Music and Immortality(Simplified Summary for the Students)

Music and Immortality(Simplified summary for the students)

Mian Tansen was India’s greatest musician. His tomb was built under the shaded branches of a tamarind tree six hundred years ago. According to the popular belief, anyone can increase his music skills by eating just one leaf of that tree.

Tansen was born to his parents after they had got the blessings from the great sufi saint and musician Hazrat Mohammad Ghaus. Tansen’s father Mukund MIshra was a wealthy poet and musician. He named his son as Tansen, the master of ‘taan’, or musical notes because he hoped that his .

But Tansen showed no interest in music and studies as well as he grew up. Instead, he preferred spending his time in the forest chasing animals and imitating their sounds.

One day, a group of travelers was passing through the forest. He was sitting on a tree chirping like the sparrows.

Suddenly he saw a group of travelers passing through the forest. As they came nearer, he took a long breath and produced a loud roar. The passengers thought that a lion was there at some nearby place, so they ran away by dropping their luggage there. But, when they heard a boy laughing at them, they understood that they had been fooled by him.

An old man in that group of travelers gestured to Tansen to come down from the tree. But the boy feared punishment from them, so refused to do so.

The old man convinced him telling that he was not angry with him and he just wanted to talk to him about his great talent.

Tansen descended (came down) from the tree feeling a little bit cautious about what might happen to him.

That old man was Guru Haridas, a renowned saint and music teacher.

Tansen took him to his house where his parents recognized the great musician and felt honoured at his visit.

Guru Haridas told Mukund Mishra about Tansen’s great talent and that he had a great range of voice, which was a great gift of God to him. He also told Tansen’s father that he wanted to take him to his ashram to make his shishya (disciple).

After that Tansen started learning the traditions of Indian classical music at Guru Haridas’s Ashram in Vrindavan. He started from the basic ‘sargam’ and also learnt the essence of each raga and how to sing it so as to create the right mood at the appropriate time of the day.

Guru Haridas also taught him the technique of how to make his voice emanate (to come from) the pit of his belly. He also taught him how to twist the notes in his throat to produce the right ‘sur’(note) at the right pitch (the depth of voice).

One day, having perfected in difficult raga, Tansen sang in in front of his Guru. He expected appreciation as he finished the raga, but he saw sadness and disappointment in his Guru’s eyes. Feeling hurt, he picked up his ‘taanpura’ and was prepared to go.

Then Tansen said, ‘Forgive me son, I have failed you.’

‘I thought I have been teaching you music but it appears that I have taught you notes.’

Tansen replied that he just sang the raga accurately (correctly) and did no mistake.

Guru Haridas agreed and said that it was true that he had sung the raga correctly, but he had failed to evoke (to bring a feeling or an image in mind) the spirit of the raga.

Then Tansen realized his mistake and hung his head in shame. He also said that he was at fault because he could not understand the difference between the expression and merely singing the notes. He requested his Guru to repeat the lesson again and also promised to him that he would listen to it carefully.

Guru Haridas told him that unless the music came from his soul, it was not music. It was just a combination of notes. The soul is true alchemist that changes simple notes into music. Each note should be allowed to draw its pure expression from the soul.

 From that day, Tansen followed his Guru’s advice and his notes became a living, breathing element.

After that, nature responded to his singing. When he sang ‘Raga Todi’ to evoke the animal spirits, squirrels, deer, and rabbits came running into the ashram. When he sang ‘Megh Malhar’, clouds began to form in the sky.

Tansen got training in music for ten years from his Guru. When he was about twenty, his father died and soon after that, his mother also passed away. Just before his death, his father had told him to go and see ‘Pir Baba’ Mohammad Ghaus in Gwalior.

The old Pir was very happy to meet the boy and to know that he had already got training from great Guru Haridas. He told Tansen that his training in the ashram was over and it was time for him to begin his training in the real world. He also advised him to get his Guru’s permission before doing that.

After taking leave from Guru Haridas, Tansen started living with Mohammad Ghaus. He spent next three years perfecting his skills under Ghaus’ guidance. During this period, he was sent to Gwalior’s court and also to hear other musicians there.

