The Last Lesson – Alphonse Daudet.

The narrator (Franz) got late at his home for the school. Mr. M Hamel is the teacher at school.
Franz had a fear that he would receive rebuke from his teacher. Because teacher would ask
question about participle and Franz did not know anything about these.

Franz thought of not going to school. He thought of spending the day in the open. Weather was
warm and shiny. At the edge of the jungle birds were making noise. In the open field, German
soldiers were exercising. All this was more attractive than rules of participles. But Franz did not
do that. He quickly went to school.

Franz walked past town hall. He saw a crowd in front of notice board. Since last two and a half
years, notice board displayed bad news. The battles lost by France. The orders to join army. The
orders of the head of Prussian army. Franz did not stop at the town hall. He wondered what
could be the matter. Then Franz walked quickly towards school.

The blacksmith Wachter was reading the bulletin. His trainee was also with him. Wachter called
Franz and told him not to hurry. Wachter further told Franz that he would reach school before
time. Franz thought that Wachter was joking about him. So he kept walking quickly.

Franz was breathing fast when he reached the garden of M Hamel. Most of the times, at the
beginning of school, there used to be lot of activities. Sound of these activities could be heard in
the street. Sound of opening and closing of desks. Sound of reciting the lesson together. The
recitation used to be together in loud voice. Students would close their ears with hands. Teacher
used to strike his ruler repeatedly on the table. But there was no noise.

Franz had depended upon the noise and activities to reach his desk without getting noticed. But
that day everything was quiet – as if it was a Sunday. (School remains closed on Sunday, so it is
quiet on Sunday) M Hamel was walking up and down in the class. He had his fearful ruler in his
hand.

Franz opened the door. Everybody noticed him while he went to his desk. He felt shy and
feared. But nobody said anything to him. His teacher M Hamel saw him. He spoke very kindly
to him. He asked him to go to his desk. He further said that they were about to start the class
without Franz. [All these are indications that something had changed. Everybody was serious.
Franz noticed these changes.]

Franz sat on his desk. He took some time to overcome his fear. After that he noticed that his
teacher was wearing a different dress that day. He was wearing a beautiful green coat, a frilled

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shirt and a small cap of black colour. All these had embroidery on it. He wore this dress on
inspection and special days only. [This was a further indication that something had changed.]

Additionally, the school was looking strange and formal. Franz was more surprised to see
people sitting at the back benches. These benches normally used to be empty. Today villagers
were sitting there quietly. Old Mr. Hauser was wearing hat. Former mayor, former postmaster
and many others were also sitting in the class. Everybody was sad.

Mr. Hauser had brought his book of primary class. Edges of the book were worn out. He had
opened this book on his knees. His spectacles were on pages of the book. Franz was trying to
guess what had happened.

Meanwhile, M. Hamel sat on his chair. He said in a sad and gentle voice that this is the last
lesson he would teach us. M Hamel informed that an order had come from Berlin. In all schools
of Alsace and Lorraine towns, the teaching had to be in German medium. The new teacher
would be coming tomorrow. He further informed that this would be our last lesson in French.
He requested us to pay attention.

These words were a shock to Franz. He calls Germans scoundrels. Now he is able to understand
about the notice at the bulletin board. Franz is talking to himself. My last lesson in French. I do
not know how to write French. He thinks that he should have learnt more. He wants to learn
more. He regrets going in the jungle for picking birds’ eggs. He regrets going for a ride
(boating) on the Saar River. Now Franz thinks that his books were his friends.

Earlier he used to think that these were a problem for him. He did not want to give up books. He
also understood that M Hamel would be going away from school. Franz will never see him
again. So he forgot everything about his ruler and his strange behavior.

Franz now understood many things. M Hamel was wearing those clothes because it was his last
lesson. Villagers were sitting in the class because they had a regret of not going to school for
more time. They had come to the class to thank M Hamel for the service he had given to the
school. They had come to show respect to their country. Since their country was occupied by
Germans, the author says that now it was not their country.

While Franz was thinking, his name was called. He wanted to recite his lesson correctly. He
was ready to give everything he had to correctly recite rules of participle. But he got confused.
He stood silently at his desk. He did not have the courage to look up and see his teacher. M
Hamel told Franz that he will not scold Franz. You must be feeling bad. Every day we tell
ourselves that we have lot of time to study. I will study tomorrow. And now you have
understood that there will be no tomorrow.

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M Hamel continues. That is the big trouble with people of village Alsace. People postpone
learning to next day. And now Germans will tell you that you do not know how to read or write
French. So why should you call yourself Frenchmen. But Franz, you are not the worst. We all
need to repent ourselves. M Hamel continues. Your parents were not serious about your
education. They used to put you on some work to earn money – on a field or a mill.

I am also to be blamed. I used to send you to my garden for watering flower plants. When I
went for fishing, I used to give you holidays. M Hamel continues to talk many things about
French language. He says that French is the most beautiful, clearest and logical language in the
world. We must continue to speak French and always protect this. He says that when we
continue to be attached to our own language, we have the key of our prison. [By the last
sentence he means that Prussian have occupied their village. Now they have ordered to use
German as medium of teaching in schools. Both acts are as good as putting people in prison.]

Now M Hamel taught us grammar. Franz was surprised that he understood the lesson. It was
very easy. Franz thought that he had never listened so carefully and Hamel had not explained so
nicely. It appeared that Hamel wanted us to teach everything he knew. He wanted us to
understand in one attempt.

After grammar, Hamel taught writing. He gave them new notebooks. France, Alsace was
written on each note book. These words were written beautifully in the notebook. Franz felt that
these words were written on small flags and these were everywhere in the class room. [Author
is trying to say that everybody felt so devoted and attached to their country and town.] Franz
continues to think. One should have seen that everybody started writing earnestly. It was so
impressive. It was very quiet in the class. Nobody was talking. One could hear sound of pen
writing on paper.

Franz describes further. Some beetles came into the class room. Nobody got disturbed. The
young little kids were also writing their cursive writings. On the roof one pigeon made a sound.
Franz wondered if Germans will order pigeons to sing in German medium. (This is a satire)

Whenever Franz looked up he noticed that M Hamel was sitting in chair. He was not making
any movements. He was staring at things in the classroom one by one. Hamel was trying to see
how things looked in the class room. (It means that Hamel had become emotional. He felt
attached to everything in the classroom.)

Franz continues to think. Hamel had been in the same classroom for forty years. His garden was
outside the window and his class was in front of him. All are still at the same place. Franz
describes changes in last forty years. The benches and desks had worn out. These were smooth
now. The walnut tress had become taller. Hamel had planted hopvines in his garden. These had
grown. These had taken support of windows to climb up to roof. Nothing else had changed.
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Franz continues to think. Hamel’s heart must be feeling very sad to go away. His sister was
doing packing on the first floor. All could hear that sound. Because they were leaving the
country next day. Franz describes. Franz was very sad but on that day he listened to all the
lessons till their end. Franz says that this showed his courage.

After lesson of writing, Hamel taught them history lesson. After that small kids recited a rhyme.
Franz describes. Mr. Hauser had put on his spectacles. He held his book of primary class in both
hands. He was trying to recite spelling of words. He was crying. His voice was shaking. He was
full of emotions. His voice was very funny (different). Everybody in the class room wanted to
laugh and cry. (Example of mixed emotions)

Franz remembered his last lesson. Franz describes. Suddenly, it was 12 O’clock by the clock at
church. Prayers started at church. Prussian soldiers were returning from their exercise. Their
bugle made sound near the window of class room. Hamel got up from his chair. He was looking
yellow. He appeared very confident.

Hamel started saying, “My friends. But something stopped him. He could not continue. Franz
describes. Then Hamel turned towards blackboard and took a piece of chalk. Taking support of
all his power he wrote – Long Live France. He wrote in very large words. Hamel stopped and
supported himself against the wall. Without speaking any word he indicated, “School is
dismissed – you may go”. [Please note he does not say that class is dismissed. He wanted to say
that the school was now closed.]

Lost Spring – Anees Jung

Part I

The story starts with an answer that occasionally Saheb finds a Rupee in the garbage. The narrator meets Saheb
every morning. While Saheb would be searching the garbage to obtain something of value. Narrator asks Saheb
why he does that. [In this para ‘gold’ means something of high value.]

Saheb’s home was in the middle of green fields of Dhaka. He does not remember anything about his home
because he had left it long ago. Many floods used to come there. During flood their house and field got
destroyed.

They left Dhaka and came to the Delhi city to find something valuable. [Here ‘gold’ means something valuable.
It also means some work that will help them live.] Saheb now answers that he searches garbage because he does
not have anything else to do.

Without much thinking, writer advises Saheb to go to school. Immediately she realizes that this advice is not
useful. Saheb replies that there is no school near his place of stay. He tells that if a school is built in his
neighbourhood, he will go.

4
The writer asks Saheb if she started a school, will he come. Writer appears to be making a joke out of Saheb.
Saheb replies, “Yes”. After some days Saheb came running near to the writer. He asks the writer if the school is
ready.

Writer replies that it takes more time to build a school. The writer felt ashamed because she gave a hope which
she could not fulfill. The life of Saheb is without any hope. Such type of promises are many in his life. [Here
‘such type of promises’ means talks, assurances or promises that will never become true for Saheb]

The writer asks his name after many months. He replies “Saheb-e-Alam”. This means king of the world. Writer
feels he does not meaning of his name. Writer thinks Saheb would have difficulty to accept meaning of his
name. [The writer is pointing out at the irony of his name. While meaning of his name is king of universe,
Saheb is a rag picker. His life is opposite of a king]

Saheb does not know meaning of his name. He walks aimlessly in streets with his friends. All of them do not
have shoes or slippers in their feet. They come in streets in the morning and go back in the afternoon. They are
being compared as birds, who come for a fixed duration. After many months, writer recognizes each of them.

Writer asks one of the boys why he is not wearing chappals? My mother did not take out chappals from the
shelf, is the simple reply. [Probably the shelf was higher and he himself could not take out slippers. Or he is
trying to hide that he does not have slippers.]

Another boys says that he (the first boy) would have thrown chappals if his mother took out chappals. The
second boy is wearing shoes which are not of correct size. Writer says this to the boy, the boy does not say
anything. He moves his feet. This shows that he was embarrassed. The third boy said that he wanted shoes. He
had never worn shoe earlier.

The writer has seen children barefoot throughout the country. The writer has travelled to many places in the
country. The explanation normally given is that it was their tradition to remain barefoot. It was not lack of
money. Writer feels it an explanation or excuse to hide their never ending poverty.

Writer recalls a story told to her by a resident of Udipi town. During young age he used to a go to school after
crossing a temple. His father was priest in that temple. In his prayers, the boy used to ask for a pair of shoes.
After 30 years writer went to the same temple. The temple was in ruins. There was no activity. In the back of
the temple new priest used to live. There were red and white chairs.

A boy came to the backyard. He was young. He was wearing grey uniform, socks and shoes. He was taking
quick breaths. He threw his bag on the folding bed. Writer recalled another boy. That boy had prayed to the
goddess that he should always have shoes.

The goddess had granted wish of that boy. Now son of the priest wears shoes. Earlier priests did not wear shoes.
Either they used to be barefooted or wear wooden chappals. But even today ragpickers in neighbourhood of the
writer did not have shoes.

Because of being familiar with ragpickers I went to Seemapuri. It is a place on the outer side of Delhi. This
place is symbolically very far from Delhi. [Meaning that facilities available in Delhi do not exist here]

People living in Seemapuri are illegal residents. They had come from Bangladesh in 1971. Sheb had also come
from there. That time (in 1971) Seemapuri was a jungle. It is still a jungle but all the space is filled. [Here the
phrase ‘it stll is’ is used symbolically. It means that the area does not have means of decent living]
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The houses are made of mud. Their roofs are of tin and tarpaulin. The area is without sewage, drainage or tap
water. About 10,000 ragpickers live at Seemapuri.

The houses are made of mud. Their roofs are of tin and tarpaulin. The area is without sewage, drainage or tap
water. About 10,000 ragpickers live at Seemapuri. They are living there since last thirty years. They do not have
any identity card. They do not have any permit. But they have their ration card. With the help of ration card they
get their voter card. Ration card helps them to buy grains at cheaper rate. It is more important to get food than
an identity.

The writer asked a group of women why they had left their green fields and banks of river. One woman replies
that here they get food for their families. So we can go to sleep without pain in our stomach. (Here the phrase
‘aching stomach’ has been metaphorically used. It means the pain of hunger.) It is more important to get food
than living in green field that does not give food.

They make their tents wherever they can earn some food. Their tents are temporary. It can be moved to new
place. Their children also earn to help survival of family. The only means of earning in Seemapuri is rag-
picking.

Ragpicking is going on in Seemapuri since many years. It has now become an art. [Writer means to say that
people are very skillful in ragpicking]. Garbage is being called gold. The writer wants to say that garbage for
them is very valuable because they earn their food by ragpicking. They get a place to live because of earning by
ragpicking. The roof of the tent is always leaking. During rains water enters into their tents. But for a child
ragpicking is much more than a source of living.

Saheb says to the writer that sometimes he finds a ten rupee note in the garbage. His eyes are shining while
saying this. This is the shine of hope. He further says that when he finds something valuable in the garbage he
does not stop. He searches more in the hope of finding more such items. [This statement shows that he is always
hopeful and greedy also]

It appears to the writer that meaning of garbage is different for children and their parents. For parents it is
means of livelihood for their family. For children it is a hope and a wonder. This is because children try to find
some excitement in scrounging.

Once during winter season, in the morning, writer notices that Saheb is standing at the gate of a club in his
neighbourhood. The gate has a fencing. He is watching two men. Their dress is white. They are playing tennis.

Saheb says that he likes the game of tennis. He is satisfied to stand behind the fence and watch the game. He
says that the gate keeper allows him to go into the club when there is no one in the club. He uses swings
installed there. [The writer is bringing out how poor children are deprived of means of entertainment. They are
not able to fulfill their desires. It also brings about the kindheartedness of a section of society]

Saheb is wearing white tennis shoes. His dress is not white. Colour of shirt and shorts had faded. He explains
that someone gave him the dress and shoes.

One of the shoe has a hole. It appears that these shoes were discarded by a rich boy. However this does not
affect Saheb. He has been walking barefoot. So wearing shoes is like fulfilling his wish. But he will not be able
to play tennis. Though he watches the game carefully and with interest.

6
This morning Saheb was going to the milk booth. He had a metal container in his hand. He says that he is now
working at a tea stall. The shop is at the other end of the road. He points towards the shop.

Saheb says that he earns 800 rupees a month. He is also given food for the day free of cost. Writer asks Saheb if
he likes the job. His face is not carefree now. Meaning that he is not happy.

Saheb finds canister heavier than plastic bag. He could carry the bag very easily over his shoulder. [This means
that he does not like his job. But he is doing it unwillingly.] The canister is not his own but the bag was his own.
Saheb is not a free person now. He needs to obey others.

Part II

Mukesh wants to drive a car. He wants to be a mechanic of cars. This is because Mukesh wants to be a free
person – one who can do what he wants. (This is the meaning of ‘being his own master’)

Writer asks Mukesh if he knows anything about cars. Mukesh answers that he will learn to drive a car. He looks
directly into the eyes of writer.

The streets of Firozabad town is full of dust. His eyes are full of his dream. Dream of Mukesh is not likely to be
realized. This town is famous for making bangles. Majority of families work for making bangles.

Firozabad is the centre of glass making industry. [Means that a glass making is a big activity here]. Many
generations of families have worked in this industry. They work around furnaces doing several activities.
Bangles used here are supplied to every place in the world. [It also means that in Firozabad, bangles are made in
great numbers]

Family of Mukesh works in making bangles. No-one knows that it is against the law for children to work near
glass furnace that has high temperature. The furnace area has less light and air circulation is bad. At the furnace
Mukesh and other children work very hard. Losing eyesight is very common. They do not know if law is
applied, Mukesh and all other 20,000 children can be removed from working at the furnace.

Mukesh wants to take writer to his home. His eyes are shining while he takes the writer to his home. Mukesh
informs the writer that his home is getting rebuilt. [Means that some renovation is being done at his house]

Writer and Mukesh walk through the lanes. Foul smell is coming from these lanes. These lanes are full of
garbage. Homes are small and broken. Walls are about to fall. Doors are shaking. Houses do not have windows.
Houses have lot of people and animals. They live together in ancient style.

Mukesh stops at one house of that type. He strikes at the shaking iron-gate with his foot. The door is pushed
open. They enter into a poorly built house. The house in not fully constructed.

One part of the house has grass and straws as its roof. In a corner a firewood stove is placed. On the stove
spinach leaves vegetable is being cooked. Aluminium plates are kept on the ground. These plates have more cut
vegetables.

A weak looking young woman is cooking dinner for the family. Her eye are filled with smoke. She smiles at the
writer. She is wife of elder brother of Mukesh.

She is not very old by her age. She gets respect of everybody as a daughter in law of the house. She takes care
of three men of the house – her husband, Mukesh and their father.
7
Here the older man refers to father of Mukesh. When the older man comes to house, she goes behind the wall.
She put a veil on her face. This is the tradition of the house.

The elder person is a poor and weak bangle maker. He has done hard work for many years. First as a tailor and
then as a bangle maker. In spite of hard work, he has not been able to bring house to good condition. He could
not send his two sons to schools. He has managed to teach them only bangle making.

Grandmother of Mukesh says that this is their destiny. Her husband had become blind while working as a
bangle maker. He used to polish glass bangles. Dust of glass had entered into his eyes. We have to adopt the
profession of our ancestors. So we have to do the same thing. She means to say that one needs to accept what
God gives them. It shows the state of helplessness.

They were born in the house of bangle makers. Their ancestors have also been making bangles. So they have
seen only bangles in their house, in every other house and in every street of the town of Firozabad.

Round bangles of every colour of rainbow lie in heaps in poorly maintained yards. These are put in a four
wheeled cart. Young men push these carts along the streets of town. The town is old and poorly maintained. It
has inadequate light and air.

In dark houses some boys and girls are sitting with their parents. They are joining ends of glass to make circular
bangles. Light of the lamp is unsteady, sometimes it becomes more and sometimes less.

Children like to work in less light than in full light. They have adjusted themselves to poor light. The writer
wants to say that this is not their choice but a compulsion. Because they work in poor light, they become blind
before they are grown-ups.

A girl by the name of Savita is wearing dress of dull pink colour. She is sitting near to an elderly woman. The
girl is joining glass. Her hands are moving like a machine. Writer has a doubt if the girl knows the importance
of bangle she is making.

Bangles are considered holy for marriage. It represents ‘suhaag’ (husband) of a woman. Savita will understand
it one day. She will wear a red saari and a veil. She will apply henna on her hands. She will wear red bangles in
her wrist. Then she will be a bride.

Savita will be a wife just like the old woman who is sitting next to her. The old woman got married many years
ago. She has bangles in her hand but no shine in her eyes. [Means she has no hope or joy in life]

The old lady says that she has never had full meal on any day. And this is what she has received in her life.
[This she calls as achievement of her life. A big satire on their condition of working, earning and living]

Husband of the old lady has a long beard. He says that he knows only bangle making. He has managed to build
a house for his family.

This is the only thing he could for his family. The person has a house of his own. So he has achieved what many
fail to achieve.

Every house complains that they have just enough money to continue the business of bangle making. But they
do not have enough money to buy food. [This tells us that in spite of all family member working, they find
difficult to buy food. So their earning is very small. The younger generation has the same regret or complaint.

8
It appears that nothing has changed in Firozabad. Because of hard work, their mind is not able to think anything
else. So they are not able to think about something new. They do not have any dream.

The writer suggests to form a co-operative society. This suggestion is made to group of young men. These men
had walked or were forced to walk into the trap of middlemen. Now escape from their clutches is not possible.
These middlemen had trapped their ancestors also. And it continues up to this generation.

They say that if they get together police beats them and puts them in prison. The reason given by police is that
they have done something illegal. [The writer wants to say that middlemen and police are working together to
ensure that condition of people remains unchanged. So that middlemen can continue to get the work done at
very low cost]

They do not have any leader. They do not have any guide who would help them think in a different way. Their
fathers were tired of working. They are also tired of working. Their talks are limited to four topics – poverty,
lack of sympathy, greed and injustice. They only talk but take no action. Hence their condition remains
unchanged.

In the life of bangle makers there are two separate aspects and areas. The first is their family. The family is
poor. The family suffers because of their caste. The second aspect is made up of ‘sahukars’, middlemen and
policemen, the officers and politicians. Bangle makers are not able to support their family. They are not able to
come out of clutches these group of people.

These two aspects have collectively put a load on every child. The child is not able to remove that load. He
accepts the load unknowingly and without understanding. Same thing had happen with his father.

If a person wants to do anything other than bangle making, it is considered courage. The writer says that having
courage is not part of their life. But when writer sees a small amount of courage in Mukesh, he feels happy.
Mukesh once again says, “I want to be a motor mechanic”.

Mukesh says that he will go to a garage to learn how to repair cars. But the garage is very far from his house He
says that he will walk to the garage. He is insisting to become a motor mechanic.

The writer asks Mukesh if he has a dream of flying an aero plane. Mukesh becomes silent. He looks at the
ground. Then he says ‘No’.

In his short answer there is a discomfort. But his discomfort has not yet become a disappointment. [The
discomfort is because he knows he is not dreaming big. The discomfort is also because he does not have money
to undergo training to become a pilot] He is satisfied to have a dream of cars, of being car mechanic. He sees
cars moving in his town. Airplanes do not fly over Firozabad.

[A very powerful message. What you see you can dream to become. So it is important to widen the horizon of
our knowledge to dream big and then achieve it.]

Deep Water - William Douglas

The writer talks about of the time when his age was ten or eleven. He wanted to learn swimming. There was a
swimming pool in Yakima town. The pool belonged to YMCA. This pool was ideal for learning swimming.

9
The Yakima River was dangerous and unpredictable. His mother had warned the writer not to go into the river.
She used to regularly tell him about every case of death due to drowning in the river. She had told him so many
times that each incident was always fresh in his mind.

The YMCA pool was safe. The pool was three feet deep at one end and nine feet deep at the opposite end. The
increase in depth was gradual. The slope at the bottom of the pool was gradual.

Writer (Douglas) purchased new water wings. He did not like to walk in his swimming costume because it
showed his thin legs. He lowered (comprised) his self-respect. Wore his swimming costume and went to the
pool.

Douglas had a dislike or hatred towards water whenever he went into water. This dislike had started when he
was about of three years’ age. At that time his father had taken him to a sea beach in California.

Douglas and his father stood in the waves. He was tightly holding his father. But a wave threw him down. The
wave went over him. He was completely submerged in water.

Douglas could not breathe. He was afraid. His father laughed at him. But Douglas was very much afraid. The
wave was very powerful. Douglas was overcome by the force of wave.

When Douglas went to YMCA swimming pool, he remembered his previous bad experience. (getting knocked
down by a powerful wave) . His fears of childhood came back to him. But very soon he became confident.

Douglas used his water wings to swim in the pool. He was watching other boys and tried to learn by copying
them. He swam with his water wings two-three times on different days. He had started gaining confidence. Just
at that time an accident occurred.

One day when Douglas reached swimming pool, no one else was there. The place was calm. There was no
movement of water. The pool was very clean. He could clearly see white tiles at bottom of the pool. Douglas
was scared to go into the pool alone. So he decided to wait for others to come. He sat at the side of the pool.

Douglas had not spent much time sitting at the side of the swimming pool. Then a big, strong and aggressive
boy came. His age was about 18 years. He had lot of hair on his chest.

The boy had very good physique. His arms and legs were well built, very strong. He shouted at Douglas. Hey
thin boy, would like to be pushed into water?

The boy picked up Douglas and threw him into the pool at deep end. Douglas landed in sitting position. Water
went into his mouth. He immediately went to the bottom of the pool. He was frightened but still he could think.

While Douglas was going down in the water, he made his plan for escape. He planned that when his feet touch
bottom of the pool, he would try to make a jump to come to surface of water. He would lie flat on surface of
water and swim towards edge of the pool. [His plan is a bit ambitious. Coming to the surface of water is fine.
But he does not know swimming. How can he lie flat? How can he swim to the edge?

Douglas felt that his downward journey to bottom of the pool was taking long time. The nine feet distance
seemed to be ninety feet. Before he reached bottom of the pool his lungs were full of air. Douglas felt his lungs
could burst anytime.

10
At last, feet of Douglas touched bottom of the pool. He gathered all his power and made a jump. He thought it
was a powerful jump. He expected to quickly come to surface like a cork does.

But Douglas came up very slowly. Midway he opened his eyes. He could see only water. The water had a light
shade of yellow colour. [Small amount of Chlorine gas is mixed in water of swimming pool for disinfecting
water. It gives yellow tinge to water.] He was frightened. When he reached at the surface he tried to catch
something. But his hands could only catch water.

Douglas was not able to breathe. He tried to shout but no sound came from his mouth. His eyes and nose came
out of water. But his mouth remained in water.

Douglas repeatedly moved his hands and legs at the surface of water. He swallowed water and felt suffocated.
He tried to move up his legs. But he could not. He felt his legs had become heavy and rigid. They felt very
heavy.

A big force started pulling Douglas down the water. He shouted. But there was nobody to hear his voice. [This
is meaning of ‘only water heard me’.] He once again started going down the pool. The journey to bottom of
pool seemed very long.

While going down Douglas struck at the water. spends his strength against a horror that could not be overcome.

Douglas was not able to breathe. His lungs were paining. He was feeling series of pain in his head. His head
was spinning. He was getting faint. But he remembered his plan. He would jump from bottom of the pool and
quickly come to the surface of water.

Douglas would lie flat on surface of water. He will move his hands to make cross. He will move his legs to beat
water. This way he had planned to reach edge of the pool and be safe.

Douglas went down the water. There seemed to be no end to the journey. He could see only water of yellow
tinge. He could not see through water so he says it was dark water.

Then Douglas was completely in the grip of sharp terror. A terror no one can understand. It was a terror that
cannot be controlled. No one can understand this terror if he has not experienced it himself. (Douglas wants to
say that he was totally frightened)

Douglas was trying to shout under the water. But voice did not come out of his mouth. He was not able to make
any movement. His whole body felt stiff and rigid as if he was paralysed. Beating of his heart and throbbing in
his head indicated that he was alive.

Even in the middle of terror, Douglas had maintained his ability to think logically. He recalled that he had to
jump when his feet touch bottom of the pool. Finally his feet touched the tiles at the bottom of the floor. His
toes tried to catch the floor. He then jumped with all his strength.

But the jump did not cause any difference. Water was still around Douglas. (means he was still under the
water). He started searching for ladders, ropes and water wings. (he was desperately moving his hands to hold
something to give him support). But he felt only water. The water with yellow tinge was not allowing him to
move out.

The terror became more intense. It took a stronger hold on me. (means I was very afraid). The terror caught
Douglas as if he was caught by an electric current. Douglas was shaking and shivering because of fear.
11
Douglas could not move his arms. He could not move his legs. He tried to shout for help. He tried to call his
mother. But he could not.

Then Douglas saw light. He found it strange because he thought he would never come out of water. He was
coming out of yellow tinged frightful water. His eyes had come out of water. His nose was almost out of water.

Then Douglas started going into the water for the third time. He wanted to breathe air. But water got into his
mouth. The light was now disappearing. (means his eyes were closing)Then all efforts stopped. Douglas
relaxed. His legs became weak. He had no sensation in his legs. A darkness came into his brain. (Everything
had become dark.) All the fear was gone. There was no terror.

Douglas describes his condition. It was calm and peaceful. All the fear had vanished. It was good to feel like
sleeping. It was good to go to sleep. It was nice to float in the space. Douglas felt soft arms of his mother. He
says to himself to go to sleep.

Douglas became unconscious. He thought he is dead.

When Douglas gained consciousness, he was lying on his stomach near the pool. (Somebody had taken him out
of the pool and saved his life) He was vomiting. The person who had ducked Douglas into the pool was saying
that he had thrown Douglas into the pool just for fun.

Someone scolded the bruiser boy that the kid (Douglas) almost died. Now behave like a good person. Let us
take him to locker room.

Many hours after being taken out of the pool, Douglas went home. He was weak. He was shivering. He was
upset. He cried in his bed. He could not eat anything that night.

For many days the fear stayed in the heart of Douglas. The fear used to repeatedly come to him. His knees used
to tremble because of even small amount of hard work. He used to vomit because of small stress or small work.

After this incident Douglas never went into the swimming pool. He remained fearful of water. He avoided
going into water.

After some years Douglas heard about cascades. He wanted to go there and take bath in these.

Whenever Douglas walked in a river or took bath in a river, the terror of the swimming pool would come back
to him.

Douglas would be completely under the influence of fear. He would not be able to move his legs. And the
horror would come back to his heart and make him very cold. The disadvantage of fear of water remained with
Douglas during coming years as well. He could not overcome his fear when he grew.

Douglas went in a boat for fishing in Maine lakes. He also went to other places for fishing. He went to
waterfalls. Everywhere the unforgettable fear of water came to him.

The fear destroyed joy of fishing trips. It removed all the joy of boating and swimming.

Douglas used every method to overcome his fear. But it did not go away. At last in the month of October he
decided to hire services of one coach to learn swimming. (One October means – month of October, he does not
remember the year). Douglas practiced for one hour in a day for five days in week.

12
The coach had put belt around waist of Douglas. He attached a rope to the belt. The rope was taken over a
pulley. The coach used to hold the end of rope. This way there was no chance of drowning. Douglas swam
across the pool regularly. (Hour after hour, day after day and week after week means that he practices regularly
for a long period of time)During each journey across the pool, some amount of fear used to come to Douglas.
Whenever the instructor loosened the rope, Douglas went under the water. At every such time the old fear came
to Douglas and his legs would stop moving.

After about three months, the fear (tension) started reducing. The coach then taught Douglas to breathe out
while keeping mouth under the water. He also taught Douglas to raise his nose above water to breathe in.
Douglas repeated these many times. Gradually, Douglas was able to remove his fear of putting head under
water.

After this exercise, the coach taught Douglas to how to use his legs for swimming. Douglas caught side of the
pool with his hands and used his legs to kick water. He did this exercise for many weeks. Initially he could not
move his legs. Gradually he learnt the correct method.

Through step by step instructions the coach taught swimming. When Douglas had learnt every step, instructor
combined all the steps into one lesson.

In the month of April the coach told Douglas that he could swim. Coach asked Douglas to dive into the
swimming pool and do a crawl stroke. Douglas did that successfully. The work of instructor was completed.

