Nataliya Bogoluibova
Beak & Paw Detectives

Chapter 1
Accident in the circus

Detective Krish the peacock hadn't slept much and felt completely exhausted. The Detective Agency “Beak and Paw” was located in Jaipur, a very noisy and chaotic Indian city, where the claxons of tuk-tuks can be deafening.

“I don't like mornings, especially if they start with trouble sprinkled with circus glitter,” grumbled the peacock.

“What happened to you? Mornings are bliss! Quiet and cool, and the streets are empty. It's much easier to solve crimes. No fuss, no gawkers. I love India in the morning!” said Raja the chipmunk.

“The monkeys woke me up! They were fighting over a mango that had fallen from a tree. I had to separate the brawlers!” groaned Krish. “There's an emergency at the circus! Donut the elephant has been kidnapped!”

“We finally have a new case! It's as big as an elephant!” cried the chipmunk.

“Why is Barry the parrot late? There's no time to lose! I have a bad feeling about this,” said the peacock.

“Barry must have overslept again. Come on, we can handle this ourselves!”

“No, let’s wait for him. We need an interpreter to question the witnesses. Barry knows Hindi, the language of the locals.”

The door swung open. A disheveled parrot flew into the room.

“Hi! A thousand pardons! I went to buy some peanuts and had to wait in line for half an hour!” said Barry.

“Peanuts? I'll fire you someday!” Krish was outraged.

“Well, I didn't waste time. I talked to the meerkat acrobats in the shop and learnt something important about our case! And what did you find out?” Barry asked. “Have you questioned the clown?”

“Why should we?” asked Krish.

The parrot shook his head in confusion and disbelief.

“Have you missed the news? The whole street has been buzzing like a disturbed beehive since this morning. Friends, you are a few steps behind me in the investigation!” exclaimed the parrot.

“What?” Raja cried out. “Tell us!”

“There was a terrible quarrel between Sparky the clown and the lion cubs. The next morning, the clown's shoes were found chewed and torn. The lion cubs had disappeared from the circus. No one has seen them since. Is there any connection between these two events?”

“Of course! We have to find it out! Let's have a talk with Amita; she's the one who tells us the circus gossip,” Krish suggested.

“Shall we go to her house?” Barry asked.

“Amita must have arrived at the circus by now! Her performance is vital for the morning show. The audience loves the way the girl juggles balls and walks the tightrope!”

WHAT REALLY HAPPENED TO AMITA? IT'S TIME FOR BARRY THE PARROT TO FIND OUT!

Chapter 2
Donut’s diary

Not an hour later, the detectives were in the circus.

“How can we find Donut's dressing room?” asked Raja.

“His dressing room is the biggest in the circus. I think it won't be hard to find it, but to save time, it's better to ask,” Krish said, approaching a pony with brightly colored ribbons that were braided in its lush mane. “Can you tell me where Donut's room is?”

“Turn the corner, and the dressing room will be on the left,” answered the pony, galloping away.

“When we get to Donut's dressing room, be quiet and don't knock!” warned Krish. “The owner is missing. If there is someone in the room, it is better to catch him and ask who he is and how he’s got there.”

“Amita hasn’t shown up for work today. I’ll go to her house and find out what happened,” said Barry excitedly.

“Okay, let's split up. Find Amita! We'll take a look at the elephant's dressing room," said the peacock.

The huge dressing room was full of colorful circus outfits. Giant hoops, balls, and pins were scattered everywhere.

“What a mess!” Krish marveled. “Look at this gigantic hat! I feel so small compared to it.”

“What a massive hula-hoop!” Raja exclaimed.

“Don't waste time! Look for clues,” said Krish.

“What should I look for?” asked the chipmunk.

“Weird things that don’t belong here.”

Raja walked to a large chest by the window. He opened the lid and examined the contents. The chest was almost empty, with two yellow buttons, a fake clown nose, and some silver garlands at the bottom.

“Well, what is it?” asked the peacock.

“Nothing important,” said the chipmunk disappointedly.

“Keep looking.”

