Abou Ben Adhem Poem Summary in English and Hindi Pdf. Abou Ben Adhem Poem is written by Leigh Hunt.
Abou Ben Adhem Poem Summary in English by Leigh Hunt
Abou Ben Adhem Poem Summary
Abou Ben Adhem Poem About the Poet
Hunt, Leigh (1784-1859) had his education at Christ’s Hospital and began editing The Examiner in 1808 and The Reflector in 1810. He brought out his famous poetical works The Story of Rimini in 1816 and Hero and Leander in 1819. His other well-known poems include “Captain Sword and Captain Pen” and “Abou Ben Adhem”. In addition, he penned considerable prose, edited several journals and developed the light, miscellaneous essays.
Abou Ben Adhem About the Poem
All about the Poem Abou Ben Adhem:
The poem ‘Abou Ben Adhem’ is loaded with religious overtones. It conveys the message that the service of humanity is the best worship. It is through love and care of our fellow human beings that we receive the blessings of God.
‘Abou Ben Adhem’ is a poem with religious overtones and a fervant moral lesson. It conveys the idea that the service of humanity is the true worship of God. It is through love and care of our fellow human beings that we can receive the love of God.
According to history, Abou Bin Adhem, born in 777 AD, was the king of Balkh. He led a noble life according to the principles and teachings of the Holy Quran. He abandoned his throne to save his fellow beings. In fact, not only Islam but every religion teaches love of humanity.
The poem consists of one single incident involving Abou Ben Adhem, a religious person (not to be strictly identified with the king Abou Bin Adhem). One night an angel told the good man that he was writing the names of those who love God. Abou wanted to know if his name was in the list. When he was told that it was not, Abou requested the ajigel to write his name in the list of those persons who love God’s fellow men. The next night he was pleasantly surprised to find his name on the top of the list of men whom God had blessed.
Abou Ben Adhem Poem Theme
I. Love for mankind
The poem ‘Abou Ben Adhem’ brings home the idea that real and true worship of God is to love mankind created by God. Those who love their fellow men are rewarded with God’s love and blessings. Conversely, those who avoid, dislike or hate their fellow human beings are also shunned by God. This is what the poet shows through a small incident in the life of Abou Ben Adhem. Abou found his name at the top of the list of those persons who are blessed by God, even though his name did not figure in the list of those who love God.
II. Love of God
There are many people in this world who go to temples, churches and other religious places and worship God. But many of them have no love or compassion for the poor. They simply avoid or even hate them. They do nothing to please them. They hope that by worshipping God they will be blessed by God. Abou’s story makes it clear that only those who do noble deeds for the welfare of others selflessly out of love receive God’s love and blessings.
Abou Ben Adhem Poem Summary in English
‘Abou Ben Adhem’ is a didactic poem. It gives a moral lesson. It conveys that the love of humanity is the best. Those who love and serve their fellow men receive God’s love and His blessings.
The form of the poem is parable. It narrates a brief incident to bring home the main idea. Once upon a time there lived a man named Abou Ben Adhem. He was a gentle and virtuous person. As he did noble deeds during the day he would enjoy peaceful sleep. One night he woke up from his sleep because of a dazzling light. He saw an angel writing something in a beautiful golden book. He asked the stranger what he was writing. The angel raised his head and replied in a very calm, sweet voice that he was writing the names of those persons who love God.
Abou became curious and wanted to know if his own name was in that list. The angel said that it was not. Abou was a bit taken aback, but did not feel depressed. In a cheerful tone he requested the angel to include his name in the list of those who love their fellow men. The angel wrote his name and disappeared.
The next night the angel appeared again in Abou’s room with a more dazzling light that woke Abou up. He showed up the list of those persons who were blessed by God. Abou’s name topped the list. This reveals that God loves those who love their fellow humans.
Abou Ben Adhem Poem Stanza Wise Explanation
Lines 1-5
The poem narrates an incident in the life of Abou Ben Adhem, a noble, selfless and virtuous person. He was one of those who always thought of the good of others. The narrator wishes that the number of such men may increase. One night he was having a peaceful sleep. He woke up suddenly and saw an angel in the moonlight in his room. The angel looked as beautiful as a lily in bloom. He was writing something in a golden book.
Lines 6-10
Abou was a peace-loving and brave person as he did no wrong. So he was not afraid of the heavenly presence in his room. He took courage and asked him what he was writing. The angel looked up. His look had a calm, soothing effect. In a sweet, gentle tone he said that he was writing the names of those persons who love God.
