Mūrkharuberry - Part l

“-and he was stupid enough to believe that?” I asked in disbelief and Corvina nodded her head stifling her laugh.

“Yes! Nikola even surprised me. He said, ‘I will not return until I find the Mūrkharuberry.’ I stood there dumbfounded as he ran off. I tried to stop him, but he was long gone. And you won’t believe he didn’t return for two weeks! And when he finally returned, he had a pout as he complained about how he looked through every wood, forest, and mountain only to be told by a mad sage that Mūrkharuberry is not real and meant fools’ berry. And it is common a phrase in Kannadigas.” Corvina and I burst out laughing as she concluded her tale.

“I suppose love really makes people fools,” I remarked as I laughed, and she nodded her head.

“This reminds me, we females will be baking the day after tomorrow. Come by at noon. Don’t be late.”

“Baking? What’s the occasion?” I asked surprised and she shrugged.

“We hold these baking, cooking and gossip sessions every now and then. And you are