But my work was not completed. I had a doubt if I would get terror when I was alone in the swimming pool. So
I swam alone. I swam the length of pool from one end to another and then back to first end.

Very small amount of terror would sometimes come back to me. But now I could look directly at the terror and
tell him that I was not scared of it. Look, I am not scared of you. And then I would swim one more time along
the length of pool.

I kept doing that till July. But I was not satisfied. I was not sure every amount of terror had left me.So Douglas
went to a lake in Hampshire. He dived from an edge at Triggs Island. He swam two miles across another lake.
He reached Stamp Act Island. (He is trying to test himself to be sure that he is fully confident. And that there is
no trace of terror left.)Douglas swam with different styles of swimming. Only on one occasion, he felt terror.

When Douglas was in the middle of the lake, he put his face under the water. He saw water only. The old
feeling of terror came to him in very small amount. Douglas laughed and said to himself. Mr Terror, you cannot
do anything to me. (It shows his confidence on himself) The terror ran away and he continued to swim.

Still Douglas had some left over doubts. So he went to Tieton and other places. He stayed in a tent in a grass
field on the side a lake called Warm Lake.

Next morning he changed to his swimming costume. He dived into the lake to cross its breadth and returned to
the starting point. He was very happy. He shouted with joy. There was an echo from the mountain called Gilbert
Peak. Now Douglas felt that he had overcome his fear.

The experience had a big effect on Douglas. Those who know the terror, can only understand the joy of
overcoming it.

13
After death everything becomes peaceful. One feels terror because of fear of death. Nobody wants to die.
Roosevelt had said that we should fear the fear itself. (Meaning that we should be brave) We should not be
afraid.

Douglas had nearly died. So he had experienced the terror and the feeling of death it causes. Now his desire to
live became strong.

Finally Douglas was relaxed. He could now fearlessly walk on narrow paths, climb mountain peaks. His fear
was gone. He refused to accept fear.

Rat Trap – Selma Lagerlof

Once upon a time a man used to make small rattraps. He made these during strange time of the day. These were
made of wire. He used to roam around to sell these. He used to beg for the material in stores or at big farms.

Though he got material free, still his business of selling rattrap did not give him enough money. So he had to
beg and do minor thefts to make his living. Yet his cloths were torn. His cheeks were sunk, he appeared hungry
or malnutrition.

Life of the rattrap maker was sad and dull. He did not have a home. He used to walk along the road and live on
side of road. Mostly he was busy in his own thoughts. (Meaning that his thoughts were not affected by anyone)
He had no one to talk to.)

One day a new thought came to his mind. This new thought appeared very pleasant to him.

As usual, he was thinking about his rattraps. Suddenly a new thought came to him. He thought that the whole
world was a big rattrap. (Meaning that all the people are trapped in this world) The world exists to tempt people
into doing something.

The world gives us many pleasures like money, happiness, home, food, clothes etc. This is similar to a rattrap
having cheese and pork to tempt rats. As soon as a person tries to get any of the pleasure of the world, he gets
trapped to obtain more such pleasures. Then he is not able to come out of ever increasing desire.

Certainly the world was not kind to him. (Meaning that he had lot of difficulties in his life) Therefore this
thought gave him special happiness to think bad about the world.

This became his favourite thought to pass his time during his dull and boring walks. He used to think of people
known to him, who were caught in the dangerous trap of the world. He also used to think of people who were
still moving around the temptations. (Meaning they had not fully decided to get tempted but were about get into
the trap)One day it became dark in the evening and he was still walking with difficulty along the road. He saw a
small hut of gray colour. He knocked at the door and requested permission to stay there. He was given the
permission.

Normally rattrap maker used to meet bad tempered persons. But owner of this cottage was happy to receive
him. The owner was an old person. He lived there alone. He did not have his wife or children at the cottage. He
was happy to receive rattrap maker so that he could talk to him to remove his loneliness.

14
Immediately the cottage owner started cooking porridge. He has dinner to the rattrap maker. Then he cut a big
piece of tobacco from a roll. With this rattrap maker and the cottage owner each could smoke their pipes. Then,
till bed time, they played a game ‘mjolis’ with playing cards.

The old man (owner of cottage) voluntarily told him many of his secrets. This was similar to giving shelter and
lot of food to his guest. Rattrap maker was informed that in past the cottage owner was a rich person. He had
taken a piece of land on rent at Ramsjo Ironworks. He used to live and do farming on that land.

Now the crofter was not able to do hard work. His cow was supporting him. He says that his cow is
extraordinary. She gives milk every day. He sells it to creamery. Last month he had received thirty Kronor from
the creamery.

The old man thought that guest did not believe him, Because of this reason, the owner of the house went to the
window. He took down a leather pouch. This was hanging on a nail on the window frame. He took out three ten
Kronor notes from the pouch and showed to the rattrap maker. These were folded at many places.

The old man showed these currency notes to his guest. Then he put these back into the pouch.

Next day both men got up early in the morning. The crofter wanted to milk his cow early. The other man
probably did not want to sleep longer than his host. So the rattrap maker also got up early.

Both the men came out of cottage together. The crofter locked the cottage and kept the key with him. The
rattrap maker thanked his host and said good bye to him. Each of them went on their way.

After about half an hour, the rattrap seller reached the cottage again. He did not try to get into the cottage.

He went to the window. He broke the pane of the window. He put his hand into the window and caught the
pouch. He took out the money, put money into his own pocket. Then he carefully put back the pouch at its place
and went away. (He has stolen the money of the crofter.)He was very happy with his smartness to walk away
with money in his pocket. He did not have the courage to continue his walk along the road. So he turned away
from road and started walking through the jungle.

Initially he did not have any difficulty in walking in the jungle. But later during the day he started facing
problems. (Because the forest was big and he got confused) He had lost his way.

He tried to walk in only one particular direction. But the way was twisting in all directions. He found it very
strange. (He could not find the correct path to cross the jungle)He walked to a great distance. But the jungle did
not end. Finally he understood that he had been walking around the same portion of the jungle.

Suddenly he remembered his thoughts that the world is a rattrap. He understood that it is now his turn to get
caught in the rattrap of the world. He thought that he was a fool to get tempted and get caught in a rattrap.

The forest was having big trees, group of bushes and big pieces of wood. These surrounded him like a prison.
He thought he would never be able to come out of the forest.

It was towards end of December month. It had already started becoming dark in the forest. Now it became more
dangerous to be in the jungle. The rattrap maker was becoming sadder and hopeless.

15
He could not find any way to come out of the forest. He sat on the ground – exhausted and with no hope. He
was very tired. He thought that his last moment had come. (Meaning he will die in the forest). As soon as he put
his head on the ground, he could hear some sound. It was sound of some heavy thing hitting another thing.

He was sure about type of that sound. From laying on the ground he sat up. These were the sounds of a hammer
striking iron in an iron mill. He thought that there must be people nearby. He gathered all his strength. He got
up and started walking unsteadily in the direction of sound.

The Ramsjo Ironworks during those days was a large factory. It is closed now. The plant had various sections
like smelter, rolling mill and a forge. During summer season loaded boats moved material in the canal. The
canal was connected to a lake. In the winter season lot of coal used to come to the factory. The road used to
become black because of coal dust falling on the road from trucks.

It was long and dark evening just before the Christmas. The main worker and his helper were sitting in the forge
near the furnace. They were heating the pig iron in the furnace. They were waiting for pig iron to become hot. It
was to put on the anvil for hammering.

Occasionally, one of them went near the furnace to stir the shining mass of pig iron. They used to return in a
few seconds. Lot of sweat used to come from their body. As per the practice, they were wearing only a shirt and
wooden shoes.

Many types of sounds were coming from the forge section of plant. The big air bags were making sound as if
they were suffering pain. The burning of coal made a sound of cracking. The fire-boy was throwing coal in the
furnace using a shovel. It produced the sound of clatter. Outside the furnace a waterfall was making a huge
sound. Wind coming from North direction was throwing water in the form of rain drops on the floor. The floor
was tiled with bricks.

Probably because of so many noises, the blacksmith (master smith) did not know that a person had opened the
gate. That person had entered the forge and was standing very near to the furnace. Then the blacksmith saw
him. That man was the rattrap maker.

It was certainly usual for people without homes to come to the forge. They were attracted to the forge by the
shine of the light. The light went through the blackish panes of the factory. They used to come to the forge to
keep them warm during winter season.

The blacksmith looked casually and without any sympathy to the person who had come without permission.
The rattrap maker looked like a typical tramp. He had a long beard, wearing torn cloths and he was dirty. A
group of rattraps were hanging around his chest.

The vagabond requested the blacksmith to permit him to stay there. The blacksmith arrogantly gave him
permission by signal of his head. He did speak any word. The tramp also did not speak. He had not come there
to talk. He had come there to keep himself warm and to sleep. At that time, owner of Ramsjo iron mill was a
famous ironmaster. His biggest desire was to make iron of best quality and send to the market.

He inspected works of his factory during day and also at night. He wanted the work to be done in best possible
manner. After arrival of tramp, the owner came to the forge on his inspection round of night.

16
Obviously; the ironmaster saw the person who was wearing torn cloths. The tramp was sleeping comfortably
very close to the furnace. He was so close to the furnace that steam was coming from his wet clothes. The
blacksmith had not considered it appropriate to talk to the tramp. But the ironmaster did not consider so.

The ironmaster walked near to the tramp. He looked at the tramp carefully. Then he removed the hat of the
tramp to look at his face. The ironmaster was surprised. He was sure that the tramp was Nils Olof. The
ironmaster told the tramp that he was looking very bad. The ironmaster mistook the tramp as his old friend.

The tramp had never seen the ironmaster. The tramp did not know name of ironmaster. But tramp thought that
this gentleman understands that he was a person known to him since olden days. The tramp thought that this
person might give him some money.

Therefore the tramp did not want to remove doubt of ironmaster immediately. He said that situation had become
difficult for him.

The ironmaster said to the tramp that he should not have resigned from army. That was his mistake. If the
ironmaster had been in the army at that time, then that would have never happened. (Meaning that ironmaster
would not have allowed him to resign.) He further says to the tramp that now he should come to his home.

The tramp did not like the idea of going to the farmhouse of ironmaster. He did not want the ironmaster to treat
him as an old colleague of the regiment. So the tramp refused to go with him. He was taking precautions.

The tramp was worried about his thirty kronor. He thought that by going to the farmhouse he could get into
some trouble. The tramp wanted to sleep in the forge. Then go away from there without getting noticed.

The ironmaster thought that the tramp was ashamed of his poor clothes.

The ironmaster told tramp that he should not think the house is very good and he cannot come there. He said
that Elizabeth had died. The tramp might have heard. (Elizabeth was wife of ironmaster). My sons live in
foreign countries. Only I and my eldest daughter live in the house.

The ironmaster explained that they did not have any company for Christmas. They were sad about it. He
requested the tramp to come to their home and eat food prepared on the occasion of Christmas.

But the tramp repeatedly said no. Now ironmaster understood that he will need to stop requesting the tramp.

Name of the blacksmith is Stjernstrom. The ironmaster said to blacksmith that Captain von Stahle likes to stay
with him tonight. And then he turned back. (Captain von Stahle was the name of his colleague in the
regiment)The ironmaster laughed while he went away. The blacksmith knew habit of the ironmaster. So he
understood that the ironmaster will surely do something more.

Within half an hour there was a sound of a carriage outside the forge. (Meaning that a carriage stopped outside
the forge) But in this carriage ironmaster had not come but a new person had come.

The ironmaster had sent his daughter to persuade the tramp to come home. He might have thought that his
daughter was more skillful in convincing.

She came to the forge. A servant was with her. He was carrying a large coat made of fur. She was not beautiful.
But she looked humble and shy.

17
In the forge nothing had changed since evening. The master blacksmith and his trainee were sitting on their
bench. There was glow (shine) of iron and coal in the furnace.

The stranger (tramp) was sleeping on the floor. He had kept a piece of pig iron below his head. He was using it
as a pillow. His hat was covering his eyes.

When the young girl saw the stranger, she went to him and lifted his hat. The tramps had the habit of keeping
his one eye open while sleeping. He jumped with a jerk and appeared frightened.

The young girl told him that her name was EdlaWillmansson. She said that her father had come home and had
told her that you wanted to sleep in the forge. My father has given me permission to come here and take you
home to stay with us. She addressed him as Captain and said that she felt bad to know that he was having
difficult time.

She had large eyes. She looked at him with sympathy and she noticed that he was afraid.

She thought the paddler has either stolen something or has run away from jail. She said that the captain will not
be forcefully kept in the house. He will have the liberty to go whenever he wanted. She requested him to stay
with them for the Christmas Eve.She said these words in very friendly manner. The paddler felt confidence in
her. (Means he believed her)The peddler told her that he could not imagine that she will herself take the trouble
of coming to forge. He said that he will come immediately.

The peddler told her that he could not imagine that she will herself take the trouble of coming to forge. He said
that he will come immediately.

The servant bowed before him and gave him the fur coat. The peddler took the coat and put it on his torn cloths.
He followed the young lady. The blacksmiths were surprised to see all this. The peddler did not look at them
while going.

While riding in the carriage to the farm house, the paddler started feeling that something bad may happen.

The peddler started thinking why he stole the money of the crofter. And now he found himself in the trap. He
thought that he would never come out of the trap.

The next day was Christmas Eve. The ironmaster came to dining room for breakfast. He was feeling satisfied
for having met his colleague so unexpectedly.

His daughter was busy at the dining table. He told his daughter that first they should give the tramp some
clothes to wear. Then we must ensure that he gets some work. This work should be different from moving
across the country for selling rattraps.

The daughter said that it was very strange that situation had become so bad for the tramp. Last night she did not
see anything in the tramp to conclude that he was an educated person. (She thought he was uneducated
person)Father told her daughter to have some patience. He told that when the tramp washes himself and wears
new cloth we would see the difference. Last night he was ashamed. The bad manners will go away when he
changes his cloths to new ones.

Immediately after the ironmaster had completed his sentence, the door opened and the tramp entered the dining
room. He was now clean and wearing nice clothes. The servant had cut his hair, shaved him and had given him
a bath.
18
In addition to above, the tramp was wearing a nice suit of the ironmaster. He was wearing a white shirt, a stiff
collar and shoes. Though the guest was now well dressed, the ironmaster did not look happy.

The ironmaster looked at the peddler with raised and twisted eyebrows. He understood that he had made a
mistake in recognizing him when he had seen the peddler in the dim light of the furnace. But now the tramp was
standing in enough light of day time. So he made no mistake in realizing that the tramp was not his old
acquaintance.

The ironmaster shouted at the tramp and asked him why tramp came to his house. The stranger made no excuse.
He had understood that his days of luxury were over.

The stranger replied that it was not his fault. He had said that he was a poor trader. He had not pretended to be
any other person. The stranger had requested to allow him to stay at the forge. I have not done any harm to you.
The stranger was ready to once again wear his rags and go away from there.

The ironmaster replied that the tramp was not honest on his part. He further told that tramp must accept that.
The ironmaster intends to call the sheriff to handover the tramp to him. So he says that he would like to seek
opinion of Sheriff in this matter.

The tramp came forward and hit the table with his fist. He said to ironmaster that he would explain what the
situation was.

This complete world is a rattrap. All good things in this world are baits meant to pull a person into the trap or
trouble. If you call Sheriff he may put me into the prison. But, Mr. Ironmaster, please remember someday you
may also get attracted to a bait and get caught in the trap. (This was the curse rattrap maker gave to the
ironmaster. This was an attempt by him to avoid getting arrested by the Sherrif)

The ironmaster laughed at the tramp. He said that the tramp had uttered his dialogues very well. We should not
disturb the Sheriff on Christmas Eve. He asked the tramp to go out of his house immediately.

The tramp started opening the door to go out. The daughter said that she did not want him to go out and he
should stay with them on that day. After saying this she closed the door.

The ironmaster asked her what she was doing. He meant why she was doing it. The daughter was ashamed of
her act. She stood there but did not reply anything.

In the morning Edla had thought she would give a homely treatment to the tramp. She had considered him a
poor, hungry and an unfortunate person. She will make everything good on the occasion of Christmas. So that
the peddler feels it was a festival day. She could not remove her thoughts immediately. Therefore she had
intervened to favour the vagabond.

The girl explained that she was thinking about the stranger. He walks throughout the year. Probably nowhere in
the country he is welcomed and can get a homely environment.

Wherever he goes, people ask him to go away. He has a fear of getting arrested and questioned by police. I want
him to have one peaceful day with us – only one day in the full year.

The ironmaster said something unclearly. It could not be heard. He could not oppose her thoughts.

19
Edla continued to say that it was certainly their mistake to bring the stranger home. But we have brought him
here and promised happiness on Christmas. Therefore we should not order him to go away.

The ironmaster said that her arguments were worse than teaching by a priest. He hoped that she would not have
to repent her decision. [Meaning that nothing bad would happen or occur at their house]

Edla held the stranger by his hand and brought him to the dining table. She requested him to eat food. She did
this because she had understood that her father had accepted her thought.

The peddler did not say anything. He sat down and ate food. Again and again he was looking at the girl who had
intervened to favour him. He could not understand why she had done that. He did not know how this strange
idea came to her. He could not understand her thoughts that forced her to stop him at her house.

After that incident, everything was usual at Ramsjo on that Christmas Eve. The stranger did not make any
trouble. He was sleeping and did nothing. During full afternoon he was sleeping on the sofa of guest room. He
did not wake up in between.

In the afternoon they woke up the stranger so that he could have good food prepared for Christmas. After taking
food the tramp again slept. It appeared that he had not slept since many years. Probably he had never
experienced quiet and safe environment as that of house of ironmaster.

In the evening, lights of Christmas tree were switched on. They woke up the stranger. He was standing for some
time in the drawing room. His eyes were blinking as if he could not tolerate lights of candles. After that he
again went to sleep.

After two hours they again woke up the peddler. He came to dining room to eat fish and porridge prepared for
Christmas.

Everybody completed dinner and got up from the table. The tramp went to everybody and said thank you and
goodnight. Then he came to say thank you to Edla. She told him that her father wants to gift him the suit he was
wearing as a Christmas present. He need not return the suit. She further told him that he would be welcomed to
their house on next Christmas Eve also. She assured him that he would be able to take rest in peaceful
environment and nothing bad would happen to him.

The rattrap maker did not reply anything. He looked at Edla with unlimited great surprise.

Next morning the ironmaster and Edla got up early in the morning to go the Church for Christmas Prayer. The
tramp was sleeping and they did not wake him up.

Around ten o’ clock they were coming back from the church. The young girl was looking down. Her head was
bowed. She was very sad – more than usual. At church she understood that one of their old crofters was looted
by a person. That person used to move around to sell rattraps. She had understood that the person at their house
was a thief.

Her father told Edla that she had allowed a good person to stay in their house. He wondered how many silver
tea spoons would be left in their house by the time they reached home. Father was sarcastic of her decision. He
also feared about a theft in the house.

The carriage had barely stopped at the house. The ironmaster asked valet if the stranger was still in the house.
The ironmaster also told him that the stranger was a thief. They had come to know about this at the church.
20
The servant answered that the stranger had already left the house. He had not taken anything with him.

Opposite to taking anything, he has left a small packet as a Christmas gift for Miss Willmansson. He has
requested her to kindly accept the gift.

The young girl opened the packet. It was very poorly wrapped. So its contents could be immediately seen. She
screamed with joy. The gift was a small rattrap. In the rattrap, there were three ten kronor notes. (The same
notes the tramp had stolen from the crofter.) But that was not the only thing in rattrap. There was a letter. It was
written in rough and big letters. (Meaning that handwriting was not good)Respected and gentle Miss, you have
been very nice to me throughout the day. You gave me respect as if I was a captain. I want to be nice to you as
if I were a real captain. I do not want you to feel ashamed on the Christmas festival season by a thief. Please
return the money to the old person living on the side of the road. His money pouch was hanging on the window
frame. That was a bait for poor persons moving around.

The rattrap is a Christmas present from the person who was a rat. He was caught in the rattrap of this world. But
you have made him a Captain. Because of you he got the strength to become clear in his heart.

Written with friendship and high respect to you. He signed the letter as Captain von Stahle.

Indigo - Louis Fischer

The author had first gone to meet Gandhiji in 1942. He met him at Sevagram which is located in central India.
Gandhiji had told that he would explain to author how he had come to the conclusion to ask British to go from
India. It had happened in 1917.Gandhiji had gone to Lucknow in December 1916. It was to attend the yearly
meeting of Indian National Congress party. 2301 representative of congress and many visitors had come there.

Gandhiji recalled that while meeting was going on, a farmer came to him. He was looking like any other farmer
of India – poor and thin. The farmer told his name – RajkumarShukla to Gandhiji. He requested Gandhiji to
come to his district Champaran. Gandhiji was hearing name of that place for the first time. Champaran is at the
base of a very high mountain Himalayas. It is near Nepal.

Farmers of Champaran had to share crop of their field with owners of the field. This was an old arrangement.
RajkumarShukla was also a sharecropper. He was illiterate but a determined person.

Rajkumar wanted to complain that owners of land were doing injustice to farmers. He had come to the meeting
for this reason. Probably somebody had advised him to talk to Gandhiji.

Gandhiji told Shukla that he had an appointment to go to Cawnpore. (This is the old spelling of Kanpur).
Gandhiji had already agreed to visit other places in India also. Shukla went with Gandhiji to each place.

After all his visits, Gandhiji came back to his ashram. His ashram was near Ahmedabad. Shukla also came to
ashram. He was with Gandhji for many weeks. He requested Gandhiji to fix a date to visit Champaran.

Gandhiji was impressed by the story and determination of Shukla. He said to Shukla that he would be in
Calcutta on a particular date. He asked Shukla to meet him there and take him to Champaran from Calcutta.

After many months Gandhji came to Calcutta. Shukla was sitting on the ground at the agreed place to wait for
Gandhiji. He waited till Gandhiji was free.

21
Gandhiji and Shukla got into a train. They reached Patna – a city in Bihar. In Patna Shukla took Gandhiji to the
house of a lawyer. Name of lawyer was Rajendra Prasad. He later became president of Congress party. After
independence he became first president of India.

Rajendra Prasad was not in the town. His servants knew that Shukla was a small farmer. They also knew that
Shukla used to repeatedly request their master to help indigo sharecroppers. So they allowed him and Gandhiji
to stay on the ground. (Means they did not give them a cot or a bed) They assumed that Gandhiji was also a
farmer.

But servants did not allow Gandhiji to draw water from the well. They thought that Gandhiji could be an
untouchable person. They did not want to pollute all the water of the well. They did not know that Gandhiji was
not an untouchable.

Gandhiji wanted to get complete information about sharecropping. He thought that Shukla was not capable to
give him complete information. So Gandhiji decided to first go to Muzzafarpur town. This town was on the way
to Champaran.

So Gandhiji sent a telegram to Professor J.B. Kriplani. He was a professor at the Arts College in Muzzafarpur.
Gandhiji had met him at Shantiniketan School. This school was being run by RabindraNath Tagore.

The train reached Muzzafarpur at the midnight of 15 th April 1917. Prof. Kriplani was waiting at the station for
Gandhiji. A large number of students were also present. At Muzzafarpur, Gandhiji stayed at the house of Prof.
Malkani for two days. He was a teacher in a government school.

Gandhiji said that during those days, government professors were not giving shelter to people like him. So it
was an extraordinary thing. In smaller towns, Indians were afraid to show sympathy to supporters of home-rule
movement.

The news of arrival of Gandhiji and his goal spread in whole Muzzafarpur. This news also reached Champaran.
Many sharecroppers started coming on foot and in vehicles to meet their leader – Gandhiji.

Lawyers of Muzzafarpur met Gandhiji. They explained to him that they were frequently fighting court cases for
peasants. They also told him about their cases and the fees they were taking from peasants.

Gandhiji mildly scolded lawyers for charging huge fees from sharecroppers. He told them that he had come to a
conclusion. We should not go to courts of law. Because taking this type of cases to court does not do anything
good.

Here farmers are exploited. They are frightened. Hence law courts are not useful. The real solution is to make
them free of fear.

In Champaran, most the land suitable for agriculture was divided into large area or large property. Englishman
were owners of the land. Indians were working as tenants. The main crop grown and sold was Indigo.

Owners of the land forced tenants to grow indigo on 15 percent of their land. This crop was taken by landlords
as the rent. There was long term contract for this arrangement.

Recently landlords came to know that artificial indigo had been developed in Germany. So demand of natural
indigo had reduced. The crop was not needed. After this, landlords wanted to free the sharecroppers of the 15
percent agreement. But they wanted some money from sharecropper to cancel the agreement.
22
For every peasant, the sharecropping arrangement was irritating and troublesome. So many peasants signed to
cancel the agreement. They paid compensation to landlords. Some peasants opposed paying compensations. So
they engaged lawyers to fight cases in court. The landlords hired goons to threaten such peasants.

During the same time, uneducated farmers also came to know about artificial indigo. But they had already
signed new agreement and paid compensation to landlords. Now they wanted landlords to return their money. In
this situation Gandhiji arrived at Champaran.

Gandhiji started his work by trying to obtain truth. First he met secretary of British landlord’s association. The
secretary refused to give any information. He told Gandhiji that he was an outsider. Gandhiji replied that he was
not an outsider. Gandhiji did not get any information from him.

After that Gandhiji met commissioner of Tirhut division. Champaran was in the Tirhut division. The
commissioner scolded Gandhiji. He advised Gandhiji to immediately leave Tirhut.

Gandhiji did not leave Tirhut. He went to Motihari. It was the capital of Champaran district. Many lawyers went
with him. At railway station of Motihari, a large crowd had come to welcome Gandhiji.

He stayed in a house in Motihari. That house became his main office. He continued his inquiry to find facts. A
report came to him that a peasant had been beaten in a village.

Gandhiji decided to meet him. Next morning he started for the village on an elephant. He had gone to a small
distance. A messenger of police superintendent came to him. He ordered Gandhiji to return to Motihari in his
vehicle.

Gandhiji obeyed his orders. He came back to Motihari in the vehicle of the messenger. The messenger gave a
written order to Gandhiji. The order asked Gandhiji to leave Champaran district immediately. Gandhiji wrote on
the copy of the order that he would not obey the order. Signed it and gave to the messenger.As result of
disobeying, Gandhiji was ordered to come to the court next day.

Gandhiji did not sleep that night. He gave telegram to Rajendra Prasad. Gandhiji requested him to come to
Motihari with his prominent friends. Gandhiji sent some instruction to his ashram. He sent a report to the
Viceroy through telegram.

In the morning large number of peasant had reached Motihari. (In the town everywhere one could see people.
Since their hair were black, the town looked filled with black colour). The peasants did not know what Gandhiji
had done in South Africa.

The peasants had come to know that a Mahatma had come to Motihari. He wanted to help them. But the officers
were troubling him. The immediate arrival of peasants in large number was the starting point for their freedom
from fear of British.

It was difficult for officers to control the crowd. So they requested help of Gandhiji. He helped officials in
controlling the crowd. He remained polite and friendly. Till that time everybody feared the authority of British.
Their authority was certain and accepted by everyone without any doubt. Gandhiji gave British officials solid
proof that their authority could be challenged by Indians.

The government was confused. Lawyer of the government requested the judge to postpone the case. It seemed
like authorities wanted to take advice of their officers.
23
Gandhiji objected for delaying the case. He gave a statement in the court saying that he was at fault.

Gandhiji told the court he had two opposite duties to fulfil. The first duty was to obey the law. He did not want
to break the law and set a bad example. The second duty was to perform service to human beings and to his
nation. He had come to Champaran for this duty.

He did not want to insult the lawful authority by disobeying order to leave Champaran. But he was obeying his
inner voice, which is a much higher law. He requested the court to punish him.

The magistrate announced that he will declare the punishment after a break of two hours. He asked Gandhiji to
submit a bail for the time of recess. Gandhiji declined to submit the bail. And judge released him without bail
for the duration of two hours.

When the court restarted, the judge did not give his judgement. He said that he would give judgement after
many day. He allowed Gandhiji to remain free till that time.

Many influential lawyers had come from Bihar. Gandhiji had a discussion with them. Gandhiji asked them what
they would do if he were sent to jail. They replied that they had come to help Gandhiji. If Gandhiji went to jail,
they would go to their homes.

Gandhiji asked them what they would do about the injustice to the sharecroppers. All the lawyers separately had
a discussion among themselves.

Rajendra Prasad has recorded the conclusion of their discussions. They thought that Gandhiji was ready to go to
prison for the benefit of farmers though he had come from outside. While they all were from nearby districts.
They were also claiming that they were helping the farmers. In this situation if they went home, it would be a
shame on them and they would be deceiving farmers.

After their discussion, they went to Gandhiji. They told him that they were ready to go to the jail with him.
Gandhiji then expressed that that battle of Champaran was won.

Then Gandhiji made groups of them. He wrote their names group wise on the paper. He made a sequence of the
groups in which they will ask court to arrest them.

After many days Gandhiji received a letter from the judge. It informed him that the Lieutenant Governor had
given orders to close the case. This was the first victory of Civil Disobedience in modern India.

Gandhiji and lawyers continued their detailed inquiry about complaints of farmers. They wrote written
statements of about ten thousand farmers. They made their own notes about other proofs.

They collected many documents. The whole area was full of activities of investigators. There was strong
opposition from landlords.

Sir Edward Gait was the Lieutenant Governor. He called Gandhiji to his office. Before going to meet him,
Gandhiji met his main colleagues. Gandhiji made a detailed plan about what they should do if he was arrested.
It was another round of civil disobedience.

Gandhiji had four lengthy discussion with Lieutenant Governor. The LG appointed a commission to conduct an
inquiry about situation of sharecroppers. Members of the commission were landlords, government officials and
Gandhiji. Only one representative from the side of farmers was Gandhiji.
24
Gandhiji initially stayed in Champaran continuously for seven months. After that he visited Champaran many
times for shorter duration.

The first visit of Gandhiji was on the request of an uneducated farmer. Gandhiji had not committed anything to
the farmer. He had made that visit informally. He had expected that the visit would be for some days. But it
engaged him for about a year.

The enquiry commission gathered large amount of proofs. These proofs were against the landlords. When
landlords saw these proofs, they agreed to return money to farmers. They asked Gandhiji that how much money
they should return.

Landlords thought that Gandhiji would demand to refund the total amount. This amount they had forcefully
taken without any law by cheating sharecroppers. But Gandhiji asked to refund only half of the amount.

Reverend J.Z. Hodge was a person living in Champaran for preaching Christianity. He was observing the full
incident in details. He had written that Gandhiji appeared rigid about refund of 50 percent of the amount.

