Rav’s Adventures in Blunderland

Vidyasagar Mundroy

(with due apologies to Lewis Carroll)

 

                       "You are old, Mr. Rav, " the young man said,

                                    "And your hair has become very white;

                        And yet you don't tell the one crore truth -

                                    Do you think, at your level, it is right?"

 

                        "In my early days, " Mr. Rav replied to the young man,

                                    "I feared it might affect my honour and future prospects;

                        But, now that I'm perfectly sure I have none and don't need any,

                                    Why, I don't need to tell the truth."

 

                        "You are old, " said the man, "as I mentioned before,

                                    And have been weakened by your comrades;

                        Yet you turned, many a time,  a back-somersault in at your adversaries -

                                    Pray, what is the secret of this?"

 

                        "Nowadays, " said the sage, pointing to a corner,

                                    "I keep all my vote bank satisfied

                        By the very use of these suitcases - crores in them

                                    Allow me to buy crores!"

 

                        "Morally down," said the youth, " and your

                                    Case is too weak to convince the public;

                        Yet you think you came out as clean as Seetha

                                    Pray, how can you say that?"

 

                        "In my youth", said the old man, "I took to the law

                                    And argued each case with three Swamys;

                        And the confidence, which it gave to me,

                                    Makes me to say what  I want."

 

                        "You are shaken, " said the youth, " one would hardly suppose

                                    That you survive in your post any longer;

                        Yet you could break your opponents into pieces -

                                    What made you so awfully clever- crores? "

 

                        "I have answered three questions, and that is enough,"

                                    Said the old man; "don't try to get the truth out of me!

                        Do you think I can listen all day to such stuff?

                                    Be off, or I'll kick you down stairs!"