On a rough July evening, with a calf’s cry in the air,
Thunder roared as dark clouds soared, shadows everywhere.
Night fell, dark and pitch black, in the woods so deep,
The cowherd and the calf, lost, could only weep.
They searched and searched, but found no light,
Till a firefly glowed warmly in the silent night.
“Follow me,” she whispered, “I’ll lead you to what you seek.”
And so began a journey, uncertain and unique.
The cowherd and the calf, on a path unknown,
Walked for a while, till a vision was shown.
In awe, they beheld a marvelous sight:
A Sembar tree glowing like jewels in the night.
Fireflies adorned each leaf and each branch,
A spectacle so bright, it made their hearts dance.
Under its glowing canopy, their cow stood,
Safe and sound, as they knew it would.
Since then, they say, fireflies and cowherds are friends,
In the forest, where the Sembar tree bends.
For if you lose your way, look for its light,
Where good spirits reside, guiding you right.
Illustration by Amrapali Das
