When will the Bells Ring in the Blind School? by Sandipan Chattopadhyay

                

 I have only one story to tell. It is only one story. I tell all my stories with that, although that only story is simply a children’s story.

Once upon a time, that time once, there was a little mouse and a big, stout cat. What a long and fluffy tail he had! One day, there he was: enjoying his nap in broad daylight with his gigantic and hairy tail stretched across the footpath. The afternoon heat was spot on when all of a sudden the mouse awakened him.

Cat: What happened?

Mouse: Eat me please.

Cat (eyes closed): But I am done for the day...had enough of it!

Mouse: But, I have come all the way only for this!

Cat: Ah! Didn't I tell you a moment ago I have had enough for the day?

Mouse: But, it is your job; in fact your foremost duty to eat me!

Cat: Come later.

Mouse: Ok. Eat me later, when you like. But kill me now at least!

Cat (irritated): OK-OK. Put your head inside my mouth. I will eat you soon enough.

The mouse did just that. The cat went back to sleep with his mouth wide open. The mouse kept waiting and waiting and waiting. Time passed and passed again only to re-pass a third time .Finally, unable to keep his patience, he had to insert his tail into the cat's nose to rouse him from his nap...once more, a second time.

Cat:  Now what happened?

Mouse: When will you eat me?

Cat: Ah! Can't you see I have stretched my tail across the footpath? I am waiting for someone to come and stamp on it. The stamping comes...I have my  bite and kill at once!   

Mouse: So many came and went but not a single one to stamp!

Cat: Eh! Let's wait a bit more. Sooner or later, someone will do the honours alright.

Mouse (screeching to himself, inside the cat’s mouth): Everybody…everybody seems to avoid the tail. They are just stepping over it. One after the other in an endless sequence!

Cat: Ah! Don't be so impatient. Let's keep our fingers crossed and wait a little more. If nothing else happens, at least the school-bells will ring in a jiffy.

Mouse: School? What school?

Cat: Yes, yes. School...Can you see that building with a huge fence over there? That is the blind-school. The bells will ring at 4-30pm and all the blind boys and girls will rush out onto the street in no time at all. One of them is very very likely to do the job for us. Until then, just keep your cool, my friend. There is no need to fret.

After uttering these words, the cat went back to his dearest sleep, as cozy as ever with his mouth still wide agape.

    Translated by Arka Chattopadhyay