Representative of landlords offered to refund 25% of the amount. He probably thought that Gandhiji would not
agree to this small refund. But to his surprise, Gandhiji accepted the offer. Thus the disagreement was removed.

The agreement was accepted by every member of the commission. Gandhiji explained that through this
agreement, landlords were forced give some money and their prestige. According to him this was more
important that the amount of refund.

Earlier farmers were convinced that landlords were behaving as if they were above the law. [Meaning that
whatever they said was the law. No action could be taken against them.] Now peasants understood that they also
had rights. They also had a person who would protect them. The peasants now became courageous.

The future events proved that the opinion of Gandhiji was correct. Within some years, the British landlords left
their land. Thus the peasants became owner of their land. The sharecropping did not exist now.

Gandhiji never wanted to win a big political and financial solution of the situation. He understood the
backwardness of the society of Champaran. He wanted to improve it immediately.

He requested teachers to come to Champaran. Mahadev Desai and Nrahari Parikh and their wives came to
Champaran. They were followers of Gandhiji. They agreed to do the work without taking any fees. Many more
people came from other far parts of the country like Bombay and Poona.

Gandhiji’s youngest son Devadas came from the ashram. Wife of Gandhiji also came. They opened primary
schools in six villages. Kasturbai, wife of Gandhiji, taught them about personal cleanliness and how to keep
society clean.

Health of people of Champaran was very bad. Gandhiji requested doctors to help residents without any fees.
Three medicines were arranged — castor oil, quinine and sulphur ointment.

Anyone whose tongue was of bad colour, was given one type of medicine (castor oil). Those who had malaria
were given another set of medicines (quinine and castor oil). Those who had boils on their skin or had other
skin problems were given another set of medicines (sulphur ointment and castor oil).

25
Gandhiji observed that condition of women’s clothes was very bad. He requested his wife to talk to women
about it and do something. One woman told Kasturbai that she did not have any almiraha or box at his hut. She
had only one sari which she was wearing.

When Gandhiji stayed at Champaran for long duration he was far from his ashram. Still he was taking care of
his ashram also. Regularly he sent his instructions through letters. He also asked them to give details of
expenses and money received.

Once, through a letter Gandhiji had asked those living in the ashram to fill the old pit of latrine and to make new
pits. He wrote that otherwise the old pits would start giving bad smell.

The event of Champaran was an important change in the life of Gandhiji. He told that he did very simple thing.
He declared to the British that they could not order him in his own country.

The events of Champaran were not started as a disobedience or opposition. These were the attempts to reduce
the pain and suffering of poor farmers.

This was the regular working method of Gandhiji. Daily practical problems of millions of people were included
in his politics. He was not devoted to unreal situations. He was devoted to improving living conditions of
human beings.

Gandhiji tried to make India a new free India. An India that was self-sufficient and hence truly a free country.

Charles Freer Andrew was a strong follower of Gandhiji. He was a British. He did not believe in violence. He
was going to Fiji islands for official duty. He came to Champaran to say good bye to Gandhiji.

Some of friends of Gandhiji were lawyers. They thought that it would be beneficial if Andrews helped them.
Andrews was ready if Gandhiji agreed. But Gandhiji strongly objected to this proposal.

He asked them if they thought that in the fight among unequal, having an Englishman would be useful. He said
that it was weakness of their mental strength. The reason of the fight is true. Therefore we must depend on
ourselves to win it. We should not seek support of Mr Andrew because he is a British.

Rajendra Prasad said that Gandhiji had understood their thoughts and feelings correctly. We could not reply to
Gandhiji. He had taught us to depend on our own abilities.

In the method adopted by Gandhiji, all the three factors self-reliance, Indian independence and help to
sharecroppers were included.

Poets and Pancakes - Ashokamitran

Gemini Studios is situated in Madras – now called Chennai. Shooting of films is done in this studio. Pancake is
brand of a make-up material. Gemini Studios used to buy this make material in huge quantities.

Actresses Greta Garbol and Miss Gohar had certainly used this brand of make-up. Probably actress
Vyjayantimala had also used this brand. These were actresses of long time ago. But a relatively new actress Rati
Agnihotri probably did not even hear about this brand. Author is trying to say that this brand is very old. But
later it vanished.

26
The make-up department of the Gemini Studios was on first floor of a building. This building was once stable
of Robert Clive. (Robert Clive was a British army officer of high rank.) It is said that he had stayed in about a
dozen other buildings of Madras city.

Robert Clive had brief life means he did not live very long. His stay at Madras was for a very small period. He
appeared to have lived in many building during his stay at Madras. He had fought several tough battles in
remote areas of India. He had married a young woman at St Marry’s Church in the Fort St George. This Church
is in Madras. The make room had six large mirrors in it. There were lights all around in the room. So the room
looked like a hair cutting saloon.

These lamps produced light by burning. [Meaning these were not electrical lights. Probably these were oil
lamps]. So the room used to get very hot. Because of heat, artists used to feel very uncomfortable during make-
up. Initially head of this department was a Bengali. He became very famous so he left the studio.

After that Bengali person, a person from Maharashtra became head of make-up department. His assistants were
from Dharwar (in Karnataka), from Andhra Pradesh, an Indian Christian from Madras and a person who
belonged to England and Burma. There were some local persons from Tamil Nadu also.

People from all parts of country worked in the make-up department. This indicates that it believed in national
integration. All India Radio and Doordarshan started their programmes on national integration much after this.

Persons of this group from all parts of the country were good make-up men. They had the ability to change the
appearance of a nice looking person into an ugly red face of a monster. They would use huge quantity of
pancake material and local creams and lotion.

During that time, most of the film shooting was done inside a building. Only 5% of shooting was done in open
area. The author imagines that it was required that boys and girls should look ugly after make-up. But in the
film they looked good. The author wants to say that too much of make-up was done for each artist. He has
called doing make-up as ‘making ugly’.

A strict level or rank was maintained in the make-up department. The chief make up man did make up of chief
actors and actresses. The senior assistant did make up of other heroes and heroines. The junior artist did make
up of comedian. All work was divided similarly.

The office boy of Gemini Studios did make-up for people who played the role of an ordinary person.

When there was shooting for many people as part of crowd, requirement of make-up material was more. The
office boy used to prepare make-up material is a big vessel. He would use his hands to apply make-up to
complete his work quickly. Make-up was applied on every part of the face.

The office boy was not of the age of a boy. He had crossed the age of forty. He had come to studio to become
an actor or a story writer or a director or a writer of songs. He had some qualities of poet also.

During those days I used to sit in a small office room. This office had French windows (door with glass panel)
on its two side. Most of the time, while sitting at my table, I used to read newspaper throughout the day. People
thought I did not have any work.

Probably boss also thought that I did not have any work. Anyone who wanted to give me work, would quickly
come to my office. He would then give orders in detail.
27
The office boy thought I should know all about the Studio and himself. He wanted me to understand that he was
a talented person and that his talent was not getting utilized in the Studio. He thought that Gemini Studio was
for barbers and persons who were expert in copying.

Very soon I got bored by his talks. So I had a wish that there should always be a crowd shooting. This was the
only way to keep him away and to stop his talks. Because that kept the office boy busy for the full day and he
did not come to me.

In the every case of deep dissatisfaction, one would hold a single person responsible. The anger against that
person could be expressed openly or indirectly. The office boy thought that only Kothamangalam Subbu was
responsible for his all problems.

Subbu was the second highest official at Gemini Studios. The make-up boy and Subbu had a similar type of
start in film making line.

Instead Subbu must have faced more difficult time that the office boy. Because when Subbu started his career,
established companies or studios did not exist.

Subbu was not significantly more educated that the office boy. But because Subbu was a Brahmin, he must have
experienced and had advantage of better situation and being with richer people.

He was always cheerful. He would continue to be happy even after a flop film.

Subbu always assigned work to others. He did not do any work by himself. But he was always loyal to his boss.
He completed every work his boss asked him to do. He was very creative person. He used his creativity for the
advantage of his boss.

Subbu was the ideal person for film making. Whenever ordered, he could start thinking.

Underwater a rat fights a tigress and kills her. But the rat takes pity at kids of tigress. The rat give them love.
How should we do this scene, producer would ask Subbu. Immediately Subbu would suggest four methods by
which a rat can show affection to kids of the killed animal, Producer of the film would appreciate his suggestion
but would say that these were not effective. Within one minute Subbu would suggest fourteen more methods.
Author wants to say that Subbu was creative and very quick.

Producer of the film would appreciates his suggestion but would say that these were not effective. Within one
minute Subbu would suggest fourteen more methods. Author wants to say that Subbu was creative and very
quick.

If Subbu was your colleague, film making was very easy. Subbu provided good support to Gemini Studios.
Gemini studio was recognized because of his efforts. Those were the best period of Gemini Studios. It was very
famous.

Subbu was also a good poet. He had the ability to write more difficult and better forms of poetry. But
intentionally he wrote his poems for the common people.

Subbu was more successful in films. Therefore his achievements in literature looked very small. These were the
thought of his critics.

28
Subbu wrote many original poems based on folk stories. These poems were written in folk style. He also wrote
a very big novel ‘ThillanaMohanambal’. In this novel Subbu had skillfully defined large number of characters.

In this novel Subbu narrated the feelings, behaviour and social condition of Devadasis. The system of Devadasi
was prevailing during early 20thCentury (period starting from 1900) Subbu was an excellent actor. He did not
want to do main roles. He did not have such ambition. But in every film he played the role of secondary hero,
his performance was better than that of main actors.

Subbu sincerely liked everyone he met. In his house large numbers of relatives and persons known to him used
to live permanently.

It was against the nature of Subbu to think that he was giving food and support to so many people. He was a
generous person and spent lot of money. Still he had enemies.

Did Subbu had enemies because he was close and familiar to The Boss? Or it was because his manners were
similar to a yes-man. Or because he always said good things about everything and everyone. (meaning that he
did not fight with anyone). However, one person in the make-up department was jealous of and was against
Subbu.

Subbu was always working with The Boss. But his attendance was done in the Story Department. This
department had a lawyer and many writers and poets. The official designation of lawyer was legal advisor. But
everybody called him lawyer.

A highly talented actress was also very hot tempered. She was not calm. Once she became very angry at the sets
of a film. She started using bad words towards many. Everyone was very much surprised and did not know
what to do. The lawyer, without saying anything, started the recording equipment. He recorded everything she
had said.

The actress stopped shouting for a short break. The lawyer said ‘one minute please’. Then he played the
recording.

The actress did not have any intention of finding faults of producer. She had no intention of using foul words
about the producer. But she was surprised to hear her own voice once again. Unintentionally she had used foul
words towards producer.

She was from rural area. She had not seen or experienced several practical aspects of world before she suddenly
became famous. Normally people go through such aspects before becoming famous. The author wants to say
that she was not matured and had not experienced realities of this cruel world.

She got afraid that day. She could never overcome her fears. Her short and brilliant career ended. The legal
adviser had unintentionally ended her career.

Every one of the Story department used to wear a khadi dhoti and a poorly stitched white khadi shirt. But the
legal advisor used to wear pant, shirt and a tie. Sometimes he wore a coat that was oversized that had metallic
decorations on it.

Usually the legal adviser was alone, as if no nobody could help him. He was a man of practical knowledge
among those who dreamed. He appeared a neutral man among those who followed Gandhi and those who wore
khadhi.
29
Many people who were close to The Boss were allowed to produce a film. The legal adviser was also allowed to
produce a film. Lot of raw material (stage, dress etc) and make-up material was used. (Author means to say that
lot of effort and money were put in making the film) But the film did not achieve success.Then one day the
Story Department was closed. Everybody of this department lost their job. So all the poets and writers of the
department lost their job. The legal adviser was in the story department. So he also lost his job.

Gemini Studios was frequently visited by many poets. The studio had an excellent mess. It made coffee
throughout the day. It made coffee during most part of the night also.

During those days, congress was ruling the country. Consumption of alcohol was not permitted. Therefore in
meetings coffee was served. Such meetings were considered satisfactory entertainment. Except the office boys
and some clerks, everybody else in the office appeared to be having easy working. People believed that having
easy working was a pre-condition to write poetry.

Most of the poets wore khadi clothes and respected Gandhiji. Beyond these two factors, they did not know
anything about politics.

All of them were against communism. A communist did not have guardian. A communist did not have love
from any family. A communist did not get love of a spouse. (Author wants to say that communist did not have
acceptance in the society.) A communist did not feel guilty to kill his parents or children. His only motive was
to create and spread unrest among innocent people.

Such type of thoughts existed all over South India. Therefore these thoughts existed unclearly among khadi
wearing poets of Gemini Studios. Proof of such existence was about to happen.

Moral Re-Armament (MRA) group visited Madras in 1952. It was a group that did theaters. It had about 200
members in it. Frank Buchman was owner of this group. The group thought that Gemini Studios would be the
most suitable place to stay in India.

Someone said that this group was an international circus. The group did not do good acrobatics. The group did
not know anything about animals. They were non-vegetarians. To that extent only they knew about animals.
(The author is trying to say that it is not clear why they were called a circus.) They gave performance of two
plays. They were very professional in doing those plays.

‘Jotham Valley’ and ‘The Forgotten Factor’ were names of two plays. These were screened in Gemini Studios
at Madras. All 600 employees of Gemini Studios and other citizens of Madras saw these plays many times.

The message or teaching from these plays were direct and simple advice. Decoration of their sets and dresses of
characters were of very good quality.

The people connected with drama in Madras and Tamil Nadu were highly impressed. For many years every
play had a scene of sunrise and sunset. This was similar to that in the play “Jotham Valley”. The scene would
have empty stage, a white curtain in the background and a tune on flute would be played.

After many years I understood that MRA was a group to counter the spread of communism. Influential people
of Madras like MrVasan, helped MRA without realizing it.

But I am not sure the bosses unknowingly helped the cause of MRA. Because many aspects of these people and
their organisation did not change after visit of MRA.
30
The staff of Gemini Studio enjoyed being host to 200 people. These persons were from more than 20 countries.
They were of different size and of different colour. This was a big change from the normal routine of the studio.
In normal routine people used to be similar and office boy applied thick layer of make-up. This was not the
situation with MRA group.

After some months, there was a telephone call to the big bosses of Madras. One big stage of film shooting at the
Gemini Studios was once again cleaned to welcome the visitor. They said the visitor was coming from England.
He was a poet.

The staff of Gemini Studios knew about only two poets of England – Wordsworth and Tennyson. Those
who were more educated knew about Keats, Shelley and Byron. Very few may know about Eliot. Name of the
poet visiting the studio was not known to anyone.

Somebody told that the visitor was not a poet. He was an editor. Hence the boss was giving him a big welcome.
Vasan, the boss of Gemini Studios, was also an editor of a Tamil weekly magazine – Anannda Vikatan. People
working at Gemini Studios knew names of many publications of England. But the visitor was not editor of any
of these newspapers.

“The Hindu” is a daily newspaper of India. “The Manchester Guardian” and “London Times” are daily
newspapers of England.

The boss of ‘The Hindu’ was taking initiative in the visit of the poet. Therefore it was an assumption that the
poet was editor of a daily newspaper of England. It was also a guess that the poet was not the editor of ‘The
Manchester Guardian’ or ‘London Times’. This was all any of us knew about the visitor. And that was all the
information we had about the visitor.

Finally, around four in the afternoon the visitor reached Gemini Studios. We did not know if he was a poet or an
editor. He was very tall, English (he was from Britain) and serious looking person. Certainly we did not know
him.

Six pedestal fans were installed on the stage. Because of air from these fans, the boss had difficulty in holding
papers. The boss read a speech from the shooting stage. Through the speech it became known to us that he also
did not know much about the poet or the editor.

It was a speech on general topics. But in between words like ‘freedom’ and ‘democracy’ were used.

After that, the poet gave a speech. We all were confused and silent listeners. None of us understood what he
was talking about. Because of his style of speaking, we could not understand what he was saying.

Duration of his visit was one hour. After the poet had gone, we also went away. We were completely confused
about what had happened.

People wondered why an English poet had come to Gemini Studios. The studio used to make Tamil films for
common people. Life style of these people was simple. It was not possible for these people to start liking
English poetry.

The poet was also very much confused. Because he must have felt his talks about thrills and difficulties of
English poet was not matching with taste and understanding of his audience. Therefore reason of the visit of the
poet could not be explained or understood.
31
The author believes that the occupation of writing prose is not a work of a truly genius. Day by day his belief
has become stronger. Though great writers of prose would never agree with him.

Prose writing is for persons who are calm, determined and hard working. Nothing can break their heart.
Rejection of their writing does not mean a big setback to them. He immediately makes a new copy of his prose
and sends it to another editor. He would enclose a self-addressed and stamped envelope with his hand written
prose. So that if rejected, his work can be sent back to him.

For such people, ‘The Hindu’ had published a very small advertisement in a small corner of an unimportant
page. It was about a short story competition by a British magazine ‘The Encounter’.

Certainly ‘The Encounter’ was not known to the educated people of Gemini Studios. I wanted to participate in
the competition. But sending the manuscript through post to England was expensive. Before spending money I
wanted to know about this periodical.

During those days, the British Council Library did not have signboards with long lines of notices. Therefore no
one felt that one was secretly entering into a prohibited area.

In the library, there were many copies of ‘The Encounter’. Some were new and some were old, some had not
been touched by anyone. When I read name of the editor, I recalled something in sad heart.

The editor was the poet who had come to the Gemini Studios. I felt as if he was my brother. I started singing.
(Author felt that the editor would favour him because they knew each other.) I sealed the envelope and wrote
address.

I imagined that the editor would also be singing the same song. It would be similar to Indian films. At the start
of the film brothers sing a song. Then they get separated out. In the end of the film, they sing the same song and
recognize each other. (Author is imagining and hoping that the editor would recognize him). Stephen Spender
was the name of the editor.

After many years, I was not working at Gemini Studios. Now I had more time but less money. Hence I would
get attracted to things being sold at reduced price.

On the footpath of the Mount Road Post office in Madras, author saw a heap of brand new books. These were
being sold for fifty paise each. These were copies of the same book. A beautiful paperback edition printed in
America.

These were specially priced low for students on the occasion of 50Anniversary of Russian Revolution. I
purchased the book “The God That Failed”.

Six famous writer had written separate essays in the book. They had recorded their experience of accepting
Communism and their return after getting disappointed. One of the writers was Stephen Spender.

After knowing the name of Stephen Spender, the book became very important. Stephen Spender was the poet
who had visited Gemini Studios. Suddenly I could recall the poet in my mind. The unknown poet was now
known to me.

The response given to Stephen Spender at Gemini Studios was now not a secret. The Boss of Gemini Studio
was not interested in the poetry of Stephen Spender. But he was interested in listening to the disappointment of
Stephen Spender with communism. (Here the word ‘god’ refers to communism)
32
 The Interview - Christopher Silvester
Part I

The process of interview was developed slightly more than 130 years ago. Now-a-days interview is a very
commonly occurring activity. Almost everybody who can read, must have read an interview sometime during
their life. (Many people must have watched an interview on television. Some people might have listened to an
interview on radio or on mobile phone.) Yet another aspect of interview is that thousands of famous people
have given interviews. Some of the famous people have been interviewed many times in their life.

Therefore it is not a surprise that people have different opinion about the purpose, method and importance of an
interview. The variation in opinion is quite large. Some people make an excessive claim that interview is the
highest form of finding the truth. They also claim that the practice of taking interviewing is an art. (Implying
that it is not a simple straight forward task)

Other people to express opinion about interview are those who give interviews. These people are usually
famous people. They feel that they do not get a fair treatment during interviews. They hate or criticize the
process of interview because they feel that it is not justified to interfere or talk about their personal life. They
feel that interview usually reduces their dignity. They equate this to the belief of very old times when taking
photograph of a person was considered as good as taking out the soul from the person. Implying that some
celebrities feel that their personal life is exposed during interview and their true feelings or thoughts become
known to all.

V. S. Naipaul is a famous writer. He is of the opinion that some people feel hurt or injured during interview. He
further says that sometimes questions during interview are against the nature of the person or completely
unrelated to the person who is giving interview. In such situation the person giving the interview does not know
how to respond and the answers could be against his / her true belief.

Lewis Carroll is author of the novel Alice in Wonderland. In this novel he had created the character of Alice.
Several films have been made based on this novel. Lewis Carroll never agreed to give an interview because he
was afraid of any person taking his interview. He was afraid of receiving lot of importance. So he preferred to
remain away from people who could later say that they knew him or that they had once interviewed him.
Though people used to repeatedly request Lewis Carroll for autograph but he avoided giving autograph. He was
quite satisfied in avoiding interviewers and autograph seekers. He would later happily narrate the stories of
being successful in such efforts.

Rudyard Kipling was a famous author. He disapproved and disliked interviewers more than Lewis Carroll
disliked them. Caroline was wife of Rudyard Kipling. On 14 October 1892, she and her husband Rudyard
Kipling were at the town of Boston. In her diary she had written that on that day their day was spoilt by two
reporters.

Caroline wrote in her diary that her husband Rudyard Kipling had explained to the reporters why he used to
refuse giving interviews. Her husband had told reporters that taking interview was not an ethical activity. He
considered it as a crime, an upsetting behaviour against his personality, a personal attack on him. Hence he
thought that a person who wants to take interview should be punished. Rudyard Kipling thought that this was
activity of coward and wicked people.

33
Rudyard Kipling used to say that a sensible person would never take interview of another person. And a
sensible person is much less likely to give an interview. In spite of such belief, some years ago, Rudyard
Kipling had taken interview of Mark Twain. If we consider the opinion of Rudyard Kipling, it was an ‘assault’
on Mark Twain.

H. G. Wells was a very famous writer. H. G. Wells used to give interview quite frequently. In 1894 he was
giving an interview. In that interview he had said that taking an interview was a very difficult activity. But 40
years after making this statement while giving this interview, he had taken interview of Joseph Stalin. (Joseph
Stalin was a political leader of Soviet Union)

Saul Bellow was a famous author. On many occasions he had given his permission to give interview. It implies
that he had given many interviews. In spite of that he mentioned that he was always puzzled and had difficulty
while giving interview. In spite of these shortcomings of interview, it is the most frequently used method of
communication.

Denis Brian is an author and a journalist. He has written that nowadays we can get good and clear
understanding about people of our era by interviewing them. Such clarity could not be obtained in earlier times
because during those days interviews were not so common.

Through an interview we can know about almost everything that is important or interesting to us. The
interviewer needs to ask questions related to such topics. Therefore the interviewer is in a powerful situation
that was not available to him during earlier times. The interviewer thus has acquired an ability to affect the
person being interviewed and make an impact on the audiences.

Part II

Umberto Eco had taught at various universities during his life time. He was also a famous writer. He has written
quite extensively.He considered teaching as his main profession. And he used to write whenever he got time to
do so.

In the following lines some part of the interview of Umberto Eco is provided. The interview was taken by
Mukund Padmanabhan. Mukund used to work for an Indian newspaper, “The Hindu”.

At the time of interview Umberto Eco was working as professor in University of Bologna, Italy. He had
achieved an impressive reputation of being highly educated and having great knowledge about study of signs
and their meanings. He was regarded as person with extensive knowledge about explanation of various signs
when used in literature. He was respected for his knowledge about good artistic choices prevailing during
middle ages of history. During later part of his life he devoted more time to writing. He usually wrote fictional
literature. [The period between 500 AD and 1500AD is usually regarded as medieval period.]

Umberto Eco wrote fictional books, texts to be taught in educational institutes, essays, children’s books, articles
for newspapers and many more. His writings are surprisingly very large in number and of great variety.

In 1980 a new novel written by Umberto Eco was published. The title of the novel was, “The Name of the
Rose”. More than 10 million copies of this novel have been sold. With such success of his novel, people started
regarding him as a wise person. He became very popular and achieved the status of a superstar.

34
Mukund reminds Umberto Eco what another novelist and academician David Lodge had once said about
Umberto Eco. David Lodge had expressed that he was not able to understand how Umberto Eco was able to
write so much, how Umberto Eco could do so much of work and achieve so much.

Umberto Eco replied that because of his works people might have formed opinion that he had done many
things. After due consideration about my work, I believe that I have been doing the same work again and again.

Mukund asks Umberto Eco what work he has been doing again and again.

Umberto Eco expressed that it was difficult for him to explain about works he had been carrying out. I have
interest in certain type of philosophy of life. I continue to follow these thoughts through my novels and my
work for educational institutes. Books that I write for children are based on the principles of non-violence and
peace. Hence through these writings also I am following the same moral principle, same belief, same thoughts
and same interest.

Umberto Eco continues to speak. He says that he wants to tell about a secret. He asks what would happen if
every empty space in the world is removed and every space in every atom is removed. Umberto Eco explains
that in such situation the whole world could be held in his fist. Implying that the world exists because each one
of us allow others the space to have one’s own thoughts and the opportunity to create one’s own life.

Umberto Eco continues to speak. He says that in the same manner, we have lot of empty spaces in our lives.
These are very small gaps. For example, let us imagine that you are coming to my house. You have reached the
building of my apartment. Now you are travelling in the lift to reach the floor on which my flat is situated. And
I am waiting in my flat for your arrival.

Umberto Eco continues to speak. This is one example of small gaps in our lives. We are waiting for something
to happen. I write about such empty spaces in our lives. I have already written an article while I was waiting for
you to complete your travel from first floor to the third floor. Then he laughs.

Mukund says that certainly every person cannot do that. [Writing an article in a short duration which is the time
taken to travel from first floor to the third floor]. Mukund further tells that even non-fictional and other articles
of wisdom written by Umberto Eco give a feeling of joy to readers. These articles also reflect the personal
qualities of Umberto Eco.

Mukund continues to speak. Mukund says that it is noticeable and significant change from the style that is
usually adopted for educational purposes. The usual academic style always does not include the human feelings
and human touch. These usually do not engage the reader and are quite boring. Did you intentionally develop
and select this informal style of writing. Or is it your natural style of writing.

Umberto Eco narrated an incident when he had submitted his thesis for his first Ph. D. This incident had
happened in Italy. His professor had told Umberto Eco that many students would study a particular subject
deeply. Then they make lot of false assumptions. Then they examine these assumptions and correct these. And
at the end of their thesis they write their conclusion.

The professor further told that Umberto Eco had narrated the complete story of his research. Umberto Eco had
also included his trials and his errors in his thesis. This method of writing a thesis was opposite to what most of
the students were following.

35
Umberto Eco further told Mukund that, simultaneous to above remarks, his teacher accepted that Umberto Eco
was correct. So the professor published the work of Umberto Eco as a book. This was an indication that the
professor liked the work of Umberto Eco.

Umberto Eco told that when above incident occurred, his age was 22. At that age itself he became aware that
students should write their thesis on the same patterns that he had written. They should tell the complete story of
the research and write the thesis as if narrating a story.

Umberto Eco continues to speak. Umberto Eco tells that because of this awareness and understanding, his all
essays are of descriptive nature. And probably this is the reason that I started writing novels very late. I was
almost 50 when I started writing novels.

Umberto Eco continues to speak. Umberto Eco says that Roland Barthes is his good friend. Roland Barthes was
disappointed and unhappy because he was an essayist and not a novelist. He wanted to become a creative writer
sometime in the future. But he could not do so. He died before he could become such a writer.

Umberto Eco continues to speak. Umberto Eco says that he never had such kind of disappointment in his life. I
had started writing per chance or unintentionally. Umberto Eco had never thought of doing something in future.
He started doing it right away. He liked to describe things or situations. So writing novel was probably most
suitable to him.

Mukund says that when we talk about novels something comes to my mind. Earlier you were famous as an
academician. [A person who is devoted to teaching and writing for educational purpose] Later you became a
great famous novelist after your novel “The Name of the Rose” was published. You have written five novels
while your other great non-fictional works are more than 20.

Umberto Eco interrupts Mukund and says that his non-fictional works are more than 40.

Mukund expresses surprise to know that non-fictional works are more than 40. Some of the works in these are
innovative and influential in the field of study of signs. These helped further development in this field. But if we
ask people about Umberto Eco, they would say that he is a novelist. Mukund asks Umberto Eco if such opinion
of people bothers him.

Umberto Eco replies by saying yes, which means such opinion does worry him. He considers himself a
professor who teaches at a university and writes novels in his free time. He further emphasizes that being an
academician is not an easy work. I attend several conferences related to aspects of education. I do not attend
meetings of any group of writers. I consider myself a part of the community that is devoted to education.

Umberto Eco continues to speak. Umberto Eco says that he is not worried if most of the people read his novels
only but do not read his other works. He laughs and moves his shoulders to imply that it does not bother him. I
am aware that if I write novels more people read it. I do not expect a large number of people, say one million,
would read my articles on semiotics.

”The Name of the Rose” is a very serious novel. Some parts of this novel can be considered a detective novel.
But this novel also talks about reality, religious beliefs and middle age history. In spite of these, the novel has
become very popular. Many people have read this novel. Did you ever get confused by it?

Umberto Eco replies that he was not confused. He says that journalists get confused. Sometimes publishers also
get confused. The reason of their confusion is their belief that people like to read something which is not
36
relevant or not important. They also believe that people do not want to read a novel that describe a difficult
experience.

Umberto Eco continues to speak. Umberto Eco says that let us imagine that about six billion people live on
earth. Approximately 10 to 15 million copies of <em>The Name of Rose </em>have been sold. Therefore we
can say that only a small percentage of people have been attracted to read this novel. But these are the readers
who do not want to read something which talks about simple aspects.

Umberto Eco continues to speak. Umberto Eco does not want that people should always read only that literature
which does not narrate simple things. [Implying that people should read some light reads also.] He says that
after having his dinner at 9 PM, he watches television. He likes to watch two television serials namely ‘Miami
Vice’ or ‘Emergency Room’. He enjoys these serials and he needs the enjoyment of watching these serials. But
he does not want to watch these during the entire day.

Mukund wants to know if the reason of the great success of the novel is because it is written in the background
of middle age of the history. Umberto Eco interrupts Mukund and says that it could be possible. But he wants to
tell one more aspect. He says that he writes story the way a wise person from China would write. [He wants to
tell that his writings have a good story telling characteristic and includes wisdom of ancient times.]

Umberto Eco continues to speak. He says that his publisher from America liked his book very much. But she
thought that not more than 3000 people would buy my book. She thought so because not many people in
America had seen cathedrals or knew Latin language.

Umberto Eco continues to speak. Therefore the publisher gave Umberto Eco advance for 3000 copies only. But
finally about two to three million copies of novel were sold in America.