Raja went to the dilapidated wicker basket and looked inside.

“I think I'm lucky today! It's Donut's diary!” Raja shouted happily. “It might contain clues to his disappearance!”

Chipmunk opened the diary and muttered, “Oh, it’s like a chicken scratch! Impossible to understand!”

“Let me see. The last entry in the diary was yesterday. I can't make out what he wrote.”

“Donut must have been in a hurry,” suggested the chipmunk. “Yeah, it takes a bit of talent to read his scribbles! But I'll try!”

The lion cubs chewed on someone else's shoes, Only half remaining, their mischief amused. But punishment looms, severe and stern, Yet the cubs prepare for a newfound turn.

The red wig, once green with anger's flame, Crafts revenge mixtures, magic in its name. Saffron and sandalwood form the base, A brewing scandal, a captivating chase.

Hidden within our shoes, secrets lie, Stage props kept safe, out of prying eye. Amita dons her red nose, laughing loud, But how dare you disrupt the playful crowd!

The elephant dances in his hat, in vain, For amusement and jest, a harmless game. Yet my hour nears, revenge shall unfold, No hand-to-hand combat, a different mold.

Magic weaves like strings for marionettes, The chief instigator reduced to ash, no regrets. A tale of retribution, a lesson learned, In this short verse, a twist unearned.

“These lines are relevant to our case. The lion cubs chewed the shoes, and some kind of punishment awaited them next,” Krish the peacock said thoughtfully.

“Who was going to punish them, I wonder? The clown? I can’t believe that! He's supposed to make everyone laugh!”

“Sparky the clown wears a red wig,” reminded the peacock.

“That doesn't prove anything. A wig can be stolen and used in such a way that everyone would think it was the clown's fault!”

“What does sandalwood magic have to do with it? I have a bad feeling about this. What are these revenge mixtures? If magic is involved, then the usual methods of investigation won’t be successful.”

“I don't know much about magic. You'd have to ask Barry.”

“What could be hidden in a shoe?”

“That's for us to find out!”

“Donut mentions the party. The elephant and Amita were there.”

“They were dancing and laughing. What went wrong?”

“The last quatrain really scares me,” muttered the peacock.

“Marionettes? That’s ridiculous!” exclaimed the chipmunk.

“Puppets? Dolls? What does Donut mean? How can you explain the last lines of the verse? It sounds frightening.”

“The elephant must have added it for fun or to rhyme the words,” suggested Raja.

Krish shook his head incredulously and continued, “I feel that there is much more hidden in this poem than we have realized. Let's show it to Barry the parrot.”

“Have you found anything here?” the chipmunk asked his partner.

“Yes. A little elephant figurine was under the wicker chair. It's made of sandalwood. Someone might have brought it here. It's too small to be Donut's. I'll show it to our experts.”

Chapter 3
The Frightful Morning

Waking up early in the morning, Amita could barely stand up. Her arms and legs were so stiff that every movement was difficult.

“What's wrong with me?” she whispered in horror. “Today is the circus show! How will I do my ball juggling?”

She looked at herself in the mirror and screamed, “Who is it? What's going on?”

Her mind refused to believe in what was happening. Her heart was pounding frantically. Amita thought that she was just imagining things and pinched her wrist. There was a slight twinge of pain. The thought struck her that this was reality. She had turned into a doll! The girl flinched at hearing a knock on the door.

“Who's there?” she asked.

“It's me. Barry the parrot.”

“Before you enter the room, swear that you won't tell anyone what happened to me!”

“I give you my word,” Barry replied. The parrot swung the door open. He stared at her with undisguised amazement.

“You’re gorgeous as always. But I can't deny that you don't look like yourself today,” the parrot said gently. “Don't panic. You can still think, walk, and talk! That's not bad under these circumstances. Try to remember what happened to you yesterday.”

Amita wanted to concentrate, but her mind was muddy water.

“I was at the circus. Sparky the Clown had a candy party with fireworks. It was fun! I danced in the clown’s shoes, and Donut wore the funny clown’s hat. The treats were also delicious!”

