Muthu was an ordinary individual. He was as ordinary as you and me, and all other ordinary human beings in the world. Muthu was a trader. He was always honest, and never tried to cheat any of his customers. He wouldn’t even think about it. All his goods were of top quality, and so all the people flocked to buy his wares. He sold them very cheap, and so didn’t get much profit.…

My pleasant salutations to all the human beings out there. My name is Raven, and I am a King Cobra. Yes, I am a snake. For all those intelligent humans out there who think we snakes cannot communicate, I am here to prove all of you wrong. We may lack a ear to hear stuff, smell through our tongues, and may lack the ability to talk in various languages like you humans do.…

“So, where shall we go?” my eldest sister, Radhika, asked no one in particular. “I suggest we go to the beach. And have nice hot onion bajjis.” my younger brother Mukund, a die-hard foodie, replied. “Shut up, Mukund.” It was Vindhya, my second sister. “Why don’t you try thinking about something other than food?” “Oh Vindhya, stop teasing him.” Radhika managed to prevent yet another fight between the two warring siblings.…

The air inside the room carried the odour of a dead rat. Not that it mattered much. That was all he could afford. His troupe had been in dire straits for the past ten years. But he was forever an optimist. He always told them that there would be a miracle. And there would be money. Though it all sounded encouraging then, now it seemed a lot hollow. But he still had hope, and he still hoped for that miracle to occur.…