Kumanan

                                                                                  Kumanan

“King’s soldiers? What king’s soldiers, my little girl?” asked Sivanesan.

At this drippy name, Valli bristled: “First you called me your girl, which I am definitely not, and now have I become your little girl. I am 18 and my father is searching for a good bridegroom. But that is none of your business! Just tell me who you are, so I could consider whether to save you from the king’s soldiers or not!” she spoke with so much importance that impressed Sivanesan, but her drivels about the king and his soldiers got a bit under his skin!

“What exactly do you want to know about me?” he asked a wide-eyed Valli, “And why should I tell you who I am and on what business I am here? “

“Oho, things go that way, yeah? Good! Let the soldiers come and I would like to see how you try to talk your way out!”

“But why should I try to talk my way out, my little one?” asked Sivanesan. “For a little girl you talk like a professor!”

“I am not a professor, but one of the faithful subjects of our Great King Karikalan!”

At the mention of the king’s name, superstars blood turned cold, even as the dawn was fast coming to be writing its eternally mystic picture on the Eastern horizon. KING KARIKALAN!

From the change that had come over the face of the stranger, Valli was amazed. “You haven’t heard the name of our great god like king? God, what a crime it is! Just who are you, tell me, and let me also know if you are in the right frame of mind? For I am afraid you’re either an artful liar or some one who must be taken care of at the hospital. But though don’t expect the Palace Doctor to do you any ministrations. He is only for the king and his family!”

“Palace doctor?” ejaculated Sivanesan, “I thought this was a small country side, and the fact that you’re having a hospital itself is amazing, and you talk of a doctor whose nursing home is palatial! WOW!”

“You would not be wowing any longer, sir, for the king’s soldiers should be here any minute!”

“Are you trying to play with me, my little one? Do you really think I’d be afraid of the king’s soldiers?” Sivanesan laughed aloud. “You speak a wee bit too much for your size and age!”

“O, I see!” Valli said hotly, “Let the soldiers come and let us see how brave you act!”

“Why should I act brave, my little one, can’t a guy be brave apart from talking like one? But it’s all a bit confusing. Will you tell me just which part of the countryside it is? I think I haven’t, in my life, come this side of the rural area!”

“Countryside and rural area, indeed!”, Valli brought her right hand in a dancing movement to touch her chin and said,”You witless man! I don’t know who you are. But I don’t think you mean any harm to the king. This is not a country side, sir. This is the capital city of our Mighty King, Karikalan! The name of the capital is URAIYUR. If the king’s soldiers here you speak in such witless manner, there would be intolerable trouble for you! But I seem unable to make up my mind as to the type of man you are. You look and act innocent, to me. But you act as though you are afraid of the very mention of our great king’s name! It’s all a bit confusing!”

“My child, Valli, don’t take it seriously if I asked you this question,” predicated Sivanesan, “Are you seriously talking to me or just playing with me. And who’s this king Karikalan?”

Exactly at this time they hear the voices of the soldiers. “Hey, You! Whoever is in the tree, come down slowly without making any tricks if you want to be in one piece!” the soldier shouted in that blood curdling voice at which Sivanesan took fright.

“Why should a girl of my age afraid of the king’s soldiers? What can you do to me?” Sivanesan’s was amazed at a brave Valli’s voice. “I will come to this tamarind tree as and when I please. As a matter of fact, I came to have an eyeful of the king and his foreign guest. But, since I couldn’t get entry into the temple, I thought I would visit my favourite tree! What right do you have to frighten a girl, one of the subjects of Uraiyur?”

“What nerve you rascally girl!” shouted one of the two soldiers, “Let me arrest you and parade you before the king. When the whole capital is swarmed with soldiers for the sake of the visiting dignitary, you parade your girly virtue at me. Come on, I say, come down this tree this minute or suffer!”

“Hey! Hey! The other soldier shouted at his chum, “This party is a known party. She is the daughter of our Marappan, who is working in the king’s kitchen. And I also have an eye on her. If Marappan is willing I am also willing! Her name is Valli, and a very beautiful darling, but a bit naughty for her age!”

“OK, if you say the party is known to you, its ok with me!” said the other soldier, “But don’t you have a wife to care for, Kumanan?”

“Kumanan grump has always been talking like that ever since I could count to ten!” ejaculated Valli, “Haven’t you been, grandpa Kumanan?”

“Ha! Ha! Ha!” the other soldier shouted with uncontrollable laughter, “Try to marry and tame her, Kumanan. She is really brave to point out to your own wit the difference of age between you two. And what a way to call you a grandpa!” he further shouted with laughter.

“Then, Valli?” called up Kumanan, “Why did you give out the whistle? Don’t you know it is a crime to waste the government servants’ time by indulging in child’s play like blowing the conch? I can arrest you for that, you know. When the foreign dignitary is having a darshan of the Uriayur Dhevar, you couldn’t escape by playing like that!”

“Who did blow the conch? “asked Valli in all innocence, “Are you sure you weren’t dozing on your duty and dreaming too! I never blew the conch nor did I hear any sound of the whistle. This is an age-related problem! Try to find a cure!”

“Ha! Ha! Ha!” once again the other soldier thundered with laughter, “This girl is great, kumanan. Ok, let’s make a move! We can hardly waste our time when the foreign dignitary is at the temple. Come, let’s go. Like the girl said, I too did not hear any sound of the whistle!”

With those words the two soldiers took themselves away!

Kumanan said to himself he would avenge himself for the way the poor girl treated him. His friend , Kabalikan was a man-eater. He would one day kidnap Valli and rape her, then hand over her to his friend, he wowed to himself furiously even as they were picking up their way through the bushes under the trees that first morning for Sivanesan at the great king Karikalan’s Uraiyur city!