Md. Nomaan Sarkar

(Translate by Rabab Alam)

Once there lived a rabbit . He was the friend of every animal in the jungle where he used to live. He always used help everyone. One night a huge storm passed over the jungle. Next day after the storm ended rabbit went to see the condition of the jungle. While roaming around the jungle , he saw a gigantic hole. The hole was filled with water.He took a closer look.He was surprised to see that the water was purple! He never saw anything such like this before. He said mumbling, it’s really strange. He started to have an urge to touch the water and see. Just as he touched the water, he noticed his hand has turned purple. He was petrified. He tried to remove the color with his other hand and feet. But the more he tried, it seems more the color spread towards his body until he became totally purple. As he kept attempting to remove the color he didn’t realize he has stepped inside the hole. Then he saw he was right in the middle of the hole.

Within morning the news had been spread. All the animal in the jungle came to see him. He explained everyone how he got stuck here. Hearing that all of them took few steps away from him.Everybody got frantic to see him. No one came near. He kept asking for help.

But nothing worked, no one came forward to help. As if everyone is stranger to him.

Rabbit said to elephant, “You can save me with your trunk, can’t you?” Elephant replied with a mild smile, “Look if my trunk gets colored then the animals in the jungle will throw me out of the society. Do you want that?”

Rabbit said, “Have I not came in any help of yours? I’ll die if I’m unable to come out of here! Please someone step ahead.”

Elephant said, “Rabbit don’t mind. Every one of us will die. So dying is easier but for surviving in society ,we can’t do whatever we want.”

Rabbit replied in a downcast voice, “What are you saying?” Looking at others rabbit said, “Is there anyone who can save me? If I stay here, like this then I’ll die. Am I not your friend?”

Everyone only heard his words. And they spent the time talking within each other. But none came ahead. Then one by one all left. Like nothing happened anywhere. Rabbit stared at everyone leaving one by one.He felt like a forlorn.

Morning faded into noon. Noon also started to fade. And fear nestled in rabbit’s mind.

In came hyena’s group. They laughed and said, “We can save you, a bit of color is the matter, isn’t it? We don’t have the worries about society. Let us be colored as much as it is. Give your hand. Come on give your hand let’s see.”

Rabbit said, “You all will save for sure but you all will devour me as you’ll save me. It’s better to stay here instead.”

The eldest.. hyena said, “Ghosts will devour you at night. Ghosts comes here at night; do you know that?”

Rabbit replied in a sorrowful tone, “You are worse than those ghosts! Go away you all; go away.”

Again that cruel laughter. A group of hyena started to circle the surroundings. Rabbit stared how the surrounding becomes difficult during danger. He is getting scared, it’s like real fear.`Yummy yummy smell of fear!’

After staying for a long time the group of hyena left. In came fox. The afternoon light was starting to flee away. Fox with a polite voice said, “Oh my, what you are in such sorrow. I can’t tolerate it. I’m feeling very sad for you. No one came forward, albeit you have done so much for the animals of the jungle. I just got the news. Look at me? I came running.”

Seems like rabbit soften at his words. He extended one of his violet hand. Fox himself also extended his hand slightly for sure. But he didn’t grab the hand. Fox said in a polite tone, “My friend, I’ve a bad reputation in this jungle, if I save you, in that case you have to do a work in my favor. Won’t you? Don’t be so surprised, I won’t ask too much from my friend.”

Rabbit stared at fox with stunned look.

Fox was still keeping up his talking, “I’ve great bad reputation. From now on you have to praise about me. I usually do wrong works and make mistakes, you have to cover them up. What? Can’t you do this much for me?”

Rabbit replied with astonishment, “What if I don’t do it? If I don’t promise that, then you will not save me. Isn’t it?”

Fox said with a calm tone, “Have I said that? I’m only asking for a promise from my friend. If you stay here you will die, rather than that it is a usual matter. Isn’t it, pal? Isn’t it?”

Rabbit remained silent. As rabbit wasn’t saying anything for a long time, fox said, “Look when someone falls in danger at that time in this he has nothing but his life. That means whatever you have is now yours and mine. But what is mine is mine, not yours. Friend are you understanding what I’m saying?”

Rabbit replied, “Mischievous friend always increase danger. You go away.”

Fox tried to make him understand. But rabbit didn’t talk to him anymore. At last fox went away with a sad mood. Before going he said, “Friend it would have been if you had a bigger heart.”

Afternoon was fading and turning into dusk. Right at that time rabbit saw that a monkey and a group of ant quarreling were coming this way. What an argument! As if no one going to spare each other.