“Was there anything strange or unusual about the party?”

“As far as I can remember, there wasn't. But my thoughts are confused,” the doll complained.

“Don’t give up! Being a doll is not that bad!”

“I shouldn't have eaten so many sweets!” Amita added.

“What's wrong? Did you feel sick?”

“Yes. When I ate a burfi, I felt dizzy. But this treat is so tasty. It's impossible to resist!”

“What is “burfi”, I wonder?”

“A milk-based sweet.”

“Did you see Donut after his funny dance?”

“No. He just disappeared into thin air,” Amita declared. “I can't imagine who did this to me and why. But I'm not going to give up.”

“Donut the elephant is missing from the circus. Krish and Raja are investigating the case. Are you sure the last time you saw the elephant was when he was dancing in the clown’s hat?”

“Let me think… The last time I saw him, Donut was playing hide-and-seek with the lion cubs!” the doll said excitedly. “Barry, take me to the circus! I want to help. No one will recognize me there. A good opportunity to search the place without prying eyes!”

WHAT REALLY HAPPENED TO AMITA? IT'S TIME FOR BARRY THE PARROT TO FIND OUT!

Chapter 4
Tail or life?

“Raja, talk to the seller in that candy shop at the corner, will you? What if he's seen Donut? And I'll have a word with the acrobats,” the peacock said.

The puzzled chipmunk asked, “What makes you think he has?”

“He doesn't have any customers in the morning and spends his time watching the street.”

Raja nodded and ran toward the exit. The chipmunk looked a little distracted because he could not get the lines from the elephant's diary out of his mind:

The elephant dances in his hat, in vain, For amusement and jest, a harmless game. Yet my hour nears, revenge shall unfold, No hand-to-hand combat, a different mold. Magic weaves like strings for marionettes, The chief instigator reduced to ash, no regrets. A tale of retribution, a lesson learned, In this short verse, a twist unearned.

“I'm sure the clown has decided to get revenge on those who touched his personal belongings and has chosen some terrible magic to do it,” Raja whispered. “What does that have to do with dolls? What did Donut mean by that?” The chipmunk jumped down from the pavement and onto the road, the questions buzzing around in his head.

Someone cried in a thin, frightened voice, “Look out!”

Raja felt his tail grabbed. He was dragged off the road. The chipmunk turned around to look at his savior and saw a big lizard.

“Is your tail all right? It was a dubious adventure pulling you out from under the wheels of that crazy truck! By the way, I’m Oliver.”

The chipmunk exclaimed excitedly, “Thank you, Oliver!”

Krish the peacock ran toward them at full speed. He shouted, stretching his neck furiously, “Raja, it was him!”

“Who?” asked the astonished chipmunk.

“I could see the red wig and the clown's hat!” squealed the peacock. “You almost got hit by THE CLOWN!”

“Coincidence?” Raja said. “I don't think so.”

“Peacocks are adorable creatures, but their voice is so shrill,” whispered the lizard.

“Don't tell him! Krish likes to sing and might get very offended,” warned the chipmunk.

“I'm sorry,” Oliver said, smiling sadly. “Don't mind the depressed lizard.”

The peacock asked, “What happened to you?”

“I’ve lost my tail,” Oliver said, his eyes filling with tears.

The chipmunk exclaimed, “What?”

“Don't be sad. I’ll sing to you!” offered Krish, “What could be better than a good song?”

The peacock coughed and was about to sing an Indian hit when Raja interrupted him, “Krish, wait a minute. Let us first ask the poor lizard where he came from and what brought him to our city.”

“I am from the state of Mizoram. It’s a lovely place where bamboo groves grow thick. Cool streams flow in the valleys there. Morning mists gently envelop the hilltops of Mizoram. I came to the city of Jaipur to find the famous wizard. His name’s Sparky.”

“Why do you need Sparky?” wondered the chipmunk.

“He can help me get my tail back!”

“You're wrong. Sparky is a clown! Not a wizard! This is the first time I've ever heard of him practicing magic,” Raja chuckled.

“A clown?” Oliver questioned. “Is this some kind of joke?”