Lines 11-14
Abou asked the angel if his name was in his list. The angel said that it was not. Abou seemed to be a bit shocked but he was not depressed. In a humble, cheerful tone he requested the angel to write his name in the list of those who love their fellow men.
Lines 15-18
The angel did as he was requested to do. Then he disappeared, but the next night, he again appeared in a more dazzling light. He showed Abou the list of those men who are blessed by God. Strangely but truly, the name of Abou topped the list.
This reveals that love of fellow human beings is the best means to receive the blessings of God. Those who love others are loved by God. Conversely, those who hate others are shunned by God.
Abou Ben Adhem Poem Glossary
Lines 1-5
tribe : class, race; (here) the number of noble persons like Abou
increase : grow
awoke : got up
deep : undisturbed
within : (here) with the circle of moonlight in Abou’s room
like a lily in bloom : the angel compared to a lily in bloom to reveal his freshness and splendour
book of gold : book having golden leaves
Lines 6-10
exceeding peace : perfect calm and peace within that makes one bold
the presence : (here) the angel present in the room
What writest thou ? : What are you writing ?
the vision : the angel
the Lord : God
Lines 11-14
mine : my name
‘Nay, not so’ : No, your name is not among those who love God
more low : more humbly
cheerly : cheerfully
pray : request
thee : you
write me : treat me
Lines 15-18
vanished : disappeared
wakening light : dazzling light
blest : blessed
l0 : behold
led : headed, at the top of
rest : other names
Abou Ben Adhem Poem Critical Appreciation
Title
The title of the poem ‘Abou Ben Adhem’ is apt as the poem deals with Abou Ben Adhem and his virtuous life. There is nothing else in focus. Of course, we are reminded of a historical figure, Abou Bin Adhem, the king of Balkh, who led a pious life according to the teachings of the Holy Quran.
Message
The message of the poem is obvious. We should love humanity. We should cultivate fellow feelings and do everything to serve our fellow human beings. When we do so, God is pleased. God blesses us with His infinite love. Abou Ben Adhem finds his name at the top of the list of those who are blessed by God. It is so because he has done many noble deeds and led a virtuous life.
Inspirational poem
‘Abou Ben Adhem’ is indeed one of the most inspirational poems. Its simplicity is heart¬touching. No sane person can deny the truth it conveys. Even when it is religious in import, it is not strictly a religious poem. What it teaches is not confined to a particular time or region.
Abou Ben Adhem Poem Style and Literary Devices
Fable
‘Abou Ben Adhem’ is a kind of fable. A story is told to convey a moral. In its structure, a fable is simple. It avoids too many figures of speech. Its aim is to touch your heart in such a way that you feel as if no one else but you yourself is advising you on some moral issue.
Literary Devices
Couplet form
Most of the religious poems use couplet form and the rhyme scheme aabb. This is what we find in the poem ‘Abou Ben Adhem’. It is important to remember that Leigh Hunt, as a poet of the Romantic Movement, sheds all traditional restrictions on the couplet form (known as the Heroic Couplet). The poet has used run-on couplets in the poem. In the run-on couplet, the meaning in the first line is carried on to the second line. This pattern is continued throughout the poem. For example :
The angel wrote, and vanished. The next night
It came again with a great wakening light,
And showed the names whom love of God had blest,
And lo! Ben Adhem’s name led all the rest.
Simile
There is only one simile, used to compare the splendour and freshness of the angel to that of ‘the lily in bloom’:
…. and like a lily in bloom,
An angel writing in a book of gold.
Symbols
‘The book of gold’ symbolizes the richness you encounter when you love God. It is the richness of the spirit.
‘Wakening light’ symbolizes a state in which you achieve awareness of God.
A Face in the Dark Story Summary in English and Hindi Pdf. A Face in the Dark is written by Ruskin Bond.
A Face in the Dark Story Summary in English by Ruskin Bond
A Face in the Dark Story Summary
A Face in the Dark About the Author
Ruskin Bond was born in Kasauli (H.P.) on 19th May, 1934. He was born in a military hospital as his father worked in the Royal Air Force from 1939 to 1944. When Bond was eight years old, his mother separated from his father and married a Punjabi Hindu, Hari.
Bond spent his early childhood in Jamnagar (Gujarat) and Shimla. At the age of ten, Ruskin went to live at his grandmother’s house in Dehradun after his father’s death that year from jaundice.’ Ruskin was raised by his mother and stepfather. He did his schooling from Bishop Cotton School in Shimla, from where he graduated in 1950 after winning several writing competitions in the school including the Irwin Divinity Prize and the Hailey Literature Prize. He wrote one of his first short stories, “Untouchable”, at the age of sixteen in 1951.