One day, Tansen saw a beautiful woman in the king’s court. His mind was distracted from his practice. He became absentminded while practicing at home also. In the middle of a ‘taan’, his fingers would pause on the strings of the ‘taanpura’ and his voice would falter (waver).

Mohammad Ghaus made enquiries for that and found that Tansen had fallen in love with a woman, named Hussaini, the king’s lady-in-waiting. Mohammad met the king and with his permission, arranged Tansen’s marriage with him.

From that day, a new element entered Tansen’s music, the element of love, mortal love soaring to the height of heavenly love.

Soon the world also came to know about Tansen. The King of Rewa, Raja Ramchandra, a partron of music also came to know about him. On his invitation, Tansen, along with his family, went to the court of the King of Rewa. As his talent flourished more, he became the king’s chief musician.

One day, Akbar also happened to listen to Tansen at Rewa and he was mesmerized (enthralled, captivated) by Tansen’s voice. After the music was over, he kept sitting with his closed eyes revelling (enjoying) the perfection of his music.

After that Ramachandra had to send Tansen to Akbar’s court as a gift. At his court in Agra, Emperor Akbar gave him warm welcome. The following morning, he received a message from the Emperor, requesting him to perform at a celebration that evening. Tansen knew that it would be a test of all his years of training. He decided to sing his newly composed ‘Raga Durbari Kanada’.

The royal durbar was crowded that evening. As Tansen arrived, the Emperor Akbar led him to the ‘asan’ (seat), the doors of the courtroom were closed lights were made dim and the voices of the people were silenced. Soon the ‘taan’ began to pour out of Tansen’s mouth. It was like a divine waterfall. The listeners felt that they were not on the earth, rather they had entered some heavenly place. There was a long silence as he finished singing. Then the applause (appreciation by clapping) began. It grew and grew. People stood up and cheered, some with tears into their eyes. Tansen showed humility by bowing his head. The emperor was also standing and cheering in appreciation. From then, he was made one of the ‘navratnas’ of his court.

In this way, with the spread of his fame and being the favourite of the Mughal Emperor, the other musicians started feeling jealous of him. They would challenge him to sing more difficult ragas and he defeated them in every contest. One day they proposed to the Emperor that Tansen should be told to sing Deepak Raga. This raga if sung by a true master invokes fire. It can not only invoke fire but also can burn the singer.

Tansen accepted the challenge although the Emperor told him to reconsider his decision because he did not want to lose him. He told the Emperor Akbar that he could be saved if anyone could sing ‘Raag Megh’ when he was singing Rag Deepak.

With the permission of the Emperor, a girl named Rupa was brought to Agra and she was trained by Tansen to sing the ‘Rag Megha’.

On the sixteenth day, the court was prepared for the big event. Large unlit lamps were placed around Tansen’s ‘aasan’. A big bowl of cold water was put on the table and a pile of dry wood was stacked in the courtyard.

Hussaini sat worried in the women’s enclosure. Rupa also kept praying to Goddess Sarswati to grant her power to sing the ‘raag Megh’.

Finally with Akbar’s signal, Tansen began his ‘alaap’.  Gradually the people sitting there began to feel unnatural warmth. When Tansen changed into the ‘jod’ (the body of the song), the heat became almost unbearable and everyone began to sweat. As he reached the climax of the first ‘taan’, the dry wood in the court got flames. One by one, the unlit lamps became lit with flames. The water in the bowl also started boiling. Although the men in the court were face unbearable heat, yet they were hypnotized by the great singing. Now the heat started consuming Tansen from inside. Rupa was ordered to sing Megha, but her lips were made paralysed by the power of Tansen’s music.

But, when she heard Hussaini wailing bitterly, her trance was broken and she was able to sing Raag Megha. Her singing had no effect on Tansen’s body which had begun to sag, and finally he collapsed on the floor.

A cry of despair broke out from everyone’s throat.

Finally Rupa’s voice picked up power and she was successful in invoking elements in the sky. The clouds gathered and rain poured down from the sky. The courtier took Tansen outside under th cooling rain. As Rupa stopped, Tansen opened his eyes. Really, Mian Tansen immortalized his music.

An Elementary School Classroom in a Slum Poet: Stephen Spender

An Elementary School Classroom in a Slum (Prescribed for class XII in C.B.S.E.)