“I'm going back to the circus right now to interview the acrobats. Come with me and find out who Sparky really is!” Krish suggested.

MYSTERIOUS OLIVER THE LIZARD FROM THE INDIAN STATE OF MIZORAM IS LOOKING FOR SPARKY THE CLOWN. ARE HIS INTENTIONS GOOD OR EVIL? WHO KNOWS?

Chapter 5
Treasure in the Heel

Barry went to find Raja. Meanwhile, Amita slipped into the clown's dressing room.

“Why does the clown need so many shoes?” exclaimed the doll, looking in amazement at the piles of boots and shoes on the floor. “He wears the same boots every day!”

Amita counted the boots, then found a pair for each. She did the same with the shoes, but one remained unpaired. The doll examined it and noticed that the heel of the shoe was barely holding on. She used a pair of scissors and managed to break it off. There was a silver coin glittering inside the heel!

Barry flew into Donut's dressing room and was delighted to find Raja there. The chipmunk complained, “We've searched the whole circus but failed to find Sparky! No sign of the elephant or the lion cubs either! Oliver's disappointed and depressed.”

“Who is Oliver?” asked the parrot.

“A lizard from the forests in northeastern India. Oliver has lost his tail and hopes that Sparky the clown can help him.”

“Ha-ha-ha! Sparky?” Barry laughed. “I have a feeling that's not the whole story. Go on.”

“Oliver saved my life. He pulled me out from under the wheels of a truck! Krish said that the clown was driving the vehicle!”

The parrot was angry and exclaimed. “Didn't I tell you to be more careful on the roads?”

“Calm down, Barry. I'm fine.”

“Where's Krish?”

“He found a tiny elephant statue and went to show it to the experts. Promised to be back soon.”

“What else did you find here in the elephant's dressing room?”

“Donut's diary! I'll show it to you.”

The door creaked open, and the peacock flew into the room.

“Oliver said he wanted to get some sleep. I helped him find a good hotel at the central park,” Krish said. “Barry, it's good to see you here. Did you visit Amita? Is she all right?”

“She doesn't look well,” said the parrot. “The girl will tell you the rest when she sees you.”

The peacock inquired, “What about the seller of the candy shop? Raja, have you interviewed him?”

The chipmunk sighed in disappointment and replied, “The seller told me nothing of importance. He just talked about the countless boxes being delivered to Sparky from the shoe shop next door.”

“Does the clown buy new shoes every day? Why?” Barry the parrot wondered.

“A millipede of a clown!” laughed the chipmunk.

“Maybe Sparky is preparing a new circus trick that requires many pairs of shoes?” Krish said.

“Barry, take a look at the poem in Donut's diary!” exclaimed Raja. “I have a feeling we're missing something.”

“All right. Show me the verse. Let's see what other puzzles are in here,” said Barry excitedly. “I'll read it aloud.”

The lion cubs chewed on someone else's shoes, Only half remaining, their mischief amused. But punishment looms, severe and stern, Yet the cubs prepare for a newfound turn.

The red wig, once green with anger's flame, Crafts revenge mixtures, magic in its name. Saffron and sandalwood form the base, A brewing scandal, a captivating chase.

Hidden within our shoes, secrets lie, Stage props kept safe, out of prying eye. Amita dons her red nose, laughing loud, But how dare you disrupt the playful crowd!

The elephant dances in his hat, in vain, For amusement and jest, a harmless game. Yet my hour nears, revenge shall unfold, No hand-to-hand combat, a different mold.

Magic weaves like strings for marionettes, The chief instigator reduced to ash, no regrets. A tale of retribution, a lesson learned, In this short verse, a twist unearned.

“I’m terribly interested in the lines about the magic of sandalwood, which turns a living creature into a doll!” exclaimed the parrot. “That explains a lot! I must show it to Amita.”

“What does it explain?” asked puzzled Raja.

“They were hiding something important in the shoes,” murmured Barry. “Well, the seller had mentioned the shoeboxes that were delivered to the clown. No doubt, Sparky is hiding something!”

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