At one-point rabbit ceased their argument by scolding. Being scolded everyone became quiet. Then seeing the violet colored rabbit, the queen ant became very surprised and said, “Who are you, son?”

As rabbit told everything, monkey and the group of ant said in chorus, “You are that rabbit friend of ours. And no one came to help you.” “Wait a bit, wait a bit” the monkey said as he went right, the group of ant went left. For a long time, there was no sound. On the other the darkness came in all of a sudden and swallowed the place in darkness. It was so much dark that rabbit couldn’t even see himself. Sudden in dark rabbit realized something was pouring one by one on him. It isn’t snake, is it? Rabbit tried to jump. And at that moment from the right monkey and from left group of ant screamed, “Catch, catch the rope, catch.”

Rabbit understood one from right and from left one after one vine ropes are falling on him. As he grabbed the rope two team from two side started to pull him. He came out of the water in darkness. Rabbit being beyond happy thanked the creator. At that time he remembered, alas what have he done! Now the monkey and the ants will turn violet. But for darkness no one can see that. Alas, alas what have he done! He hadn’t told any of them about the story of being violet. He told about it in high pitch tone. Then the monkey and group of ant gave him solace by repeatedly saying, “We have heard a lot about you helping others. Think about that can’t we do this small thing. It’s the least we could do. If our body color changes then let it be, we are able to save that’s the main thing and we are happy with it.”

Next day at dawn when rabbit woke up he saw that monkey and the group of ant were sleeping. But their body color didn’t change. It didn’t turn to violet. He started to scream with joy. With that monkey and ants woke up. Then rabbit started to scream, “You all are my friend, you all are my friend.” And hearing that everyone started to cheer and started to dance.

MD.Nomaan Sarker

(Translated by Rabab Alam)

Megha told Mini, “Go out of my room; I’m studying.” Mini either didn’t heard or pretend not to hear as she always does .She laid a bit away from her reading table.

Megha shouted and said, “Do not disturb me. Go I said.” She raised her pencil and pointed the way to the door.

 Mini protested by yowling and left the room. She went towards the kitchen. Mother gestured with her finger that not to come here.

Ah, where would she go? Mini asked herself. The mischievous boy of this house Robin is always at her hunt. Today morning he brought a dangerous brown bushy dog. Since then she can not go out. The dog is tied near the gate. Once it saw her and ran towards her in an attacking stance. The dog is more dangerous than Robin. It will devour her any moment if it gets her. Robin hurts her by throwing up stuffs. But the dog won’t leave her alone. There is no other way to get out.

She can’t go to this room; she can’t go to that room. Robin’s room is not even a option! Robin keeps watching TV all day long in the living room. Only the time he stays at school, the house seems like heaven. When he stays at home it’s just the opposite.

Human beings just don’t understand the matter that animals also has feelings. Sometimes they seem very close. Fondle while embracing unremittingly. Sometimes completely different behavior. Completely opposite, as if she has done a crime. Albeit the food they give; she doesn’t steal any food rather than that.

There are three house beside, she goes there for stealing. She doesn’t steal from this house. But no one sees that!

The door of father’s room is open. It is dark inside. She entered the room slowly. No, dad is not here. She looked around her properly. And then she saw a stranger was sitting under the bed.

The boy was around Robin’s age sitting under the bed. Mini freaked out. Her heart is saying, this boy is not someone of the house.

Danger might prevail. She gazed around her. A steel jug always stays on dad’s table in this room. She screamed out loud and pounced on the jug causing it to fall. She has no other way to alert others rather than this. As the jug fell the person under the bed freaked and bumped with the bed. The sound came out really loud. Father ran out of the bathroom quickly. Megha ran out of her room and mom came running into the room screaming mice. Few fat mice started to come to the house that’s why mother screamed mice; Mini thought so. Last week when the cat found mice same incident happened. Her expensive glass jug was broken that day.

Father flickered the light on. Mini sitting at one corner of the room. But then sound came from under the bed again. Everyone together looked under the bed and saw a boy around Robin’s age. Everyone screamed as if they saw ghost! So, at the end of the Mini was the hero of the house.

From that day everyone cared about Mini. After that if someone see Mini no one says anything. Instead when mother sees her she gives her foods from the kitchen. Megha doesn’t feel disturbed like before when she goes to her room. Fondles her, made a special arrangement to sleep. Father often brings this or that for Mini. Only Robin gives her the cold shoulder. He would throw whatever he has near him when no one was near. But after throwing he looks around him, whether someone saw that or not.