Eco continues to speak. Umberto Eco says that many books / novels have been written about middle age of
history. Many of these books were written and published before my novel was published. I am of the opinion
that it is difficult to understand why a book becomes successful or popular. Nobody can predict about success of
any book.

Eco continues to speak. Umberto Eco says that if he had written “The Name of the Rose” ten years earlier or ten
years after it was actually written, the contents of book would not have been same. Nor the book would have
been as popular. It is difficult to understand why this book became so popular or successful.

Going Places - A.R Barton

Two friends Sophie and Jansie were coming home from school. They were walking in a street. On their way,
Sophie told that she would open a boutique after completing her schooling. Jansie joined her arms with that of
Sophie’s and told that it was doubtful. She further told that it required lot of money to open a boutique.

Sophie said that she will earn or arrange money. She was looking at the other end of the street. [Means she was
dreaming] Jansie replied that it took a long time to save enough money for boutique.

Sophie said that she will start her career as a manger. She will do a job till she saves enough money. She said
that she was aware how her boutique would look. Jansie replied that no one would make her a manager in the
beginning.

37
Mary Quant was a famous designer of fashionable cloths and an icon. Sophie says that she will be just like
Mary Quant. Everybody will notice her right from the beginning. She says that she will own the most beautiful
shop the city has ever seen.

Jansie knew that destiny of both of them was to work at the biscuit factory. So she became very sad. She hoped
that Sophie would not dream of owning a boutique.

Soon two friends reached the street in which house of Sophie was situated. Jansie said that after few months
they would be leaving school. She urged Sophie to be more sensible. Jansie said that payment for working at a
shop is very low. Jansie reminded that Sophie’s father would not allow her to work at a shop.

Sophie again tells her dreams to Jansie.

She thinks of becoming an actress because there is more money in this profession. And she wants to have a
boutique also with her acting career. She thinks that actress need not work for full time of the day. She says that
she would become a fashion designer or an actress. She wants to be do something which is stylish.

Sophie went into her house. Door of her house was open. Jansie was standing in the street in the rain. While
entering her house, Sophie said to Jansie that whenever she had money, she would buy a boutique.

Her father said that whenever she earned enough money she should buy a decent house for themselves. Father
was eating shepherd’s pie with the help of a scoop. [scoop is a type of spoon].His round face was full of dirt and
sweat. He looked tired after day’s work.

Her younger brother Derek was standing at the back of father’s chair. He said to his father that Sophie thought it
was easy to earn money. Their mother took a deep breath.

Sophie looked at the back of her mother which was bent over the sink. She thought at the mismatch of the soft
knot of strings of the apron, the delicate bow and the curved back. The back had become curved due to hard
work her mother had been doing

It had already become dark outside i.e. the Sun had already set. Because of stove there was smoke in the room.
The person (her father) was wearing a vest and breathing heavily. Many things were scattered in the room. Dirty
clothes were heaped in a corner.

Sophie felt uncomfortable. She started looking for her elder brother Geoff. He was in the next room. He was
kneeling on the floor. He had spread a newspaper on the carpet. He had placed a part of his motorcycle on the
newspaper. He was trying to repair it.

He had completed his schooling three years ago. He was now a trainee mechanic. He travelled to the other side
of the city for his job.

He was almost grown up i.e. a matured person. Sophie did not know about some parts of his life. So she had a
doubt about those parts. He did not tell her anything about those parts. On his own he never told anything.

He had to be motivated to speak. It was similar to somebody digging the ground to obtain stones. [Meaning that
he spoke very less] Sophie did not like that he spoke so less.

When Geoff was not speaking it looked as if he was dreaming. He used to dream about some places she had
never visited. [Meaning that Geoff used to think differently]
38
She did not know if those places were just outside the city. Or these were too far away and in the rural area
around the city. These places were of special interest to her because she had not visited these places.

Perhaps in those places, there were some interesting people of foreign country. And he did not tell about those
people, although Geoff did not make friends easily. Here Sophie is suspecting that Geoff has some friends and
he is keeping it a secret.

She eagerly wanted to know about them. She hoped that her brother would share many things with her. She
wanted to feel affection of her brother. She wished that someday his brother will take her with him to those
places.

Her father had refused that Geoff should take her with him. And Geoff did not tell his opinion. She was aware
that Geoff thought she had not grown. But she was very eager to go with her brother.

She was aware that the huge world outside of her house was waiting for her. Her inner voice told her that she
would be very comfortable in the world of the city. Because she had lived in the city for quite some time.

Sophie thought that the world was eagerly waiting for her arrival. She imagined that she was sitting on a bike
behind Geoff. He was wearing new shining black clothes of leather. She was wearing a yellow dress and a
shawl. The cape flew behind as they rode on the bike. All people clapped and appreciated them. The whole
world was greeting them.

Geoff was sitting and angrily looking at the part of his motorcycle. He was holding the part in his hands as if it
was an animal who could not speak. And he wanted to speak to it. (Meaning that Geoff was fully occupied in
repairing that part)

Sophie told Geoff that she had met Danny Casey. (Danny Casey is a very famous football player). Suddenly
Geoff looked at Sophie and asked her where she met Danny.

Sophie replies that she met him at the arcade. It was a funny incident. Geoff does not believe it. Sophie insists
that she had met Danny. Geoff asks if Sophie had informed their father about it.

Sophie shook her head, meaning that she had not told father. She felt sad that Goeff could not understand that
she shared her secrets first with him. Geoff said that he could not believe that Sophie had met Danny.

Sophie explains that she was looking at clothes in a store. Name of the store was Royce. There someone came
and stood near her. She turned around and she saw that it was Danny Casey.

Geoff asks Sophie how Danny looks like. Sophie says that he himself knew about looks of Danny. Geoff insists
to know from Sophie by saying how does Danny look when he is so close. [Meaning that they had never seen
Danny from close] Sophie should approximately narrate looks of Danny.

Sophie describes Danny. He has green eyes. Gentle eyes. He is not very tall as one would imagine. She wanted
to say about his teeth, but she did not say.

Their father came to room after taking bath. His face and arms were clean and shining. Smell of soap was
coming from his body.

Father switched on the TV. He threw shoe of Derek from his chair to sofa. Then he sat down on his chair. He
made a low sound from his throat while sitting.
39
Geoff said that Sophie had met Danny Casey. Sophie moved at her place. Her father turned his thick neck to
look at her. Her father was looking arrogant meaning that he was not happy to know. Geoff said that it was true.

Tom Finney was a famous football player of England. Her father continued to look at the TV. Her father said
that once he knew a person, who knew Tom Finney. He further said that that was very long ago.

Geoff said that father had already told about it. Father said that Casey may become a good player. Geoff replied
that Casey could become better that Tom Finney. In fact Casey is the best.

Father says that Danny can become a better player if he remains humble. And if they take good care of him.
(Here ‘they’ means coach and team of Danny). Nowadays, for a youngster, there are lot of opportunities for
diversion.

Geoff says that he (Danny) will be all right because he is in the best team of the country. Father says that he is
very young. Geoff say that Danny is older than him.

Father says that he (Danny) is very young so he should not be in the first team. Geoff says that he (father)
should not say this for Danny because he (Danny) is a very talented player. Sophie says that Danny would be
buying a shop.

Father angrily looked at her and asked where she had heard about it. Sophie replied that Danny had told her.

Father said something in low voice. It was not possible to hear what he said. Father pulled himself to turn in his
chair. He further said that it was one of her imaginations.

Geoff told that she had met Danny in the arcade. Then he told him how they (Danny and Sophie) had met. Her
father told angrily to Sophie that someday she may get into lot of trouble. Father thinks that Sophie is telling a
lie.

Sophie says that Geoff knows that it is true. Father says he (Geoff) does not believe you. Though he wants to
believe you.

----------------------------------------------------------------

United is very famous football team in England.

The table lamp was giving yellow light on the wall of bedroom of her brother. On the wall was a big poster of
first team of United. Below the poster was a row of coloured photographs of young players. One of the photo
was of Casey. He was from Ireland so referred as Irish.

Sophie requested Geoff to tell to no one. Geoff replied there was nothing to tell anyone. (Meaning that what
Sophie will tell is not important). Sophie asks Geoff to promise that he will not tell to anyone. She is afraid of
her father. She thinks that her father will scold her a lot.

Geoff says that father will scold her if he thinks it was true. (Geoff wants to say that father would not believe
that Sophie had met Danny) Sophie requests Geoff not to play jokes. Geoff says to Sophie that she is still in
school. Meaning that at this tender age she should not meet Danny. He further says that Casey must be having
many girlfriends. Sophie says he does not have any other girlfriend.

40
Geoff tauntingly asked Sophie how she knew about it. Sophie replied that Danny had told her. Geoff said that
nobody would tell such things to a girl.

Sophie insisted that Danny had told her. Sophie thinks that Danny is not a person to have many girlfriends. He
is peaceful person. Geoff replied that he does not seem to be such a peaceful person. [Geoff thinks that Danny
has many girl-friends]

Sophie told Geoff that she was the first who spoke to Danny. When she recognized him, she asked if he was
Danny Casey. He was surprised at the question.

He replied that he was Danny Casey. And I became sure that he was Danny. His style of speaking was exactly
same as she had seen on a TV interview.

Sophie requested Danny to give an autograph. She wanted to get autograph for their younger brother Derek. But
neither Sophie nor Danny had paper or pen. So they talked about clothes displayed at Royce.

He seemed lonely. Because he was far from his home situated in western part of Ireland. While going Danny
asked Sophie if she would like to meet him next week. He would give her an autograph. Sophie agreed to meet
him.

Geoff said Danny is not likely to come again to meet Sophie. But Sophie says that now Geoff should believe
her.

Geoff pulled his jacket from back of the chair. It was shining but was shapeless (not ironed). He wore the
jacket. Sophie hoped that Geoff should be more careful about how his looks.

Sophie hoped that Geoff would take more care about his clothes. She thought that he was tall and had a slightly
dark coloured face that looked strong. She thought Geoff looked handsome.

Geoff replied that Danny is unlikely to come to meet Sophie.

------------------------------------------------------------------

United won the game by the score of two-nil. Casey had scored the second goal. This goal was a mix of
simplicity and genius. At the edge of the penalty area, Casey went around two defenders. Sophie’s father was
shouting that Casey should give a pass. But Casey took a shot himself from about 12 yards from the goal. The
goalkeeper did not know how to stop the shot.

Sophie was proud that Casey had scored a goal. Geoff was also very happy. The family was returning in a bus.
Someone in bus said that it would have been good if Casey were an Englishman.

Derek came home with his sister Sophie. He told his mother that Ireland would win world cup. Father had gone
to the bar to celebrate victory of United.

Next week Jansie asked Sophie about something she (Sophie) had been telling. Sophie asked what was she
asking about? Jansie replied that Geoff had told Frank that Sophie had met Danny Casey. Frank is brother of
Jansie.

Sophie was greatly surprised. She thought it was not an inquiry. It was being curious in other’s matters. She
tried to avoid answering it by saying Oh, that.

41
Jansie became angry. She understood that Sophie was trying to hide something. She replied that yes, she was
asking about that. Sophie accepted that she had met Danny. Jansie was surprised but could not believe.

Sophie looked at the ground. Now she understood that Jansie had come to know because of Geoff. Her meeting
with Danny was supposed to be a special thing between Geoff and Sophie. It was to be a secret. But Geof had
told Frank and Frank told Jansie.

Sophie concluded that it was not a fault of Jansie. If you tell anything to Jansie, then everybody will come to
know about it. She did not have discipline in this matter. Sophie cursed Geoff and wished he had kept it a
secret.

Sophie told Jansie that it was required to be a secret. Jansie promised that she will keep it a secret.

Sophie told that she did not want to tell about it to anyone. If her father comes to know about it, there will be a
noisy argument. Jansie said why should there be an argument. He should feel very happy about it.

Sophie understood that Jansie did not know about the date of their next meeting. Geoff had not told about it.
She felt relaxed.

So Geoff had not disappointed Sophie. He believed her. He had kept certain things as secret.

Sophie tells Jansie that it was just a small meeting. I had asked for an autograph. But we did not have pen or
paper. So I could not get his autograph. She wonders how much Geoff has told Frank. Jansie wished that she
too should have been there.

Sophie says to Jansie that her father did not believe it. She further says that her father is a bit of problem. He
would be sad to know this.

Sophie did not want people to ask her father about her meeting Danny Casey. Sophie tells Jansie that if that
happens her father will punish her. And her mother will get disturbed if there is a noisy argument in the house.
Jansie seriously told Sophie that she would not tell anybody about it.

After it had become dark, Sophie was walking along the canal. It was a covered path. The covered path was
getting light from the lamps of boats parked in the river. The continuous noise (humming) from the city was not
loud. It appeared to be coming from a large distance.

Sophie used to play there when she was a child. There was only one tree of elm. Below the tree was a wooden
bench. Lovers used to sit on this bench. She sat there to wait for Danny Casey.

Sophie had thought that it was the perfect place for meeting Danny Casey. It was a meeting place for those who
did not want people to see them. She thought that Danny Casey will like this place.

While waiting, Sophie imagined that Danny was coming. She imagined that he was coming out of the shadows
near the canal. And she was so happy to see him. When Danny did not come even after considerable time, she
started thinking that he may not come.

Sophie started talking to herself. She thought that she is sitting here in the hope that Dany would come. But she
could feel that lot of time has passed.

Now Sophie started having doubts within herself. She was looking for him but she could not see him.

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Sophie continues to talk to herself.

I remember Geoff had told that Danny would never come. And none of them believed me when I told them that
Danny would meet me. I do not know what will I do now? What should I tell them if Danny does not come?

Sophie continues to talk to herself.

But we (Danny and Sophie) know we are friends and that is the main thing. You cannot do anything if people
do not believe you. But it (Danny not coming) makes me lose hope. And I will never be able to prove that they
were wrong to doubt about our meeting.

Sophie waited there. She was trying to understand several changes in her feelings. Gradually she accepted the
fact. (The fact that Danny will not come)

Sophie continues to talk to herself.

Sophie thought that she had become sad. And she found that this sadness was a burden on her. Sitting there and
knowing that he will not come. She can see that in future she will need to carry this burden of sadness.

Sophie continues to talk to herself.

They will certainly doubt me. They have always doubted me. But I will need to remain confident of myself. I
should always remember how it had happened.

Sophie continues to talk to herself.

I can imagine that I will be walking slowly to my house. When I tell Geoff that Danny did not come, he would
be disappointed.

Sophie continues to talk to herself.

And then Geoff will quickly go out. He will loudly shut the door. I will tell him that we (Danny and Sophie)
know each other, we are friends. It is very difficult to accept that Danny did not come. It is a sad thing.

Sophie climbs the broken steps and comes to the street. Now she is walking back to her house. She sees bicycle
of her father parked outside the bar. The bicycle is supported by the wall. She is happy to note that. Because
when she reaches home, she will not meet her father.

Sophie again starts her imagination.

She sees Danny coming out of the arcade just outside Royce’s. She asks him if he is Danny Casey. He replies
that yes he is Danny Casey.

Sophie continues her imagination.

Sophie tells him that she along with her father and brothers, watch him play every week. They think that he is a
great player. Danny replies that it was so nice of them. Sophie request him for an autograph.

Sophie continues her imagination.

Height of Sophie and Danny is same. (That is why their eyes are at the same level) His nose has some brown
spots. It bends slightly upwards. His smile is so shy. When he smiles, one can see gap between his teeth.
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Sophie continues her imagination.

Colour of his eyes is green. His eyes are shining and look gentle. His eyes look as that of a gazelle. Then you
look away and he continues to see you. When you look back at him, you tend to lose your breath.

Sophie continues her imagination.

He says that he does not have a pen. You also do not have a pen. And you say that your brother would feel bad
for not getting autograph.

Sophie continues her imagination.

He goes away. But you are still standing in the arcade. You recall his sweet voice and his green shining eyes.
His height is equal to you. He is as bold as you are. He is a simple genius. He is talented. Danny Casey is great.

Sophie started imagining the last Saturday football match.

He moved awkwardly around the defenders. About fifty thousand spectators became silent. He stopped for a
moment with the ball. Then he kicked the ball into the goal. One could hear the sound as he kicked the ball with
great force. There was huge noise from the happy crowd to praise Danny Casey.

Poem Summary
My Mother at Sixty Six - Kamala Das
In the morning of Friday, the author was travelling in a car. She was travelling from her parent’s home to
Cochin. Her mother was also in the car. She was sitting near her mother. She looks at her mother.

Mother was sleeping. Face of mother had become yellow. The colour was same as that of a dead body.

I realized that she had become very old. I felt the pain of losing her. Very soon kept this thought away from my
mind.

Now I looked at the trees that were young. They appeared to be running. (When we move in a train or a car,
tress at distance seem to be moving in opposite direction). Happy children were coming out of their homes to
play.

I completed the security check at the airport. After that I stood some distance away from it.

I looked at her (my mother) once again. She was looking sick. Her face was yellow like moon in winter season.
(The face was not shining) I felt the pain of losing her. This pain was similar to my feelings during childhood
when my mother used to move away from me.

But I could not say anything to my mother. I only said that mother, I will meet you very soon. Then I smiled at
her.

Keeping Quiet - Pablo Neruda

The poet tells us to count up to twelve and to remain calm and silent while we count twelve.

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There are twelve months in a year. There are twelve zodiac signs. A watch indicates twelve hours in a day. So
the poet is telling person of every zodiac sign to remain calm throughout the day and throughout the year. Thus
the request is to everybody to always remain calm.

The poet says that only for one time and as an exception, let us not speak any language on this earth.

The language creates differences. It does so through many ways. If we speak in different types of language we
are not able to understand each other. Second, if we speak in bad language, ill feeling is created. So the poet
suggests that let us not speak any language for once. Thus barriers created by language shall be overcome.
Everybody will be a friend to each other.

Let us stop for some time. Let us not move our arms / hands to damage others and the earth.

The destruction in the world is caused showing our strength over somebody or something. We destroy
environment. We hurt our fellow beings. When we do not move our arms we start protecting environment and
brotherhood is spread.

This will be an unusual and strange moment. Because we are not used to it. There will not be any hurry to do
anything. The world will be without the noise of factory and vehicles.

Poet says that we will be far away from the everyday running. We would have some time to think about
ourselves. There will be lesser noise in the world. The pollution will be less and environment would become
better.

We all will be living together. Nobody will be killing or harming another. This would be an unusual sudden
change in the world.

The belongingness to one another would be very strange to us. Because we have never felt attached to each
other. Everyone would care for another one. Every human being will care another human being. They will also
care about other living beings. This would be a welcome change for all of us.

Fisherman would not unnecessarily kill whales in sea.

Poet wants to say that nobody would kill any other living beings for pleasure or for material gains. There will be
sense of satisfaction among population.

The man preparing the salt will become aware of wounds of his hands.

The poet wants to say that destruction of environment is harmful to us. Presently we do not care about it. But
now we shall understand that damage to environment is a damage to human beings also. The phrases ‘man
gathering salt’ and ‘hurt hands’ have been symbolically used.

Some persons destroy the greenery of earth. Some activities pollute the atmosphere with hazardous gases. Some
activities result into global warming. Now such activities will stop. Those people or countries who fight with
each other will not do so. They will understand that by doing such activities survival of human kind is not
possible.

“Green wars’ is used to indicate greenery of earth. ‘Wars with Gas’ is used to indicate emission of polluting
gases. ‘Wars with fire’ is used to indicate global warming. ‘Victory’ is used to indicate wars among countries or
people. ‘Victory’ is used to indicate wars among countries or people.
45
All people would stop doing activities that pollute environment and harm human beings. They will live like
brothers. They will remain calm and do nothing.

‘Clean cloths’ represents clean environment. ‘In the shade’ means remaining calm.

The wishes of poet does not mean that we should stop doing everything. We should not become idle. But we
should take from Mother Nature only to the extent we need. We should not exploit nature. Poet does not want
people to die in wars.

The poet wants to say that because of our ambitions and selfish nature we have been destroying environment.
We are taking from earth more than we need. We should protect the Mother Nature to the extent we can.

When there is war soldiers and civilians die. Poet wants to say that war causes death and destruction. We must
avoid wars.

‘truck with death’ represents dead bodies of soldiers and civilians.

If we stop thinking only about ourselves and our comfort, we can stop causing these damages.

Poet wants to say that all the destruction is caused because of our selfish interests. We are always thinking about
our selfish interest. If we stop being selfish, many problems of this day can be solved.

Probably a long break from the present way of living can remove our sadness. Presently we are not able to
understand ourselves. Our present ways are a threat to human beings.

The poet wants us to move away from our present style of living. Our fast paced life and our selfish attitude for
comfort has made our life sad. We need to change our ways. That will take us from sadness to happiness. In our
mad rush, we have failed to understand ourselves. It is threatening our own survival.

Probably earth can teach how to make this change. Even in the pieces of land where all the trees and crops have
been cut, new trees and crops can be grown. Thus the earth again becomes green.

Poet wants to say that it is possible to change our ways. He quotes the example of earth. New saplings can be
planted on a barren piece of land. And soon the piece of land becomes green. Same way we can also adopt new
methods.

Now poet says that he will count up to twelve. We should remain calm. And he shall go.

Poets thinks that we all have understood his message. So there is no need for him to repeat his thoughts.

A Thing of beauty - John Keats

A thing of beauty is the cause of happiness forever. It is eternal. Its beauty never decreases. Our liking for it
increases with passage of time. It always remains lovely.

The thing of beauty will never fade. It will keep us happy and provided shelter. This is same as a shade in the
garden gives us shelter and relief during a sunny and hot day.

It will also give us a good sleep. The sleep will have sweet dreams. It will give us health and will keep us calm.
Here sleep also means absence of worries.

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Therefore every day we are putting a circle of flowers to bind us with the earth. Here earth means nature.

Poet wants to say that every day we are living with nature and beautiful things. Our love and liking binds us
with beautiful things. Flowery band represents our love. Earth represents nature and the thing of beauty. Since
we remain in touch, our bonding becomes stronger and we get the reason to live further.

In this world, people have the wrong intention of hurting others. The world is full of jealousy and hate. There is
hopelessness in the world. Some people do not possess human qualities. There is shortage of good people in the
world.

There are some sad and troublesome days in everyone’s life. These may be because one is not keeping good
health. We could also be sad because our way of leading life is not correct. Many times we may not be aware of
the reason to be unhappy. We may need to search for such reasons.

In spite of all such bad and troublesome feelings, something beautiful will remove the negative feelings and
unpleasant emotions.

Poet wants to say that many times we will have troublesome experiences. Everything may appear full of
sadness. Even in such circumstances the thing of beauty (somebody or something we love) will remove all the
bad emotions from our hearts. It will fill our hearts with happiness.

The Sun which gives us light and warmth is a thing of beauty. The moon which gives us feeling of comfort is a
thing of beauty. The old and young (new) trees which bless us with shade are things of beauty.

Poet wants to say that we can derive comfort from almost all natural things. So all these are things of beauty.

The sheep for its simplicity and a flower like daffodil is a thing of beauty. Plant that make this world green are
things of beauty. The streams of clear water are things of beauty. These streams make their own way. Many
plants and greenery grows along as it flows.

Here the phrase ‘simple sheep’ represents innocent human beings leading a simple life. It is a metaphor. It feels
so good to live with simple people. Hence they are also things of beauty.

During hot season, a thick group of plants in the middle of forest is a thing of beauty. A forest where several
musk-rose plants are blooming is very pleasing. Thus that is also a thing of beauty.

Stories of powerful and brave soldiers who died in wars to protect their countries are very inspiring. Glory of
those soldiers are things of beauty.

‘Mighty dead’ also refers to people who had done some good work for development of society and human
beings. Their work is of very high order. They inspires us.

Every story that we have read or heard is a thing of beauty. A thing of beauty is like a drink that can make us
happy. It is just like an immortal drink (amritham) coming to us directly from heaven.

Poet wants to say that all the beautiful things have been bestowed upon (given to) us by almighty God.

A Roadside Stand - Robert Frost

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A small house is situated along the roadside. Residents of this house have extended front of their house to
construct a small shed. In this shed they sell some food articles. So it is a shop. The traffic is speeding past the
shed. It appears that the shopkeeper is requesting the travelers to stop so that they can sell some goods.

It was not correct to say that they wanted to give bread or any other thing free of cost. They want to sell
something to earn some money. Availability of money is more in cities. It is money which is supporting
development of people staying in cities. The flow of money or availability of money in cities helps people to
lead a better life and without problems of adequate food. [Those living in city are able to buy food and those
living in villages are not able to buy their food]

The traffic consists of beautiful vehicles. They cross the shed while going ahead on the road. Sometimes people
look towards the side of the road for a moment. They consider the shed as some ugly construction that has
destroyed beauty of the area.

There is signboard near the shed. The letter ‘N’ is wrongly written. The letter ‘S’ is wrongly written. The shop
offers to sell wild berries in a wooden container. The squash is being sold in containers. These containers have
long neck and are of silver colour. Some sceneries of beautiful natural scenes of mountains are also being sold.

You may have the money but still you may not like to spend. You may be selfish and feel that things are costly.
In that case you can keep your money with you and go ahead on your journey. [The shopkeeper is expressing
his anger]The people of the shop will get disappointed but they will not complain.

They believe that their life is full of sorrow. But they do not express their sorrow. They feel that they have their
shop so far from the city. They also want to earn some money just like people living in city earn.

With the money earned from selling things, they hope to grow at least to some extent. They also want to have a
meaning to their life. They want to lead a comfortable life as shown in movies. They are aware of the promise
made by those in power. But none of the promise has been fulfilled.

It becomes a big news when some people try to help them and their families. Their land has been purchased and
they are shifted from villages to cities where cinema halls, shops and big stores are so near. They are promised
that their life will be easier cities. They will not need to bother about their future because opportunity to earn is
more in cities.

But in fact those who promise to do something good for villagers are themselves greedy people. They are
pretending to benefit these villagers but actually they are making a profit for themselves. Many such people
come to village. They affect thinking of villagers which forces villagers to shift to cities. Villagers start thinking
that shifting to city will reduce their current problems. In the city the life is different. Many times they need to
work in nights so they need to sleep during the day. Their life style goes under a total change. It is not the same
old style.

Sometimes even I feel that it is difficult for villagers to tolerate their poor condition. The hope of getting a
customer is like a wish of a child. Not many customers come and buy form villagers. A feeling of sadness and
sorrow is spread across everywhere.

Throughout the day they pray God for customers. It is their prayer that some cars should apply brakes, stop their
car and come to their shop. Among thousands of cars, some cars do stop there. But the travelers are interested in
knowing rates of things in the village. It is just for comparison of prices.

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One car stopped but it had stopped to take a turn. While taking turn it used the open space that was in the front
of the shop. So it disturbed the lawn. Another car stopped only to enquire where the road was leading to. [They
wanted to confirm if they were travelling in correct direction] Yet another car stopped to ask if the shopkeeper
was selling fuel. The shopkeeper angrily though if they could not see what was being sold.

The money available through the sale of things is not sufficient. The villagers have not been to uplift their
lifestyle. Hence the villagers always complaint about poor conditions and lack of money.

Sometimes I imagine to solve all the troubles of villagers in one go itself. This could be a big relief for them.
[This could be achieved if everybody buys from villagers]

But immediately I realise that this would not be the good for anyone.

I do not know why people living in cities should come to villages. They will not come to village just to respect
my thoughts. [To relieve me of my pain]. Or for taking care of people of villagers. [Author himself is sad
because of problems faced by villagers. So he equates their sadness to his own sadness]

Aunt Jennifer's Tiger - Adrienne Rich

The poet is talking about an old lady. She has been addressed as Aunt Jennifer.

Aunt Jennifer is doing embroidery work on a piece of cloth. In the background there is green forest. Colour of
tigers is bright yellow same as that of a topaz. These tigers are resident of green forest. They appear running
with full of energy.

Aunt Jennifer is an old lady. Aunt Jennifer is drawing her wishes through embroidery. She wants her life to be
bright. She wants her life to be free. Presently her life does not have any of these attributes.

These tigers are fearless. They are not afraid of persons sitting under the tree. They are moving elegantly in a
manner of a gentleman. They are moving with confidence and certainty about themselves.

Here the poet is bringing a contrast. The tigers are free and fearless. But the Aunt Jennifer is not free. She is
afraid of her husband. She is not at all confident that her feelings will be respected.

Fingers of Aunt Jennifer were trembling while holding the thread of embroidery. It was difficult for her to pull
the needle. The needle was of ivory colour. (It can also mean that needle was made of ivory)

Aunt Jennifer is so feeble that she cannot protest against the bad behaviour of her husband. Her trembling
fingers symbolize her fear. The weak hand symbolizes lack of confidence and strength.

She was wearing the wedding ring. It was given to her by her husband. This wedding ring is a great burden to
Aunt Jennifer.

The restrictions and difficulties imposed because of her marriage are high. She is not able to overcome these.
Now she had become used to difficulties.

Even when Aunt Jennifer dies, she will continue to have fears of her husband. Her frightened hands will still
indicate the troubles she had become used to.

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 Even at her death, she will not be able to come out of the restrictions. Her terrible hands will go on reminding
about difficulties she had faced and become used to in her life time.

By using an expression ‘her terrified hands’ poet means that Aunt is terrified. Hence this poetic device is
Synecdoche.

The tigers she had made on the piece of the cloth, will move energetically. They will be proud of themselves
and not afraid of anything.

Again a contrast is created by the poet. The tigers in her embroidery are free, fearless and proud of themselves.
While life of Aunt Jenifer is exactly opposite, the frame of embroidery represents her wish to be away from her
present conditions.

Poem Analysis
Analysis of My Mother at Sixty-Six by Kamala Das

Rhyme Scheme: Free verse. No rhyme scheme.

