The Louse and the Mosquito

By – Vikram SethArpita Saggar

About the book………….Beastly

TalesBeastly Tales is a 1991 collection of ten fables in poetry written by Vikram Seth . Its full title is Beastly Tales from Here and There and Seth states "the first two come from India, the next two from China, the next two from Greece, the next two from the Ukraine. The final two come directly from the Land of Gup. Seth's sense of humor is exemplified by his retelling of The Hare and The Tortoise. In his version the loser, being a celebrity, is fêted and the winner ignored.

Arpita Saggar

The Poems :-

• The Crocodile and the Monkey

•The Louse and the Mosquito

•The Mouse and the Snake

•The Rat and the Ox

•The Eagle and the Beetle

•The Hare and the Tortoise

•The Cat and the Cock

•The Goat and the Ram

•The Frog and the Nightingale

•The Elephant and the TragopanThe Frog and the Nightingale

Arpita Saggar

A Stage Show A collaboration between The Scottish Chamber Orchestra & Licketyspit showcased a theatrical adventure of Beastly Tales in 2006.The show fully exploited the rich, bold and culturally diverse nature of its material. Scottish composer Rory Boyle created an exciting and original score for Seth’s poems in a delightful and accessible way

Arpita Saggar

About the Author……….Vikram Seth

Shrishti Karana

A Brief Introduction Vikram Seth ( born June 20, 1952) is an Indian poet, novelist, travel writer, librettist, biographer and memoirist.

Seth's first novel, "The Golden Gate" describes the experiences of a group of friends living in California."A Suitable Boy" is an acclaimed epic of Indian life. It won the WH Smith Literary Award and the Commonwealth Writers Prize.

Shrishti Karana

• Seth was born to Leila and Prem Seth in Kolkata. His father was an executive with the Bata India Limited shoe company.

Early Life

Shrishti Karana

• His mother, Leila was the first woman to become Chief Justice of a state High Court, at Shimla. • His younger brother, Shantum, leads Buddhist meditational tours. His younger sister, Aradhana, is a film-maker.

Education• He attended St Michael's High School , Welham Boys' School and The Doon School.• Seth completed his A-levels at Ton bridge School, a public school in England, and read Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Corpus Christi College, Oxford. •He undertook doctoral studies at Stanford University.

Shrishti Karana

Works by SethVikram Seth has also written a travelogue "From Heaven Lake: Travels Through Sinkiang and Tibet". The book is an account of a journey through Tibet, China and Nepal that won him the Thomas Cook Travel Book Award. His notable works include The Golden Gate, A Suitable Boy and An Equal Music Vikram Seth's latest work is Two Lives (2005). The book is a memoir of the marriage of his great uncle and aunt.

Shrishti Karana

Poetry1.Mappings (1980)

2.The Humble Administrator's Garden (1985)

3.All You Who Sleep Tonight (1990)

4.Beastly Tales (1991)

5.Three Chinese Poets (1992)

6.The Frog and the Nightingale (1994)

Shrishti Karana

Awards and Achievements

1985 - Commonwealth Poetry Prize (Asia) The Humble Administrator's Garden1993 - Irish Times International Fiction Prize (shortlist) A Suitable Boy2001 - EMMA (BT Ethnic and Multicultural Media Award) for Best Book/Novel An Equal Music2005 - Pravasi Bharatiya Samman2007 - Padma Shri in Literature & Education

Shrishti Karana

The Poem…….The Louse & The Mosquito

Arpita Saggar

The Louse & The Mosquito

In the King’s bed, Creep the louse In the King’s bed, Creep the louse

Lived in her ancestral house.Lived in her ancestral house.

They had dwelt here as of rightThey had dwelt here as of right

For three decades, and each nightFor three decades, and each night

She and her enormous broodShe and her enormous brood

Drank the king’s blood for their food.Drank the king’s blood for their food.

