Chapter 2 2

Who stole sleep from a child's eyes?I must know. Mother carried her pitcher to her waist, and went to the nearest village to draw water. It was high noon, and the children's playtime was past; the ducks in the pool were silent. The shepherd boy fell asleep under the shade of the banyan tree. The white crane stood solemnly and quietly in the mud beside the lemon fruit tree. Just then the sleep-stealer came running, snatched sleep from the child's eyes, and flew away. When the mother came back, she saw the child crawling around the house on all fours. Who stole sleep from a child's eyes?I must know.I must find her and lock her up.

I must look into that black hole where a stream drips from a round wrinkled stone. I must search in the still shadows of the bougainvillea grove, where doves coot where they live, and fairies' anklets tinkle in the still starry night. At dusk, I want to peep into the quiet and rustling bamboo forest, where fireflies glisten and consume their light, and whenever I meet a person, I want to ask him, "Who can tell me that sleep-stealers live where?" Who stole sleep from a child's eyes?I must know. As long as I can catch her, I'm afraid I won't teach her a good lesson!

I'm going to break into her lair and see where she hides all her stolen sleep. I'm going to take it all and take it home. I'll fasten her wings, and set her down by the river, and make her fish for a reed among the rushes and water-lilies. At dusk, when the street is closed and the children in the village are sitting on their mother's lap, Nightbird will sneer and say in her ear, "Whose sleep do you want to steal now?" ① Drunk flower (bakula), scientific name MimusopsElengi.According to Indian legend, when a beautiful woman spits out the perfume, the flower begins to bloom.

"Where did I come from, where did you pick me up?" the child asked his mother. She hugged the child tightly to her chest, and replied half-crying and half-smiling—"I once hid you in my heart as a wish, my baby. "You existed in the clay dolls I played with as a child; every morning I molded my idol out of clay, and it was you I molded and crumbled over and over again. "You were worshiped with our family god, and I worshiped you when I worshiped the house god. "You lived in all my hopes and loves, in my life, in my mother's life. "You have been reared for many generations on the lap of the immortal spirit that rules our family.

"When I was a girl, the petals of my heart opened and you radiated like a scent of a flower. "Your soft tenderness bloomed in my youthful limbs, like a ray of dawn in the sky before the sun rises. "Heaven's first darling, morning twin brother, you floated down from the stream of life in the world, and finally anchored in my heart. "As I gaze into your face, a sense of mystery overwhelms me; you, which belong to all, are mine. "For fear of losing you, I hugged you tightly to my chest. What magic has drawn this world's treasure into my slender arms?"

I wish I could occupy a clean corner in the center of my child's own world. I know the stars speak to him, and the sky hangs down before him, entertaining him with its silly clouds and rainbows. People who everyone thought he was dumb, people who looked like they would never walk, brought their stories and crawled to his window with trays full of colorful toys. I wish I could march on the road that crosses a child's heart, free from all shackles; There, messengers go on an insignificant mission among kingdoms of kings without history; There reason reason flies as a kite made of her laws, and truth sets fact free from its fetters.

Why are there tears in your eyes, my child? They are horrible and often blame you for nothing! Ink stains your hands and face when you write—is that why they call you dirty? Oh, bah!Do they dare to call the round moon dirty because it painted its face with ink? They're always going to blame you for every little thing, my boy.They are always looking for faults needlessly. You tore your clothes while playing - is that why they say you're untidy? Oh, bah!Autumn morning smiles from its shattered clouds.So what are they going to call it? What do they say to you, though ignore him, my boy.

They take a long account of what you did wrong. Everyone knows you're a big sweetie - is that why they call you greedy? Oh, bah!We like you, so what will they call us? You can say whatever you want to say about him, but I know my child's shortcomings. I love him not because he is good, but because he is my little child. If you weigh his pros and cons, I'm afraid you will know how cute he is? When I had to punish him, he became more of a part of my life. When I made his tears flow, my heart wept with him. Only I have the right to scold him and punish him, because only those who love people can punish people.

How merry you are, my child, to sit in the dirt all morning and play with a broken twig. I smiled to see you playing with that broken twig. I was busy with my accounts, adding up figures by the hour. Maybe you're looking at me and thinking: what a boring game to waste your morning with! Child, I have forgotten the art of being absorbed in twigs and mudpies. I seek out costly playthings, and gather nuggets of gold and silver. You play your glad games with whatever you find, I spend my time and my strength over things I never can obtain. I struggled to cross the sea of ​​desire in my flimsy canoe, forgetting that I too was playing a game there.

I just said, "When the full and round moon hangs over the branches of Kadampo in the evening, can anyone catch it?" My brother smiled at me and said, "My child, you are the most stupid child I have ever seen. The moon is so far away from us, who can catch it?" I said, "Brother, you are so stupid! When Mom looks out of the window and looks down at our game with a smile, can you say she is far away?" Still the elder brother said, "You silly boy! But, boy, where will you find a net big enough to catch the moon?" I said, "Of course you can catch it with both hands."

But the elder brother smiled and said, "You are the most stupid child I have ever seen! If the moon comes near, you will know how big it is." I said, "Brother, what you teach in school is really useless! When Mom bows down to kiss us, does her face look too big?" But the elder brother still said: "You are such a silly boy." ① Kadambo, formerly known as Kadam, also known as Kadamba, scientific name Namlea Cadamba, free translation "white flower", that is, epiphyllum.