Stanza 1
Drive from my parents
Home to cochin last friday
morning. I saw my mother, beside me,
doze, open mouthed, her face ashen like that of a corpse
Poetic Devices:
1. Assonance: Prominent sound of 'o': i. Home to Cochin last Friday morning
ii. doze, open mouthed, her face ashen like that of a corpse.
2. Simile: The colour of the poetess' mothers face has been compared to that of a corpse using like: her face ashen like that of
a corpse.
Stanza 2
And realised with pain
That she was old as she looked but soon
Put that thought away and looked out at young
Tree sprinting, the merry children spilling
Out of their homes.
Poetic Devices:
1. Consonance: i. Prominent sound of 't': Put that thought away and looked out at young.
ii. Prominent sound of 's': That she was old as she looked but soon.
2. .Imagery: The description about children playing and sprinting trees is given: Tree sprinting, the merry children spilling
out of their home.
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3. Repetition: The word looked has been repeated.
4. Personification: The trees are said to be sprinting (running): Tree sprinting, the merry children spilling.
5. Contrast: The difference between poetess mother and the children is shown by using the word old and young.
Stanza 3
But after the airports
Security check, standing a few yards
Away, I looked again at her, wan, pale
As a late winters moon
Poetic Devices:
1. Simile: The poetess mothers face has been compared to the late winters moon using as: Pale as a late winters moon.
2. Consonance: Prominent sound of s: Security check, standing a few yards.
3. Symbolism: Winters moon is a symbol of decay.
Stanza 4
And felt that old
Familiar ache, my childhoods fear,
But all I said was see you soon, Amma,
All I did was smile and smile and smile
Poetic Devices:
1. Repetition: The word smile has been used thrice: All I did was smile and smile and smile.
2. Alliteration: Repetition of the letter s: But all I said was see you soon, Amma

Analysis of Keeping Quiet by Pablo Neruda

Rhyme Scheme: Free verse. No rhyme scheme.

Stanza 1
Now we will count to twelve
and we will all keep still.
For once on the face of the Earth
lets not speak in any language,
lets stop for one second,
and not move our arms so much.

Poetic Devices
i. Assonance: Prominent sound of 'o' in - "Now we will count to twelve, not move our arms so much."
51
ii. Anaphora: It is the repetition of a word at the start of two or more consecutive lines -
(lets not speak in any language, lets stop for one second).
iii. Alliteration: It is the repetition of a letter at the start of closely placed words. The repetition of the letter W in we will.
iv. Symbolism: Here, the poet has used the phrase count to twelve as a measure of time.
v. Metonymy: The word language has been used by the poet to show different races.
Stanza 2
It would be an exotic moment
without rush, without engines,
we would all be together
in a sudden strangeness.
Fishermen in the cold sea
would not harm whales
and the man gathering salt
would look at his hurt hands.
Poetic Devices
i. Alliteration: It is the repetition of a letter at the start of closely placed words. The repetition of the letter:
W in we would S in sudden strangeness H in his hurt hands.
ii. Symbolism: 1. The poet has used fisherman as a symbol of the oppressor and whale as a symbol of the oppressed.
2. The port has used the man gathering salt as a symbol of humanity in this stanza.
Stanza 3
Those who prepare green wars,
wars with gas, wars with fire,
victory with no survivors,
would put on clean clothes
and walk about with their brothers
in the shade, doing nothing.
What I want should not be confused
with total inactivity.
Life is what it is about;
I want no truck with death.
Poetic Devices
i. Alliteration: It is the repetition of a letter at the start of closely placed words. The repetition of the letter:
W in "wars with" C in "clean clothes."

52
ii. Assonance: Prominent sound of the vowel 'o' in victory with no survivors, would put on clean clothes and walk about
with their brothers.
iii. Repetition: The word "war" has been repeated.
iv. Irony: When there is a complete contrast between the literal meaning and what it appears to mean-
1. Green wars, wars with gas, wars with fire.
2. Victory with no survivors.
v. Symbolism: The poet has used clean clothes as a symbol of peace.
Stanza 4
If we were not so single-minded
about keeping our lives moving,
and for once could perhaps a huge silence
might interrupt this sadness
of never understanding ourselves
and of threatening ourselves with death.

Poetic Devices
i. Alliteration: It is the repetition of a letter at the start of closely placed words. The repetition of the letter:
w in "we were," S in "so single - minded"
ii. Enjambment: The sentence is being continued to the next line without a break - (and for once could perhaps a huge
silence
might interrupt this sadness
of never understanding ourselves
and of threatening ourselves with death.)
Stanza 5
Perhaps the Earth can teach us
as when everything seems dead
and later proves to be alive.
Now Ill count up to twelve
and you keep quiet and I will go.
Poetic Devices
i. Personification: The poet has personified the Earth by saying - the Earth can teach us.
ii. Extended Metaphor: The poet has used extended metaphor by saying -
(when everything seems dead
and later proves to be alive). Here, he is comparing the period of stillness with the winters.
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 Analysis of A Thing of Beauty by John Keats

Rhyme Scheme: It is written in rhyming couplets. The rhyme scheme is aa bb.

Context
This poem is based on a Greek legend about Endymion, a young shepherd, and Selene, the moon goddess. Endymion
used to see Selene in his dreams and then he decided to look out for her. On his journey, he saw numerous things
including mountains, seas, forests, etc, and he found everything he saw to be beautiful.
Stanza 1
A thing of beauty is a joy forever
Its loveliness increases, it will never
Pass into nothingness; but will keep
A bower quiet for us, and a sleep
Full of sweet dreams, and health, and quiet breathing.
Explanation Throughout the stanza, the poet tells us about the importance of beautiful things. He says a beautiful thing
brings joy till eternity. Its beauty keeps amplifying instead of decreasing. Beauty also provides us with a shaded sleep full
of beautiful dreams, good health, and peace. It creates overall a relaxing and rejuvenating atmosphere around us.
Poetic Devices
i. Alliteration - It is the repetition of a letter at the start of closely placed words. The repetition of the letter s in sleep-sweet.
ii. Enjambment - The sentence is being continued to the next line without break. It has been used throughout the stanza.
Stanza 2
Therefore, on every morrow, are we wreathing
A flowery band to bind us to the earth,
Spite of despondence, of the inhuman dearth
Of noble natures, of the gloomy days,
Of all the unhealthy and oer-darkened ways
Made for our searching: yes, in spite of all,
Some shape of beauty moves away the pall
From our dark spirits.
Explanation In this stanza, the poet talks about the everyday struggle of a persons life. He says that every day we have to
face various problems, failures, sorrows, and depressions, etc. but it is the thing of beauty that works to remove all gloomy
dark clouds away from our lives. He also mentions that the plenty of beautiful things that we see around us works as a
garland to bind us and bring us closer to the Earth.
Poetic Devices
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i. Anaphora - It is the repetition of a word at the start of two or more consecutive lines -
(Of noble natures, of the gloomy days,
Of all the unhealthy and oer-darkened ways)
ii. Alliteration - It is the repetition of a letter at the start of closely placed words. The repetition of the letter:
B in "band to bind "N in "noble natures" S in "some shape."
iii. Metaphor - The poet has used the phrase wreathing a flowery band to show how beautiful things bind humans to
Earth.
iv. Inversion - The format of the sentence has been changed throughout the stanza.
v. Imagery - The poet has used words that create sensory effect about how beautiful things are arranged - A flowery band
to bind us to the earth.
vi. Enjambment - The sentence is being continued to the next line without break. It has been used throughout the stanza.
Stanza 3
Such the sun, the moon,
Trees old, and young, sprouting a shady boon
For simple sheep; and such are daffodils
With the green world they live in; and clear rills
That for themselves a cooling covert make
Gainst the hot season; the mid forest brake
Explanation In this stanza, the poet is mentioning the simple common things that we can easily observe around us. He is
mentioning the celestial bodies, the components of nature, and even the sheep, which was the animal that Endymion used
to see every day as a shepherd. He wants the readers to understand that beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder'. If we want
we can see everything around us to be beautiful no matter how common or small the thing is. In the last few lines, he talks
about how powerful nature is. It has the power to nourish and foster the growth of hundreds of trees which when fully
grown provides us with shelter and a lot of other things.
Poetic Devices
i. Alliteration - It is the repetition of a letter at the start of closely placed words. The repetition of the letter:
S in "Sprouting Shady, Simple sheep." C in "cooling covert."
ii. Imagery - The poet has given the visual description of a lot of things in this stanza - (Trees old, and young, sprouting a
shady boon
For simple sheep; and such are daffodils
With the green world they live in; and clear rills).
iii. Antitheses - The poet has used two words opposite in meaning - Trees old, and young.
iv. Enjambment - The sentence is being continued to the next line without break. It has been used throughout the stanza.
Stanza 4
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Rich with a sprinkling of fair musk-rose blooms;
And such too is the grandeur of the dooms
We have imagined for the mighty dead;
All lovely tales that we have heard or read;
An endless fountain of immortal drink,
Pouring unto us from the heavens brink
Explanation The forest becomes remarkably pleasing to the eyes when it is flooded with musk roses. He says that the
legendary tales of mighty warriors that we read or listen to are also just another form of beauty as beauty doesn't have any
definite form. Again, in the last stanza the poet says, there are going to be difficulties and problems in everyone's life as
life is incomplete without sufferings but if we keep focusing on the nectar of beauty that the god pours from above, we
can lead a happy life.
Poetic Devices
i. Alliteration - It is the repetition of a letter at the start of closely placed words. The repetition of the letter - h in have
heard.
ii. Metaphor - The poet has compared the components of nature with immortal drinks.
iii. Imagery - The poet has given the visual description of a lot of things in this stanza - Rich with a sprinkling of fair
musk-rose blooms.
iv. Enjambment - The sentence is being continued to the next line without break. It has been used throughout the stanza.

Analysis of A Roadside Stand by Robert Frost

Rhyme Scheme: The poem has not been written in free verse but the rhyme scheme is inconsistent throughout the poem.
Stanza 1
The little old house was out with a little new shed
In front at the edge of the road where the traffic sped,
A roadside stand that too pathetically pled,
It would not be fair to say for a dole of bread,
But for some of the money, the cash, whose flow supports
The flower of cities from sinking and withering faint.
Explanation The poet starts the poem by telling us about a new shed in the countryside that probably a peasant has set up
in front of his old house at the edge of the road. He wants people to buy his goods not because the money will help him to
make a living but because it will act as an additional income. The shed itself is pleading people to come and have a look at
it. In the last two lines, the poet says that he also needs the money of the city people that helps the urban people to make
their life luxurious as they are deprived of even basic rights.
Poetic Devices
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i. Personification - The poet has personified the stand by using the word plead for it - A roadside stand that too pathetically
pled.
ii. Assonance - 1. Prominent sound of the vowel o in - But for some of the money, the cash, whose flow supports.
2. Prominent sound of the vowel 'i' in - "The flower of cities from sinking and withering faint."
iii. Alliteration - It is the repetition of a letter at the start of closely placed words. The repetition of the letter - 'p' in
"pathetically pled."
Stanza 2
The polished traffic passed with a mind ahead,
Or if ever aside a moment, then out of sorts
At having the landscape marred with the artless paint
Of signs that with N turned wrong and S turned wrong
Offered for sale wild berries in wooden quarts,
Or crook-necked golden squash with silver warts,
Or beauty rest in a beautiful mountain scene,
Poetic Devices
i. Transferred Epithet - The poet has used polished traffic to refer to the rich city dwellers.
ii. Repetition - The word wrong has been repeated.
iii. Anaphora - It is the repetition of a word at the start of two or more consecutive lines -
(Or crook-necked golden squash with silver warts,
Or beauty rest in a beautiful mountain scene,).
Explanation In the second stanza, the poet is describing the city people, whose minds are always filled with various
thoughts related to their occupation. If, by any chance, their minds are free from occupational thoughts then they start
judging and thinking ill about the things (such as various sign boards or small old shops like the peasants) in their
surroundings that are intervening with the beauty of the place. In the last three lines, the poet talks about the things that the
peasant was selling. He was selling berries and golden squash that is pumpkin, etc.
Stanza 3
You have the money, but if you want to be mean,
Why keep your money (this crossly) and go along.
The hurt to the scenery wouldn't be my complaint
So much as the trusting sorrow of what is unsaid:
Here far from the city we make our roadside stand
And ask for some city money to feel in hand
To try if it will not make our being expand,
And give us the life of the moving-pictures promise
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That the party in power is said to be keeping from us.
Explanation In this stanza, we get to know about the expectations of the peasant. He wants the money of the city-
dwellers but they only give him false hopes. He doesn't feel bad when the city people complain about the intervention to
the beauty of the place, he feels bad when he trusts them and they do not buy anything from him. He then says that he also
wants to live a luxurious life like he sees in movies and he can live only if city-dwellers spend money on his goods. The
poet has also used a political satire in this stanza that says, the peasant wants to fulfill all the promises by himself that the
political party which is in power could not fulfill.
Poetic Devices
i. Repetition - The words "money" and "city" have been repeated.
ii. Assonance - Prominent sound of the vowel 'i' - "And give us the life of the moving-pictures promise."
Stanza 4
It is in the news that all these pitiful kin
Are to be bought out and mercifully gathered in
To live in villages, next to the theatre and the store,
Where they wont have to think for themselves anymore,
While greedy good-doers, beneficent beasts of prey,
Swarm over their lives enforcing benefits
That are calculated to soothe them out of their wits,
And by teaching them how to sleep they sleep all day,
Destroy their sleeping at night the ancient way.
Explanation The poet says that these days it's in the news that many good doers such as brokers are promising the
peasants various benefits if they agree to relocate leaving their village or countryside. They tell them they will relocate
them to the best locations where they can have easy access to all the facilities such as the theatre and the stores. The
peasants end up becoming a prey to them and only the greedy brokers end up benefited. The innocent village peasants are
only misguided and manipulated. The city people also change their habits by teaching them how to sleep all day while the
village people used to work hard all day and sleep at night.
Poetic Devices
i. Alliteration - It is the repetition of a letter at the start of closely placed words. The repetition of the letter -
G in greedy good. B in beneficent beast. B in be bought.
ii. Oxymoron - There is use of two words with opposite meanings together - greedy good-doers.
iii. Repetition - The word sleep has been repeated.
Stanza 5
Sometimes I feel myself I can hardly bear
The thought of so much childish longing in vain,
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The sadness that lurks near the open window there,
That waits all day in almost open prayer
For the squeal of brakes, the sound of a stopping car,
Of all the thousand selfish cars that pass,
Just one to inquire what a farmers prices are.
And one did stop, but only to plow up grass
In using the yard to back and turn around;
And another to ask the way to where it was bound;
Explanation In this stanza, the poet tells us about the pity conditions of the peasants. He says they wait and pray the
whole day for a customer just like a child. They become happy when they see an approaching car but the passenger either
stops the car to take a U-turn or to ask for directions from the peasant and that just makes the peasant feel that the city
people are selfish. These incidents become unbearable for him. He will be happy even if they just enquire about the prices
from him but they don't even bother to do so.
Poetic Devices
i. Transferred Epithet - Here the poet has used selfish cars to call the city-dwellers selfish.
ii. Personification - The poet has personified sadness by using the phrase sadness that lurks near the open window there.
iii. Repetition - The word car has been repeated.
Stanza 6
And another to ask could they sell it a gallon of gas
They couldn't (this crossly); they had none, didn't it see?
Explanation The anger of the peasant has been shown in this stanza. He longs for a customer the whole day and finally,
when a car comes, the driver asks if the peasant has a gallon of gas, to which he asked in anger saying if he couldn't see
that the peasant is selling products not gas.
Poetic Devices
i. Alliteration - It is the repetition of a letter at the start of closely placed words.The repetition of the letter g in gallon of
gas.
Stanza 7
No, in country money, the country scale of gain,
The requisite lift of spirit has never been found,
Or so the voice of the country seems to complain,
I cant help owning the great relief it would be
To put these people at one stroke out of their pain.
And then next day as I come back to sane,
I wonder how I should like you to come to me
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And offer to put me gently out of my pain.
Explanation The poet empathizes with the peasants and expresses his grief. He says he feels as if there is a difference
between the countryside money and the city money and also between the countryside grain and city grain as countryside
grain cannot buy happiness. He wishes to uplift the lives of peasants and remove all their pains at one stroke. But then he
puts himself into the farmer's shoes and thinks if he would accept immediate help from others if they offered. He ends by
saying that he doesn't think the peasants too would accept immediate help from him.
Poetic Devices
i. Personification - The poet has personified the country by using the phrase - the voice of the country.
ii. Repetition - The words "country" and "pain" have been repeated.

Analysis of Aunt Jennifer's Tigers by Adrienne Rich

Rhyme Scheme: aabb aabb aabb

Stanza 1
Aunt Jennifer's tigers prance across a screen,
Bright topaz denizens of a world of green.
They do not fear the men beneath the tree;
They pace in sleek chivalric certainty.
Explanation The poet introduces us to a woman named Jennifer. She has been described to be knitting something that
can be a wall hanging or probably a table cloth. On the canvas, she is portraying various vibrant coloured tigers leaping
fearlessly in the lush green jungle. She has also portrayed men beneath a tree but the tigers are not afraid of them instead
they are roaming with pride. Aunt Jennifer is portraying her own wish to be free through her embroidery.
Poetic Devices
i. Imagery - The poet has given visual description about the tiger - Bright topaz denizens of a world of green.
ii. Metaphor - The poet has used bright topaz to show the vibrant yellow colour of the tigers.
iii. Alliteration - It is the repetition of a letter at the start of closely placed words. The repetition of the letter 'c' in "chivalric
certainty."
iv. Consonance - Prominent sound of consonant s in - Jennifer's tigers prance across a screen.
v. Assonance - Prominent sound of the vowel 'e' - "They do not fear the men beneath the tree."
vi. Anaphora - It is the repetition of a word at the start of two or more consecutive lines -
(They do not fear the men beneath the tree;
They pace in sleek chivalric certainty.)
Stanza 2
Aunt Jennifer's fingers fluttering through her wool

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Find even the ivory needle hard to pull.
The massive weight of Uncles wedding band
Sits heavily upon Aunt Jennifer's hand.
ExplanationThroughout the stanza the poet has brought out Aunt Jennifer's personality to the readers. She was
embroidering but her fingers were trembling with fear because she was afraid of her husband. Her fingers were shaking so
much that it had become very hard for her to even pull the light ivory needle. Her husband’s dominant personality used to
crush and torture her so much that she could even feel the burden of her wedding ring that usually is a symbol of love.
The burden of her marital responsibilities was unbearable for her.
Poetic Devices
i. Alliteration - It is the repetition of a letter at the start of closely placed words. The repetition of the letter f in fluttering
fingers.
ii. Personification - The poet has personified the ring by using the word sit for it.
iii. Hyperbole - The poet has done exaggeration about the ring by talking about its massive weight.
iv. Paradox - Here, someone whose fingers are fluttering is creating something that requires certainty.
v. Enjambment - The sentence is being continued to the next line without the use of any punctuation marks. It has been
used in the first and third.
Stanza 3
When Aunt is dead, her terrified hands will lie
Still ringed with ordeals she was mastered by.
The tigers in the panel that she made
Will go on prancing, proud and unafraid.
Explanation The poet has expressed Aunt Jennifer's desire to be free in this stanza. She says that even when Aunt
Jennifer will be dead, she will still be burdened and crushed with various responsibilities. But the tigers that she
embroidered on the cloth will still be roaming freely, fearlessly and with pride in the jungle.
Poetic Devices
i. Alliteration - It is the repetition of a letter at the start of closely placed words. The repetition of the letter 'p' in "prancing
proud."
ii. The sentence is being continued to the next line without the use of any punctuation marks. It has been used in the first
and third.
iii. Imagery - The poet has given visual description about the tiger -
(The tigers in the panel that she made
Will go on prancing, proud and unafraid).
iv. Contrast - There is contrast between Aunt Jennifer and her tigers. Aunt Jennifer is very weak and scared while her
tigers are fearless and proud.
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v. Paradox - Here, the poet has shown a woman who was tortured and mastered by her husband has created something
free.
vi. Transferred Epithet - The poet used terrified hands to show that Aunt Jennifer was terrified even after her death.
vii. Synecdoche - Here, terrified hands not only talk about her hands being terrified but her whole body.
viii. Assonance- Prominent sound of the vowel:
I in - "Aunt is dead, her terrified hands will lie." O in - "go on prancing, proud and unafraid." E in - "ringed with ordeals
she was mastered by."
Third Level – Jack Finney
The Presidents of New York Central and every other station would conform that there are only two levels in the
Railway Station. They would swear by the Timetables of Railways.

But I say there are three levels in a Platform, because I have gone to the third level of Grand Central Station.
Nobody believed me. I started thinking if it was my dream. So I even consulted a Psychiatrist. He is my friend,
Sam. I talked to many other people also.

I told my Psychiatrist friend about the third level in the Grand central Station. He told me that I was dreaming
while being awake. And my wish of seeing the third level got fulfilled. He further said that I was happy,
therefore I could dream of such a thing.

After listening to the above explanation, my wife became very angry. But he explained that the modern world is
full of insecurity, fear and war. And I wanted explain from such bad emotions.

In fact everyone wants to escape bad conditions but no one walks to the third level. But he said that I wanted to
escape from the modern world hence I had the feeling that I travelled to the third level. All my friends agreed
with him. They said that even my hobby of collecting stamps represents my wish to be away from reality.

My collection of postage stamp was started by my grandfather.But situation on those days in world was quite
peaceful. There was no need for him to run away from reality. (Hobby of stamp collection has no connection
with running away from reality). His collection of stamps was good. It has almost every US issue and first day
covers.

(Now author is describing events at grand central station). One Summer- night, I worked till late hours in the
office. I wanted to reach my house quickly. So I decided to take a local train from Grand Central. I had decided
to travel by train because train takes more time than bus.

I do not know why this should have happened to me. My name is Charley. I am an ordinary person of thirty
one. That day I was wearing a dark colour suit of gabardine. I was wearing a straw hat that had a fancy band. I
crossed about a dozen men similar to me.

I was not trying to run away from anything. I wanted to reach home to meet my wife Louisa. From Vanderbilt I
entered Grand Central. Then I went downstairs to the first level where the twentieth century trains run.

Then I walked down to another row of stairs and reached the second level where the local trains run. I entered
an arched door to go to the local train platform but I lost my way.

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At Grand central anyone can easily forget the correct path. Several times I have gone to and came out of it. But
always I come across new doors, stairs and corridors.

Once I had entered a tunnel. It was about one mile long. Through this tunnel I reached into the lobby of
Roosevelt Hotel. Next time when I walked through another tunnel, I reached in an office building located on
46th street. So the doorways, stairs and corridors in the Grand Central are always confusing.

Sometimes I think Grand central is like a tree. Corridors, staircases and tunnels are its roots. And these roots are
growing every day. Probably there are tunnels that nobody knows about. It’s a feeling among general public
that there is a tunnel that is underground and goes up to Times Square. And another tunnel may be going
towards Central Park.

During previous years so many people have come out of the Grand Central Railway Station. So probably this
was the reason I entered into a tunnel. But I cannot tell this thought to my psychiatrist friend.

The corridor I was walking into started turning left side and sloping downwards. I thought that I was moving in
a wrong corridor but I continued to walk. I would hear sounds of my own footsteps because the corridor was
empty. I did not cross anybody in the corridor.

Then I heard a noise and discussion of people which indicated that the corridor was about to end into an open
space. The Tunnel took a sharp left. I walked down some stairs. I came out of the tunnel and reached the third
level of Grand Central Station.

Just for a moment I thought I had come back to second level. But I noticed that rooms at this level were smaller.
Number of ticket counters and gates leading to platforms were less. The Information booth at the centre was
made of wood and it was looking old.

And the man in the information booth was wearing a green shade. Their sleeve protectors were long and of
black colour. The lights were dim and it was flickering. The lamps were of gas operated burner type without
protection against air. (Open flame type lamps)

The spittoons placed on the floor were made of brass. A flash of light coming from other side of the platform
struck my eyes. A man was taking out his gold watch from his front pocket of his shirt. He opened the cover of
the watch, looked at the watch to note time and made an angry face. [Such spittoons and watches were common
during olden time]

He was wearing derby hat (a type of hat). His coat had four buttons and small flaps. He had a big black
mustache of handlebar type. When I looked around the station I noticed that dresses of everybody was of 1890s.
I had never seen so many beards, sideburns on temples and different styles of mustache in my life.

A woman came from one of the gates of platform. She was wearing a special type of dress called leg of mutton.
Her skirt was up to her shoes. The shoes were extending above ankles and had large buttons. Behind her, on the
railway track, I could see engine of the train. It was a small engine manufactured by Currier and Ives. Its stack
(piece from where smoke comes out) was funnel shaped.

And then I understood that I had travelled back into the time. To make sure about it, I went to a person who was
selling newspaper. I looked at the newspaper stacked on the floor. The person was standing. Name of the
newspaper was ‘The world’. This newspaper used to get published many years ago.

63
The main article in the newspaper was about President Cleveland. From the front page of the newspaper I came
to know that the date was June 11, 1894.

I went to ticket windows. I knew that from third level I could buy tickets to anywhere in United States. It was
the year 1894. I wanted to purchase two tickets (For myself and my wife Louisa) to go to Galesburg town of
Illinois state.

Have you been to that town? Even today it is a beautiful town. It has big farm houses, huge lawn and very big
trees. Braches of these trees meet at a good height in the sky. These branches create sort of roof over the streets.
So the roads are covered by branches of trees and would have a shade.

In 1894, summer evenings were very long. People used to sit in their lawns. Men would be quietly smoking
cigars. Women would be moving a palm-leaf hand fan to help them against the heat. There would be fire-flies
around. It was very peaceful atmosphere.

The First World War was 20 years from this date and the Second World War was 40 years away. And I had
asked for two tickets for Galesburg town of Illinois state.

The clerk calculated fare. He looked at my fancy band on the hat. (He had not seen such hat). But he calculated
the fare. I had enough money with me for two tickets in upper class for one way journey. I counted money and
gave it to the clerk. He started looking at me.

The clerk looked at the currency notes. He told that these notes were not acceptable. And if you are trying to
cheat me, you will not get far away. You will be put into jail. Then he looked at the drawer near him. Notes in
the drawer were of old style. Size of those notes was about one and a half times the size of notes we use
nowadays. They were of different type. I turned back and quickly came out of the station. Even during 1894
jails were bad.

And that was the story at the station. I came back from the station, probably through the same route. Next day,
during lunch time, I withdrew three hundred dollars from bank. It was all the money I had with me. With this
money I bought old currency. This was a cause of worry to my psychiatrist friend.

One can buy old currency at any of the coin dealer. But one has to pay more to buy old currency. Three hundred
dollars of new currency was equal to two hundred currency of old currency. But I did not bother. In 1894 price
of eggs was thirteen cent per dozen. [It was cheaper in 1894]

After that many times I tried to find out the corridor that leads to third level at Grand Central Station. But I
could not locate that corridor.

Louisa was very much worried about me when I narrated all the incidents to her. She advised me not to search
for the third level again. After sometime I stopped searching. I started giving attention to my hobby of stamp
collection.

But now we both, my wife and I, started searching for the third level during weekend. We did this because now
we had the proof that third level existed. My friend Sam Weiner had disappeared.

Nobody knew where he had gone. But I had a doubt. Sam was a person who had lived in a city and loved city
life. I used to tell him about Galesburg. I did my schooling there. He told me that he liked the place. And I
doubted that he had gone there. (In the time of 1894)
64
One day I was looking at my collection of stamps. Do you know what a first-day cover is? When a stamp is
issued, stamp collectors buy some stamps on the very first day. They put the stamp on an envelope and send the
envelope to themselves. The seal of the post-office proves that it was sent on the first day of issue of stamp.
Such envelop is called a first-day covers. That envelope is never opened. The envelope has a blank paper in it.

That night I looked at one particular envelope among my oldest first-day covers. That cover should not have
been there but it was there. Someone had sent that to my grandfather at the address of his home that was in
Galesburg. I understood this from the address on the envelope.

The seal of post office on the envelope was of July 18, 1894. But I did not remember having seen the envelope
earlier. Value of the stamp was six cents. Its colour was dull brown and had the picture of President Garfield on
it. Obviously, when the envelope came to my grandfather, he had put it in his collection. I opened the envelope.

The paper in the envelope was not blank. Following was written on the paper. It is addressed to the author.
Sender’s address is of Illinois. (Written on July 18, 1894)

Hope you are alright there. I started believing that you were correct. I found the third level. I am here since last
two weeks in the street called Daly’s. Someone is playing a piano. Everybody is on the side of a road and
singing a song ‘Seeing Nelly Home’. I have been invited for a lemon juice party. Charley and Louisa, you
should come here. Keep searching till you find the third level. Please believe me that it is good to make the
effort.

The letter is signed by Sam. He is friend of the author.

I went to the stamp and coin store. I found out that Sam had purchased eight hundred dollars of old currency.
This money was sufficient to start a business of hay feed (food for animals) and grain business. He always
wanted to do this business. In 1894 at Galesburg, Illinois, there was no possibility of starting his previous
business of being a psychiatrist.

Tiger king – Kalki Krishnamoorthy

Pratibandapuram is an area in India. This story is about king of this area. He had so many designations. Owing
to these designations his name had become very long. He was, in short, popularly known as the Tiger King.

I want to tell you the reason why the Maharaja acquired the nick name of the Tiger King. I do not want to start
the discussion and then stop before completing the story.

(Stuka planes were used in Second World War to drop bombs). Author says that even the danger of these planes
dropping bombs will not stop him from narrating the full story.

He is so determined that these planes will have to quickly go back. He will surely complete his story. In the
beginning it is necessary to inform something very important about the Tiger King. He was very brave person.
His determination was very strong. Everyone who reads about him will like to meet him in person.

Now there is no opportunity to meet him. The tiger king is now dead. In Ramayan, Bharat had informed Rama
about death of Dasaratha - their father. Here author is informing about death of Tiger King.

The process of death of the Tiger King is very interesting. This will be disclosed towards end of the story.

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Soon after birth of the Tiger King, astrologers had made a prediction. They predicted that one day the Tiger
King will die. This was the greatest aspect about his death. (Author has made a satire here. It can also be
considered a funny narration).

The astrologers predicted that the child (Tiger King) will become a great warrior, a great leader and a great
champion. And then they suddenly stopped speaking. They closed their lips and swallowed.

The astrologer was forced to complete the prediction. They told that they were going to tell a secret which
should never be disclosed.

But he is telling that secret because he is being forced to speak. Astrologer told that child born at that point of
time (with certain position of stars in the sky) would one day surely die.

As soon as the astrologers narrated their prediction a big miracle happened. The ten year old boy spoke – O
wise astrologers! Everybody was surprised that a ten year old boy was speaking.

Everyone was shocked, confused and greatly surprised. They gazed at each other. They blinked their eyes. The
boy told that it was he who had spoken.

Now there was no reason to have a doubt. The small boy who was born ten days ago had spoken these words.
The chief astrologer removed his spectacles. He carefully looked at the baby.

They boy said that everybody who is born on this earth will have to die one day. We do not need any prediction
to know this fact. It would be wise if you could tell mode of death. The boy from the royal family spoke these
words. His voice was sharp and high pitched.