Most of his works are influenced by life in the hill stations at the foothills of the Himalayas, where he spent his childhood. His first novel, The Room on the Roof, was written when he was 17 and published when he was 21. It was partly based on his experiences at Dehradun, in his small rented room on the roof, and his friends. His earlier works were written without being meant for any particular readership.
His first children’s book, The Angry River in the 1970s (second being The Blue Umbrella), had its writing toned down on a publisher’s request for a children’s story. On writing for children, he said, “I had a pretty lonely childhood and it helps me to understand a child better.” Bond’s work reflects his Anglo-Indian experiences and the changing political, social and cultural aspects of India.
A Face in the Dark About the Story
All about the Story A Face in the Dark:
The Story ‘A Face in the Dark’ is set in a pine forest outside Simla (now Shimla). It revolves around Mr Oliver, an Anglo-Indian teacher. The writer makes the supernatural look natural by his artistic skill. Mr Oliver has a strange experience while passing through a pine forest at night.
The story ‘A Face in the Dark’ revolves around an Anglo-Indian teacher named Mr Oliver. It is set in a pine forest outside Simla (now Shimla), a famous hill resort of Himachal Pradesh. Mr Oliver was returning to his school, late one night, on the outskirts of the hill-station of Simla. The Simla Bazaar was about three miles from his school. He took a shortcut and was returning through the pine forest. He carried a torch with him. There he saw the figure of a boy in the light of the torch.
He found him sitting alone on a rock. He stopped there. He went closer to the boy in order to recognize him and said, “What are you doing out here, boy ?” The boy appeared to be crying. His head hung down and he held his face in his hands and his body shook convulsively. It was a strange soundless weeping. Mr Oliver felt uneasy. He asked the boy to tell him his trouble and look up. The boy looked up and took his hands from his face and looked up at his teacher. The light from Mr Oliver’s torch fell on the boy’s face. It had no eyes, ears, nose or mouth. It was just a round smooth head – with a school cap on top of it !
He got frightened and the torch fell from his trembling hand. He turned and ran towards the school building and called for help. He stumbled up to the watchman gasping for breath. He told the watchman that he had seen something horrible – a boy weeping in the forest, and he had no face. He had no eyes, nose, mouth – nothing. The watchman raised the lamp to his own face. The watchman had no eyes, no ears, no features at all – not even an eyebrow. And that’s when the wind blew the lamp out.
It is a supernatural story and Ruskin Bond makes the supernatural look natural.
Mr Oliver may have fancied that the boy has no eyes, ears, nose or mouth. He gets frightened and runs towards the school building. His mind is gripped with fear when he sees the watchman. The watchmen has no eyes, no ears, no features at all – not even an eyebrow. All this makes the story mysterious, supernatural and strange.
A Face in the Dark Summary in English
Mr Oliver, a teacher in a school
The story ‘A Face in the Dark’, that revolves around an Anglo-Indian teacher named Mr Oliver, contains elements of mystery, strangeness and supernaturalism. Mr Oliver was returning to his school late one night, on the outskirts of the hill-station of Simla. He had been teaching in a school in Simla that had been run on English Public School lines. The Simla Bazaar, with its cinemas and restaurants, was about three miles from his school. Mr Oliver, a bachelor, usually strolled into the town in the evening. He would return after dark and take a shortcut through the pine forest.
A boy sitting on the rock
When there was a strong wind, the pine trees made sad, eerie sounds that kept most people to the main road. But Mr Oliver was not a nervous or imaginative man. He was moving down the narrow forest path. He carried a torch and its gleam – the batteries were running down – moved fitfully down the.path. There he saw the figure of a boy in the light of the torch. He found him sitting alone on a rock. He stopped there. He thought that boys were not supposed to be out after dark.
Mr Oliver approaches the child
Mr Oliver moved closer to the figure in order to recognize the miscreant and said, “What are you doing out here, boy ?” He sensed that something was wrong. The boy appeared to be crying. His head hung down and he held his face in his hands and his body shook convulsively. It was a strange, soundless weeping, and Mr Oliver felt uneasy. “Well, what’s the matter ?” he asked, his anger giving way to concern, ‘What are you crying for ?” The boy neither answered nor looked up, but continued sobbing.
He told the boy that he should not be out there at that time. He said, “Tell me the trouble. Look up.” The boy looked up. He took his hands from his face and looked up at the teacher. The light from Mr Oliver’s torch fell on the boy’s face – if you could call it a face. It had no eyes, ears, nose or mouth. It was just a round, smooth head – with a school cap on top of it!
