THE LOST CHILD
- Mulk Raj Aanad
The lost child |
SUMMARY OF THE story
The festival of spring: It was the festival of spring. A fair was held in a village. People were going to the fair. Some walked, some rode on horses, others were sitting in bamboo and bullock carts.
Child's love for a toy: The boy's attention was arrested by the toy in the shops that lined the way. His parents called,"Come, child, come." He hurried towards his parents. The boy pleaded, "I want that toy." His father looked at him red-eyed. Giving him her finger his mother said: "Look, child, what is before you."
Child's love nature: They comein a field. Pale mustard fields were seen all around for miles. The child left the footpath and entered the mustard field. He saw a group of dragons-flies and butterflies. The child followed them in the air. A black bee whinned round his ear, when his mother gave a cautionary call: " Come, child, come; come on the footpath." He ran towards his parents. He saw a number of trees- banana, Jack, jaman, neem, champak, serisha and gulmoher. A shower of young flowers fell upon the child as he entered the grove.
The fair: As they neared the village the child could see many other footpaths full of crowds. People in the pale were heading towards the fair.
(A) Child's desire for barfi: A sweetmeat seller hawked : 'Gulab-jamun, rasgulla, barfi, jialebi'. The child stared open-eyed. His mouth watered for the burfi. It was his favorite sweet. He slowly murmured, "I want that burfi." Knowing the intention of his parents, he moved on without waiting for an answer.
(B) Child's desire for a garland : A flower-seller hawked : "A garland of gulmoher. " The child was drawn by the sweet scent of the flowers heaped in a basket. He half murmured, "I want that garland." Knowing his parents intention, he moved on without waiting for an answer.
(C) Child's desire for balloon : A man stood holding a pole with yellow, red, green and purple balloons flying from it. The child was simply carried away by the rainbow glory of the silken colours. He desired to possess them all. But he well knew his parents. They would never buy him the balloons. They would say he was too old to play with such toys. So he walked on farther.
(D) Child's desire for music : A juggler stood playing a flute to a snake which coiled itself in a basket. The child went to towards the juggler. But knowing his parents would not allow him, he proceeded farther.
(E) Child's desire for a swing : There was a round about in full swing. Men, women and children were going round and round. The child watched them intently. Amaze and overjoyed, he felt that he himself was being carried round. The thought of his parents' eternal danial chilled his hope, but he made a bold request : "I want to go on the round about, please, father, mother."
The child was lost : The child did not get any reply. He turned to look at his parents. They were not there ahead of him. He turned to look on either side. They were not there. He looked behind. There was no sign of them.
The child's search for his parents : The child cried loudly, " Mother, father!" suddenly he run here and there. But his parents were not found. He saw some people on green grass. He ran to the grass. But there was no sign of his father and mother. He ran hotly again to a shrine. People seemed to be a crowding there. It was a very much Congested place. He ran thought people's legs. He cried "Mother, father!" there was a very thick crowd near the gate of the temple. The poor child struggled to finda way between their feet. He might have been trampled underfoot had he not cried at the highest pitch of his voice, "Father, mother!" A man hear his cry. He stopped with a very great difficulty. He lifted him up in his arms. The man took the child out of the crowd. He asked, "How did you get here, child? Whose baby are you?" The child wept more bitterly than ever now. He only cried: "I want my mother, I want my father!"
Behaviour of the lost child :
(A) The man tried to soothe him. He took the child to the round about. The man gently asked, "Will you have lift on the horse?" But the child only shouted : "I want my mother, I want my father.'
(B) The men went to the place where the juggler still played on the flute to the dancing cobra. The man pleaded, "Listen to the nice music, child. "The child shut his ears with his fingers and cried : "I want my mother, I want my father!"
(C) The man took him near the balloons. He persuaded the child to have a rainbow-coloured balloon. The child turned his eyes away and just shobbed: "I want my mother, I want my father."
(D) The man wanted to make the child happy. He took him to the flower seller. He said,"Would you like a garland to put around your neck?" The child turned his nose away and shobbed: "I want my mother, I want my father."
(E) The men took him to the counter of sweet shop. He asked,"What sweets would you like, child?" The child turned his face away. He only shobbed: "I want my mother, I want my father.
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