The chief astrologer was surprised. He placed his finger on his nose. He thought how a ten year old boy could
speak so clearly.

The boy not only spoke but asked intelligent questions. The chief astrologer could not believe this. The boy did
not speak like reading news. He was speaking facts.

The chief astrologer removed his finger from his nose. He looked at that little prince. He said that the boy was
born in the hour of bull. The bull and the tiger are enemies of each other. So a tiger will kill him.

Everybody thought that the prince would start trembling after hearing about tiger. But this did not happen.

As soon as the prince listened to the word ‘tiger’ he roared. This frightened everybody. He told that tigers
should be afraid of him.

This narration is a common rumour in Pratibandapuram. But after going through the full story, we may
conclude that it was true to some extent.

------------------------------------------------------------------

The crown prince became taller and stronger. No other surprising aspect or event happened during his
childhood. The only surprising event of his childhood has been described above.

The prince drank milk of English cows. His maids were English women. He was taught English by an
Englishman. He saw only English movies. This was the trend for every crown prince of all other states of India.

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This is a satire on upbringing of princes of India. (It tells that they had become complete slave of Englishmen
and England)

When he became 20 years old, he became the king. During his childhood and till that time, his state was
governed by a group of people called ‘Court of Wards’. (‘Court of Wards’ was an arrangement to take care of
state administration till the crown prince was a child)

Everyone in his kingdom remembered the prediction of the astrologer. Many people used to talk about it. After
some time Maharaja (The Tiger King) came to know about the prediction.

There were many forests in the kingdom of Pratibandpuram. There were tigers in each forest. The Maharaja
knew that to save one’s life, one could kill even a cow. (Cow is considered a sacred animal and its killing is not
allowed). Hence it was perfectly OK to kill tiger to save one’s life.

The Maharaja went to hunt a tiger. When he killed his first tiger he was very happy. He called the chief
astrologer and showed him the dead body of the animal. The Maharaja asked him ‘what was his opinion now?’

The astrologer said that Maharaja may kill ninety nine tiger. After saying this line, the astrologer stopped and
said something very unclearly. The Maharaja asked him to speak without any fear. The astrologer said that he
should be very careful while killing the hundredth tiger.

He wanted to say that Maharaja would be killed by the hundredth tiger. The Maharaja asked the astrologer what
will happen if he killed the hundredth tiger also. The astrologer said that in that case he would tear and burn all
his books of astrology. He means to say that he was very sure of his prediction.

The astrologer said that he would cut his ‘choti’. He will cut his hair very short. He will leave the profession of
astrology and become an insurance agent. He said all these in a confused and unconnected manner.

------------------------------------------------------------------

From that day the tigers living in Pratibandapuram were happy. Hunting of tiger was prohibited in the state.
Only the Maharaja could do hunting of tigers.

An order was issued that if anybody threw even a stone at a tiger, his property will be taken away from him.

The king promised to himself that first he would kill hundred tigers. Only after that he would look at other
aspects of administration. In the beginning the king was easily moving towards achieving his ambition.

The king faced many dangers during tiger hunt. Sometimes the bullet did not hit the target (tiger). The tiger
jumped upon the king. He had to fight the tiger without any weapon. Every time Maharaja killed the tiger.

Once, the king had the danger of losing his kingdom. A senior British officer came to Pratibandpuram. He liked
tiger hunting. He liked to have his photograph with dead body of tiger killed by him.

The British officer wanted to do tiger hunting in Pratibandpuram. But the king did not give him permission. He
was determined about his decision - not allowing anybody else to hunt tigers.

The king told that he would give permission to hunt any other animal. The officer would be allowed to hunt a
wild pig or a mouse. He could hunt even a mosquito. But he would not be allowed to hunt a tiger. (Hunting of a
mouse and a mosquito is mentioned as a humour).

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‘Durai’ means chief or the leader. Here durai means the high ranking British officer. The secretary of the British
officer sent a message to the king. This message was sent through the minister (dewan) of the king. He said that
the officer did not want to kill the tiger. Maharaja could hunt the tiger.

(In the message it was written that) The officer wanted his photograph with dead body of the tiger. In the
photograph officer wolud hold the gun and he would put his one leg on the dead body of tiger. But the king did
not agree even to this.

The king thought if he agreed this time, in future he would have to agree to all other British officers for tiger
hunt.

The king did not fulfil desire of a British officer. So there was a danger that he may lose his kingdom. (Meaning
that, the British would remove the king from throne).

The king and his dewan had a discussion about this matter. After the discussion a telegram was immediately
sent to a British firm in Calcutta. This firm was making jewellery. The telegram asked the firm to send samples
of expensive diamond rings.

Duraisani means wife of durai. About fifty rings were received from the firm. The king sent all the rings to wife
of the officer. The king and his minister expected that she would select one or two rings. She will return the
remaining rings. Immediately she sent a reply thanking the king for gifts. (Meaning that, she had kept all the
rings).

After two days, the Jewellery firm sent a bill for rupees three lakh. The king had to pay the amount. But the
king was happy that he had not lost his kingdom.

------------------------------------------------------------------

He was very successful in his tiger hunts. In 10 years he had killed 70 tigers. After that an unexpected difficulty
stopped his assignment of tiger hunts.

Population of tiger in the forests of Pratibandpuram became zero. In a satire author makes guesses for the
reason. Nobody knew if tigers adopted birth control methods. Or they committed suicide. Or they ran away
from forests because they wanted to get killed by British. These are humorous reasons also.

One day the king called his minister. He told dewan that 30 more tigers were yet to be killed by him. While
saying these words, he raised his gun towards dewan.

Looking at the gun, the dewan started trembling. He told the king that he was not a tiger. King replied that only
a fool will say that he was tiger. The dewan said that he was not a gun. Actually the dewan is terrified.

The king said to dewan that he was neither a tiger nor a gun. The king told dewan that he had called him for
another reason. The king had decided to get married.

The dewan again started talking silly things. He said that he had two wives and could not marry the king. The
king scolded dewan and asked him not to talk nonsense. King told dewan that he wanted a tiger.

The dewan requested king to think about it once again. He told king that his ancestors had married a sword. If
the king liked, he could marry a gun. A Tiger King is sufficient for the kingdom. The kingdom does not want a
Tiger Queen.
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The king laughed loudly. He told dewan that he did not want to marry a tiger or a gun. He wanted to marry a
girl from another kingdom. And the girls should be a human being.

The king advised dewan to make list of kingdoms of India. Then write number of tigers in each state. Then find
out if he can marry a girl of royal family of the state that has large number of tigers.

Dewan obeyed orders of the king. He found a girl from royal family of a state that had large population of
tigers.

The king married that girl. The king used to often go to meet his father in law. During every visit he killed five
or six tigers. In this method he killed 99 tigers. Skins of all 99 tigers were decorated on walls of the reception
hall of his palace.

------------------------------------------------------------------

When the king had killed 99 tigers, he became very anxious. Now he was only one tiger away from reaching
100. His anxiety was very high. During the day he thought only about hundredth tiger. During the night he
dreamt of only hundredth tiger.

Now all the forests in kingdom of his father in law were also without any tiger. It was impossible to find or see
a tiger.

But only one more tiger was required. If the king killed hundredth tiger, he would be without any danger of
losing his life. Then he could leave tiger hunting.

The king had to be very careful with the hundredth tiger. He remembered the prediction of chief astrologer. He
had said that the king should be very cautious of the hundredth tiger.

After all, the tiger is a dangerous animal. One needs to be careful. But it had become difficult to find the
hundredth tiger. It appeared that it was easier to find milk of tiger. But finding tiger was difficult. (This is again
a satire and humour).

The king had become very sad but a happy news came, which removed the sadness. In his kingdom sheep were
disappearing from a village. This village was situated near a hill.

First villagers confirmed that Khader Mian Saheb and Virasami Naicker were not eating these sheep. Both these
persons were famous for their capacity to eat one full sheep. Now it was concluded that a tiger was taking away
sheep.

The villagers went to Maharaja and informed him about presence of a tiger near their village. The king was very
happy. He announced that villagers need not pay tax for three years. He immediately started for hunt.

It was difficult to find that tiger. It seemed that the tiger was intentionally hiding to disobey the desire of king.

The king was also determined to find the tiger. He did not want to leave the forest before killing the tiger. Many
days passed. Now the king got angry. He became more determined. Because of his anger, many people lost their
jobs.

One day the king was very angry. He called his dewan. He ordered to immediately double the tax on the
villagers.

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The dewan told king that villagers will become dissatisfied. They will become member of Indian National
Congress. The king said if that happens, dewan will need to resign from his post.

The dewan went to his home. He understood tiger for the king needs to be found very soon. Otherwise it would
have dangerous results. Actually dewan was very afraid.

At his home dewan was hiding a tiger. This tiger was brought from People’s Park of Madras. (Madras is now
called Chennai). When dewan saw this tiger he felt as if his life had come back to him.

At midnight, all people in the town were sleeping. The dewan and his old wife pulled the tiger up to their car.
Then they pushed the tiger on the back seat of the car. Dewan himself drove the car to the forest where king had
camped for hunting. Dewan is sacrificing his own tiger to save his job. He does not have any affection towards
the king.

In the forest, dewan tried to push the tiger out of the car. But the tiger was not ready to come out. Dewan kept
on trying to pull out the tiger. Dewan was completely tired. Somehow he pushed the tiger out of the car.

Next day, same old tiger moved towards the king so that he could see it. It stood in front of the king as if to
make a polite request. Sir, what are your orders for me.

The sight of tiger was an unlimited joy for the king. He aimed his gun at the animal and fired a bullet. The tiger
fell down in the form of a folded stack.

The king was extremely happy. He shouted that he had killed the hundredth tiger. His pledge was completed.
He ordered that body of the tiger should be brought to his palace in a big procession. He hurriedly went to his
palace in his car.

The hunters (helpers accompanying the king) went near the tiger after Maharaja had gone. They looked at the
tiger. The tiger also looked at them. The tiger looked a bit confused. It was rolling its eyes.

The men understood that the tiger had not died. The bullet had missed its aim. The tiger had become
unconscious due to sound of bullet. The hunters thought what they should do now.

The hunters decided that they will not tell the king about it. They were afraid that they might lose their job. So,
one of them fired a bullet at the tiger. This time the hunter did not miss the target. The bullet hit the tiger. The
tiger died. (So the hundredth tiger was not killed by the king. And the king did not know this).

According to orders of the king, the tiger was taken to the town in a procession. After that it was buried. And a
tomb was made over the place of its burial.

After some days, it was third birthday of son of the king. Earlier the king was fully occupied with tiger hunting.
He could not give any time to his son, the crown prince.

But now the king wanted to take care of his son. He wanted to give a special gift to his son on his birthday.

He wanted to buy a gift for his son. He went to various shops of the town. He searched many shops but did not
find a suitable gift. In one shop he saw a wooden tiger. He decided to gift this toy to his son.

(In olden times, one rupee had sixteen parts. Each part was called an ‘anna’. So a quarter rupee was equal to
four annas. Two annas and a quarter means six annas). Cost of the wooden tiger was six annas. But the

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shopkeeper did not have the courage to tell such a low price for the toy. He feared that he might be punished by
the king for selling such a cheap toy. (This is a satire on rich people. They want to buy costly items only).

The shopkeeper told the king that it was a special toy. It is an example of a beautifully made toy. It is difficult to
find such a good toy. The toy is a very good piece of art. He told that its price was three hundred rupees.

The king told that it will be a gift to the crown prince from shopkeeper. He took the toy with him. (Meaning
that, the king did not pay anything to the shopkeeper. This is again satire on how kings behaved with common
people in their kingdom).

On the birthday of crown prince, the father and son played with that very small toy. That toy was made by
unskilled carpenter. Surface of the toy was rough. It had small sharp pieces on its surface. These were like
thorns or bristles.

One sliver went into the right hand of the king. He removed it with his left hand. He continued to play with his
son.

The infection in right of the king increased. In four days puss started coming out the wound. The infection
spread to his full arm.

To treat his wound, three famous surgeons were called from Madras. They discussed among themselves and
decided to operate the wound. The operation was done.

After operation three surgeons came out of operation theatre. They announced that the operation was successful
but Maharaja was dead. (This is a satire on surgeons. How can an operation be successful if the patient is dead)

In this way, the hundredth tiger took it revenge from the Tiger King. The prediction of astrologers came correct.

Journey to the End of the Earth – Tishani Doshi

During the initial period of this year, I got into a Russian research ship. Name of this ship was Akademik
Shokalskiy. This ship was going toward Antarctica. It is coldest, driest and windiest continent in the world.

During my journey to Antarctica I had travelled by a car, an aeroplane and a ship. Total time of journey was
100 hours. When I reached there I saw a great area of white colour. At Antarctica ice never melts. Every piece
of land is covered with ice. So the whole area looks white to the extent one can see. The sky is clear and of blue
colour. I felt a great comfort to have reached such a beautiful area. The feeling of comfort immediately changed
to a great wonder to see such a beautiful sight.

I was surprised by the large size of the continent and that it was not connected to any other part of the land. I
was puzzled by the belief that once upon a time India and Antarctica were connected through land.

It is believed that about six hundred and fifty million years ago, a very big combined continent existed in the
world. It was in the southern hemisphere of the world. Name of that continent was Gondwana. Through that
continent India and Antarctica were connected. That continent was near Antarctica of this period.

During that time situation was very much different from that of the present time. During that time there were no
human beings on the earth. The climate was very warm. The warm climate supported the plants and animals
living on the earth.

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The Gondwana supercontinent survived for about 500 million years. Then dinosaurs stopped existing on the
earth. During that time life of mammals started on the Earth. Owing to some events occurring in the nature, the
Gondwana supercontinent got separated into several countries. Thus, the world as we see today was created.

By visiting Antarctica one feels that one is part of this history of creation of the world. One can get an
understanding of how human beings appeared on the earth and in which direction we are now moving.

One can understand the importance of various geological and environmental changes. Some of these are about
Cordilleran folds and pre-Cambrian granite shields and about ozone and carbon. One can also understand about
development and extinction. When you start thinking that all this could happen in just one million years, it feels
quite puzzling and startling.

The author is asking us to imagine a situation.

The landmass of India starts moving in the north direction. So it generates a force on the landmass of Asia. The
upper surface of Asia bends upwards to create one more Himalayas. South America starts moving away and
joins North America. Very cold winds from the poles start blowing in the Drake Passage. Because of these, the
Antarctica becomes very cold and isolated from the other parts of the world. And now Antarctica is at the one
of the poles of the Earth or at the end of the Earth.

People living in South India worship Sun. In South India the climate is hot. [Author used to live in South India].
Therefore I was afraid to be in an area where 90 percent of total volume of Earth’s ice exists. Author wants to
say that he was very afraid to stay in the cold environment of Antarctica. I was afraid of cold winds. I was also
worried of the impact on my body and its functions. Even the imagination of living in such cold environment
was frightening to me.

I felt as if I was walking on the surface of something that was very big. I did not see any indication that human
beings used to live there. I did not see trees, signboards or buildings. After reaching Antarctica, one loses all the
feelings of being on the earth. One loses every thought and feeling of being on earth and of the time frame.

One can see things of various sizes here. One can see insects that are small in sizes and blue whales which are
the largest animals on the earth. The floating ice in water is of very huge size. Area of the biggest iceberg seen
here was equal to the area of Belgium. Belgium is a country whose area is 30689 square KM.

The summer season at Antarctica is strange. The sun does not set. All the 24 hours of the day the sun shines.
Everywhere there is silence. Sometimes snow slides and edges of floating sheets of ice break into the water.
These are the only sound that can be heard on Antarctica. Such sounds break the strange silence of Antarctica.

The summer season at Antarctica is strange. The sun does not set. All the 24 hours of the day the sun shines.
Everywhere there is silence. Sometimes snow slides and edges of floating sheets of ice break into the water.
These are the only sound that can be heard on Antarctica. Such sounds break the strange silence of Antarctica.

Human beings have been living on the Earth since last 12000 years only. This period of time is very small if we
compare it with the age of the Earth. The age of the Earth is many millions of years.

In this short period of 12000 years, human beings have caused lot of disturbance to nature. We have tried to
create our supremacy over the nature through our villages, towns, cities and megacities. While creating facilities
for themselves, human beings have damaged the ecology and environment of the Earth to a great extent.

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Population of the world is increasing at a fast pace. Natural resources available on the Earth are limited. Human
beings as well as other species of the world are trying to use the larger share of these resources. Use of fossil
fuels like coal, petrol has increased. Owing to this, a thick layer of carbon dioxide has developed around the
earth. This is steadily increasing temperature of the globe.

Impact on environment due to change in the climate of the earth is being very strongly argued. Several
questions are being debated. Will all the ice of Antarctica completely melt? Will the movement of water
through Gulf Stream get disturbed? Will the world end or get destroyed? These may happen or may not happen.
Nobody is sure about such extreme impact.

In every argument that is put forward about environment of the Earth, Antarctica is an important aspect. Its
importance is not because it is the only part of the world where human beings have never lived. Because of this
reason, it remains relatively pure and its original conditions are not disturbed. The Antarctica is important to the
world because within its ice, old evidences about development of human beings are hidden. These are
understood by a method called carbon dating. The age of such evidences could be nearly half a million years.

If we want to know about the past, present and future of the Earth, such studies should be done at Antarctica.
We may obtain enough evidences at Antarctica.

The author was part of the programme ‘Students on Ice’. Author had travelled to Antarctica with some high
school students on the ship Shokaskiy. The aim of this programme was to make available some new learning
opportunities to students. Such programmes would inspire them and motivate them to develop a new
understanding about our planet – the Earth. They would start respecting the Earth to protect its environment.

This programming has been running since past six years. Head of this programme is Geoff Green. His native
country is Canada. Earlier he used to arrange transport for the people who wanted to travel for adventure. In this
business he became rich. Those people were quite famous. But they gave back to society in very limited way.
So he left his business and started the programme ‘Students on Ice’.

This programme is very successful. Author wants to say that it is very popular. Anyone who goes near the
South Pole (Antarctica), gets impressed by its beauty and environment. It is all together a unique experience.

While sitting comfortably in your location, it is very easy to remain unaffected by the effects of melting of ice.
This is because you have not seen it. But when you go to Antarctica, you can see that size of glaciers is
reducing. You can also see that sheet of ice is breaking and falling into water. After observing these events, you
realise that the threat of global warming is real.

The ecosystem of Antarctica is very simple. Variety of plants is very limited at Antarctica. Therefore it is easy
to understand that even a small change in environment can have a big effect.

Consider the example of phytoplankton. It is a type of algae and small plants that grow in water of Antarctica.
All the living beings feed on this grass. Through phytoplankton the entire food chain of Antarctica is sustained.
Phytoplanktons are made up of one cell only. In the presence of water and sunlight they absorb carbon
compounds. Through a wonderful and most important process of photosynthesis, they produce food for all
living beings.

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The scientists have issued a warning. If more reduction in ozone layer is caused, the activities of phytoplankton
will be adversely affected. Such situation will disturb the lives of all animals living in water and of birds in
Antarctica. It will also disturb the carbon cycle of the entire world.

The story of phytoplankton has a similarity with a saying. If one takes care of small aspects, the bigger aspects
also start becoming satisfactory.

During my journey to Antarctica and stay at Antarctica I understood many new important things. Author wants
to say that he had several experiences for the first time in his life. But the best experience was when they were
at the latitude of 65.55 degree south. At that time they were very near to Antarctic Circle.

Our ship Shokalskiy had forced itself into a thick layer of ice. This was between a peninsula and tadpole island.
Our ship was not able to move forward because sheet of ice was very thick.

The captain of the ship realised that it was not possible to move forward. So he decided to turn the ship to go
back in north direction. But before going back, we were instructed to climb down on the sheet of ice. We wore
water proof clothes of Gore-Tex brand. We wore our antiglare goggles. Then through the gangplank we climbed
down from the ship onto the ice. It was actually an ocean whose water had frozen.

We were standing on ice. Thickness of ice was about one metre. Below the sheet of ice, depth water was about
180 metres. It was salty water where several animals, insects, plants, algae etc lived. All around us in the nearby
areas, we saw that Crab-eater seals were relaxing. These were sitting in the sunrays to get warmth. The sheet of
ice we were standing was not stationary. It was a floating big mass of ice. The seals were sitting almost
everywhere. This can be compared with stray dogs sitting in the shade of a tree. Everything we saw was a new
aspect or knowledge for us. Everything that we saw was a discovery for us. All the activities around Antarctica
are somehow related to one of the situations prevailing there.

During this journey I have travelled across nine time zones, six checkpoints, three oceans and many ecospheres.
But I am still puzzled how beautifully nature balances everything in this world.

Try to imagine what would happen if Antarctica again becomes as warm as it used to be millions of years ago.
Author is not sure the human beings will survive if Antarctica becomes a warm place. We may become extinct
just like dinosaurs, mammoths and woolly rhinos. Author says that no one in this world is sure about survival of
human beings.

Author has spent about two weeks with a group of teenagers. He feels that these teenagers want to save the
world from destruction. He admires their thoughts. A million years is a very long period of time. Lot of changes
can happen in this period. But experience and happiness of just one day can make lot of difference to many
people of this world.

The Enemy - Pearl S. Buck

The house of Dr Sadao Hoki was constructed on the beach in Japan. When he was a child, he used to often play
on the beach. Some beaches are very wide while others are not. Almost every beach has rocks. The house was
of low height and square in shape. It was constructed on rocks of the beach. The beach had many pine trees. The
beach was narrow. South Seas is referred to Pacific Ocean.
When Sadao was a boy, he used to climb pine trees. He used to climb without wearing anything in his feet. In
the islands of South Seas he had seen men climbing coconut trees. He had learnt the trick of climbing by

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watching these men. His father used to often take Sadao to these islands. He always used to say to the brave boy
(Sadao) that those islands situated there, are beginning of successful future for Japan. Sadao asked his father,
where they would go from there. His father told him that nobody knows about future. Future does not have any
limit. We make our own future. Hence future depends on our efforts.
Sadao had understood and remembered it. He always remembered and did what his father had said. His father
never played with him or cracked jokes. But he spent lot of time with Sadao. His father had only one kid –
Sadao. His father had a major concern about education of Sadao. So he had sent Sadao to America to
thoroughly study surgery and medicine.
Sadao had gone to America at the age of 22. Sadao came back to Japan at the age of 30. Sadao became famous
as a surgeon and as a scientist. This had happened while his father was alive. Sadao was trying to complete his
research on a method that will make any wound fully clean. Because of this reason, during World War II, Sadao
was not sent to other countries with soldiers. Sadao also knew that the old General of Japan might need to be
operated anytime. Though it was a minor possibility. Sadao was kept in Japan for such possibility. Presently the
general was given medicines for his treatment. The General was chief of Army in Japan.
Because of mist, Sadao could not clearly see edges of the small island. This island was near the shore. The mist
would slowly come up to the beach and below his house. It will encircle all the pine trees at the beach. In few
moments the fog will cover his house also. Then he will go to his room. His wife, Hana and his two kids would
be waiting for him. At that moment door of his house was opened. His wife came out. She was wearing a blue
coloured haori over her kimono. She came near to Sadao. She held his arms, smiled but did not say anything.
Sadao met Hana in America. They did not fall in love immediately. Sadao wanted to be sure that she was from
Japan. His father would not have accepted Hana if she were not a Japanese. Pure in race means that parents and
ancestors of Hana were from Japan. Many times Sadao thought he would not have married anybody other than
Hana. Luckily he had met Hana at the house of his American professor. It was purely a matter of chance and
coincidence.
The professor and his wife were kind people. They were always eager to help students from foreign countries.
The students did not like their nature but had to accept their help. Many times Sadao had told Hana that he did
not want to go to the house of professor that night. Name of the professor was Harley. Rooms in their house
were very small. Food they served was not tasty. And wife of professor used to talk a lot. But Sadao had gone to
house of professor that night. He met Hana there. Hana was a new student. He liked Hana and he wanted to fall
in love with her.
Now Hana put her hand around arm of Sadao. He was very happy to feel her arm around his arm. Although they
were married many years ago and had two children, they liked each other. Because they did not marry in
America without thinking. They completed their study and came back to japan. His father met Hana. Their
marriage was arranged in traditional Japanese way. Sadao and Hanna had talked everything about their marriage
before coming to Japan. They were leading a happy life. Hana put her cheek on his arm. At that moment they
saw a black object coming out of the fog.
It was a man. It appeared that that he was thrown out of the ocean by a wave breaking at the shore. He was
standing on his feet. He walked unsteadily. Due to mist, they could only see outline of his body. His arms were
above his head. Then he was hidden behind the moving mist. Hana asked in loud voice who was that. They both
bent over railing of veranda. Now they saw him again. They saw that the man was walking on his knees and
hands.
The man fell down and was lying on the beach. Sadao made a guess that he was a fisherman. Probably he was
thrown out of his boat. Sadao ran down the steps. Hana also came behind him. Two miles away, on either side
of their house were villages of fishermen. But around his house there were no other houses. It was the only
house. The sea near their house had lot of sharp rocks. Still the man managed to come through these rocks. He

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must be severely wounded. When they went near the man, they saw that he was really badly wounded. On one
side of him, there was a red mark in the sand. The blood was coming from his body and sand had soaked it.
Sadao said in a surprising manner that the man was injured. He hurriedly went to the person who was not
moving. His face was buried in the sand. A cap was on his head. The cap and his head were wet because of sea
water. His clothes were torn. Sadao stopped near the man. Hana also stopped near Sadao. Sadao turned face of
the man up. Hana said in a low voice that he was a white man. ‘White man’ means a person from America,
Canada, Australia, Europe and many more countries. Colour of skin of people from these countries is white.
The wet cap got removed from his head. They could see his yellow hair. These hair were long because they had
not been cut since many weeks. His face looked young and it was injured. He had a yellow beard. The beard
was rough, not trimmed. The man was unconscious so did not feel anything.
Sadao thought about the wound. His started searching for the wound using his finger. ‘Expert fingers’ means
that Sadao was a trained surgeon. When he touched the wound, fresh blood started flowing. Sadao saw a wound
at the lower back of the man. It was from a bullet and the wound had opened again. His tissues had become
black and some powder was deposited on the wound. The man had suffered wound from a bullet some days
ago. The wound was not treated. He was not taken care of. Unfortunately, a rock had hit the wound again. Hana
said in her soft, pious and sincere voice that the man was bleeding. The mist was allround them now. And that
time of day nobody used to come to that side. All fishermen had gone to their homes. Occasional walkers on the
beach had also gone home. Sadao told in unclear voice what would they do with that man. But his trained hands
were not affected by his thoughts. They were trying to stop flow of blood from his body. Sadao put sea grass on
the wound. This grass was scattered on the beach.
Even in his unconsciousness, the man groaned with pain. But he did not wake up. Sadao told to himself that
they should throw that person again into the sea. It will be best action. Now bleeding from the wound had
stopped. Sadao got up and he removed sand from his hands. Hana said firmly that that would certainly be the
best thing to do. But she was continuously looking at the man. The man was not moving at all. Sadao said that if
they tried to hide and protect the white man, they will be arrested. If they handed over the man to police as a
prisoner, he will surely die.
Hana said that they should put him back into the sea. It will be the most action to take. But Sadao and Hana
stood at their place. They were looking at the man who could not move. They were filled with a strange hate
towards the man. Hana asked who was he? Sadao replied that the man appears to be an American. He picked up
the damaged cap of the man. Some letters were written on his cap. These letters had become very dim. He read
the words – ‘US Navy’. The man was a sailor from a warship of America. He was prisoner of war. Those
serving in US Navy are called ‘sailor’. ‘Prisoner of war’ means a soldier arrested by opposite country during a
war. Hana said that the man had escaped from the prison. That is why he was wounded.
Sadao added that the man was wounded at his back. They looked at each other. Then Hana asked in a decisive
(determinative) voice if they can put him back into the sea. Sadao told Hana if he can put him back into the sea,
can she also do it. Hana replied in negative. She said he should do it alone. Sadao hesitated. He said that he had
strange feelings. If the man was not injured he could have handed him over to the police without any difficulty.
Sado continued. He did not care for the man. The man was his enemy. Sadao said that all Americans are his
enemy. The man was just a common person. But he is wounded. So we cannot throw him back into the sea.
Hana said that in that case we would have to take him to our home, Sadao asked what servants will think about
it. Hana said that they must tell servants that he would be given to the police. And we must actually do it. We
must think of our children. You should think of your position. If we do not hand him over as prisoner war, we
will be in danger.
Sadao agreed with Hana. He said that he would not think of doing anything else. So they both had agreed to
hand over the man to police. They lifted the man. He was very light. He was like a bird who had not taken food
for long time. Such bird would have weighed of only its feathers and its bones. Sadao and Hana started carrying
the man to their house. His arms were hanging down. They carried him through the side door of the house and
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then through passage of the house to an empty bedroom. That was the bedroom of father of Sadao. His father
had died. Now nobody used that bedroom.
The floor had thick carpet. They laid the man on the floor. In this bedroom everything was Japanese because
that was the desire of his father. He never used a chair or slept on a bed that was made in foreign. Hana took out
a soft quilt from the cupboard of the room. It had design of flowers on it. Its lining was of pure white silk. She
spoke in a low voice that the man was very dirty. She was sad because the quilt will become dirty. Sadao agreed
with his wife Hana and said that the man needed to be cleaned. He asked Hana to bring some hot water. He will
clean the man. Hana said she cannot tolerate that Sadao should touch the man. Hana said that she has to inform
the servants that a white man was at their house. She said she will inform to Yumi.
Hana thought that Yumi could be away from their children for some time. She can come to the bedroom and
wash the man. Sadao thought about it for some time and then agreed. He suggested that Hana should inform
Yumi and he will inform the other servants. Sadao saw that the face of the unconscious man was completely
yellow. So Sadao bent over him and felt his pulse. The pulse was slow but he could feel it. Then Sadao put his
hand on the chest of the man. The heart was also beating. Sadao said that if the man was not operated, he would
die. He considered if the man would die during operation. Hana got afraid and shouted that Sadao should not try
to save him. What will they do if the man lived? Sadao asked her what they will do if the man died. (Sadao is
talking about death of the man during operation) Sadao stood there and stared at the man who was not moving.
The man must have extraordinary strength. Otherwise he would have died by this time. But the man was young.
His age was perhaps less than 25. Hana asked if the man could die during operation. Sadao said yes, he could.
Hana did not believe Sadao. (Because Sadao was a good surgeon). She did not say anything. Sadao said that
they need to do something to this man. And first of all, he needs to be cleaned. Sadao quickly went out of the
room. Hana also came out. She did not want to be with the white man alone. This man was the first American
she had seen after leaving America. He was not related to anybody she had known in America. He was an
enemy and a danger. Weather alive or dead.
Hana went to children’s room and called Yumi. But children heard voice of their mother. Hana had to go into
the bedroom. She smiled at her children. She played with them for some time. Her younger child, a boy, was
only three months old. Hana took the baby in her lap and asked Yumi to come with her. Yumi told her that she
would first put the baby to sleep. He is about to sleep. They went to the next bedroom. The baby was in the lap
of Hana. Yumi spread two quilts on the floor so that baby can sleep on it. She put the baby on the quilt. And put
another quilt over the baby. Then Hana silently and quickly went to the kitchen. By this time Sadao had told
both servants about the man. Servants were frightened.
The old gardener also worked as a servant of the house. The gardener was pulling the hair of his mustache. The
gardener told Hana directly that Sadao should not give treatment to the white man. The white man must die.
First a bullet had hit him. Then in the sea he was hit by rocks. Sadao should not treat that person. Otherwise sea
will punish us. Gardener is telling that a curse may fall on family. Hana politely told the gardener that she
would inform Sadao about his feelings.
Actually she was also frightened. But she did not believe in super powers. While the old gardener had faith in
superpowers. Hana thought that would it be correct to help an enemy. But she asked Yumi to bring hot water to
the room where the white man was lying.
Hana opened the door and went into the room. Sadao was not in the room. Yumi came in the room after Hana
and put down the wooden bucket. Then Yumi went near the white man. Hana shouted at Yumi and told her to
obey the orders given by her master. There was a fearful look of refusal on the face of Yumi. Hana felt very
much afraid. Hana was afraid because servants could report to the police. They could also report what had not
happened. (Means they could do some wrong reporting which could be bad for Sadao and Hana) So Hana told
Yumi with respect that she should understand the situation.