A boy without face
The torch fell from his trembling hand. He turned and scrambled down the path, running blindly through the trees and calling for help. He was still running towards the school building when he saw a lantern swinging in the middle of the path. Mr Oliver stumbled up to the watchman gasping for breath. “What is it, Sahib ?” asked the watchman. “Has there been an accident ? Why are you running ?”
“I saw something – something horrible – a boy weeping in the forest – and he had no face !”
“No face, Sahib ?”
“No eyes, nose, mouth – nothing !”
“Do you mean it was like this, Sahib ?” asked the watchman, and raised the lamp to his own face, The watchman had no eyes, no ears, no features at all – not even an eyebrow ! And that’s when the wind blew the lamp out.
A Face in the Dark Word Notes and Explanations
outskirts : parts of the town away from the centre
strolled : walked in a relaxed manner
eerie : strange, mysterious, frightening
nervous : anxious about something
miscreant : a person who has done something wrong
distinctly : clearly
scrambled : moved quickly
stumbled : tripped
gasping : breathing in a fast way
horrible : terrible
A Face in the Dark Theme
The story ‘A Face in the Dark’ contains elements of mystery, strangeness and supernaturalism. But the writer makes the supernatural look natural by his artistic skill. It is set in the pine forest outside Simla, a hill resort of Himachal Pradesh. It revolves around an Anglo-Indian teacher named Mr Oliver.
Mr Oliver has a strange experience while he is passing through a pine forest at night. He sees the figure of a boy in the light of a torch. He stops because he thinks that boys are not supposed to be out after dark. He moves closer to the figure in order to recognize him. The boy appears to be crying. It is a strange soundless weeping. Mr Oliver feels uneasy. He becomes tense and gets upset. He asks him why he is crying. The boy neither answers nor looks up.
Mr Oliver again asks him to look up. When he looks up, Mr Oliver sees that the boy has no eyes, ears, nose or mouth. It is just a round, smooth head – with a school cap on top of it. He gets frightened and runs towards the school building. His mind is gripped with fear. Everything there appears to be strange, mysterious and supernatural. Mr Oliver stumbles up to the watchman gasping for breath. He is frightened when he finds that the watchman has also no eyes, no ears, no features at all – not even an eyebrow. All this makes the story mysterious, strange and supernatural. But Ruskin Bond’s supernatural is neither frightening nor horrifying.
A Face in the Dark Title
The title of the story ‘A Face in the Dark’ is apt because the story revolves around Mr Oliver and the face of the boy in the dark. Mr Oliver has a strange experience while he is passing through a pine forest at night. He sees the figure of a boy sitting alone on a rock. He goes closer to recognize the face of the boy.
The boy appears to be crying. Mr Oliver asks him to look up. When he looks up, Mr Oliver is surprised to find that it has no eyes, ears, nose or mouth. It is just a round, smooth head – with a school cap on top of it. He gets frightened and the torch falls from his trembling hand. He runs towards the school building and cries for help. He is gripped with fear. So it is the face of the boy in the dark that frightens Mr Oliver. So the title ‘A Face in the Dark’ is very apt.
A Face in the Dark Message
In this story ‘A Face in the Dark’, the writer creates an atmosphere of mystery, strangeness and supematuralism. But the writer makes the supernatural look natural by his artistic skill. The story is set in a pine forest outside Simla. Mr Oliver, an Anglo-Indian teacher, dares to walk through the pine forest on his way back to the school after an evening at Simla Bazaar. He carries a torch with him. While walking through the narrow forest path, he comes across a weeping boy who lifts his face which is not a face but a flat something without eyes, nose or mouth.
He gets frightened and the torch falls from his hand. He turns and runs towards the school building. He cries for help. He stumbles up to the watchman gasping for breath. He tells the watchman that he has seen something horrible — a boy weeping in the forest, and he has no face. He has no eyes, no ears, no features at all. He is gripped with fear when he finds that the watchman has no eyes, no ears, no features at all — not even an eyebrow. All this makes the atmosphere supernatural.
The addition of the words, like ‘sad, eerie sounds’, ‘shook convulsively’, ‘reached with silent sobbing’ creates a strange and supernatural atmosphere.
A Face in the Dark Character Sketch
MR OLIVER
an Anglo-Indian teacher near Simla
a bachelor
takes a shortcut through the pine forest
carries a torch with him
gets frightened
fancies that the boy has no eyes, ears, nose or mouth
gripped with fear
torch falls from his trembling hand
strange and mysterious atmosphere makes him tense
perhaps perhaps fancies that the watchman has no eyes, no ears, no features at all
Mr Oliver is an Anglo-Indian teacher in a school near Simla. He has been teaching in the school for several years. He is a bachelor and usually strolls in the Simla Bazaar in the evening. While returning after dark, he takes a shortcut through the pine forest. He carries a torch with him.
