After Bhola Mehto first wife pa.s.sed away, he got engaged to another women. This was bad news for his son Raghu. Raghu was only 10 years old at that time. He used to enjoy playing gulli-danda in the village. But after his mother pa.s.sed away, all of the work came upon him. Panna was a beautiful women and as we all know beauty & pride has a very intimate relations.h.i.+p. She never did any work with her hands. Collecting cow dung, satiating buffaloes, was.h.i.+ng dishes all of these were Raghu’s work. Bhola’s eyes were turned somehow such that he only saw Raghu’s mistakes & his short comings. He had started following Panna words as if they were some ancient wise words. He totally neglected Raghu’s complaints. With time he even stopped complaining. To whom he cry out his problems??..not only his father, but all of the village was now his enemy. What a stubborn boy!!..He doesn’t value Panna, poor women always caring for him, giving him food and all. If someone else would have been here, she wouldn’t be able to handle all this. She is able to do all this only because of her innocence. Only powerful are heeded, powerless are just ignored. Raghu’s heart was day by day breaking for his mother. Just like that 8 years pa.s.sed and one day death came to Bhola.

Panna had 4 children- 3 boys and a girl. This was a huge expense and there was no one earning. Raghu won’t ask for it!!..It was known. He would marry and live separately. Wife would only add to the fire. Panna was seeing dark in all four directions. But whatever happens she wouldn’t  live in this house on his support. The house in which she ruled she won’t be slaved inside it. She won’t look to his face, out of whom she made a slave. Situation was not that bad , she was still beautiful. Youth was in its prime. Can’t she go to other house??..but society would laugh. But ain’t this never happened in her community??..She was not Brahmin or Thakur that she would lose her nose. This happens in only upper caste that one can do anything in house but outside everyone should be under veil. She could go to another house in-front of everybody, then why should she remain under Raghu??..

1 month went away since Bhola pa.s.sed. Evening had come. Panna was worried, but suddenly thought came to mind that boys were not in the house. This was time when buffaloes come back home, by chance boys shouldn’t get under any buffalo!!Who is at the gate, who would take care of them??..Raghu’s eyes never liked them anyway. He never laughed with them. As she went outside, she saw Raghu sitting in the hut and making bundles of Ekha, boys had surrounded him and little girl had grabbed his neck and was trying to ride on his back. For once Panna didn’t believe her eyes. This was new news of the day. May be he pretend to be nice to his brother in public but has daggers drawn inside. Waiting to attack at right moment!! He is a black snake, BLACK SNAKE! Then yelled in hard words-“What are all of you doing there??Its evening buffaloes must be coming soon.”

Raghu looked with soft eyes and said-“I am there kaki, whats there to fear!!”

Big boy Kedar said-“kaki, Raghu dada made us two vehicles. See these, on one I and Khunnu will sit and on other Lakshman and Jhunia will sit. Dada can lift both of them.”

After saying this he brought out two small-small cars. Four wheels were attached. For sitting wooden slabs and for stooping handles were attached too.

With shock Panna asked-“Who created them??”

With little frustration Kedar said-“Raghu dada made them, who else would make them!!He brought gouge and axe from Bhagat’s house and made them in an instant. It runs very well kaki. Sit Khunnu, I wil lift”.

Khunnu sat in the car. Kedar started lifting it. Char-Char sound was created as if even car was playing with the children.

Lakshman sat on other car and asked-“Dada lift!!”

Raghu sat even Jhunia inside car and ran while lifting the car. All three boys started clapping. Panna with amazed while looking on this situation and thinking is this the same Raghu or not.

After some time two cars returned, boys returned inside the house and started recounting the whole trip. They were too happy, as if they had travelled inside of some aeroplane and returned.

Khunnu said-“Kaki everyone was destroying trees.”

Lakshman -“Calf ran amazingly, every other were running too!!”

Kedar -“Kaki, Raghu dada can lift both cars at the same time.”

Jhunia was youngest. Her interaction were limited to jumping and eye manoeuvres. She was dancing while clapping.

Khunnu – “Now even a cow will come to our house kaki! Raghu dada told Girdhari to bring a cow. He replied that he would bring one tomorrow.”

Kedar-“Gives 1 ser milk kaki!! Will drink a lot of milk.”

In this time even Raghu came inside house. Panna with questioning eyes asked-“Raghu did you ask Girdhari for a cow??”

Raghu with apologising heart said-“Yes, have asked for it, will bring tomorrow.”

Panna-“Have you thought about from where money would come??”

Raghu-“I have sorted everything out. Isn’t this my necklace. We can get 25 rupees for it. Then cow will be ours.”

Panna got silenced. Now even her distrusting heart couldn’t refute Raghu’s love and generosity. Said-“Why are you selling the necklace??We don’t need cow for now??First collect some money and then you can get it any time. Empty neck won’t look good. We didn’t have a cow till now, boys were living even then.”

Raghu with farsightedness said-“These are children eating age kaki! If not feed in this age then when will we. In addition actually I don’t like wearing this necklace. People will think his father pa.s.sed away and he is busy wearing necklace.”

Bhola Mahto died while trying to buy a cow. Neither money came nor cow came. He was tied. But Raghu solved this problem with such a wise decision. Today for the first time in Panna’s life she could trust him so she said-“If jewellery had to be sold, then why should we sell yours necklace instead we can sell my Hansuli( a type of necklace ).”

Raghu-“No kaki, it looks very good in your neck. For males it the same thing that they wear it or not.”

Panna-“I have grown old now. What would I do by wearing it??.. You are a young boy, your neck won’t look good.”

Raghu while slight smile-“How are you old from now?? Who is equal to you in this village!!”

Raghu’s simple reply made her blush. A small tint of red full of happiness ran on her dry and withered face.

This is my first translation

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