Poet:  Stephen Spender

Main Points about the Poem:

The poet visits a school located in a slum area. He is shocked to notice the miserable condition of those poor children. Even the condition of the school is pitiable.

Description about the children sitting in the class room:

1. He watches the faces of the children sitting in a class room. These are pale and without blood. The poet compares them with the rootless weeds which become yellow and lifeless. Normally, the children are full of activities and energy as we find in the gusty waves of sea. But these children are passive and lacking in energy.

2. The hair of the children is untidy and hanging over their pale faces. Then the poet gives more examples of such children. There is a tall girl whose head is bent (jhuka hua). The poet calls another boy ‘the paper seeming boy’. It means that he is as light as a paper. His eyes are looking like that of a rat. It means that his face is very weak and small and his eyes seem to be big and bulging out.

3. There is another boy who has not grown properly. He is an ill-fed boy who has inherited a disease from his father. His bones are twisted. He is reciting his lesson. Then the poet notices a little boy sitting at the back bench. He is not properly visible due to dim light in the class room. He is a sweet child who has dreamy eyes. His mind is not in the class room. He seems to think about a squirrel that plays joyfully in its room, that is, a tree. He desires to have that type of class room for himself.

Stanza 2.      Description of the class room

1. A foul smell like that of sour cream is coming from the class room of the school in slum area. On the dirty wall of the class room, there are the names of the donors. These people must have given donation for building the school. In addition to this, there is a picture of Shakespeare’s bust. The poet calls Shakespeare ‘wicked’ as the children might feel tempted to steal it.

2.  There are several other pictures like scenery of a dawn without clouds, a picture of a main church of a district, of the Austrian Tyrol valley with bell shaped flowers.

3. There is also a picture of the map of the world. The map has been called ‘open handed’ because it shows the world with all of its seas and lands. The poet calls this map a bad example. It creates a contrast between the two worlds. The world of the poor children is limited. It has no beautiful valleys, flowing rivers, cape, etc. Their world is limited to a narrow street under a dull sky.

4. But these children have nothing to do with these pictures or the list of the donors. Their world is only that dirty class room. They watch through the windows only dim fog. It signifies that their future is also dim and foggy. The lane of their future seems to be blocked in the dull sky. Their world has no beautiful rivers, valleys and capes (peninsula/isthmus/neck of land). Their world is also without sweet promises usually made by politicians.

Stanza 3.

1. It is not good to show them the outside world. They have no means of livelihood. So they may be tempted to steal in the world of Shakespeare shown to them through the open map.

2. They pass their life like rats in small rooms and the outside world is dim and foggy for them. It is like an endless night. Then the poet describes their weak bodies which have no vitality left in them. He compares their bodies to the heap of slag. Their bones are clearly visible from the skin of their bodies. They wear second hand spectacles. All of their time is spent in that dirty class room and foggy and dark lanes of their slum area. So it would be better to show in the map their slum area which as large as hell is.

Stanza 4. 

1. The poet now addresses some words for the governors and the inspectors of these schools. They always come there only to make a formal visit. The poet says that the map of the world is meaningless to them unless these poor children are taken out of the slum areas. At present the windows of their class rooms enable them to look at the outside world. But the world seen by them is foggy and dark. It is no more beautiful for them. Their life is lost in those dark and foggy lanes which seem to lead them to their graves.

Then the poet makes an appeal to the governors, the inspectors and the visitors to break their windows. They may be allowed to move out of those narrow lanes and come in under the open sky. They would watch green fields and play there in golden sand under the blue sky. Once their life becomes without worries of life, they will focus on their study also. The white leaves of the books and the green leaves of the trees would play an equally important role in the growth of their life. In the end, the poet says that history belongs to the people whose children are free to move anywhere in the open fields as the sun moves freely in the sky.

The Bishop's Candlesticks by Norman Mckinnell (Part 2: for Class IX)

After that, the convict narrated to the Bishop his story. He explained that long time ago he was a man and he had the feeling of suffering then. But after that he became a number. He was not a man. His sensitivity had died. He had been living in hell for the last ten years.

