the ox and the cart

This morning, during my daily walk; I saw a bullock-cart or should I say an ox-cart. The ox had a metallic cone-shaped covering for the tip of its horns, with salangai or round shaped metallic bells attached to it.
This attracted my attention. I was actually thinking about its use.
I have known that such bells are tied around animals' necks to trace them, if they r lost while grazing, and maybe even as a decorative piece ( for the animal). And necklaces made of black thread with small shells for pendants are also tied in the belief that it wld ward off evil forces.

But the bells on the horns intrigued me--- went back home, and started a brainstorming session at home-----at 7.30 a.m. in the morning.

The results were amazing.
That the sharp horns shouldn't get chipped off.
A piece of decoration.
To serve as music for the cart-drawer, maybe even as he sleeps occasionally, on the long and often tiring journey.
To warn away snakes or other dangerous animals in the dark. (The necklace and the horn bells jointly work towards this end.)
To warn people off, if at all it is in a mood to attack.
To serve as a horn (hoot), to help people know of its arrival.
To serve as a protection, when it scratches itself with its sharp horns.

I am reminded of Shakespeare as I conclude. I have read that his work was not recognised nor was it a big deal when he was alive. But later his works were interpreted and inferred to degrees that he is called a Genius now.
If I happen to meet the cart-drawer tomorrow and ask him the purpose, in all probability, the answer wld be 'chumma dhan' which means ' just like that.'

All this apart, it has been my dream for quite some time now, to go on a bullock-cart. This is all the more reason why I stare at a bullock-cart with yearning, whenever I get to see one.