He gets frightened when he sees a boy sitting on a rock in the narrow forest path. The boy has no eyes, ears, nose or mouth. It’s just a round smooth head with a school cap on top of it. His mind is gripped with fear. The torch falls from his trembling hand and he runs towards the school building. He cries for help.
This strange and mysterious experience in the forest makes him tense. He is puzzled and stumbles up to the watchman. He is gripped with fear. He is horried to see that the watchman has also no eyes, no ears, no features at all – not even an eyebrow. The wind blows the lamp out in his hand. We wonder if what he sees is real or imaginary.
A Face in the Dark Critical Appreciation
Supematuralism
The story ‘A Face in the Dark’ contains elements of mystery, strangeness and supernaturalism. The story is set in a pine forest outside Simla, a hill resort of Himachal Pradesh.
Mr Oliver, an Anglo-Indian teacher, walks through the pine forest on his way back to school after an evening at Simla Bazaar. While walking through the forest path, he comes across a weeping boy who lifts his face which is not a face but a flat something without eyes, nose or mouth. He gets frightened and the torch falls from his hand. He turns and runs towards the school building. He stumbles up to the watchman and tells him that he saw something horrible – a boy weeping in the forest and he had no face. He is gripped with fear when he finds that the watchman has no eyes, no ears, no features at all – not even an eyebrow. All this makes the story supernatural.
Atmosphere of Strangeness
In order to create an atmosphere of strangeness, the writer uses the most appropriate and suggestive words in the story. The words in the line ‘when there was a strong wind, the pine trees made sad, eerie sounds that kept most people to the main road,’ create an atmosphere of strangeness. The boy sitting alone on a rock in the forest at night looks strange and mysterious. The description ‘It [the figure of a boy] had no eyes, ears, nose or mouth. It was just a round smooth head – with a school cap on top of it,’ creates a strange, frightening, mysterious and supernatural atmosphere.
A Horse and Two Goats Story Summary in English and Hindi Pdf. A Horse and Two Goats is written by R.K. Narayan.
A Horse and Two Goats Story Summary in English by R.K. Narayan
A Horse and Two Goats Story Summary
A Horse and Two Goats About the Author
R.K. Narayan was born in a working class south Indian family in Chennai in 1906. Since his father, who was a school headmaster, used to be frequently transferred from one place to another, R.K. Narayan spent most of his childhood under the loving care of his grandmother, Parvati. It was his grandmother who taught him arithmetic, mythology and Sanskrit. He also attended many different schools in Chennai like Lutheran Mission School, Christian College High School, etc. He was interested in English literature since he was very young. His reading habit further developed when he moved to Mysore with his family and there his father’s school library offered him gems of writings from authors like Dickens, Thomas Hardy, Wodehouse, etc.
After getting married in 1933, Narayan became a reporter for a newspaper called The Justice and in the meantime, he sent the manuscript of Swami and Friends to his friend at Oxford who in turn showed it to Graham Greene. Greene got the book published. His second novel The Bachelor of Arts was published in 1937. It was based on his experiences at college. This book was again published by Graham Greene who by now started counselling Narayan on how to write and what to write about to target the English speaking audience. In 1938, Narayan wrote his third novel called The Dark Room which dealt with the subject of emotional abuse within a marriage and it was warmly received, both by readers and critics. During the 1980s Narayan wrote prolifically. He is best known for his novels such as Mr Sampath (1949), The Financial Expert (1952), The Guide (1958) for which he received the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1961, and The Man-eater of Malgudi (1961), and the stories, ‘Malgudi Days’ (1982).
A Horse and Two Goats About the Story
All about the Story A Horse and Two Goats:
The story is about misunderstanding between an Indian named Muni and an American businessman. The foreigner with his English is baffled by the incomprehensible behaviour of Muni while Muni is equally mystified by the American’s strange words and antics. The author makes the story amusing and humorous in many ways.
The story ‘A Horse and Two Goats’ deals with the misunderstanding that takes place between an Indian named Muni and an American businessman. Muni, an old man, lives with his wife in poverty. The couple lives in a small south Indian village. Muni has taken his goats to the usual spot which is a few miles away. He is sitting around a statue of a horse made of weather-beaten clay. As Muni watches the trucks and buses, a yellow station wagon comes and stops there. A red-faced American man dressed in khaki clothing comes out and asks Muni about the nearest gas station in English. There he notices the statue which he finds ‘marvellous’. Muni does not understand English. He thinks that the man in khaki must be a policeman or a soldier. He is scared of him.
