1. The Guitar Player 2. Svayamvara (Suniti Namjoshi )

About the writer:Suniti Namjoshi was born in India but left for Canada where she lived for a number of years. Currently, she lives in the U.K. She has published numerous poems, fables articles and reviews. Her books include The Conversations of Cow (1985), Aditi and One Eyed Monkey (1986), The Blue Donkey Fables (1988), Because of India: Selected
Poems (1989) and The Mother of Maya Diip (1989).

 About the story:The Guitar Player' and 'Svayamvara' are taken from her book Feminist Fables (1981). In these stories she focuses on the condition of women in a patriarchal society She raises her voice against gender inequality and stresses the fact that women should have their own identity. These stories are very thought-provoking and highly relevant to the contemporary Indian society. The story The Guitar Player' depicts a girl who wants her talents, skills and the art that she possesses, to be greatly valued, recognized and given importance. The story 'Svayamvara' is about women's freedom and focuses on the fact that certain set roles are assigned to women in the Indian society and if she wants a little more freedom, the parents and members of the society are unhappy. Men think themselves to be superior to women and do not like to accept their defeat. However, a woman likes to choose a companion who believes in gender equality, values her talents, and accepts his own shortcomings.

 STORY:

1.The Guitar Player:

A girl played on her guitar and it so happened that someone passing by listened and fell in love with her. 'Is it my music you love', inquired the girl, 'or me?' The music continued, water from a fountain rose into the air and fell away. The listener thought hard and finally said, 'I don't know'. What is the right answer? 'Shan't tell you', replied the girl, 'but that's not it,' and she went on playing. Soon another passer-by happened to see her and also fell in love." Is it me you love", inquired the girl, 'or my guitar?" The second passer-by stared at the guitar, smiled at the girl and at last ventured to say, "Well, I don't know. It's a beautiful instrument. What is the right answer?" But she just said that wasn't it, and went on playing.

The two passers-by were greatly perplexed. All night long the guitar music ran through their heads, and when they returned the next day it was perfectly obvious that theyhad both prepared their speeches. 'I would love you', declared the first, 'even if you could not play a note of music.' And I would love you', swore the second, 'even if you did not own a guitar.'

'You don't understand', replied the girl. I am a musician. Which me do you love,
if you do not care about my music at all?

'Oh', they said. "Did we give you the wrong answer?"

'Yes', replied the girl.

'Well, what is the right answer?'

You must love me altogether just as Iam.all my gifts, all my possessions, everything I've been and ever shall be from now on."

'But that's impossible!' they cried out together.

'Yes', agreed the girl and chose a sad little tune to suit the occasion.
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2.Svayamvara

Once upon a time there was a little princess who was good at whistling. Don't whistle', said her mother. 'Don't whistle', said her father, but the child was good at it and went on whistling. Years went by and she became a woman. By this time she whistled beautifully. Her parents grieved. What man will marry a whistling woman? said her mother dolefully. 'Well', said her father, 'we will have to make the best of it. I will offer half my kingdom and the princess in marriage to any man who can beat her at whistling. The offer was duly proclaimed, and soon the palace was jammed with suitors whisting king's offer was duly proclaimed, and soon the palace was jammed with suitors whistling. It was very noisy. Most were terrible and a few were good, but the princess was better
and beat them easily. The king was displeased, but the princess said, 'Never mind, father Now let me set a test and perhaps some good will come of it.' Then she turned to the suitors, 'Do you acknowledge that you were beaten fairly?" 'No, they all roared, all except one, 'we think it was magic or some sort of trick. But one said, 'Yes.' "Yes'. he said, I was beaten fairly. The princess smiled and turning to her father she pointed to this man. 'If he will have me', she said, 'I will marry him.

Comments

  1. Unknown6 March 2021 at 07:03

    what was the king displeased when the princess best the suitors at the whistling

    ReplyDelete

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