He also told the Bishop that long time ago, he had a cottage. There were vines growing on it. They looked very pretty. There was a woman. She must have been his wife. He tried to remember her. She was ill and they had no food to eat. He was unemployed and his wife Jeanette was dying. Then he stole to buy food for her. He was caught for that crime. He explained his stand but they did not understand him. He was put in the prison hulks (old ships formerly used for prisons). For ten years. He was also informed that his wife had died on the day when he was sent to prison.

 Then he started crying with sobs. After that the Bishop asked him about the prison-ship (Hell).

The convict told the Bishop that once he had been a man. At present he was a beast. They were responsible for making him so. They chained him like a wild animal, beat him hard and he was fed on filth. He was covered with vermin (insects),. He was slept on board. He made complaint about that but they lashed him again. They took away his name. They took away his soul and put a devil in him in place of his soul. One day, they were careless and forgot to chain him. That was six weeks ago. Then he ran away to starve.

They were hunting after him everywhere. He had no passport, and no name. He had to steal daily to satisfy his hunger. He had to remain in woods. He was unable to ask for work or go to cities. He was a thief then due to circumstances.

The Bishop took pity on him and tried to console him by saying that there was still some hope. He laughed at the word ‘hope’ in scorn (contempt).

Then the Bishop made him lie down on the couch and went inside to bring some coverings for him.

As the Bishop left the place, the convict noticed candlesticks which were there on the mantelpiece. Those were of silver and very heavy indeed. The convict picked them from there. He looked here and there to ensure if he was alone there. In haste he dropped one at the table as he had heard the Bishop coming in. The Bishop noticed all what was going on. He told the convict that those candlesticks were a gift from his mother and he was proud of them. Then he told the convict that his bed was ready and he could go to sleep. The convict was also surprised at the kindness shown him by the Bishop and asked what he wanted from him. The Bishop told him that he only wanted that he might have a good sleep. The convict responded at this by saying that he wanted to convert him.

The convict himself locked the door from inside for security. Then he the Bishop wished him good night and went to his room.

The convict was alone and he started thinking of the silver candlesticks. He thought to sell them in market and get money. He also condemns the Bishop’s preaching to him because he did not want to be soft. Then he took the candlesticks and exited. The door was slammed from behind and the noise made Persome alert. She asked loudly who it was. She entered and found no one there. Then she knocked at door of the Bishop’s room.

She also noticed that the candlesticks were not there. She started shouting, “The candlesticks, and the candlesticks. They are gone. Brother, brother, come out. Fire, murder, thieves!”

The Bishop came and she told him that the man with hunger in his eyes had gone with the candlesticks.

The Bishop was not disturbed at the theft. He peacefully said that those candlesticks did not belong to him. But he also felt something bad also because he had emotional attachment with those candlesticks. She also tried to force her brother to lodge a complaint with the police about the theft.

The Bishop told her that it was his fault as he showed them to him. The Bishop rejected his sister’s idea to send him to prison again.

The arguments went on between the two for some time. Then there was a big knocking at the door.

Then a sergeant with three policemen entered. The Convict was also bought in. He told the Bishop that he was running with his candlesticks. Persome was very satisfied to see that. The sergeant said that he was arrested on suspicion and while handling him, those candlesticks fell out of his pockets.

He also added that he remembered that the candlesticks belonged to the Bishop, so they bought him there for recognition and so that the convict could be put in the lock up. Persome seizes them and brushes them lovingly with her apron.

But the Bishop told the police that the convict was his friend and he had given those candlesticks to him as a gift. Thus he let the prisoner go free. The sergeant further said that he did not show his papers to him. But the Bishop gave him his surety by saying that he was his friend.

After that, the police went away. The convict was amazed at the unexpected behaviour of the Bishop. Persome was furious at the convict. So the Bishop advised her to leave them and go to her room. First, she was not ready to leave, and then she picked up the candlesticks. She had to leave them on the table when the Bishop ordered her to do so.

The Bishop told him to sleep, but he wanted to reach Paris by travelling at night.

The convict also said that he did not believe that there was goodness left in the world. He requested for the Convict’s blessing before leaving the place. The Bishop utters some words of blessings on him. The convict is unable to speak because he was so much charged with emotions. His throat was choked. The Bishop gave the candlesticks to him and also showed him the way at the back of his cottage that went through the forest.

