19
VILLAGE SONG
Full are my pitchers and far to carry
Lone is the way
Why, O why was I tempted to tarry
Lured by the boatmen’s song ?
Swiftly the Shadows of Night are falling
Hear, O hear, is the white crane calling,
Is it the wild owl’s cry ?
There are no tender moonbeams to light me,
If in the darkness a serpent should bite me.
or if an evil spirit should smite me,
Ram Re Ram I shall die.
My brother will murmur, ‘why doth she linger ?
My mother will wait and weep,
Saying, O safe may the great gods bring her,
The Jamna’s water rush by so quickly,
The shadows of evening gather so thickly,
Like blackbirds in the sky. . . . .
O! if the storm breaks, what will beside me ?
Safe from the lightening where shall I hide me ?
Unless Thou succor my foot steps and guide me,
Ram Re Ram! I shall die.
Sarojini Naidu
1. lured/In'laItn/ the atractive qualities of someone
2. succor/'sVkJ(r)/ to help somebody who is suffering or having problems
Text Book for General English
135
About the Poem
Even today one of the back-breaking chores of village woman and maidens in our
country is to fetch water from long distances. But such a humdrum activity has come
alive in the expressive and imaginative language penned by Sarojini Naidu.
A village maiden has gone to a far-off place to fetch water. Attracted by the boatman’s
song, she lingers longer in that distant, lonely spot. Darkness is gathering fast. She
is afraid of being harmed by a serpent or an evil spirit, or getting trapped in a storm
or struck by lightning. She also fears that her brother and mother will be worrying
themselves sick. She prays to God to guide her safely back to her home. The poem
is aptly titled ‘Village Song’ because of the mood it evokes and the music and
metaphors it generates.
EXERCISES
Word Power
(I)
(II)
136
Give one word for
(a)
A large clay container a small opening ______________________.
(b)
A man whon earns money from small boats by carrying passangers or goods
______________________.
(c)
A stream of light from the moon ______________________.
(d)
Very strong winds ______________________.
(e)
soft quiet voice that is difficult to hear ______________________.
Give the antonyms of the following :
(a)
full
—————————
(b)
safe
—————————
(c)
swiftly
—————————
(d)
evening
—————————
(e)
great
—————————
Text Book for General English
How Much Have I Understood ?
(a)
Answer these questions in one or two sentences :
(a)
Have you ever visited a village ?
(b)
Why does the poet find the way lone and long ?
(c)
Which lines in stanza three depict the night is falling ?
(d)
Why does the poetess say. ‘I shall die’ ?
(e)
Mention the lines of the second stanza showing that the poetess mother is
worried ?
Listening Time
Your teacher will read the poem for you. Listen carefully and complete the
lines.
Full are my pitcher and far to
___________________.
Lone is the way and
___________________.
Why, o why was a tempted to
___________________.
Lured by the boatmen’s
___________________.
Swiftly the shadows of night are
___________________.
Hear, o hear, is the white crane
___________________.
Speaking Time
(A)
Read each pair of words twice. Your mouth should open much wider
for the second vowel sound :
men, man
pen, pan
lend, land
bed, bad
said, sad
met, mat
beg, bag
etter, latter
(B)
Now read these pairs of sentences :
(a)
It is said that she is ill.
It is sad that she is ill.
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137
(b)
What happened to the men ?
What happened to the man ?
(c)
It was dangerous bend.
It was a dangerous band.
I met her over the rocks.
I put a mat over the rocks.
(d)
To improve your pronunciation make a list of such words in pairs as you
have read above.
Writing Time
Write the poem ‘Village Song’ in a prose form.
T hings to do
Draw a picture of a village and write a few sentences to describe the village scene.
138
Text Book for General English
Ke y to phonetic symbols :
p
b
t
d
k
g
t
S
dZ
f
v
T
D
pen
bad
tea
did
cat
get
chain
jam
fall
van
thin
this
/pen /
/b&d/
/ti:/
/did/
/k&t/
/get/
/tSeIn/
/dZ&m/
/fO;l/
/v&n/
/TIn/
/DIs/
s
z
S
Z
h
m
n
N
l
r
j
w
see
zoo
shoe
vision
hat
man
now
sing
leg
red
yes
wet
/si:/
/zu:/
/Su:/
/ 'vIZn/
/h&t/
/m&n/
/naU/
/sIN/
/leg/
/red/
/jes/
/wet/
Vo w els and diphthongs
i
:
I
i
e
&
a:
Q
O:
U
u:
u
V
3:
J
e
I
JU
a
I
O
I
aU
I
e
eJ
UJ
see
sit
happy
ten
cat
father
got
saw
put
too
actual
cup
fur
about
say
go
my
boy
now
near
hair
pure
/si:/
/sit/
/'h&pi/
/ten/
/k&t/
/'fa:DJ(r)/
/gQt/
/sO:/
/pUt/
/tu:/
/'&ktSuJl/
/kVp/
/f3:(r)/
/J'baUt/
/seI/
/goU/
/maI/
/bOI/
/naU/
/nIJ(r)/
/heJ(r)/
/pjUJ(r)
Text Book for General English
139