Kitty replied, "I will die, but die obeying!" When Mehera told Baba about it, he had a good laugh. Baba then forbade Kitty from eating any more. Otherwise, given her nature, she would have kept on eating the whole night.
Mittu the parrot was staying with Baba and the women in Amrit Kuti. Baba loved the bird dearly, and it, too, was very fond of him. The parrot would sit on Baba's shoulder and finger, and Baba would kiss it. There were still many pets left behind on Meherabad Hill in the "zoo." There were chickens, ducks, a pair of turkeys and dogs, among others. During Baba's absence, Pendu was in charge of looking after these animals. While they were in Lahore, however, Baba cabled Pendu to have Chhagan give away the two monkeys, Lucky and Jumpu, to two of his followers, which he did.
A black dog would visit Baba's bungalow in Lahore and it would be fed daily. Then, a puppy that was injured also began coming to the door. The women nursed its wounds and looked after it lovingly. But one day the puppy went mad, and Margaret was ordered to catch it, and turn it over to Nilu to be destroyed.
A few months later (on the morning of 1 October 1943), the black dog too went mad and bit Margaret.1 Krishna was resting after his night duty, when the gardener came at 7:00 A.M. and told Krishna that Baba wanted him immediately. Baba was standing with Margaret. The dog was lying nearby.
Baba pointed to the dog and ordered, "Take this animal away."
It was difficult for Krishna to capture it, as it had already bitten Margaret. Hesitant to get near it and be bitten, Krishna devised a yoke of bamboo. Quietly approaching the dog, he held its neck with the bamboo and tied a rope around it.
Baba ordered, "Take the dog 20 miles from here."
Krishna replied, "That is not possible, Baba. The dog is mad [rabid]!"
Baba was adamant. "It is my order!"
Krishna expressed his inability to transport the dog so far.
Baba looked disappointed, and dictated, "All right, take him eleven miles. And be certain to count the miles carefully."
Baba went inside without giving Krishna a chance to protest further.
Footnotes
- 1.Margaret had to undergo a series of painful rabies injections after being bitten.