The American gives him a card but Muni thinks that it is a warrant of some kind. Muni gives a long explanation of his innocence of whatever the crime he is investigating. The American asks questions about the statue which he would like to buy. Muni gives some information about the statue in Tamil language. Though the American does not understand Tamil, he enjoys every word that Muni utters. Muni interprets the statue “This is our guardian At the end of Kali Yuga, this world and all other worlds will be destroyed, and the Redeemer will come in the shape of a horse.” The American says, “I assure you this will have the best home in the U.S.A. and I don’t see how that can interfere with the party – we’ll stand around him and have our drinks.”
Finally the American pushes one hundred rupees into Muni’s hands and considers that he has bought the statue as he thinks that Muni is the owner of the statue. Muni thinks that he has bought his goats. Muni goes home to give the money to his wife while the American flags down a truck, gets help to break the horse off his pedestal, and drives away with his purchase. Muni’s wife does not believe his story. Her suspicion is confirmed when the goats find their way home. She shouts at him and says, “If you have thieved, the police will come tonight and break your bones. Don’t involve me. I will go away to my parents….”
A Horse and Two Goats Summary in English
Life in Kritam
The story ‘A Horse and Two Goats’ revolves around a poor protagonist named Muni who lives in a tiny south Indian village named Kritam. There are about thirty houses in the village and only one called the Big House is made of bricks. The others, including Muni’s, are made of bamboo thatch, straw and mud, etc. There is no running water and no electricity.
Muni’s wife cooks their typical breakfast of ‘a handful of millet flour’ over a fire in mud pot. On this day, Muni has shaken down six drumsticks from drumstick tree growing in front of his house, and he asks his wife to prepare them for him in a sauce. She agrees, provided he can get the other ingredients, none of which they have in the house – rice, dhal (lentils), spices, oil and a potato.
Muni’s poverty
Muni and his wife lead a poor life. But they have not always been poor. There was a time when he had a flock of forty sheep and goats. But life has not been kind to him and his animals. Years of drought, a great famine and an epidemic ruined Muni’s flock. Since he belonged to the lowest of India’s castes, he was never allowed to go to school or learn a trade. At present he is left with two goats. Muni and his wife have no children. Their only income is from the odd jobs his wife does at the Big House.
Muni has exhausted his credit at every shop. Now when he goes to get the items his wife requires to cook the drumsticks, he is insulted and sent away. There is no other food in the house. Muni’s wife asks him to go away with goats and fast today. Muni takes the goats to the usual spot which is a few miles away. It is a grassy spot near the highway. There he sits in the shade of a life-size statue of a horse and a warrior and watches trucks and buses go by. The statue is made of weather-beaten clay and has stood in the same spot for more than seventy years.
Arrival of an American
As Muni watches the trucks and buses, a yellow station wagon comes down the road and pulls over. A red-faced American man dressed in khaki clothing comes out and asks Muni about the nearest gas station. There he notices the statue which he finds ‘marvellous’. Muni wants to run away as he thinks that this foreigner in khaki must be a policeman or a soldier. But Muni is too old to run away. The two begin to converse with each other. Both don’t understand each other’s language. The American says “Namaste ! How do you do ?” Muni responds with the only English words he knows : “Yes, no.”
Muni’s apprehensions about the American
The American is a businessman from New York city. He lights a cigarette and offers one to Muni. He offers Muni his business card, but Muni gets scared as he thinks that it is a warrant of some kind. Muni gives a long explanation of his innocence of whatever crime the man is investigating. The American asks questions about the horse statue which he would like to buy. While talking to Muni, he narrates a bad day at work when he had to work for four hours without elevators and electricity. He is unaware that Muni has to live this kind of life everyday. By now the American is convinced that Muni is the owner of the statue which he is determined to buy.
Muni’s interpretation of the statue
Muni gives some information about the statue to the American that he had from his father and grandfather. “I get a kick out of every word you utter,” the American says. Though he does not understand Muni’s language, he enjoys the words. Muni reminisces his impoverished childhood days, the American laughs heartily.
Muni interprets the statue : “This is our guardian….. At the end of Kali Yuga, this world and all other worlds will be destroyed, and the Redeemer will come in the shape of a horse.” The American says, “I assure you this will have the best home in U.S.A. I’ll push away the bookcase – The TV may have to be shifted – I don’t see how that can interfere with the party – we’ll stand around him and have our drinks.” It is clear that even if the two had understood each other’s words, they would not have understood each other’s worlds.