The convict thanked him and cried like a child and said, “I...I....[He sobs] Ah! I’m a fool, a child to cry, but somehow you have made me feel that.....that it is just as if something had come into me ...as if I were a man again and not a wild beast.”

Bishop:[putting his hand on his shoulder] Always remember, my son, that this body in the Temple of the Living God.

Convict:[with great awe] The temple of the Living God. I’ll remember.

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The Bishop's Candlesticks by Norman Mckinnell (A simplified detailed summary for Class IX) Part One

The kitchen of the Bishop is simple but sufficiently furnished. There is a big mantelpiece (shelf) at the fireplace. There is a sofa lying there in the living room. There is also a table on which some writing material and a wooden image of Jesus Christ on the cross are lying. There is  also a dining table, chairs and some books, etc. There are two heavy candlesticks on the mantelpiece, which look strange in that simple surroundings.

The scene opens with the presence of Marie and Persome. Marie is stirring soup on the fire. Persome is laying the cloth.

There is a conversation between Persome and Marrie.

Persome asked Marie, the maidservant if the soup was ready. Marie replied that it was not ready. At this, Persome blames her that she had not tended the fire properly, that was why it was not ready on time. Marie answered her back saying that Persome had herself made the fire.

That made Persome angry and she warned her not to answer her back. It was rudeness if she did so.

Then Persome wondered as to where her brother, the Bishop could be. She comes to know from her maid that he had gone to attend her mother who was ill.

Persomes’ anger increased at this and she blamed her again that she must have informed her brother about the illness of her brother. That had made him go out of his bed in such a cold weather.

Marie changed the topic and told her mistress that the soup was boiling.

Persome instructed her to pour it in and advised her not to chatter. As she was pouring the soup in some container, Persome told her not to pour the soup in that manner. She started doing it herself and also asked the maid if she had put the silver salt cellars on the table.

Marrie gives her shocking news that those cellars were sold out in the market. It gave a rude shock to Persome. Marie informed Persome that the Bishop himself had instructed her to take those cellars to Mr. Gervais to sell them to him.

Persome again enquired of Marie as to what purpose, the Bishop required money. The maid told her that he needed it for MereGringoire.

Persome asked her if it was she who lived at top of the hill. Persome is not ready to believe that she was ill; rather she said that she was lazy and also avoided doing any work. She again wanted to know from Marie as to what she wanted to do with money that she would get from the bishop.

The maid servant told her that MereGringoire needed money to pay for the rent of her house. She also told her that the bailiff (an officer in the court) threatened her to be ousted from the house if she did not pay the rent on time.

Now Persome spoke about the Bishop’s financial crisis. She revealed that her brother’s estate was sold and his saving was spent and his furniture was also going. She felt sorry for the bad condition of her brother. According to her, it was all due to the bishop’s generosity.

In the meantime, the Bishop arrives in. He asks his sister as to why she was crying and felt so troubled and anxious.

Persome hid the reason of her worry.

Then the Bishop’s attention shifted to Marie. He told her not to worry about her mother as she was alright then and the doctor had seen her. He told her to run to her home to look after her mother. He also advised her not to disturb her sleep if she was sleeping at that time.

Marie thanked the Bishop.

But as she was going out of the room, the Bishop stopped her to take his comforter so that she might feel cosy (warm) as it was cold outside.

Persome was not at all happy with her brother’s so much charity in distributing his own personal things to others.

The Bishop defended his act of charity by telling Persome that she had not moved out of the warmth of the room. If she had done so, she would have experienced the chill of the weather outside.

Marie hesitated to wear the comforter.

Persome dissuaded her brother by saying that she would not be affected by the cold weather as she was young.

But the Bishop not only gave his comforter to Marie, but also helped her wear that.

Marie went out of the Bishop’s house.

Persome lost her patience with the Bishop and showed it in her conversation. She gave soup to him and told her brother that MereGringoire was not so ill that you had to go out to attend on her in such a chilly weather. People pretended to be ill for just calling the Bishop beside them. The Bishop said that it was kind of people that they liked his company. He also praised the soup prepared by his sister.

Persome also told her that people usually duped him by telling lie.

