him just that. And I would like to be
your friend, if you dont mind?

Thank you, Raghu. But now its time to
wake up.

Huh! What do you

I woke up to find grandma looking at
me in a confused way. And I realized it
was just a dream. I felt peaceful and
content.


Chapter 6

Next night I was excited to go and
start a new adventure. A new story to
read (or maybe I was hoping for another
such dream). Dinner was very tasty and
lavish. After dinner, I went to the library,
picked a new book and took it to my room
to read.

I read the story of an ogre and his life
Shrek.

Somehow I have always loved the
character of Shrek. He might be an ogre
but he has a sense of chivalry and honour.
Of course he can be quite exasperating at
times but what mattered to me is that he
always comes around. So I started with my
reading. While I was reading Shrek I
started to think about the movie Shrek
Forever After, and I remembered the
villain of the movie Rumplestiltskin.

He was a short guy with lot of cunning
and he makes magical deals (complete with
contracts). He has a giant pet goose
named Fifi. His face is large, he has no
facial hair.

In Shrek Forever After, King Harold
and Queen Lillian are going to sign their
kingdom over to Rumpelstiltskin to break
Fiona's curse, but the deal is cancelled
when they learn that Shrek has rescued
Fiona from the tower, and he wishes Shrek
was never born. Seeing Shrek regretting
the life he has, Rumpelstiltskin makes a
deal with him, taking away the day he was
born. This deal enables Rumpelstiltskin to
be the ruler of Far Far Away, by creating
an alternate reality in which the king and
queen carried out their deal with him and
then disappeared (Rumpelstiltskin having
twisted the deal).

Shrek tries to reverse the deal using
the exit clause (a true love's kiss, although
Fiona intensely dislikes him) before 24 hours
lapses and he disappears forever, but
Rumpelstiltskin has an army of witches to
stop him and hires the Pied Piper to
capture him and the other ogres. He
succeeds in capturing all but Shrek.

When he offers anything in return for
the one that brings Shrek to him, Shrek
turns himself in, and in exchange has
Rumpelstiltskin set the ogres free (though
he keeps Fiona, as she is a princess by day).

Rumpelstiltskin tries to feed Shrek and
Fiona to the Dragon (who is still evil), but
Puss, Donkey and the other ogres come to
fight, and with Shrek and Fiona they
defeat Rumpelstiltskin and his army of
witches. By this time Shrek's 24 hours is
nearly up, but at the last second, Fiona
kisses the fading off Shrek, whom she now
loves, thus restoring the original reality.

Rumpelstiltskin is last seen during the
ending, imprisoned by Shrek, Fiona and the
other ogres, while Fifi explodes at Fiona's
singing and the Pied Piper torments him.

Good! I thought at the end. Good
ogres are supposed to be happy and short
villains are supposed to suffer.

And how would you know who is good,
and who is the villain? Do you have a
degree in theology?

Huh... no, but what exactly is
the..logy? I said.

Huh you dont even know what that is,
and here I thought you were an authority
in the subject of good and bad people. Tsk
tsk

Now I was totally annoyed.

Would you tell me two things please
first, who are you? And what is the-o-
logy?

Well Mr. Judge I am the person whom
you were calling a villain, but actually I am
the real hero of the movie. And by the way
theology is the study of religions.

Rumplestiltskin was looking really smug.
Then from behind him came my G-4 and
Captain Hook and Hook said to
Rumpletiltskin Oh dont talk so harshly to
my friend. He is really a nice guy, he would
understand if you talk to him.

Alright little boy now listen. So you
think I am the villain, right?

Absolutely, correct! I said.

See, huh. he said to hook.

Talk to him. Hook said and
Rumpletiltskin turned to me and said, So
little boy, now Shrek as you know wanted
his privacy and space and because of that
started scaring people and when his life
changed to normal with his family, he got
bored out of his life and just left it! Would
a family do that?

I was left speechless. I, in order to
teach him a lesson and save his family did
what I did and you people and the God
think I was wrong and are laughing at me,
punishing me, abusing me and insulting me?
Is that what this world and the ogres
should do with me, just treat me like a
pest, right? he said and tears rolled his
pink-red chubby cheeks.

I held his hands and said Is there any
chance that I am going to meet you guys in
reality with this black background at home
because I am not going to lie, so of course
its a dream.

Then I added hastily Maybe I can
convince the God to let you in the
heavens, when I meet him!

To my amazement, all of them jumped
with joy and suddenly a huge large figure
stood in the fog and just sat there. I could
not see its face and asked who he was. He
replied politely and in a gentle voice I am
God and you wanted to convince me about
something. Dont bother to tell as I know
what is in your mind. During the last few
days I have been with you and heard what
Hook and Rumpletiltskin have had to say. I
do agree that they have a point. So maybe
I can let them in the heavens if they want
and they can now follow me. Everyone
went away with God but G4 didnt. I
looked at him with a question on my face.
G4 told me that as a landlord, he had been
like a dacoit during his time, looted many,
spent most of his earnings in an incorrect
way. I was shocked to hear that. Suddenly
God said that if he now repents his action
and feels ashamed of what he had done
then he was most welcome to join because
God. Gods purpose gets achieved once a
bad soul turns into a good soul. G-4 was so
happy to hear that, that even at this old
age, he bid me good-bye and ran towards
God. Just then I woke-up with a heavy
heart. I tried to close my eyes and re-enter
the dream but I just could not. Soon I saw
grandma standing before me. She had a
soft smile on her face and helped me get
ready for the day. It was time to catch my
train back to Delhi. On my way I narrated
my strange dream to grandpa. He showed a
lot of interest and when I reached home,
gifted me The Golden Treasury Of
Childrens Literature.




Acknowledgement
No one walks alone on the journey of life. Just
where do you start to thank those that joined
you, walked beside you, blessed you and helped
you along the way, continuously urged to write,
and to put my thoughts down on. My teachers at
Amity are my biggest inspiration. They have
always encouraged us to follow our heart. I want
to dedicate this book to all my teachers. As this
is the first time I have collected the courage to
write and show. I sincerely hope you like it.
I also want to thank my parents for helping me
shaping the book.
2012 kreetik Thakur