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They wanted the white man to become conscious. Then they will hand him over to police. Yumi told Hana that
she would not do any work of white man. She said that she was a poor person and that was not her work. Hana
politely asked Yumi to go back to her work. Yumi immediately left the room. So now Hana was alone in the
room with white man. She would have been afraid of being alone in the room. But the refusal by Yumi kept her
in the room. In her low voice she said Yumi was stupid. After all he is a man. He is wounded and helpless.
Hana believed that she was superior to Yumi. Without thinking anymore, she bent (sat on the floor) and opened
the knots of the cloth that covered the man. When chest of the man could be seen, she dipped a towel into hot
water. The towel and water were brought by Yumi. Hana carefully washed the face of the man. The skin of the
man had become rough because he had been in the sun for long time. But colour of the skin was fair. Hana
thought that he must have been very fair during his childhood. She had these thoughts while she was cleaning
the man. Though she did not like the man as he was not a child now. But she cleaned her upper body. She did
not have the courage to turn the man over. She thought where was Sadao? Now she became angry. She was
again worried. She got up. She cleaned her own hand with a wrong towel. (Means she had used a dirty towel)
To prevent the man from becoming cold, she put a quilt over him. Then she softly called out Sadao.
He was about to enter the room when she had called him. His hand was on the door. Now he opened the door of
the room. Hana saw that Sadao had brought emergency bag of a surgeon. He was wearing the coat of a surgeon.
(Means he had done preparations for operation.) Hana asked in a loud voice if he had decided to do an
operation. Sadao replied in short by saying yes. Now his back was towards Hana. He spread the sterilized towel
in the recess of wall. He put all the instruments required for surgery on that towel.
Sadao asked Hana to bring towels. She brought towels from the shelf. Now she was worried. She wanted to put
some old mats on the floor. So that the blood would not spoil good carpet of the floor. She went to back
veranda. Gardener used to keep long pieces of matting there. He was using these pieces to cover delicate soft
plants during cold nights. She took an armful of these strips.
When she reached the room, she realized that bringing these strips was useless. The blood from the wound had
already spread on the mating of the floor. The matting under the man was spoiled. She shouted because the mat
had been spoiled. Sadao replied that the mat had been spoiled. It seemed that Sadao was not worried about mat.
He ordered Hana to help him to turn the man. Hana did not say anything. She obeyed him.
Sadao started cleaning back of the man. Hana told that Yumi had refused to clean the man. Sadao asked Hana if
she had cleaned the man. Hana replied yes. He did not stop his quick and short movements while he was
talking. Sadao did not listen to Hana. But Hana was used to this type of concentration of Sadao. She thought
that Sadao was not bothered who was the patient. He always wanted to do his work excellently. Sadao told
Hana that she has to give anesthesia if required. Hana replied that she had never done that. Sadao told her that it
was very easy.
Sadao removed the moss packing. The blood started coming out quickly now. He was wearing a light on his
forehead. He carefully observed into the wound. He calmly said that the bullet was still in the wound. Sadao
told that he was not certain about depth of the wound caused by rock. If the wound was not deep, he would be
able to take out the bullet. But the bleeding was not from surface of the body. It was from deep within the body.
The man had lost a lot of blood. At that time, Hana started feeling some difficulty in breathing. Sadao looked at
her. Her face had become yellow. He asked Hana not to get unconscious. Sadao did not remove the instrument
with which he was searching for bullet in the body of white man. He said that if he stopped the person will
surely die.
Hana put her hands on her mouth. She got up and ran out of the room. Sadao could hear that she was vomiting
in the garden. He continued his work. Sadao thought it was better that she vomited. He forgot that Hana had
never seen an operation. Hana was in trouble and he was not able to go to her. So he became impatient. He also
became irritated by the white man, who was being operated and was motionless. Sadao thought there was no

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reason in this world for this man to live. He did not realise that this thought had made him merciless. So he
worked quickly.
The man groaned in his dream (Because he was unconscious). But, Sadao did not give any attention to him.
Sadao spoke unclearly to himself. He told the white man to groan if he liked. But remember that I am not doing
this surgery for my happiness. In fact I do not know why I am doing it. That moment Hana entered the room.
Hana asked Sadao where the medicine for anesthesia was. Sadao indicted with his chin. He said to Hana that it
was good that she was back.
This man has started moving. Hana had a bottle and some cotton in her hand. She asked Sadao, how should she
give anesthesia to the white man? Sadao told her to soak cotton in the liquid. The liquid was in the bottle. And
then keep the cotton near to white man’s nose. He continued to do the complicated operation. He further said
that when the man starts breathing badly, she should move the cotton away.
Hana sat close to the face of the man. The man appeared to be sleeping. She noticed that his face was thin. She
felt pity at him. His lips were twisted. She realized that the man was in pain. But the man may not know about
it. She had heard many stories about sufferings of prisoners. These were rumours which came irregularly. She
started thinking if those stories were true. These were told verbally. These stories were opposite to each other.
The newspapers had always reported that people were happy to receive Japanese armies. People were happy to
achieve freedom (that means many of the rumours were opposite to each other)
Sometimes she recalled the behaviour of General Takima. At his home he used to beat his wife mercilessly.
And no one talked about this cruelty because of his victory in the war of Manchuria. She thought that if a man
was cruel to his wife, he would be cruel to every other person also. (She is having a doubt that Japanese armies
were welcomed wherever it had gone. She thinks that they had tortured people)
Hana hoped that this white man was not tortured. She observed some red marks on his neck and under the ear.
Hana looked at Sadao and asked about those red marks. Sadao did not give any answer.
At that moment edge of his instrument touched something hard in the body of the man. It was very close to
kidney. It could be dangerous. He concentrated on it. He did not think of anything else. He was happy at that
moment. He softly searched with his fingers. He knew every part of the body of a human being. His American
professor had taught them about the human body. The professor used to loudly tell the class that not knowing
human body was a major fault. He used to tell this repeatedly every year. If you operate a person without
knowing complete anatomy, then you may kill the patient. And it can be called a murder. You should know
about body as if you have yourself made it.
Sadao told himself in a low voice that the bullet was not near the kidney. Sadao had the habit of talking to
himself while doing operation. He used to fully concentrate on operation. He always addressed his patients as
‘my friend’. He addressed the white man also as ‘my friend’. Sadao forgot that this man was his enemy. The
Sadao made an accurate and exact cut. The bullet was out of the body of white man. The man trembled. He was
still unconscious. But the man spoke some words in English. He said that they have removed his stomach.
Hana shouted but Sadao asked her to remain silent. Now the man was deeply quite. The silence was so deep that
Sadao took his wrist to feel the pulse. Though Sadao did not like to touch the American, the pulse was very
faint and week. But it was sufficient for the man remain alive. Sadao thought that he did not want this man to
remain alive.
He asked Hana to stop giving anesthesia. Sadao quickly turned as if he had never stopped. He took out a small
bottle. This bottle had some liquid medicine. He filled a syringe and injected the medicine in left arm of the
patient. He put down the needle. He again felt the pulse of the man. The pulse vibrated and then it became
better. He said to Hana that the man would remain alive. Then Sadao took a deep breath.

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After sometime, the young man woke up. He was very weak. He realized that he was with a Japanese family.
He had terror in his blue eyes (means he was afraid). Hana felt it was necessary to say sorry to him. Servants did
not want to enter in room, so Hana herself gave him some food. When Hana came in the room for the first time,
the white man thought that she may harm him. So he was trying to gather his strength to prepare himself for
something some frightening incident.
Hana softly requested him not to be afraid. He asked her how she could speak English. Hana replied that she
had been in America for a long time. Hana realized that the man wanted to say something. He was very weak so
could not speak. Hana sat on her knees. She fed him using a porcelain spoon. Man did not want to eat but he
ate. Hana did not like the man. But she still wanted to console him. She said that he would be strong very soon.
On the third day after the operation, Sadao found that man was sitting. Because of effort he made to sit, his face
had become white. (Meaning that he was very weak.) Sadao ordered him in a loud voice to lie down. Sadao
slowly pushed the man to lie down. He examined the wound. Sadao told the man if he tried to do such acts, he
might die. In a low voice, the man asked Sadao what they would do with him. Will you hand me over to police?
The man now appeared to be of 17years age. (So he is also addressed as boy) Sadao did not answer
immediately.
He completed examination of wound. He put the quilt over the man. Sadao told that he did not know what he
should do. I should hand over you to police because you are prisoner of war. Then he noticed that the man was
trying to speak. Sadao put his hand on the mouth of the man. He told him not to speak anything. Sadao told him
that the man should tell his name only when somebody asked. Otherwise he should remain silent. They looked
at each other. They young man closed his eyes. He turned his face towards wall and said OK. One could make
out from his face that white man was angry with Sadao. (Because Sadao told him that he may hand over him to
police)
At the door of the room Hana was waiting for Sadao to come out. He could feel that she was in a problem. Hana
informed Sadao that Yumi and other servants had told her that they would not work there. Because Sadao and
Hana were hiding that man. Yumi told that Hana and Sadao had lived in America for a long time. We have
forgotten about our own country. They think that we are Americans. Sadao told that it was not true. He also
considers Americans as enemies. But I am a trained surgeon. I cannot allow a person to die, if I can help. Hana
said that servants are not understanding this. Sadao agreed that they would not understand. None of them said
anything more. Somehow, all works of house was getting done (Meaning that servants were staying and doing
work). The servants were now carefully observing everything. They continued to be polite. But now they did
not have respect for the couple (Sadao and Hana) who were paying them salary.
The gardener told to other servants that it was very clear what the master (Sadao) needs to do. Throughout his
life gardener had taken care of flowers. He was very expert in taking care of moss also. The gardener had made
very good garden of moss for father of Sadao. He used to clean the green grass regularly. No leaf or needle of
pine remained on the surface of the grass to disturb beauty of the garden (The author wants to say that he was an
expert gardener). Now servants are talking among themselves. The gardener said that son of his old master
(Sadao) knows what he should do. He plucked a bud from a plant. He further questioned why Sadao stopped the
blood of the man. The man was about to die. Sadao should have allowed the man to die. The cook said that
young mater (Sadao) is very proud of his skill. He thinks that he could save any life. (While saying these words,
the cook was showing her disrespect to Sadao).
The cook now had cut neck of a bird. The bird was vibrating it feathers. The blood of the bird was going to
roots of creeper wistaria. The gardener believed that blood was the best fertilizer for plants. He had asked the
cook to put all the blood into plants. Yumi said that they should think about the children. What will happen to
children if their father is declared a traitor? Hana was arranging flowers. She was near to servants. The
servants did not want to hide their thoughts from Hana. So they had spoken loudly. Hana also understood that
they were intentionally speaking loudly so that she could hear their talk. Hana knew by her own feelings that the
servants were correct in their thinking. But she could not understand her own behaviour.
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Emotionally she did not like the prisoner. She considered him a prisoner. She did not like him when he
suddenly told her that his name was Tom. She had bowed to him from some distance. Japanese bow to show
their respect to somebody. She could see that he felt insulted. She did not want to calm him down. He was really
a problem for the house.
Sadao used to carefully examine wound of the man every day. The last stitches had been removed. The young
man will be completely OK within next two weeks. Sadao went to his office and started typing a letter to the
Chief Officer of police. He wanted to report the complete incident. On 21st February an escaped prisoner was
thrown on the beach in front of my house. Sadao typed only that much. He opened secret drawer of his table. He
put that incomplete letter into the drawer.
Two things happened on the 7th day after that. In the morning all the servants left the house of Sadao. They had
tied their belongings in large cotton cloths of square shape. When Hana got up in the morning she found that the
house was not cleaned. The food was not ready. She understood its meaning. She was annoyed and afraid. But
she did not express her anger. She wanted to maintain her dignity. Hana held her head with grace. She
maintained calmness. When servants came before her in the kitchen, she paid their salary. She thanked for their
services and help. The servants were crying. Hana did not cry.
The cook and the gardener had been working in the house since childhood days of Sadao. Yumi had cried
because of her affection towards children. Yumi was so sad that she came back running to Hana. She requested
Hana to call her back to the house if the baby (the younger child) remembers her. She was going to her house.
Hana knew where her house was. Hana smiled at Yumi and thanked her. Hana was determined not to call Yumi
even if her child cried a lot. Hana made breakfast. Sadao took care of children. They did not talk about servants.
They only talked that the servants had left their house. Hana took breakfast to the prisoner. Then she came back
to Sadao. Hana asked Sadao, Why were they not understanding? What should they do about the prisoner? Even
the servants knew what was to be done. Why are we different from other people of Japan? Sadao did not give
any answer to Hana.
After some time he went into the room of prisoner. He rudely told the man that he should stand up on his feet
that day. He advised the prisoner to walk only for five minutes. Sadao further told that the prisoner should try to
walk for 10 minutes next day. It would be good for the prisoner to become strong as soon as possible. Sadao
could see that the young person was a bit afraid and his face was still yellow. The boy said yes in a low voice.
Obviously the boy wanted to say something more. He thanked Sadao for saving his life. Sadao replied without
any emotion that the boy should not thank him so soon. Sadao could again observe that the boy was afraid. He
was afraid the same way an animal would be afraid of. (Author wants to say that boy was afraid and helpless).
Marks of injury on his neck had become of dark red colour. Sadao thought why he had scars there. But he did
not ask. In the afternoon of that day, the second thing happened. Hana did not have the habit of working. It was
difficult for her to do all the work. A messenger came to their house. He was wearing complete official uniform.
Her hand started trembling. She found it difficult to breath. (Author want to say that she was terrified). She
thought that servants had already informed police about presence of an American in their house. Hana ran to
meet Sadao. She was breathing from her mouth. She could not speak anything. By that time the messenger had
come to the garden. He was standing in the garden. Hana was afraid. She indicated towards the messenger.
Sadao was in his office. He was reading a book. He looked up. The other door of his office was towards the
garden. He had kept this door open to allow the sunshine to come in his office.
Sadao asked the messenger what the matter was. Then he saw the uniform of the messenger. And he got up
from his chair. The messenger told that the General of the Army was suffering from pain. Sadao needs to come
to the palace to treat him. Hana had a sigh of relief. She said if that was the only reason. (She had thought that
the army person had come to arrest them) Messenger was surprised and asked if that was not the enough reason
for Sadao to come to palace. Hana agreed with the messenger and said sorry to him. Hana was sitting in the
kitchen. Sadao came to kitchen to say goodbye to her. The children were sleeping. Hana was sitting in the
kitchen to take some rest. She was not tired because of work but she was tired because of her fears.
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Hana told Sadao that she thought the messenger had come to arrest him. Sado looked at her. He was worried
about her. He told Hana in a painful voice that it was necessary to remove the prisoner from the house. He
wanted to do this to provide relief to Hana. The general spoke in a very weak voice. Certainly I understand
everything. That is because I completed graduation from Princeton University. (It is a university in America).
Very few people from Japan have done that.
Sadao told the General that he was not bothered about the man. But after doing a successful operation (Sadao
had told General everything about the white man) The General told that now he is feeling that nobody can
replace Sadao. Obviously you can save life of anyone. You are very skillful surgeon. You have told me that I
can tolerate one more similar heart attack. Sadao told that General can tolerate only one more such heart attack.
The General replied that in such situation he will not allow anything to happen to Sadao. General was worried
about himself. The pale coloured face of the General did not show any expression (which means he was
thinking).
The General closed his eyes and told that Sadao cannot be arrested. Suppose you are given death punishment.
And next day I need to have an operation. Sadao said that there were other surgeons in Japan. The General said
that he did not believe any other surgeon. They are trained in Germany. They think that an operation is
successful even if the patient dies during operation. The General took a deep breath and said that he did not
believe in the opinion of other surgeons. It is sad that we are not able combine determination of Germany and
emotions of America. General continues. Then you could have handed over the prisoner for punishment. And I
could be confident that you would not kill me when I was unconscious. After saying those words, the General
laughed. His sense of humour was unusual.
He asked Sadao if he could combine aspects of these two foreign countries. Sadao smiled and said that he was
not sure about it. He further said that for the benefit of General, he was ready to make an attempt. General
denied by saying that he did not want anybody to experiment on him. General started feeling weak. He felt that
taking care of his health in such time was a burden. This was the time when victories of Japanese forces in the
south pacific region brought more responsibilities on him. The General said it was a bad luck that the man
reached Sadao’s house through the sea. Sadao said that he also felt that it was his bad luck. General said that it
would be better if the man was killed quietly. He should not be killed by Sadao but by someone who does not
know that person. He said that he has his personal killers.
The General further spoke. Suppose I send two killers to your house this night. Or I can send them any night.
Sadao should not know when they will come. It is hot these days. So Sadao can keep the door of white man’s
room towards the garden open. It will be a natural act. Sadao agreed and said that it would look so natural. In
fact the door is always kept open. The General said it was good. He further said that those killers are very
competent killers. They do their work quietly. They know the trick to make a person bleed internally. (Blood
does not come out of the body).
If Sadao wants, the General will instruct killers to remove the body. Sadao thought for a moment about Hana.
He told General that that would be the best. (To get the body removed) Sadao left the palace of the General and
went home. He was thinking about the plan General had told him. He was convinced that through that plan
everything would be settled. He will not face any trouble. Sadao thought that he would not tell anything about
that plan to Hana. She will get afraid at the mention of killers getting into the house. But such persons are
essential in an autocratic country. (At that time Japan was autocratic. All powers were with General). Through
these assassins rulers killed those persons who dared to oppose them.
Sadao decided that he will think logically. He will not allow any other thought to come to his mind. He went
into the room where the American was sleeping on the bed. When Sadao opened the door, he was surprised. He
noticed that the prisoner was out of his bed. He was getting ready to go to the garden. Sadao asked prisoner with
great surprise that who had given him the permission to go out of the room. Tom happily replied that he did not
have the habit of seeking permission. Oh God, I am feeling quite strong again. Tom said. Tom asked if the
muscles on that side will always be rigid. Sadao was surprised by the question. He forgot every other thing.
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Sadao said in a whispered voice that he thought he had taken care about it. He carefully examined the scar that
was healing. He said that if exercise does not help then it will be cured by massage.
The young man said that that muscle will not give him much trouble. He had not shaved his golden coloured
beard. So he was looking very weak. Tom told Sadao that he wanted to say something to him. It is because of
Sadao that he was alive. Otherwise he would not have lived. Sadao bowed his head. He did not speak anything.
(Sadao remembered that assassins will come to kill Tom) Tom said that he was certainly aware of that. He was
holding a chair with his big hands. The joints of his fingers were white. He further said that if all the Japanese
were like Sadao, there would not have been a war. Sadao said probably that was true. He advised Tom to return
to his bed. Sadao helped Tom to get back into his bed. Then he said good night and went out of the room.
Sadao could not sleep properly that night. Many times he woke up in the night. He thought he heard sound of
footsteps, sound of breaking of a branch of a tree or sound of shifting of stones in the garden. A noise that
would be made if men were carrying a load. This all was his imagination. Next morning, he went to the guest
room before Hana. He had thought if the American was not in the room, he would tell Hana about his
discussion with general. When Sadao opened the door he immediately saw a dirty blond head on the pillow.
(Meaning that Tom was in the room). Tom looked sleeping peacefully. Sadao could hear the breathing of Tom.
He closed the door silently.
Sadao told Hana that Tom was sleeping. Sadao further told that Tom is getting better. Hana once again asked
the same question that what they would do with Tom. Sadao promised Hana that he would certainly decide
within two days. Sadao was thinking that second night those killers would come and get rid of Tom. The night
was windy. There were sounds of a breaking of branch of tree. The wind made a whistling sound as it moved
past the door of guest room. Because of such sounds Hana also woke up. She suggested to Sadao that they
should go out and close the partition (door) of the guest room. Tom was sleeping in that bed room. Sadao
replied that Tom could close the door himself.
Next morning the American was in his room. Sadao thought on third night that assassins would surely come.
That night it was raining. There was no wind. There were sounds of water dropping from edges of roof. Water
was also flowing in the garden. Sadao was having a better sleep. (He did not sleep well last two nights) There
was a sound of something breaking. He woke up and stood up. Hana shouted what was that. The baby woke up
because she had shouted. The baby began to weep. Hana wanted to go out to see what had happened. But Sadao
stopped her. He did not allow her to go. Hana loudly asked Sadao what was wrong with him. He only said not
to go. (Sadao was thinking that assassin had come) Because Sadao was afraid, Hana also became afraid. She
could not got out. She just stood in the room. Nobody spoke anything. Finally they both went to the bed. The
baby was sleeping between them.
In the morning Sadao opened the door of the guest room. Tom was still in the room. He looked happy. He had
already taken a bath. He was standing in his room. He had taken a razor the previous day. He had shaved his
beard. Today his face looked less yellow. He happily said that he was feeling better. Sadao wrapped his kimono
around his sleepy and tired body. He suddenly realized that he did not want to spend one more night waiting for
the assassins to arrive. He was not bothered about life of the young person. The wait was putting lot of strain
(tension) on him.
Sadao agreed with the man and told him that he was well now. Sadao further told him that he had become so
strong that he can sail a boat. Sadao now told him about his plan. Sadao will give a boat to the man. The boat
will be placed near the sea shore. The boat will have some extra food and clothes. Tom should row that boat to
the small island that is not very far from the beach. The island is very near to the coast so there are no soldiers
on that island. It is not protected. Nobody lives on that island. This island gets submerged into water during
storms. But in this season storms do not come. Tom can live there for some time. When a boat from Korea
comes near the island he can take that boat for his further journey. Sadao told that Korean boats come very near
to that island because water is quite deep there.

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Tom looked at Sadao. He was trying to understand what Sadao had told. Then he asked did he need to go.
Sadao politely said yes. Sadao explained that he cannot keep Tom hidden in his house for more time. The man
nodded as if he had understood everything. He said OK. Sadao did not meet Tom during that day. When
evening came, Sadao pulled his strong boat near the shore. He put some food, water and two quilts in it. He had
purchased these items during the daytime from a small shop. There were high waves in the sea. So Sadao had
tied the boat to a pole. It was a no moon night. Sadao did all these without a light.
After completing these works he came back to his house. He acted as if had come back from his normal work.
So Hana did not know about the arrangements Sadao had made. Hana served dinner for Sadao. Though she was
modern, she did not eat with her husband. Hana told Sadao that Yumi had come to the house. Yumi cried a lot
for the baby. Yumi misses the baby so much. Sadao told Hana that servants would come back to the house after
the American is gone. Sadao went to the guest room before going to his own bedroom. He carefully checked
pulse and temperature of the American. He also checked his wound and heartbeat. His pulse was irregular.
Probably it was because of anxiety of leaving the house. His lips were yellow and he was silent. His eyes were
bright and shining. The scars on his body were of red colour.
Tom told Sadao that he had realized that Sadao was saving his life once again. Sadao said it was not true. It had
become difficult to keep Tom at his house for more time. Sadao thought a lot about giving a flashlight to Tom.
Finally he decided to give it to him. The flashlight was his own. He was using it when he had to go out to see a
patient. Sadao advised Tom to give two flashes if he falls short of food before catching a Korean boat. He
advised that he should not give flashes in the night otherwise he will be noticed. He should give flash in the
evening. (Sun drops over the horizon means evening) Sadao advised Tom that he should give one flash if he is
alright at the island. He told Tom that he would be able to catch fish at the island. But he should eat these
without cooking. Because if he ignited a fire for cooking, it will be noticed. The young man said OK.
Sadao gave his own Japanese clothes to Tom. Sadao also put a black cloth on Tom’s head to conceal his blond
hair. Sadao then said that Tom could now go. The American did not speak anything. He shook hands with
Sadao. He walked to cross the floor and he took steps to go in the garden. It was dark in the garden. Twice there
was a flash of the light. Tom was trying to find his way. Sadao thought that nobody would suspect anything.
After sometime there was flash at the shore. Sadao closed the door. He had a good sleep that night.
The General confirmed that Sadao told him the person had escaped. (Sadao has informed general that the person
ran away from his house). Seven days ago the General was operated. Sadao was called from his home in the
night. Upto 12 hours from completion of operation, Sadao was not sure if the General would be alive. His gall
bladder had a problem. But after some time the General started breathing heavily. He was feeling hungry so he
asked for food. Sadao did not have the courage to ask General about the killers. He knew that they had not
come. Servants had returned to the house. Yumi had cleaned the whole house. She burnt Sulphur in the guest
room. This was to remove smell of the American from the guest room. Nobody said anything. (Meaning that
nobody talked about the white man). Only the gardener was angry. He could not grow chrysanthemums in time.
After one week General had improved his health. So Sadao thought the he should inform General about the
prisoner. Sadao told that the prisoner had escaped. After saying this he coughed a bit. This meant that he wanted
to say something more but he did not want to disturb the General. The old General suddenly opened his eyes.
The General asked Sadao if he had promised to get the prisoner killed. Sadao said yes. The old man’s voice was
full of surprise. He said that even he remembered it. But I was sick. I had been thinking only about myself. I
forgot my promise. Sadao told in a very low voice that he was surprised when assassins did not come. General
told Sadao that he was certainly careless in that matter. But please understand that it was not because of lack of
love for my country. It was not because I neglected my duty. If this matter is brought up again at any time, you
should remember that. Sadao replied to the General that he would remember this.
Sadao suddenly realized that the General was now under his control. Hence Sadao himself was safe. Sadao
promised to the General that he would always remember this. He promised his loyalty to the General. Sadao

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promised this by the passion of the General towards enemies. General told Sadao that he will get a reward
because he was a good person. The General whispered this sentence and then closed his eyes to sleep.
That evening, Sadao looked at the dark sea in evening. He waited till the Sun started setting. He did not see any
flashlight. Sadao considered this as a reward. Now no one was on the island. The prisoner had gone safely and
certainly. Because Sadao had advised him to travel only in Korean fishing boat. He stood in the veranda of his
house for some time. He was looking at the sea from where the young person had come some nights before.
Without any cause, he started remembering other white persons known to him.
He recalled the professor, at whose house he had met Hana. The professor was a boring person. His wife wanted
to be a kind person. But actually she was foolish and talked a lot. Sadao remember his previous teacher of
anatomy. The teacher was very firm that one should understand anatomy before using knife for operation. He
remembered his fat and careless lady owner of his rented house in America. Because Sadao was Japanese, he
had great difficulty in finding a house to live in America. The Americans had an unfavourable opinion about
Japanese. (Meaning Americans did not like Japanese.)
Sadao thought that Japanese were better than Americans. So it was tough to live in America. Sadao hated the
rude and dirty land lady. She had finally agreed to rent her poor house to Sadao. Sadao had tried be thankful to
the landlady. During last year of his stay Sadao suffered from influenza. (Cold, cough and fever) She had taken
care of him during his sickness. But even while she was kind to him, Sadao disliked her. Now Sadao
remembered the young and sick face of his prisoner. Sadao disliked him. Sadao thought it was very strange that
he could not kill the prisoner.

On the face of it - Susan Hill

It is Mr Lamb’s garden. [One can hear sound of birds singing and movement of tree leaves. A boy Derry is
walking aimlessly in the long grass. His footsteps can be heard. He stops in between. Derry crosses a group of
bushes. Now he is very close to Mr Lamb. Derry is surprised when Mr Lamb speaks to him.]

Mr Lamb requests Derry to take care of apples. Derry is surprised and asks who is there? Mr Lamb tells his
name. He asks Derry to be careful about apples. Some apples have fallen because of wind into the long grass.
He says these are crab apples. Be careful about these. You may fall down.

Derry says he thought that nobody lived there. Lamb assures him that it was OK. He should not be frightened.

Derry says he thought that it was an empty house. Lamb says yes, the house is empty because he is in the
garden. And the house will be empty till I go back to the house. Lamb wants to stay in the garden for some
more time. He says that it is a lovely day. So he wants to stay outdoors.

Derry is afraid and says that he should go. Lamb tells that Derry should not go because of him. I have no
objection if someone comes to the garden. Its gates are always open. But you climbed the wall to come to the
garden.

Derry angrily tells that Lamb had been watching him. Lamb replies that he had seen him. Lamb repeats that
gates of garden are open and everybody is welcome to the garden. He sits in the garden because he likes sitting
there. Derry clarifies that he had not come to the garden to steal anything.

Mr Lamb assures Derry that only young boys steal apples. Derry was not so young. Derry says that he simply
wanted to come into the garden. Lamb says that he had come to the garden and they were together.

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Derry tells that Lamb did not know him. Lamb replies that Derry is a boy. His age should be about 13 years.
Derry says that he is fourteen. Derry says that he had to go. Good-bye.

Mr Lamb again assures that Derry should not be afraid of. It is a garden and Lamb is also in the garden. Derry
says that he is not afraid. People are afraid of him. Lamb asks why anybody should be afraid of Derry.

