A Simpleton's Tale

By Ruma Chakraborty

Banwari is a simple soul. 

A simple life is what he leads. 

His folks, though, are inordinately proud of him 

As he was the only one in the family who passed the matriculation examination. 

First Class too. 

Went to the zilla school to do the senior secondary when his father's demise put paid his education.

Enterprise was Banwari's forte

Got himself a poem's job at a 'gorment office'

A coveted government office job

Made him an instant hero in the family and the village

His mother ran to the Fakir at the edge of the fields to get him a 'taweez', a talisman to ward off the evil eye. 

She was smug about the subsequent dowry and beautiful wife he would secure. 

Her troubles with housework would soon be over. 

Gloating over these dreams, she called out irritatedly to her older daughter-in-law, a useless cow, to her mind to go fetch the 'aampaapad' from the ‘matka’ hung from the rafters of the hut. 

The sullen girl strained to reach up to the rafters, failed, feared the older woman's ire. 

In desperation, she called out to her brother-in-law, who had a soft corner for her. 

She entreated him in a pretty manner, uncharacteristically coquettish, 

To lift down the pot from the rafters. 

Banwari felt giddy receiving what his brother craved from this woman, instantly complied. 

She told him in a hushed whisper that he could help himself to some of the forbidden dried mango slivers which the Matriarch kept only for herself. 

Was there an innuendo there, he wondered.

He marvelled at how he could have caught a hidden glimpse of the usually surly woman and wondered if he could push the envelope a little. 

Thus, working out this changed equation in his mind, he thought of a daring plan. 

He decided to offer some of the forbidden fruit to his ‘Bhaujai’, his sister-in-law. 

He snatched down the ‘matka’ and his hand dived into the pot to grab the ‘aampaapad’. 

He felt a searing pain on his thumb, yanked out the hand and sucked the bleeding thumb. 

She seemed very solicitous, grabbing his hand to check the wound.

She peeped into the pot to see what caused the pain, turned pale and let out a strangled howl. 

Banwari saw the brilliant black-brown shine of the cobra's back. 

In a leisurely pace, the snake slithered out with indignation writ large in its beady eyes. 

Banwari felt the froth and death in his mouth.

By Ruma Chakraborty