The Dangerous Silky Bed!

Makdi spider is happily singing a song!
“See the soft, soft web I’ve made,
Away from the sun, in the shade!
My tiny claws snip-snap the thread
As I make this soft, soft silky bed!
See it sway to and fro.
Come one, Come all - have a go!
Are there any tiny sleepy heads?
Do come and sleep in my rocking bed!"
"May I sleep in it?" asks Katmu bedbug.“I’m SOOOO tired. Been busy sucking blood from folks all day long!”
“Step into my web,” says Makdi happily. “I’ll spin a warm quilt just for you!”
So Katmu crawls sleepily into Makdi spider’s web.
“Your bed is sticky!” grumbles Katmu, as Makdi spins a silken quilt tightly around him. “I can’t breathe. HELP! Your quilt is TOO tight!”
“I’ll give you a little prick,” says Makdi. “Just in case you feel
sick!”
Do you know what Makdi does?
She injects poison into poor Katmu!
That is the end of Katmu, the little bloodthirsty bedbug!
“Now I’ll poke him once again and put my special juice into him,” mutters Makdi very, very softly. “His soft insides will become soup!”
Makdi spider is VERY happy.
She will have bedbug soup for lunch!
“Who’s that sleeping in your web?” asks Maccha mosquito.
“Katmu, the little bedbug!” says Makdi gleefully.
“I too am tired. Been sucking blood from folks all night long!” says Maccha enviously.
“Step into my web!” says Makdi happily.
So Maccha steps into Makdi’s web.
“It’s so sticky and gooey!” grumbles fat Maccha, as Makdi spins a silken quilt around him.
“Ooooooh!” sighs Maccha mosquito happily. “It’s warm and soft. What ARE you doing? I………I…I can’t breathe! HELP!”
“A little prick,” says naughty Makdi, “Will do the trick!”
That is the end of Maccha, the bloodthirsty mosquito!
“My special juice will turn Maccha’s soft inside into soup!” says Makdi, the black spider. “All she needs is another teeny weeny prick!”
Makdi is very, VERY happy.
She can also have mosquito soup for lunch!
“Who’s that sleeping in your soft web?” asks Tiktik, the black tick.
“Katmu and Maccha!” says cunning Makdi.
“I too am tired. Been sucking blood all day long!” grumbles Tiktik sulkily.
“Just step into my web!” says Makdi happily.
So Tiktik steps into the web.
“HELP!” shouts Tiktik, “I’m stuck in glue!”
“I’ll wrap you up in a soft quilt!” says Makdi.
“HELP!” shouts Tiktik. “I can’t breathe!”
“Just a little, little prick,” grins Makdi, “Will see to it that you’re not sick!”
That is the end of Tiktik, the bloodthirsty tick!
“Dear me! I am going to have a wonderful lunch!” says Makdi greedily, as she gives Tiktik another prick. “Soon his soft insides will turn into delicious soup!”
“May I join those three?” asks Madhumakki, the bumblebee sleepily.
“You’re always welcome!” says Makdi happily.
“I hope the web won’t break!” says Madhumakki worriedly. “You know I am a little heavy!”
“My spider silk is very, VERY strong. It’s just as strong as a string of steel! My web will NOT let anything fall out of it. It’s unbreakable like a bullet proof vest!” says Makdi proudly. “It can stretch and hold ANYTHING! So do not worry, dear Madhumakki. Once I tuck you in, you won’t want to be free!”
“It’s going to rain!” mutters Madhumakki anxiously.
“My web is water proof!” says Makdi. “It’s a water repellent! People use my silk it to make raincoats, hats, fishing lines and nets!”
“I don’t want to catch a cold!” grumbles the bee.
“I’ll wrap you up nice and tight,” promises Makdi gleefully. “A teeny weeny prick will prevent you from getting rain sick! Just step into my web, dear Madhumakki!”
“Madhumakki! DON’T walk into that sticky web,” warns Chipku tree lizard scornfully. “You’ll get stuck. Makdi will then finish you off!”
“Makdi is NOT stuck!” says Madhumakki.
“She is standing on a dry thread!” says wise Chipku. “She just wants you for lunch! She already has made bedbug, mosquito and tick flavored soup!”
“Dear me!” exclaims a very scared Madhumakki. “I thought they were sleeping in THAT soft, silky bed!”
Madhumakki flies away. But he is foolish. He doesn’t LOOK where he is flying. He has come very, VERY near Chipku! Chipku lazily puts out his long sticky tongue. ZAP! Madhumakki is stuck on Chipku’s tongue! That is the end of the foolish bumblebee. Chipku lizard has gobbled him up!
“THANK YOU, Makdi!” shouts Chipku. “For that super duper lunch!”
Makdi is very, VERY angry. Chipku has stolen her lunch! She shakes her web violently. She has some small hard pellets made from the hard insect skins she cannot eat! The web sways dangerously. The pellets fly up and down. Some hit Chipku hard on the head!
“OUCH!” screams Chipku. “THAT HURTS!”
Makdi skips quickly towards Chipku.
“Want to be tucked in my soft silky spread?” asks Makdi softly.
But Chipku has fled! He doesn’t want to be in Makdi’s lunch!
“PLEASE step into my bed,
All you teeny weeny sleepy heads!”
Sings Makdi, once again, happily!


By Hema Rao, New Delhi 110018