Derry says that everybody is afraid of him. Whoever they are, whatever they say, how they look or whatever
they pretend, they are afraid. Derry says that he knows and can understand that.

Lamb asks Derry what he can understand. Derry says that he understands what others are thinking about him.
Lamb asks Derry to tell what others are thinking.

Derry narrates. You (implying everybody) look at me, look at my face and say that it is ugly face, an ugliest
face. Then you say I am poor boy and take pity at me. But actually you are afraid. When I look into mirror, I
also get frightened.

Lamb says that it is not the complete personality of Derry. However Derry insists that it is his complete
personality. Lamb says it will be cooler after sometime. He will get a ladder and a stick to pluck apples. These
apples are now ripe. He makes jelly of apples. In September, colour of these apples changes to green and
orange. It is a very good fruit to make jelly. He asks if Derry will help him.

Derry asks Lamb why he has changed the topic of discussion. People always do that while discussing with
Derry. Why did you change subject? Why do you pretend that I am not ugly? I get upset when you look at me.
But you did not ask me before changing the subject because you are afraid of me.

Lamb says he will ask if Derry wants him to ask. Lamb requests him to tell. Derry says that he does not like
company of any person. He wants to be alone. Lamb says that it is his guess that Derry got burnt in a fire.

Derry says it was not fire. Acid spilled on that side of his face. It was burning wherever acid touched his body.
It destroyed his face and his body. And now he will remain that way for ever. It will never improve. Lamb
expresses his sorrow by saying ‘no’ Derry says that now Lamb will not like to talk to him.

Lamb clarifies that Derry was a boy who had come to his garden. Many children come. I talk to everyone. I am
interested in everything that God has made. Lamb asks Derry to look towards the wall which is at the far end of
the garden. Lamb asks him what he sees near the wall.

Derry replies that it is rubbish. Lamb requests him to see once again. Derry says it is grass and weeds.

Lamb clarifies that some people call these weeds. You can even say it is a weed garden. In this garden I have
fruits, flowers, trees and herbs. But that side I have planted weeds. Lamb asks why one plant is called a flower
and other plant is called weed. Both are growing and are similar. Just like you and me are similar.

Derry says that Lamb and he are not same. Lamb says that he himself is old, Derry is young. Derry has a burnt
face. I have an artificial leg. You are standing and I am sitting. There is no difference. (Lamb is telling that
everybody has some deficiency or problem)

Derry asks why lamb has an artificial leg. Lamb says that years ago his real leg was blown off. Kids started
calling me as Lamey-Lamb. You might have heard these words. But it does not bother me. I do not get angry.
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Derry suggests that lamb can wear pants to cover his tin leg. Then nobody will see it. Lamb says that some
people still recognize. Finally they get tired of looking at my leg. There are many other things to look at. Derry
says other things like his own face. [Derry is not happy about himself. He is have inferiority complex]

Lamb says that one can look at crab apples, weeds or at a spider climbing in its web. One can look at the sun-
flowers in my garden. Derry says these are things.

Lamb says that everything is relative in this world. Some may see a beast and other may call it beauty. Derry
asks the meaning of it. Lamb request Derry to explain.

Derry tells that people have narrated fairy tales earlier. It not important what you look, more important is what
is in your heart. A person is handsome if his deeds are good. A beautiful lady loved a horrible beast. When that
lady kissed it, it became a handsome prince. If he were bad at his heart, he would not have become a prince. But
I will never change.

Lamb tells that Derry will never change like that. Derry says that no one will kiss him. Even my mother kisses
me on the cheek which is not damaged. I do not like that my mother kisses me. But she kisses me because she is
my mother. It does not bother me if no one will ever kiss me.

Lamb says if Derry would like to kiss any one. Derry is surprised by the question. Lamb asks if Derry would
like to kiss beautiful girls having long hair and big eyes. Or the people Derry loves. Derry says no one would
give him permission to kiss them. Lamb says that it is not certain.

Derry says that he will remain the same lifelong. Even when I get old I will have only half face. Lamb says that
it is true. But the world has a complete face. [Meaning that world is full of so many beautiful things] Derry can
look at the world. [Lamb is trying to motivate him to look beyond himself and his feelings]

Derry asks if Lamb thought that this old garden was his world. Lamb replies that when he is present in the
garden it was his world. But this is not the only world. World is everywhere. [Meaning that, beauty is
everywhere. One should look beyond himself]

Derry asks if Lamb’s artificial leg is painful. Lamb replies no. Derry asks was it painful when his leg was
broken. Lamb says certainly it was very painful.

Derry asks if it is painful at the joint of natural leg and the artificial leg. Lamb says that occasionally it is
painful. It is more painful in rainy season. But it is not important. He is used to it.

Derry told that one more thing people tell. Look at those people who are in trouble. They are brave. They do not
cry or complain. They do not feel bad about themselves. Lamb told that he had not told such things.

Derry says they also ask him to think about those people who are worse than himself. They say if you were
blind, deaf, confined to a wheel chair, a mentally sick person or water coming out of your mouth, then you
would be in bigger problem. Lamb told that Derry knew that it was correct.

Derry tells that such talks cannot change his face. He tells that one day a woman crossed him at the bus stand.
One more woman was with her. She whispered to the other woman that my face was an ugly face.

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Only a mother can love such an ugly face. Lamb asks if Derry believes whatever he hears. Derry said that the
talk was very cruel. Lamb says probably those women did not really mean that. They did not want to say
anything to Derry. It was a private discussion between them.

Derry insists that he had heard their talk. Lamb asks if that was the only thing he had heard in his entire life
time. Derry says that he had heard many more talks. Lamb advises Derry to stop hearing such talks.

Derry says that Lamb is an unusual person. He asks strange questions. Derry is not able to understand those
questions. Lamb says that he likes company of people and to talk. Derry does not need to answer any of his
questions. Derry need not remain in the garden. The gate is open, he is free to go. Derry has no reply.

Lamb says that he has hive of bees behind trees. Some people say that bees buzz. But I say that they sing. I can
hear them singing.

Derry says that he likes being in this garden. When he looked over the wall into the garden he had liked it.
Lamb asks if Derry had seen him, would he have come in. Derry replies no. Lamb is surprised.

Derry says if he had come after seeing Lamb, it would have been entering garden without permission. Lamb
says that it is not the real reason. Derry agrees and says that he does not like company of people. Because they
stare at him and they get afraid of him.

Lamb says that one can lock himself in a room and always remain there. There was a man who was afraid of
everything. Lamb gives many examples of his fears. So the man locked himself in a room and stayed there only.

Derry asked if that man stayed in the room forever. Lamb says that he stayed only for some time. Then a picture
frame fell on his head and he died. Derry laughs a lot. Lamb asks if Derry has understood the message. [Lamb is
trying to tell that looking inwards is injurious. Looking outward is better]

Derry says that Lamb talks strange. Lamb says these (his point of view or opinion) are unusual to some people.
Derry asks what Lamb does in a day. Lamb says he sits in the sun. I read books. The house is not empty. It has
books and many other things in it.

Derry asks if house does not have any curtains on window. Lamb replies that he does not like curtains. They
limit your views. I like light and darkness both. [The reference here is about both aspects of life, good and bad].
I want to keep window open so that I can hear the wind.[This is a great message. One should not restrict views
towards life. Life has good moments and bad moments. We should understand and tolerate both. We should
remain open for suggestion and changes. Wind signifies change]

Derry says that he likes what Lamb has said. Derry likes to listens to sound of rain falling on roof. Lamb says it
means Derry is not completely defeated. Derry listens to sounds around him.

Derry says that people talk about me. They talk at the ground floor of my house when I am not there. What will
he (Derry) do in future? What will happen to him when we are not with him? Will he survive in this world?
What is that on his face? They all talk such things.

Lamb says that Derry has two arms, two legs, ears and eyes. He has a tongue and brain. By using these wisely,
he can achieve anything he wants, similar to what others have achieved. And if he decides to use his mind, he
can be better that any other.
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Derry asks how I can become better that many. Lambs replies in the same manner I have become better. Derry
asks if Lamb has friends. Lamb says he has hundreds of friends. Derry says that Lamb lives alone in the house.

And it is a big house.Lamb says that he has friends everywhere. Many people know him. The gate is always
open. [Meaning they are always welcome]. They come to my house. They sit in the garden. In winter they sit in
front of a fire. Kids come here to eat apple and pears. Lamb makes toffee with honey. Kids come to take these
toffees. Anybody can come to his house. Derry has also come to his house.

Derry tells that he is not friend of Lamb. But Lamb replies that for him Derry is his friend. Derry has not done
anything wrong to think that he is not a friend. Derry says that Lamb does not know him. Lamb does not even
know his name.

Lamb says that these are not important things. Lamb asks if he needs to write all the details of Derry on a paper
and put that in a file before becoming friend. Derry confirms that it is not required.

Lamb tells that if Derry wants he can tell his name. If he does not want to, he should not tell. Derry says that his
name is Derry. Actually it is Derek, but he does not like it. Derry says that if Derry is friend of Lamb, Lamb
need not be friend of Derry. He (Derry) is aware of this situation. Lamb agrees.

Derry asks Lamb if he never comes to the garden again, and Lamb does not meet him again, can he be a friend
of Lamb. Lamb says that yes he can be a friend.

Derry asks how they can he be a friend in that case. Lamb sees many people in the street. Lamb may even speak
to them but he would never meet them again. It does not been that they are friends of Lamb. Lamb replies that
but they are not enemies.

Derry says that those people are nothing. [Means they are not to be taken note of]. Lamb says that people are
never ‘nothing’. Derry says that he hates some people.

Lamb says that such thought will damage him more than acid because acid burns only your face [body]. Derry
is surprised. Lamb says it is just like a bomb that damaged my leg. worse than that can happen. It could have
damaged my feelings and thoughts. [Lamb is trying to say that damage of thought and feelings is much more
than damage of body].

Derry narrates what people told after he had come back to his home from hospital. One person told that I should
stay in hospital with people like me. [Those with burnt faces] She thought that blind people should stay with
blind people and fools should stay with fools.

Lamb says does it mean that people with no legs should stay together. Derry agrees. Lamb says it will then be a
very bad world. Derry says in that case people will not be staring at each other because everybody is similar.

Lamb asks if Derry thinks that people who look similar with burnt faces are similar. Lamb further says that they
are similar only in their looks. But they are different in every other aspect. In this world everything looks
similar but everything is different.

Derry asks how Lamb can determine it. Lamb says by watching them, listening to them and speaking with
them. Derry says that he likes the house of Lamb. He likes the garden. Derry would like to live in house that
does not have curtains. [This is the first sign that Derry is now opening up and trying to look outwards]
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Lamb says that gate is always open, meaning that Derry can come anytime. Derry says that the house is not his.
Lamb says that whatever is for himself, it is for everybody.

Derry says does it mean that he could come to the garden even when Lamb was not there. Lamb says Derry can
come. There may be other people in the garden. Derry is surprised.

Lamb says that presence of other people should not stop Derry to come to the garden. Derry says that others
may go away because of him. They may run away after looking at my face.

Lamb says that they may run away or may not run away. Derry needs to take the chance. Others would also be
taking a chance to stay with Derry. Derry says that this would be a risk for Lamb because Lamb may get the
friendship of Derry and lose the friendship of others. Because whenever people see him, they run away if they
can.

Lamb says that he has not run away from Derry. When I am in the street, kids shout ‘Lamey-Lamb’. But they
come to my garden to play. And I am not afraid of them.Therefore they are not afraid of me.

Derry asks if the leg of Lamb was cut in a war. Lamb agrees. Derry asks how Lamb climbs on a ladder to pluck
apples. Lamb replies that he has learnt to do many things. And I have lot of time to do these works. Lamb says
that he handles every situation with cool mind.

Derry says if Lamb falls from ladder and breaks his neck, he can die. It could happen if he was alone. Lamb
agrees. Derry says that Lamb told that Derry could Lamb. Lamb says Derry can help him if Derry wants.

Derry says that his mother would want to know his whereabouts. His home is beyond those fields. It is three
miles away. My age is 14. But still they (my parents) want to know where I am. Lamb says that some people
worry a lot. Derry says that they worry without a reason.

Lamb advises Derry to go to his house to tell where he is. Derry says it is three miles away. Lamb says that it is
a pleasant evening and he has legs. [Meaning that, he can easily go]

Derry says that when he reaches home, his parents will not allow him to come back to the garden. Lamb says
once Derry reaches home, he will not like to come back. Derry says that Lamb does not know what all he can
do. [Lamb is challenging Derry. He wants Derry to motivate to take his own decisions]

Lamb agrees that he does know what Derry can do. Lamb says he does not know everything. So he cannot tell
Derry what he should do. Derry says that they tell him not to go. Lamb asks Derry if he needs to agree to what
is said. [Lamb is trying to motivate Derry to think in a different way]

Now Derry says that he himself does not know what he wants. He wants to have something which no other
person has. (Something which is his own). May be it is a garden. But he is not sure. Lamb says that he can find
out what he wants. Lamb advises him to wait (stay calm), watch (look outside himself) and listen (to his own
inner voice).Then Lamb says that he needs to take care of his bees.

Derry asks Lamb if other children talk to him. Do they ask question to him. Lamb replies that some children
talk to him. He asks them questions because he likes to learn new things.

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Derry says that he does not believe other people. He does not believe that anybody comes to the garden. He
thinks Lamb is always alone and always sad. Nobody knows that Lamb is alive. And nobody bothers if Lamb
died.

Lamb says that Derry can think whatever he likes. Derry asks Lamb to tell names of kids coming to his garden.
Lamb says their name can be anything. (He means to say that he does not care about their names). Lamb now
get up and starts going towards his bee hives.

Derry says that lamb is mad and unreasonable. Lamb replies that it is a good excuse. Derry wants to know what
excuse Lamb is referring to. Lamb says that it is a good excuse (Parents not allowing Derry to come back) for
not coming back. And you have a burnt face. It is an excuse for other people for not playing with Derry.

Derry says that Lamb is just like other persons. You say things like other persons say. If you do not feel bad
about my face then you are afraid of it. And if you are not afraid you think that I am bad person. You know that
I am a bad person

[Derry shouts. Lamb has gone to his bees. He does not reply]

Derry says in a low voice that Lamb is not like that. (Not like other persons). Derry likes to be in the garden. I
am going but I will come back. He asks Lamb to wait for him. I can run. I do not have an artificial leg.

[Derry runs towards his house]

Lamb speaks to himself. My dear friend, you have seen it so many times. Those who go do not come back,
though they tell to come back.

(This seen is of house of Derry).

Derry has told his mother about Lamb. Mother tells him that she knows about Lamb. I have heard many things
about him. Derry tells her mother that she should not believe what she had heard.

Mother tells that she has heard about Lamb.She has been warned about him. Though they have been living there
since only three months, she knows about Lamb. Mother tells Derry to not to go back to Lamb’s house.

Derry asks his mother why she is afraid. What does she think about Lamb? He is an old man with an artificial
leg. He lives in a big house. His house has a garden. Windows of his house does not have curtains. I want to go
there. I want to sit there, look and listen to things.

Mother asks what does Derry wants to listen to. Derry replies that he wants to listen to singing of bees. He
wants to talk to Lamb. Mother asks what does Lamb talk. Derry replies that Lamb talks about things that are
very important. Nobody has ever talked such things to him. I want to think about those things.

Mother asks Derry to stay at home and do his thinking. It would be best for Derry to stay at home. Derry does
not like to be at home. You cannot change the things you are talking about. I forgive you for talking like that.
Such talks will surely make you feel bad. But you are not responsible for such talks.

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Derry says that those talks are not about his face or how he looks. I do not bother about my look. The looks are
not important. What I think, I feel, I want to see, hear and find out are important. Derry declares that he is going
there. I want to help him pluck apples. To look at and listen to things, I am going.

Mother asks Derry to remain at home. But Derry goes out of the house. He says that if he does not go there
today, he will never be able to go anywhere again. The door is shut loudly. He runs. He is breathing quickly.
And I want the world, I want it, I want it.

(It is Lamb’s garden). [There is sound of branch moving or vibrating, apples are falling down and a sound of
branch movements again come]

Lamb is speaking to himself. He is telling the branch to remain steady. Again more apples fall.

[There is sound of a crash. Ladder falls. Lamb also falls with the ladder. The branch jumps back to its original
position. Again a sharp noise then it is silence. Derry opens the gate. He is still breathing heavily].

Derry shouts for Lamb to listen that he has come back. You said that I would not come but I have come back.
[He stops completely. There is silence]

Derry calls out for Mr Lamb. He runs through the grass. He asks if Mr Lamb is alright. Derry kneels near the
body of Lamb. Derry says that he has come back. Actually Mr. Lamb has died. [Derry starts crying]

Memories of Childhood
I. The Cutting of my Long Hair - Zitkala Sa

Author (Zitkala-Sa) says that the place (boarding school) had so many restrictions. She felt very cold because
there was snow on the ground. Snow on tress had melted. She had some bitter experiences on the very first day.

A large bell started ringing. The bell was installed on the upper floor. Its loud voice of metal came from the
place where bell was installed. The sound was very loud for our soft ears.

There was sound of footsteps on the floor. [Many people were walking] The floor did not have carpet so the
sound was a bit loud. It was a disturbing sound. [Zitkala has been sent to new place to stay]

Many harsh voices were being spoken together. In the background many people were speaking a language not
known to me. [Here ‘me’ refers to Zitkala]. I could not move away from confusion and disturbance created by
these voices. I tried my best to regain my freedom but the struggle was useless.

A white woman who had white hair was walking behind us. We all were asked to walk in a line to the dining
room. All other girls were Indian girls. Their shoes were hard. They were wearing tight fitting clothes.

The small girls were wearing an apron which had long sleeves. Their hairs were cut in the style of boy’s hair.
Zitkala was wearing her moccasins, so her steps were not making any noise. She was feeling ashamed because
her scarf was removed from her shoulders.

I stared at the Indian girls. They were not bothered that their dress of tight fitting clothes looked more indecent
that my dress.. While we marched into the dining room, the boys came from the opposite side door.

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I looked at the three young boys who had come to the dining room. They were standing in the back rows. I
secretly looked at them and noticed that they were also equally uncomfortable. A bell was tapped. Each pupil
pulled a chair from under the table.

I imagined that after pulling the chair everybody would sit in the chair. So I pulled my chair and immediately
sat on it. But when I looked around, I noticed that I was the only person sitting. Everybody else at my table was
still standing.

I started getting up from my chair. I nervously looked at others to understand how chairs were to be used. Then
a second bell rang. Now everybody sat on chairs. Slowly I also got back to my chair and sat.

I heard voice of a man. He was standing at one end of the hall. I turned to look at him. But all other pupils bent
their heads to look at their plates.

When I looked around, I observed that there were many rows of tables. I made an eye contact with a white
woman. Immediately I moved my eyes away from her eyes. I did not understand why an unknown woman was
so carefully watching me.

The man stopped whatever he was whispering. A third bell was sounded. Everyone picked knife and fork and
started eating. But Zitkala started crying because now she did not want to understand or do anything more.

But these rules of eating were not the toughest thing to happen on the first day at the school. Before noon time,
her friend Judewin gave horrible information to Zitkala. Judewin knew some words of English. She had heard
the white woman talking about cutting our long and thick hair.

We had understood from our mothers that sometimes an enemy would capture an unskilled or coward soldier.
Then they would trim hair of the captured soldier. In the community of Zitkala, hair was cut very short when
somebody died in their family. And only cowards had their hair trimmed.

The two friends Zitkala and Judewin talked about their destiny for some time. Then Judewin said they will have
to accept their orders because those people are powerful. I decided to oppose. I said that I would not accept. I
will first make an effort to not to accept.

I waited for an opportunity. When no one was looking at me, I hid myself. My moccasins were already taken
away and I was given shoes to wear. These shoes made sound while I walked. I silently walked up the stair case
as silently as my squeaking shoes allowed.

Then I crossed the hall. I did not know where I was going. I moved towards a door in the hall. Through this
door I entered into a large room. This room had three white beds in it.

Dark green curtains were put on windows of this room. Therefore this room had less light. I felt happy that no
one was in the room. I moved to corner, which had a huge distance from the door.

I crawled on my hands and knees. I went under the bed. I put my hands and legs close to my body and lay under
the bed. From there I was staring outside. I would start trembling because of fear when sounds of footsteps were
close to me.

In the hall many people were calling my name loudly. Judewin was also searching for me. But I did not open
my mouth to answer anyone’s call.

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After sometime it appeared that people were moving quickly. The voices were more anxious. The sounds of
steps and of people started coming nearer to Zitkala. Many women and girls entered the room where Zitkala
was hiding.

Zitkala started breathing slowly. She saw that they opened doors of almira. They looked behind trunks.
Somebody raised the curtains up. The room was suddenly full of light.

They bent down and looked under the bed. I do not why they did so. Zitkala was pulled out. She resisted being
pulled out. She started kicking her legs and started scratching vigorously.

Against my wish, I was carried to the lower floor. I was tightly tied in a chair.

I cried loudly. I was shaking my head while crying. Then I felt blades of scissors on back of neck. I stopped
crying. I heard the sound of scissors. It had slowly cut one of my braids. Then I lost my courage.

I had suffered extreme insults since I moved away from my mother. People started staring at me. [Meaning they
scolded her]. They gave her orders without considering her own desire. [Meaning others were ordering her what
to do and how to behave]

Now my hair was also trimmed just like that of a coward. In my sadness I slowly called my mother. But nobody
came to support me.

My mother used to talk to me peacefully. Only my mother used to talk to me in this fashion. But here not even
one person talked to me without shouting at me. Because I was considered one of many small animals and the
herder used to order.

II. We too are Human beings - Bama

During the days I was studying in third standard, people did not openly talk about untouchability. But I had
already seen it, felt it, experienced it. I was humiliated by untouchability at that age itself.

I was walking back from the school. I had an old bag hanging from my shoulder. It was possible to walk from
school to home in ten minutes. Normally I used to take minimum thirty minutes to reach home.

But I used to take between half an hour to one hour to slowly walk to home. I used to watch all the funny things
and games on the streets. I used to look at every interesting thing new or peculiar in the shops and bazars.

The monkey was jumping and walking according to orders of its master. The snake charmer kept snake in a
box. He displayed it from time to time.

the cyclist who had not got down from his cycle for three days and he was riding the cycle since start of the day,
rupee notes pinned on his shirt by some onlookers motivated him.

The moving wheel; the huge bell in the Maariyaatha temple, the ‘prasaad’ being cooked in front of the temple ;
the shop of dry fish near statue of Gandhi; the shop selling sweets, the shop selling fried snacks and all other
shops adjacent to each other; the street light showing its colour change from blue to violet.

The huntergypsy from narikkuravan community used to have wild lemur in cages. They used to sell needles,
clay beads and instruments to clean ears.
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I can continue telling about things that interested me on my way. Each such thing attracted me to stand there
and I was not able to move any further.

Sometimes people from political parties would make a stage and trouble us by give lengthy speeches through
mikes.

Sometimes there would be street plays or a puppet show. There would also be some performances of real stunt.
These would not happen together but would irregularly occur. However there would always be some
entertainment show on the way to my home.

When these were not occurring, the coffee shops in the bazaar presented an interesting thing. Each waiter
cooled coffee in a peculiar way. He lifted one tumbler high in one hand and poured into another tumbler held
low in another hand.

Some people sat in front of some shops. They would be cutting onion into small pieces. They looked in another
direction otherwise the activity would cause pain in their eyes.

There were some almond trees on the way. Sometimes, due to wind, its fruit would fall down on the earth. All
these scenes tied stopped my legs and prevented me from going home.

According to season stalls would be selling different fruits, vegetables and grains. Every day many people
would be selling sweets, delicious fried snacks and other items.

Looking all these items and stalls, one day I reached the street of my house. My school bag was hung on my
shoulder.

At the other end of the street, a threshing floor had been made. A small piece of rough cloth was spread on a
stone. The landlord was sitting on this stone.

People of our community were doing hard work. They were driving cattle in circles. These cattle were moving
in pairs on the crop (straw). The process was to take out grain from the straw.

Mouth of animals were covered so that they would not eat the straw. I stood there for some time and watched
the process.

Immediately after that, I saw that one elder person was coming from the direction of market. The way he
walked was very funny. I wanted to laugh a lot.

When I saw a grown up person carrying such a small packet in that manner, I wanted to laugh loudly. I guessed
that he was carrying ‘vadai’ or green banana ‘bhaji’ because the paper wrapping had stains of oil.

The paper wrapping had strings attached to it. The man was holding those strings while walking. He was not
touching the package. I thought if the person holds strings in that fashion, the package may open and ‘vadai’
may fall down.

That elder man went to the landlord. He bent low and extended the packet toward landlord. While doing so, he
held the strings with both hands. The landlord opened the packet and started eating ‘vadais’.

After watching this funny incident on the way, finally I reached home. My elder brother was at home. I narrated
the complete funny incident in details.

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I was not able to stop my laughter about the scene. An elderly and also a big man was carrying the parcel in
such a funny manner. But Annan (name of brother) was not happy to listen to my narration.

Annan told me that the man was not acting funny while carrying the package. Annan told me that every other
person believed that they were from upper caste. Therefore they should not touch us.

They thought that if they touched us, they will become dirty. Because of this reason the man was carrying the
package holding it by strings. He was not allowed to touch the package. After listening to this reason, I did not
want to laugh. I felt very sad.

How could anyone think that it was objectionable if any of us touched the package? Vadia were wrapped first in
banana leaf and then wrapped in a paper. How our hand can make it dirty.

I was very upset and angry. I wanted to touch those dirty vadais right now. I thought why do we need to bring
and carry things for those so called upper caste people?

Such an elderly and important person of our community submissively goes to shop to bring snack. He gives
these to landlords with great respect and fear. He has to bow and move back. All this is done for a person who
only sits there and puts these vadais into his mouth.

(The narrator continues to think) The thought about the situation made me very angry. Why these persons were
thinking so high about themselves.

(The narrator continues to think) Because they have earned enough money [They are rich], they cannot lose all
the feelings of being a human.

(The narrator continues to think) We are also human beings. People of our community should not do such minor
jobs for these persons. We should work in their fields. Earn our salary and come back to our home. We should
not do anything beyond that.

My elder brother was studying in a University. He had come home during his holidays. He used to frequently
go to a neighbouing village to borrow books from a library.

One day he was walking along the edge of irrigation tank. He was coming back to home. Some persons of
landlord came to him. Annan was not known to them and one of them asked my brother to tell his name.

Annan told his name. Immediately another man asked where did he live? He asked this question for a specific
reason. If he knew which side of village we lived, he will know our caste. [They wanted to know our caste].

Annan narrated this conversation to me. He told me that we were born in this community. So we are not given
any honour, dignity or respect. All these things are taken away from us.

But if we study and make progress, we can remove these insults from our life. So please study carefully and
learn as much as you can.

If you are always ahead in your studies, people will come to you. They will become your friends. So please
work hard and learn.

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Advice of Annan made a deep impact on me. I studied very hard with all my attention. I was almost fully
devoted to my study. As per strong advice of Annan, I secured first rank in my class. Because of that many
people became my friends.

Creative Writing Skills

Letter to the Editor

The Given Address or Imaginative Address [Name should not be written]

Date (24th October 2024 / 24 October 2024) [The word ‘Date’ should not be written]

The Editor

(Name of the Newspaper)

(City)

Subject: _______________________________________

Respected Sir/ Madam

Through the editorial column of your esteemed Newspaper, I would like to suggest a few points.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________

Yours truly

A Concerned Citizen or The Given Name

Job Application
Sender’s Address [Name should not be written]

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Date (24th October 2024 / 24 October 2024) [The word ‘Date’ should not be written]

The Advertiser (or) Name of the Company

(Address)

Subject: Application for the Post of ______________

Respected Sir/ Madam

I write this letter in response to your advertisement in (Newspaper) dated (date). I possess/ meet all the personal
and professional qualities that you have mentioned for the designation. I am very passionate in the job and will
do my level best. I am available for the interview on the date you have mentioned. We may discuss further
details during the Personal Interview. I have attached my Resume/ CV along with this letter for your
clarifications. Hoping to hear from you. Thank you.

Yours faithfully

(Given name)

Resume/ CV

Name:

Father’s Name:

Address:

Contact no:

Email:

Age:

Gender:

Qualification:

Nationality:

Experience:

(i)Worked in (Company Name) for ___ years.

(ii)Worked in (Company Name) for ___ years.

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I hereby declare that the above given details are true to the best of my knowledge.

Signature

Article Writing
Heading/ Title

By __________

Introductory Paragraph

Explaining and elaborating the ideologies

Conclusive Paragraph

(Note: No sub headings to be used)

Rules and Tips:

Title or Heading must be catchy,

must indicate the central theme.

Introduction Establish the content

Pull reader’s attention
Rhetorical questions can be asked
Give startling facts and statistics or data

Expositions of the topic Give out various aspects of the topic

Merits, demerits, advantages, disadvantages, causes, effects and consequences can be discussed

Winding up Sum of the main ideas

Give your opinions, suggestions, recommendations and criticism

Conclusion Conclude with a hope, warning, an appeal or a call for action

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Report Writing

Heading / Title

By ______ , Class/ Designation

Introductory Paragraph

Explaining and elaborating the ideologies

Conclusive Paragraph with witness accounts

(Note: No sub headings to be used)

Rules and Tips:

A)Event or Function Name of the Event sponsor/ Organizer

Nature of the Event , Occasion
Date, Time and Place
Mentioning the Chief Guest(s)/ Guest of Honour(s)
Main point of the Chief Guest’s message
Event or Program details (On account of what happened Ex: Dance, Music, Prize distribution)
Vote of thanks (Comments on the quality of the program
The Writer’s contribution on participation

B)Accident What happened, When, Where, Why and How

Who were/ What was involved. Ex: People, vehicles
Loss of life and property
Police action, rescue and relief operations
The scene of the accident
Details of casualties – dead, injured, hospitalized
Eye witness accounts
Referencence to the orders(Compensation /grants) of Government for the injured/ killed
Punch a warning, a reminder, a coment on the negligence of the guilty, including Government or a
recommendation on what needs to be done
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____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Notice Writing

Name of the Institution/ Organisation

NOTICE

Date (24th October 2024 / 24 October 2024) [The word ‘Date’ should not be written]

Heading/ Title

This is to inform (whom) about/ regarding ______.

__________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

[For events – Date, Time and Venue is must. Additional information and instructions must
be very clear.]

For further deatails and clarifications, contact the undersigned.

Signature

Name [In Block Letters]

Designation in brackets

101