Md. Nomaan Sarkar

(Translate by Rabab Alam)

The thief entered a house for stealing and did up and down while holding his ears two times observing his surroundings. He murmured to himself, “It’s the last theft of my life, I won’t do it anymore.”

Saying that he entered through the back door of the house. Doing so it seemed that, no one’s home. Through the little light from outside he saw the house is empty. Alas! The last theft of his life and what a scene.

He went to the adjacent room. Only a bed. There is no pillow or mattress. A pillow would have sufficed. If he had taken that it would have been a solace. Such a miser!

From the suffocating smell it seems the house had been empty for long time. The place where no human stays is the place were snakes and rats play around. Remembering about snake made him frozen in his place. Few minutes. Then with some courage he peeked under the bed. He thought whether to lit up his small torch or not as he looked around himself. He took the decision to lit the torch reminding about snakes. As he lit the torch he found nothing under its dim light. He placed his hand over his head in dread. Just then he thought there is something. Something really small. It can be earring that can be of golden, can’t it be? Of course it can be. Thinking of it he jumped for it.

Pulling it out in the light of torch he realized it’s a spoon. He became sad. After a while he thought the last theft of his life is a spoon. That is no less than anything. He had sold all the stolen item; this time he would use it. Saying that he rubbed the spoon with the towel around his neck. Then there was a sound. The sound came from the spoon. He quickly threw it and got out of the room jumping,

He’s sweating. He couldn’t understand what’s happening. But he had clearly seen blue light on the spoon and the sound, like someone was talking.

That is an old house. No one probably doesn’t stay near. After a long time, he again peeked into the room. There is no light nowhere. It might be he was afraid. Because of snakes fear his mind was jumbled. The sound maybe came from somewhere else and he assumed it was from the spoon. Can it happen? No it can’t happen. Saying it he entered the room and lit the room. Yes, the spoon was on the ground. He picked up the spoon and heard it talking.

‘Thank you. I’ve been locked here for many days. A human used to live in this room alone for a long time, he never peeked under the bed. Thus he never saw me. You found me. I’m happy over you.’

The thief is listening the spoon’s words speechlessly. A spoon is talking with him, a spoon. He had never heard of such in dream. The spoon is standing on his hand. He wouldn’t move a hair or didn’t want to. He thought he will spend many years standing like this.

The spoon is still blabbering. Said, ‘Tell what do you have to ask?’

The thief will laugh or cry. He was confused. He steals for sake of the pain of hunger. And today someone says, what do you have to ask? In life none had said anything this sort or near that. No one has ever talked to him with kindness, with affection in this life. He never heard such. Felt like as if mother is talking. He recollected about his mother. He remembered his mother used to feed him with her own hand.

The spoon said, ‘You’ll ask such things that your ancestors used to own. You certainly know all the humans starting from the first human till you; all are in you. You have their attitude, their wishes and wants, you have everything of them in you.’

The thief thought, ‘What gibberish the spoon is saying. Okay he said what do I have to ask? Okay what do I have to ask?’ He started to wonder. There are so so so many things to ask. Good clothes, good shoes, a car would do, a house. Then he remembered about his wife, son-daughter. He had to ask for them. Their clothes, shoes, utensils, and so much more.

The spoon said, ‘Your father is a school teacher, but how did you chose such bad profession?’

The thief was surprised, ‘It knows I’m a thief. Even knows my father was a school teacher.’ It looks like a great thing has been found. The thief said on top of his lung, ‘I don’t want anything, I only want you. There is no one to talk with me. I like hearing you talk. Now let’s go to my house.’

The spoon said, ‘First you have to ask something.’

‘Ask? Okay I’m hungry. Arrange a feast then. I’ll be happy seeing food.’

The thief watched in astonishment, a huge table beside him, the table is filled with only food and food. What an extraordinary smell!

The thief ran. He started eating. Then he said, ‘Make me a rich man.’

The spoon said, ‘Your grandfather was a rich man so you are given that much.’

Within the blink of his eyes he saw there were two thick gold chain wrapped around his neck. Expensive clothes. The house changed. He is standing in a big house. A huge horse carriage standing in the veranda.

Then he heard someone screaming there was a robbery. He saw through the window; few stout is coming towards this house with big torches in their hand. He saw someone has set huge boats on fire. People were screaming around the place. And the boat was sinking slowly. He screamed, ‘I don’t want to be rich.’

The thief saw he was in the previous house. The spoon in his hand.

Md. Nomaan Sarkar

(Translate by Rabab Alam)

Today is Taha’s birthday. He will be seven years old. That’s why he went to his grandma in search of seven candles. Grandma is reading newspaper. Taha said, “Grandma, grandma you wanted to give seven candles for my birthday!” Grandma raised her head and said in surprised tone, “Oh no I forgot, my dear!”

