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“Never mind our clothes. We can always change. But go we must.” And the rays rushed towards the earth. The clouds stood guard between them and Saeeda’s courtyard. The little rays focussed their heat — and they had enough of it — on a battalion of clouds, which had to flee from its post. The rays got through, shooting past the bewildered clouds. They were already late.
Saeeda saw the whole host of them approaching and her heart leapt with joy. She shouted, “Amma, Amma! The sun is here. Come out.” The old lady’s eyes welled up with tears of gratitude. Her charpoy was placed in the courtyard and she sat on it for an hour reclining against bolsters. It had been months since she had felt the sun on her hands and face and breathed in fresh air. She thought she was in a new world. Though pale, her face glowed and her eyes shone bright. She saw her child too bathed in sunlight and kissed her. The morning air brought in a new fragrance from nearby flowers. The birds chanted a new tune. Saeeda’s mother felt better already.
She is fully recovered now, but she still follows the doctor’s advice — an hour of sunlight and lungfuls of fresh air every day.
Explanation:
In response to the sun's warning about the clothes getting dirty, the rays said that they are not worried about the clothes. To them, and especially to the little ray, reaching Saeeda's courtyard is more important than their clothes. Besides, they can always change their clothes.
Soon after that, the rays rushed towards the earth. However, as the sun had warned, there was a troop of clouds standing between them and the earth. They were dark and were fat with all the rainwater in them. But the rays weren't afraid of the clouds, for they were determined to pass through the clouds no matter how.
A battalion of mucky clouds
The rays had plenty of heat in them. After all, they were the offspring of the sun. So, concentrating on their heat, the rays pushed forward through the clouds. The clouds weren't expecting the rays to be there, and hence, they were taken by surprise.
The clouds were taken by surprise
The rays kept pushing their heat through the clouds to chase them all away. The clouds were confused, and before they knew what was happening, the rays descended to earth victoriously. In a moment, the sky turned bright and the earth turned warm.
The sunrays pierced through the clouds and reached the earth
Saeeda was waiting for the rays at her home. When she saw the rays approaching her house, she became elated. Her heart jumped in joy. She ran towards her mother, shouting in joy. She asked her to come out and explained to her that the sun has come out.
Saeeda ran to her mother with a happy face
The mother felt happy and grateful. Due to the overwhelming emotions in her, her eyes started getting filled with happy tears.
Mother's eyes welled up with tears of gratitude
Mother had her charpoy placed in the veranda. She then sat on it with her back supported by bolsters. It had been several months since Saeeda’s mother had felt sunlight on her skin and had breathed fresh air. She sat under the sun like that for an hour or so. She felt different and renewed. Though she was pale, her face glowed, and her eyes shone bright.
Saeeda, too, was enjoying the situation. She felt happy seeing her mother happy and comfortable. Besides, she was happy being under the sun with her mother. After all, the sunrays heeded her request and had come down to her courtyard. Although the day initially looked gloomy, it eventually brightened up.
Through the secret language, Saeeda summoned the sun at will. Similar to the message in the movie, "The Polar Express" (2004), which explains how 'the bell rings for those who believe', Saeeda's belief and her earnest request earned her the blessings of the sunrays.
The Polar Express (2004)*
Saeeda's mother looked at the happy face of her child and kissed her. A pleasant scent from nearby flowers filled the morning air. The birds were happy too because they filled the void with a new tune. It felt like Saeeda's mother was blessed with a new lease of life. Saeeda’s mother felt better already. It was a new beginning for both of them.
Saeeda and her mother were happy
Time went by, and Saeeda's mother has recovered completely. But she still makes it a point to get sufficient sunlight and fresh air every day. Following the doctor’s advice, Saeeda’s mother sits in the sun for an hour every day. As the doctor had said, "sunshine and fresh air are more important than medicine.”
Sunshine and fresh air saved the mother
Meanings of difficult words:
No. | Word | Meanings |
1 | Flee | Run away from a place or situation of danger |
2 | Bewildered | To feel very confused |
3 | Battalion | A large organized group of people ready for battle |
4 | A battalion of clouds | Group of clouds; the word "battalion" is used to make the situation seem more dangerous and war-like. |
5 | Reclining | Lying back in a relaxed position with the back supported |
6 | Leapt | Jumped |
7 | Welled | About to overflow |
8 | Bolsters | A kind of pillow or backrest |
9 | Offspring | Children |
Reference:
National Council of Educational Research and Training (2006). A Pact With The Sun. (pp. 28-32). Published at the Publication Division by the Secretary, National Council of Educational Research and Training, Sri Aurobindo Marg, New Delhi.
*PC: Samray / Shutterstock.com.
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