No footprints...No sound.....
Only emptiness remained by dawn.
It was as if the forest itself had began to hunger.
In a quiet village, surrounded by deep forests and rolling hills, there lived a young man name Tochi. He was known for his solitude and hard work. While others laughed and gathered in groups,Tochi spent his days alone, working the land through jhum cultivation.
One year, he traveled farther than ever before_ deepinto a forest where few dared to step. The trees stood tall and ancient, their shadows thick even in daylight. But Tochi was determined. He cleared the land, planted his crops, and returned day, nurturing them with patience and hope.
When the rains finally came, they poured like blessings from the sky. His rice grew tall, his field was full of life. Tochi smiled with pride. His hard work had paid off.
But the forest had been watching.
One night,under the pale glow of the moon, a young female bear emerged from the darkness. Drawn by the scent of fresh crops, she steeped quietly into Tochi's field. With careful hands, she gathered vegetables into her basket and skipped away without a sound.
The next morning, Tochi found everything gone.
At first, he blamed small animals.
But when it happened again
_ and again_ his confusion turned into suspicion. For six nights straight, his harvest vanished as if swallowed by the night itself.
Determined to uncover the truth, Tochi made a plan.
On the seventh night, instead of returning home, he climbe a tall tree overlooking his field. The moon
hung bright above him, casting silver light over the awaying crops.
The forest was still.
Then.... Something moved
From the shadows, the young female bear appeared.
She walked calmly into the field, as though she belonged there. As she gathered the vegetables, she began to sing softly:
" Darling Tochi'schilies and greens,
I take them away in moonlit dreams"...
Tochi's eyes widened.
" So it was you all along ", he whispered.
He climbed down quietly and approached her. Before she could escape, he caught her by the hand.
" So, you are the one stealing from the me every nights ", he said firmly.
" I will not let you go ".
The bear trembled and pleaded,
" Please.....
forgive me.
Let me return to the forest ".
But Tochi refused.
" You must stay " he said.
" You must become my wife ".
And so, bound by fate and circumstance, the young female bear remained with him.
From that day on, they lived together, working side by side in the jhum fields. The lonely man and the creature of the forest shared a life as strange as the story itself_ a tale whispered for generations under moonlit skies.