Grandma saw Taha’s smile turned into frown, she’ll start to cry now. Seeing that she felt bad.

Grandma said, “Come here dear. I’ll bring them before evening fades away.”

Taha turned on his heels with his head hanging down. Grandma only saw Taha go out of the room. She called him out in a soft tone. But he didn’t look back. He sprints out of the room. Just then he heard a sound. Sound of a bell! He startled and turned around. Then he ran towards the door and stood there, saw that there was a bell and many colorful candles in grandma’s hand! Taha stared in astonishment. It seemed like he is stuck on the ground out of joy. There are really seven candles in grandma’s hand! Taha extended his hand towards her hand.

She laughed and said, “If you want to get those then you have to give me a big hug.”

Taha started to laugh at grandma’s tantrum.  

Nomaan Sarker

(Translate by Rabab Alam)

`Tul?’

Tuly startled a bit. Mother is calling. Mother calls her ‘Tul’ when she’s angry. She noticed that she had been sitting like that with the book for a long time. But she wasn’t reading.

As Tuly entered her mother’s room, her mother said, “Dear there was 12 pieces of fish on the table. 2 pieces are missing. Check if they have jumped and fallen on the ground.’ And mother gestured under the table. Tuly stood there in silence with her eyes shut . And started to revise times table. She thought if she stood there in silence with eyes closed, her mother won’t say anything else. And if she revised times table, she couldn’t listen what mother was saying.

Mother said, “I’ve decided that I’ll get rid of Mini . Do you have any objection to it?”

Though Tuly was revising times table loudly in mind, she heard what mother had said.Mini is her pet cat.

Mother can do anything. Mother can really get rid of Mini . For the crime of giving 2 pieces of fish to Mini would result in mother to throw Mini out of the house, that never came to her mind.

Tuly opened her eyes and stared at her mother with wide eyes then said, “Mother Mini will never eat your fish from onwards. I’ll tell her not to.”

Mother said, “Hmm Mini cat has learned to eat fish by getting on the table, we can’t let her stay.”

Tuly said in a crying tone, “Mothergave Mini the fish. Mini didn’t ate climbing up the table. It won’t happen again.”

Mother soften a bit. Mother said, “Your father will arrive now, guest will come alongside. Now I think we’ll have shortage of fish. Already I felt there was less in amount. Now what?”

Tuly didn’t let extend the word and trudged out of the room and sprint to her own room. She looked under her bed, Mini has finished eating. Tuly sighed in relief.

Mini meowed in pleasure seeing Tuly. With that Tuly thought, Mini is saying, I want another.

Tuly said in an angry tone, “No. Ugh… no. No more. Not another one.”

She chased Mini and said, “Mini you have to get out right now. Mother is angry. If she sees you today no one knows what will happen. You run.” Tuly opened the door of the balcony and said, “No more fish Mini. No more fish. Get out now.”

Written by Nomaan Sarker

(Translated by Nuren Noorain)

Only one week left for king’s birthday. The queen and the princess decided to give a tiger cub as a gift as the king loves tigers.

They talked to chief soldier regarding this matter. He along with some other soldiers started looking for a tiger. At the very morning of his birthday, they reached the palace with a tiger cub. The cub  was really adorable.

The princess was really happy to see it and she thought how happy will the king be happy to see this tiger cub.

By the order of the queen, the cub was taken to the king in cage. The roar of the cub woke up the king. Queen and princess wished him happy birthday. The king was really surprised to see the tiger cub. He said,’ Wow! How large tiger it is!’ The princess laughed .

On that very night, he got to know that a tigress had entered a village. But she was not causing any harm. She was only crying and roaming around. The soldiers informed the king that they bought the tiger cub from a nearby area where the tigress has been found. The King understood what the matter was.

The next day, king along with queen and princess started for the village taking the tiger cub. It took two days to reach there. When they reached there, the villagers showed him the way to the tigress. The tigress was sitting on the cliff of a small hill. When they climbed  there, they saw that the tigress sitting.

One of the soldiers opened the cage. The tiger cub ran towards its mother. They all were very happy.

Although the princess was happy but at the same time a bit sad cause the tiger cub left. The king said,‘It went were it really belonged’. The princess made a long face and said, ‘But, it was your birthday present’. The king laughed and said, ‘My dear, when you love someone or something, all that matters is their happiness. As yours is mine. Shouldn’t you be happy for the tiger cub?’

The princess understood what the king wanted to say. She understood that our happiness lies in the happiness of our loved ones.