Once the signal came from CreepOnce the signal came from Creep

That the King was fast asleep,That the King was fast asleep,

Quietly, discreetly, theyQuietly, discreetly, they

Nipped and sipped and drank away.Nipped and sipped and drank away.

Sons and grandsons, sisters and brothers,Sons and grandsons, sisters and brothers,

Great-granddaughters, great-grandmothers,Great-granddaughters, great-grandmothers,

Second cousins and their wivesSecond cousins and their wives Arpita Saggar

--Lives of undisturbed delight-Lives of undisturbed delight-Growing plump and smooth and Growing plump and smooth and white.white. One day a mosquito flewOne day a mosquito flewThrough the window, as it drewThrough the window, as it drewCloser to the velvet bedCloser to the velvet bedCanopied with gold, he said:Canopied with gold, he said:‘‘Lovely! Just the place for me.Lovely! Just the place for me.Ah, what perfume-let me see-Ah, what perfume-let me see-Rose-no, jasmine. And the quilt-Rose-no, jasmine. And the quilt-Smooth as banks of Ganges silt!Smooth as banks of Ganges silt!Let me test the bedsprings now.Let me test the bedsprings now.’’In a parabolic leap,Landed not too far from Creep.‘Sir Mosquito, flap your wings.Leave at once. This bed’s the king’s.’

Arpita Saggar

‘Let me sleep here for one nightAnd I’ll catch the morning flight.’Thus the sad mosquito pleaded ,And at last his prayers were heededFor the tender-hearted CreepCould not bear to watch him weep.‘Well, come in, ’she said at last,‘But tonight you’ll have to fast,For no account may youBite him, as we’re trained to do.We can drink and cause no pain,Loss of royal sleep, or stain.

Arpita Saggar

‘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.’

Lady louse, how can you be,Cold in hospitality?

Just one bite-I ask no more-For I've learned from

learned loreThat the royal blood

containsRemedies for aches and

pains-Ginger, honey, sugar, spice,

Cardamom and all the 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.

Aashi Sadh

Finally the louse agreed.“Right!” she said, but pay close heed.Wait till wine, fatigue, or deepDream-enriched, unbroken sleepHas 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.’

Aashi Sadh

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 his bed, and sighed.

The mosquito almost diedFrom 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 attackLeapt upon the royal back,

And with fierce and fiery stingDeeply dirked the dozing king.

Aashi Sadh

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 canopy;But the louse clan could not flee.

All were killed without ado.Meanwhile, the mosquito flew, Looking out for further prey,Humming mildly on his way.

Aashi Sadh

The poem suggests that a louse lived, in the king’s bed, that had belonged to her family lice. The louse and her ancestors had dwelt in this house for three decades. Since then, each night, she and her family drank the king's blood as their food. Their lives were never disturbed. They were enjoying their lives, growing fat, smooth and white. One day, a mosquito entered the king's bedroom through the window.. The mosquito said to himself how lovely and nice the place was.

The Summary Of The Poem

Shrishti Karana

The mosquito finds the palace very beautiful and charming. He gets noticed by the louse, who tells him to leave at once. She tells him that she is the guardian of the house. The mosquito begs to the louse to allow him to stay for just one night. Finally the tender hearted louse agrees but tells the mosquito that he shall have to fast that night and forbids him to bite the king. But the clever mosquito says now that she has let him come inside, how can she be so rude?

Arpita Saggar

He pleads to bite the king. He also says that he had learnt from sources that the king’s blood contains medicines for pain and aches. He says that he is in broken health and wants the permission of only one bite. He promises that the king won’t even shift or move. Finally the louse agrees. She said that yes go and bite him but be careful. Wait till the wine takes him to a deep sleep. Then go and lightly bite his toe. The mosquito tells the louse to keep his advise with him and tells him that he is not a child.

Aashi Sadh

It was afternoon, when the king came to rest. The mosquito ran to bite him. The louse cried no but she was too late. He rushed and attacked on the king’s back and drank his blood.