Persome further said that the day would come when the house would be empty if he continued helping the people by selling his things.

The Bishop said that there were so many sufferings in the world, so his service to them was very little.

Persome became sentimental and complained to her brother that he never cared for her and caused pain to her by ignoring. The Bishop pacified her by feeling sorry.

Again their conversation came to the topic of the salt cellars. She complained that he was like a child whom the people duped easily. In her absence, he just sold the salt cellars, so she did not want to leave him alone.

They also agreed that the salt cellars were there in their house for a long time and they were proud of them.

The Bishop then justified why he had paid money to MereGringoire.

Persome in a satirical way told him that some day he would sell off the candlesticks to pay off some other person’s rent.

The Bishop, showing his humility, said that those candlesticks were not his. He also reminded her that those candlesticks were given to him by his mother when she was on her deathbed. She had advised him to keep them as her sweet memory. He promised to his sister to keep the candlesticks with him but in the same breath he said that it was a sin to have attachment for material things.

Then both of them departed for sleep after wishing goodnight to each other.

The Bishop came near the table and looked up at the candlesticks. The thought that those would also serve somebody’s rent someday entered his mind. Then he stirred(moved) the fire, trimmed the lamp, arranged some books and papers on the table and sat down. He was restless and shivering also. The clock outside struck twelve and he settled to read. After sometime a convict entered from behind and seized(overpowered) the Bishop, whom he threatened not to raise his voice to call anybody in the house.

Then he demanded food from the Bishop and also told him that he was hungry for three days. The bishop told him that he would have to call his sister for the keys to serve him food. But the convict did not allow him to call her. He asked the Bishop to tell him where the food was. Then the Bishop assured him that they were only two members in the house and they would not cause any trouble to him. The convict threatened to pierce his heart with a knife if he (the bishop) tried to cheat him.

The Bishop called his sister to come because a hungry traveller needed food to eat.

She grumbled something to show her displeasure to her brother. But he insisted on her coming in. She comes after some minutes, but looking at the knife, she was frightened and complained to the Bishop that the stranger was glaring at her like a wild animal.

The convict threatened to them to give him food immediately. The Bishop told his sister to give him the keys and go to her room. But the convict blocked her way and ordered her not to go anywhere.

The Bishop requested Persome to give him her company at the table as he desired it. She accepted that and sat at the table staring at both of them. The Bishop served the Convict with some cold pie, a bottle of wine and some bread. The convict ordered the Bishop to stand in front of him. The Bishop opened the drawer in the table and took a knife and fork out. The convict took the fork and threw it away saying that they did not use forks in the prison.

At the mention of the word, ‘prison’, Persome got scared.

The convict started eating the slice in a wild manner and also asked them why they left the window un-shuttered and the door open. Then he shut them.

He mutters while eating that for the first time in thirty years….(He meant to say that he had eaten like that). He also threw the bones on the floor. That made Persome uncomfortable and irritated also. Bishop picked up the bone and put it in the plate.

He asked the Bishop if he was not afraid of the thieves. He replied that he felt sorry for them. Then he laughed roughly and drank wine. After that he asked the Bishop who he was. He told him that he was a Bishop.

Then the Bishop told Persome that she might go to her room. She was not in a mood to leave her brother with a criminal. But the Bishop persuaded her to go on the excuse that they would talk freely in her absence.

A Nation's Strength by Ralph Waldo Emerson:

13-A Nation's Strength by Ralph Waldo Emerson:

Class VIII

Stanza 1: “What makes a nation’s pillar high

And its foundations strong?

What makes it mighty to defy

The foes that round it throng”

In this poem, the poet makes several questions to clarify what he wants to say. In the very beginning he equates a country to a big building. Then he puts a question as to what are the things which make its pillars high and foundation very strong. What are the things that can challenge its enemies who have crowded around it?

Stanza 2

“It is not gold. Its kingdoms grand

Go down in battle shock;

Its shafts are laid on sinking sand,

Not on abiding rock.”