The American gesture and the confusion
Finally, the American pushes one hundred rupees into Muni’s hand. This money is twenty times more than Muni’s debt with the shopkeeper. The American considers that he has bought the horse, and Muni believes that he has just sold his goats. Muni goes home to give the money to his wife, while the American flags down a truck, gets help to break the horse off his pedestal, and drives away with his purchase. Muni’s wife does not believe his story. Her suspicion is confirmed when the goats find their way home. At the end of the story Muni’s wife shrieks and says, “If you have thieved, the police will come tonight and break your bones. Don’t involve me. I will go away to my parents ……”
A Horse and Two Goats Word Notes and Explanations
gorgeous – lovely
faggots – a bunch of sticks tied together
drumstick – type of horseradish
craving – a strong desire
itinerant – travelling from place to place
displaying – showing
parched – very dry
irritate – annoy
scrub – clean
gawky – awkward way
pestilence – infectious disease
scraggy – thin
barren – infertile
bullied – insulted / frightened
moulded – shaped
assortment – a collection of different things
puzzled – confused
flourished – succeeded/ developed
gushed – poured/flowed
mutilated – damaged
speculation – guess
deliberation – discussion
oration – lectures
propelled – moved/pushed
abandoned – left
antiquity – ancient past
demonstrative – showing feelings openly
faded – became less bright
discourses – lectures
inevitable – unavoidable
trampled – stepped heavily on something
mounds – piles
investigation – examination
progeny – a person’s children
appropriate – suitable
gestures – movements with hands or head to indicate something
peered – looked closely
ruminated – pondered
snatched – grabbed
wriggled – twisted
A Horse and Two Goats Theme
R.K. Narayan presents a clash between Indian and Western Culture in his story ‘A Horse and Two Goats’. Muni, the poor south Indian protagonist represents the Indian culture while
the American businessman represents the American culture. Muni is a poor, uneducated Hindu while the American is a wealthy, educated American. As a good Hindu, Muni calmly accepts his fate, while the American endeavours to change his life. Each man is ignorant of the other’s way of life.
Muni speaks Tamil, while the American businessman speaks English. The two are unable to communicate with each other. Muni speaks about his own life, while the American speaks about his own life. It leads to confusion. At the end of their encounter each man has what he wants, and neither has lost anything of value.
Both Muni and the American businessman differ in their respective level of wealth. Muni is poor and lives in a house made of bamboo thatch, straw and mud, etc., while the American businessman is rich and lives in a comfortable house.
Muni does not have formal education because he belongs to the lower caste. He has not travelled beyond his village and he likes to watch trucks and buses go by on the highway in order to have a sense of belonging to a larger world. But he has a lot of knowledge of the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. He gained it by listening to speakers at the temple. The American, on the other hand, has received education. He possesses a large number of books. Thus both have different ways of looking at things. Whereas Muni tries to tell him the significance of the horse statue, the American regards it only as a living room decoration.
Thus both have different attitudes towards life and things. Hence the writer shows the difference between the two cultures.
A Horse and Two Goats Title
The title of the story ‘A Horse and Two Goats’ is very apt and it suits the story as the whole story revolves around the statue of a horse and Muni’s two goats. Muni grazes his goats at a grassy spot near the highway. There stands a statue of a horse and a warrior. A red-faced American takes a fancy to the statue of the horse and wants to buy it. He believes that Muni is the owner of the statue. So he talks to Muni about the statue in English. But Muni does not understand English. He speaks to him in Tamil. Both are unintelligible to each other. The American gives hundred rupees to Muni and thinks that he has bought the statue. But Muni thinks that he has bought his goats. So the story which revolves around the horse and the goats is actually about the misunderstanding between Muni and the American businessman.
A Horse and Two Goats Message
In this story ‘A Horse and Two Goats’, the author conveys a message that each individual should follow his own culture. He should not imitate other’s culture blindly. In the story Muni, the poor south Indian Hindu, follows his own Indian culture while the American businessman follows his own. The author, no doubt, presents a clash between the Indian and American culture, but does not want Muni and the American businessman to imitate each other’s culture.
As a good Hindu, Muni calmly accepts his fate, while the American endeavours to change his life. Each man is ignorant of the other’s way of life. Muni speaks Tamil, while the American businessman speaks English. The two are unable to communicate with each other. Muni speaks about his own life while the American speaks about his own life. It leads to confusion. At the end of their encounter, each man has what he wants, and neither has anything of value. Both Muni and the American businessman differ in their respective level of wealth. Muni does not have a formal education and has not travelled beyond his village. But he has a lot of knowledge of the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. The American, on the other hand, has received education, and possesses a large number of books. But both have different ways of looking at things. Neither Muni nor the American businessman tries to imitate the other.
