ENGLISH PROJECT
THE LOUSE AND THE MOSQUITO
~VIKRAM SETH
FROM BEASTLY TALES
In the King's bed, Creep the louse Lived in her
ancestral house.
They had dwelt here as of right For three
decades, and each night She and her
enormous brood Drank the King's blood for
their food. Once the signal came from Creep
That the King was fast asleep, Quietly,
discreetly, they
Nipped and sipped and drank away.
Sons and grandsons, sisters, brothers, Great-
granddaughters, Great-grandmothers, Second
cousins and their wives Thus pursued their
gentle lives Lives of undisturbed delight
Growing plump and smooth and white.
One day a mosquito flew Through the window,
As he drew Closer to the velvet bed Canopied
with gold, he said, "Lovely! Just the place for
me.
Ah, what perfume let me see Roseno, jasmine.
And the quilt
Smooth as banks of Ganges silt!
Let me test the bedsprings now."
So he jumped up and somehow, In a parabolic
leap, Landed not too far from Creep.
"Sir Mosquito, flap your wings.
Leave at once. This bed's the King's."
"Who may you be, Lady Louse?"
"I'm the guardian of this house"
"House?" "This quilt. It's mine," said Creep,
"There's no place for you, Sir Leap."
"Let me sleep here for one night And I'll catch
the morning flight."
Thus the sad mosquito pleaded, And at last his
prayers were heeded For the tender-hearted
Creep Could not bear to watch him weep.
"Well, come in," she said at last, "But tonight
you'll have to fast, For on no account may you
Bite him, as we're trained to do.
We can drink and cause no pain, Loss of royal
sleep, or sain. You, I fear, would cause all
three.
I can't risk my family."
But the glib mosquito cried, "Now you've let
me come inside, Lady Louse, how can you be
Cold in hospitality"
Just one bite I ask no more For I've leamed
from learned lore That royal blood contains
Remedies for aches and pains- Ginger, honey,
sugar, spice,
Cardamom, and all things nice.
Save me, I'm in broken health
Let me bite him once by stealth, He won't even
shift or sigh. Cross my heart and hope to die."
Finally the louse agreed. "Right!" She said,
"but pay close heed. Wait till wine, fatigue, or
deep Dream enriched, unbroken sleep Has
enveloped him. Then go, Lightly nip his little
toe. "Yes, yes, yes. That's all old hat." Said Sir
Leap, "I know all that. Keep your stale advice."
He smiled, "Seriously I'm not a child"
It was only afternoon Fairly early, fairly soon.
When the King came for a snooze, Doffed his
crown and shirt and shoes, Lay down on bed,
and sighed. The mosquito almost died From
excitement, shock, and sweat. "No!" The louse
cried, "No! Not yet!" But too late! The self-
willed bumbler Oh, if only he'd been humbler
Rushing to the rash attack, Leapt upon the
royal back, And with fierce and fiery sting
Deeply dirked the dozing king
"Help! a scorpion! a snake !" Screamed the
King, at once awake. "I've been bitten! Search
the bed! Find and strike the creature dead!"
When they made a close inspection The
mosquito foiled detection, Hidden in the
cunopy, But the louse clan could not flee, All
were killed without adn. Meanwhile, the
mosquito flew, Looking out for further prey,
Humming mildly on his way
ABHIROOP GUHA
CLASS-10
SEC-C
ROLL NO.1