Paraphrase : In the second stanza, the poet himself answers. He says that it is not gold that makes a country great.  Here gold stands for material progress of a nation. A nation may have large treasures of gold, money, natural resources. It may be having very high per capita income. Material progress is not permanent. Wealth is also not permanent. It may come and it may go. The riches also make a person or a nation proud and rash.  So any battle can ruin the material progress of a person or a nation. We have so many examples in modern world in this context. Even the mighty and richer country may be destroyed. So the riches and material progress do not provide strong foundation to a nation. The building which stands on weak foundation may fall any time. The foundation made on the basis of wealth is like that made on sinking sand, not on durable rock. It may fall any time. It may be defeated by its enemies any time.

Stanza 3

Is it the sword? Ask the dust

Of empires passed away;

The blood has turned their stones to rust,

Their glory to decay.

Paraphrase: In this stanza, the poet again puts a question. Is it the sword that makes a nation strong? Here the sword stands for power. The people who are economically strong threaten others of dire consequences. They even fight and terrorize them to accept their supremacy. Similar is the case with the nations who are strong and powerful. They bully other nations to accept defeat. History is replete (full of) with examples of the fierce battles fought between such rulers. The poet suggests to us to ask the dust of the empires which are no more now about the result of such fierce battles. The bloodshed made the strong pillars of those empires weak as rust forces iron to decay.  The glory of the powerful empires never lasted for long.

Stanza 4.

And is it pride? Ah, that bright crown

Has seemed to nations sweet;

But God has struck its luster down

In ashes at his feet.

Paraphrase: After explaining that battles never made a nation strong, the poet proceeds to say that the pride of wearing glittering crowns also never made their nations powerful. Emperors and kings in the past had been very fond of wearing bright crowns on their heads. They also felt proud of being powerful and owning great empires. But their pride had to fall down. Their glory had to fade away with the passage of time. Kingdoms may have achieved glory by making victories over weak kingdoms. But that glory was not permanent.

Stanza 5.

Not gold but only men can make

A people great and strong;

Men who for truth and honour’s sake

Stand fast and suffer long. Brave men who work while others sleep,

Who dare while others fly…

They build a nation’s pillars deep

And lift them to the sky.

Paraphrase: In stanza five, the poet explains his points clearly in a straight forward manner. He says that it is not gold or wealth that makes a nation strong. Only the people who can stand by truth and honesty and who can suffer long for these great virtues can make their country great and strong.

These are the brave men who are always alert and active. These are the men who sacrifice their sleep for the safety and security of their country. These are the men who dare to challenge the enemies of their country and never run away from their duty. These are the men who make the pillars of their nation’s deep, strong and take them high in the sky. They provide strong foundation to the edifice of their nation. 

After Twenty Years by O Henry

After Twenty Years by O Henry: Class VIII

(About the author: William Sydney Porter known as O Henry was an American writer. His short stories are well known for their wit, characterization and suspenseful endings. Some of these are: The last Leaf,  The Gift of the Magi and The Cop and the Anthem.)

As the chapter opens, we find a policeman moving up the street of his beat (area of duty) in a very impressive manner. It was his natural style, not artificial one to make a show off because at that time people were very few. The time was hardly 10 p.m., but the chilly (very cold) gusty (blowing hard) winds prevented people from making rush in the streets.

The policeman’s duty was to ensure protection to the houses and shops there in the street, so he was checking the doors of the houses if they were properly closed or locked.

He also kept twirling (spinning) his staff (stick) in a very artistic way while doing his duty i.e. moving from one door to the other.

Also, he was keeping his alert eyes at the people’s movements on the main road. His strong figure with a slight swagger (to walk in a very showy and proud manner) made him a fine picture of a guardian of peace.

After that, the writer tells that the lights of a cigar store and of an all-night lunch counter were on, but the majority of the business stores were closed because of the chilly weather conditions at that time.

After sometime, the policeman again became visible and his eyes fell on a man who stood in the doorway of a hardware store with an unlighted cigar in his mouth. The policeman went to him and before he could make a question, the man assured the cop that he was not going to do any illegal activity there. He was just waiting for a friend who made a promise to meet him there after twenty years back. He also told the policeman that it might seem funny to him and he also spoke about a restaurant “Big Joe” Brady’s restaurant’ that used to be at that place where a store stood at that time.

The policeman told him that it was demolished (pulled down) five years ago. At that very time, the man in the doorway struck a match and lit his cigar. The light showed a pale square-jawed face with keen (curious/eager) eyes. There was a little white scar near his eyebrow. He wore a scarf that had an oddly set pin.