A Horse and Two Goats Character Sketch
1. MUNI
poor old man
protagonist of the story
lives in a house made of bamboo thatch
lives with his wife, no children
no formal education, belongs to low caste
confronts an American businessman
scared of him
considers him a policeman or a soldier
speaks Tamil, unintelligible to the American businessman
possesses a lot of knowledge about the Ramayana and the Mahabharata
his financial troubles are over at the end
Muni who lives in a tiny south Indian village is a poor old man. He being the protagonist of the story plays a major role in the story. He lives in a house made of bamboo thatch, straw and mud. Once he was a prosperous man and had a flock of forty sheep and goats. But years of drought, a great famine and an epidemic have ruined his flock. He is left with only two goats. He and his wife have almost no income and no children to look after them.
Muni has no formal education. He could not go to school because he belonged to lower caste. He is ignorant and lacks confidence. When the American gives him a card, he gets scared as he thinks that it is a warrant of some kind. Muni gives a long explanation of his innocence of whatever crime the man is investigating. When the man tries to talk to him about the statue of the horse in English, he babbles on about the recent murder and the end of the worlds.
He speaks in Tamil and so is unintelligible to the American. The American speaks in English and so he is unintelligible to him. But both converse with each other. It leads to confusion. But at the end of the encounter, each man gets what he wants and neither has lost anything of value.
Though Muni has no formal education, he has a lot of knowledge of the Ramayana and Mahabharata. He gains it by listening to the speaker at the temple.
At the end, it appears that his financial troubles are over because he has received hundred rupees from the American, but his bad luck continues when his wife suspects him of thieving and threatens to leave and go away to her parents.
2. THE AMERICAN
The American businessman dressed in khaki
confronts Muni, speaks English
represents American culture
buys the statue of a horse
gives hundred rupees to Muni
The American, a businessman from New York city, represents American culture. He is dressed in khaki clothing worn by American tourists. He comes in a yellow station wagon and meets Muni near the statue. He asks about the nearest gas station. He is a typical American who speaks only English, but is surprised to find that Muni can speak only Tamil.
Once he sees the statue of the horse he likes it so much that he decides to buy it for his living room. Though he can’t speak Tamil, he knows that money talks. He gives hundred rupees to Muni and considers that he has bought the statue. Muni believes that he has sold his goats.
3. MUNI’S WIFE
Muni’s wife leads a poor life
does odd jobs to make a living
poverty has worn her down
honest wife
accuses Muni of stealing, gets angry, threatens to leave her husband
Muni’s old wife who lives with her poor husband leads a poor life. She has lived with Muni through prosperity and poverty. She does odd jobs at the Big House to earn her livelihood. Poverty has worn her down. She is a typical Indian wife who is ready to cook what her husband wants to eat.
She is an honest woman. She reacts in an angry way when Muni gives her hundred rupees. She accuses Muni of stealing and threatens, “If you have thieved, the police will come tonight and break your bones. Don’t involve me. I will go away to my parents.” This reflects her candidness and determination.
A Horse and Two Goats Critical Appreciation
Third Person Narrative
The story ‘A Horse and Two Goats’ is told in the third person by the omniscient author. The author describes the details of his characters, their words, actions and manners. But he refrains from giving judgement. He describes the conversation between Muni and his wife or Muni and the shopman in an objective manner. He presents two believable characters with human flaws. There is a conflict between the two characters due to their different cultures. The readers feel sympathy and compassion for both the characters.
Realism
The story is important for its realism, its simple and accurate presentation of everyday life as it is lived by the characters. The author gives details of Muni’s life as to where he lives, what he eats, where he goes to graze his goats, how he coughs when he smokes his first cigarette. He gives details about the drumstick tree and the dhoti where Muni puts his hundred rupees in a realistic manner. The task done by Muni’s wife in the kitchen is realistically portrayed. “His wife lit the domestic fire at dawn, boiled water in a mud pot, threw into it a handful of millet flour, added salt and gave him his first nourishment for the day.”
Humour
The story ‘A Horse and Two Goats’ is replete with elements of humour. Its humour is affable and polite. The author believes that the weaknesses and foibles of the characters are to be accepted and not railed against. The author has artistically created the comic characters of Muni and the American and he laughs at them in a gentle and kind manner. His humour neither pricks nor annoys the readers. In fact, his humour is genial and friendly.