When he bit the king ,the king shouted for help and ordered everyone to wake up. He told his servants to search his bed. When they starting looking, the mosquito hid in a canopy. But the louse and her family couldn’t escape and were killed. Meanwhile the mosquito flew away, looking for a new prey and humming in his way.

Aashi Sadh

Character sketch of the Louse The Louse, Creep, has been portrayed

as a weak character who is shown to be unconfident. She easily believes the untrue tales of the mosquito and ends up dead along with her family on the king’s bed while the wily mosquito escapes. The following words can be used to describe the louse:- Gullible Innocent Ignorant

Arpita Saggar

“Thus the sad mosquito pleaded ,And at last his prayers were heededFor the tender-hearted CreepCould not bear to watch him weep.”

Character sketch of the Mosquito The Mosquito has been shown as an evil

character who tricks the louse and her family. Even after being told repeatedly by the louse, he did no pay any heed. He easily tricked the gullible louse into letting him stay on the royal bed for one night that inevitably became the last night for the louse. Few words to describe him:-

Wily and Manipulative Unreliable and Sly

Arpita Saggar

“The mosquito foiled detection,Hidden in the canopy;But the louse clan could not flee.All were killed without ado.”

Conclusion

The poem is an exercise in warning against the dangers of being too kind hearted and in having a personality weak enough to be taken advantage of. The poem has been written in an ironical vein, describing the havoc that descends on the louse family from the mosquito’s actions and the cold blooded nonchalance with which the mosquito, unharmed, takes off, unconcerned about the damage he caused. Such indeed are the ways of modern world, where a good action is repaid with thanklessness and grief.

Arpita Saggar

Glossaryancestral house: house that had belonged to her family lice who lived a long time ago and which she had inherited.

brood: a large family of children.

discreetly: carefully

nipped: bit quickly

canopied: covered

quilt: a decorative cover of the bed

heeded: accepted

SHRUTI

parabolic: curved like the path of an object thrown into the air falling back on earth.pleaded : begged hospitality: friendly and generous behavior towards guests.learned lore: knowledgeable sourcesstealth: (doing something) in a quiet, secret way.fatigue: feeling of extreme tiredness.old hat: old fashioned advice; something that is well known.stale: (advice) that had been offered too many times.doffed: took off

SHRUTI

• glib: clever• dirked: bit• foiled: prevented; stopped• without ado: (old

fashioned) without delay; immediately.

• stealth: (doing something) in a quiet secret way.

• bumbler: one who makes careless mistakes.

SHRUTI

Q What components does the royal blood contain and for which remedies they were used?

A The royal blood contains ginger, honey, sugar, spice and cardamom. They are used for aches and pains.

Q For how many years the louse and her family had been living in the king’s bed?

A They had been living from 3 decades; 30 years

Questions

SHRUTI

Q What did the louse and her enormous brood do with the king when he was fast as sleep?

A When the king was fast asleep she and her enormous brood quietly and carefully drank the king’s blood for their food.

Q Why was the lady louse against the mosquito to let him bite the king?

A She was against the mosquito because she was afraid that the king would wake up and kill her brood.

SHRUTI

References and Acknowledgements• This PowerPoint presentation is the result if the collective efforts of Arpita Saggar, Shrishti Karana, Aashi Sadh and Shruti Verma. We thank our teacher for guiding us and allowing us to explore the magical world of Vikram Seth and his works. Given below are some websites whom we would like to acknowledge:-

• Wikipedia

• Google Search & Images

• Book buzz

•YouTube

• Google books

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Credits•Pictures by Arpita Saggar, Shrishti Karana, Shruti Verma and Aashi Sadh

•Stage Show Video by Arpita Saggar

•Animations and Backgrounds by Arpita Saggar

Arpita Saggar

• Efforts by :-• Arpita Saggar, Shrishti Karana,

• Aashi Sadh and Shruti Verma

Arpita Saggar