|
||||||||
Shiv and the Grasshopper (The song that Toomais mother sang to the baby) Sitting at the doorways of a day of long ago, Gave to each his portion, food and toil and fate, From the king upon the guddee to the beggar at the gate. All things made heShiva the Preserver. Mahadeo! Mahadeo! He made all Thorn for the camel, fodder for the kine, And mothers heart for sleepy head, O little son of mine! Broken scraps for holy men that beg from door to door; Cattle to the tiger, carrion to the kite, And rags and bones to wicked wolves without the wall at night. Naught he found too lofty, none he saw too low Parbati beside him watched them come and go; Thought to cheat her husband, turning Shiv to jest Stole the little grasshopper and hid it in her breast. So she tricked him, Shiva the Preserver. Mahadeo! Mahadeo! Turn and see. Tall are the camels, heavy are the kine, But this was least of little things, O little son of mine! Master, of a million mouths is not one unfed? Laughing, Shiv made answer, All have had their part, Even he, the little one, hidden next thy heart. From her breast she plucked it, Parbati the thief, Saw the Least of Little Things gnawed a new-grown leaf! Saw and feared and wondered, making prayer to Shiv, Who hath surely given meat to all that live. All things made heShiva the Preserver. Mahadeo! Mahadeo! He made all Thorn for the camel, fodder for the kine, And mothers heart for sleepy little head, O little son of mine! |
||||||||
|
||||||||
|
||||||||
Copyright: All texts on Bibliomania are © Bibliomania.com Ltd, and may not be reproduced in any form without our written permission. See our FAQ for more details. | ||||||||