After this, the man in the doorway started telling about himself and his friend.

He said that both of them dined together twenty years ago at “Big Joe” Brady’s restaurant. He added that Jimmy Wells was his best friend and the finest person in the world. Both of them were raised (brought up) in New York. They were like brothers and he was of eighteen and Jimmy was twenty years at that time. The man in the doorway continued saying that the next morning, he was to start for the West to make his fortune. He added that his friend Jimmy did not want to leave New York, so he remained there. Before leaving, both of them agreed that they would meet there at 10 p.m. after twenty years on the same day without caring for any condition.

The policeman said that the whole story was very interesting to him, but the gap of twenty years was a very long time set for a meeting. He also asked the man in waiting if he had any communication with his friend during that period.

The man said that it continued for one year or two, but after that the connection between them snapped. He also told the police man that his friend Jimmy would surely fulfill his promise to meet him at that spot if he was alive because he was always truthful. He also said that he had come after covering the distance of thousands of miles and it would be of any value if he met his old friend Jimmy.

Then the man in wait pulled out a handsome watch having the lid set with small diamonds. He also said that only three minutes were left for the watch to strike ten.

The policeman asked him if he had done pretty well in the West.

The man didn’t give a straightforward reply to it. Rather he said that he could bet with him on Jimmy’s economical condition by saying that it would be half as compared to that of him because his friend was slow although a good fellow.

The police man moved his stick in the same way as he was doing in the beginning and took a step or two and said that he would be on his way then and he also hoped that his friend would come that night.

The other man said that he would give half an hour more to his friend to reach there.

The policeman bade him good bye and went away doing his duty of checking the doors in his beat.

After that, a cold drizzling started falling and the wind also started blowing steadily. It made the passengers move hurriedly to their destinations turning their coat collars up and putting their hands in pockets. The man who had come a thousand miles to fill an appointment with his friend of youth smoked cigar and waited there alone.

After twenty minutes, a tall man in long overcoat with collars turned up to his ears came hurriedly across from the opposite side of the street. He went straight to the waiting man.

“Is that you Bob?” he asked doubtfully.

“Is that you Jimmy wells?, cried the man in the door.

Then the new arrival grasped (caught tightly) the other’s hands in his own and said that he was sure that he would certainly find his friend. He added that twenty years was a long time. He also spoke that the old restaurant was not there and wished it would have been there so that both of them could dine again there after twenty years. He also inquired of him as to how the West treated with him.

The other man waiting in the door told him that the West gave him what he desired and also told the new arrival that he had changed a lot as he grew in height two to three inches more.

The new arrival told the man in wait (Bob) that he grew a little bit in height at the age of twenty. Bob also asked his as to how he was doing in New York.

The new arrival replied that he was doing moderately and he had a job in one of the city departments. Then he suggested to Bob to move to another place where they could talk more about long time.

The man from the West was showing his egotism (thinking you are better and important) enlarged by success while the other was submerged (not showing off) in his overcoat and listened with interest.

There was a drug store brilliant with electric lights at a corner. When they came in the light, each of them tried to gaze upon the other’s face. The man from the West stopped suddenly and pulled his arm from the other’s grip.

“You’re not Jimmy Wells!” he snapped (spoke suddenly in a sharp tone).

‘Twenty years is a long time, but not long enough to change a man’s nose from a Roman to a pug (small & upturned like that of a small dog of a type).

The tall man replied, “It sometimes changes a good man into a bad one.”

“You’ve been under arrest for ten minutes, “Silky’ Bob. Hicago thinks you may have dropped over and wires us she wants to have a chat with you. Going quietly, are you? That’s sensible. Now, before we go on to the station here’s a note. I was asked to hand you. You may read it here at the window. It’s from Patrolman Wells.’

The man from the West unfolded the piece of paper he got from the tall man. When he began to read, his hand was steady, but it trembled a little by the time he had finished. The note was rather short.

Bob: I was at the appointed place on time. When you struck the match to light your cigar I saw it was the face of the man wanted in Chicago. Somehow I couldn’t do it myself, so I went around and got a plain-clothes man to do the job.