Shakil Kalam's child story
Moderator 
THE CUSCUTA PENDANT
Idia is not feeling well. She can't sleep at all. Everyone has fallen asleep long ago. But Idia's mind is burning with excitement. The dog in the house is barking nonstop. Idia thinks, maybe the dog is hungry. Or maybe a thief has come. At that moment, someone walks silently past their house. There is a crunching sound when they step on dry leaves. Or maybe it is a black cat. Their cat is quite a hunter. It wakes up at night and kills mice.
Idia had brought the cat from her uncle's house as a hobby. It was tiny then. In a few months, it has become quite plump. It has been fed with fish, milk, and rice. It has been sleeping quietly next to Idia.
One day, Idia was petting it like a small child. The cat was asleep. When Idia removed her hand, the cat blinked at her. That's when Idia got very angry. She pushes it away.
Again, she pulls it closer. While doing so, she herself falls asleep. She wakes up in the middle of the night and sees that the cat is not by her side. Meanwhile, she searches for it. When the cat gets a little older, it doesn't come to Idia like previously. Idia has told her mother about this several times. Even when her mother calls her for food, she doesn't come. Her mother understands that she is upset. She says various things. She tries to break Idia's respect by saying that she will buy it for her. She scolds the cat. Even this doesn't break Idia's respect. Her mother pats Idia's back affectionately and says, "Let the cat come now, I will show it fun, I will tie it up completely." What is it, Idia? Why are you doing this? Come on, mother, eat the rice. But until her mother brings the cat to her, she doesn't get angry.
Idia doesn't like to think about all this. She just keeps pacing back and forth. I don't know why she remembers Nadia. Mother beat Nadia this morning. She scolded her. Why do I keep remembering her? Mother said she was dirty. She shouldn't mix with her. She's not good girl.
Why can't mother like her, doesn't let her mix with her? Idia can't understand all this. Nadia's mother loves her so much. She gives her so much to eat. But why does mother do this? When Nadia comes to call me, mother looks at her with wide eyes. Why doesn't she even look at me? Idia's mind is filled with small questions. She gets angry when she says anything to her mother. Then she says, they are our enemies. Hearing this, Idia cries. My heart goes out to Nadia.
Idia and Nadia are cousins. Idia's father used to work. He has been retired for two years and has been staying at home. They have a comfortable family. Even in the city, Idia comes to visit her on vacation. In these two years, Nadia has developed a good rapport with Idia. Idia wears matching clothes. She now attends the village school.
Nadia's father is not educated. He has always lived in the village. Their family is poor. There is not much in the way of clothes and food. Nadia has one shirt and one pair of pants. Sometimes Nadia wears a hand-woven saree. She is not even close to studying. Still, he has a good relationship with Nadia.
Nadia's father thought that his brother had given him money. But Idia's father kept an account of that money. When Idia's grandfather died, Idia's father told his grandfather about the money. His grandfather asked Nadia's father to repay all the money. At that time, Nadia's father didn’t have more money. So he wrote off the land to Idia's father. Nadia's father kept his grandfather's words completely. But Idia's father wrote off a lot of land from his brother. When this became known, there was a quarrel between the two brothers. Since then, there has been a tension between Idia's father and Nadia's father. No one even looks at each other's faces. Still, Idia runs to Nadia. Playing in the mango garden.
Picking flowers in the Bakul garden. Playing hide and seek in the Supori garden.
Month of Boshekh. Mangoes have started to ripen. It is very hot in the afternoon. Nadia is in the mango garden. The bees are buzzing, A bird is calling in the distance. Doo-doo. Nadia also tries to call in tune with it. At that time, Idia returns from school. Seeing Nadia in the mango garden, Idia also sits there. She sees that Nadia has painted purple flowers on her hands and feet.
Nadia, what are your hands and feet? Idia asks.
Why, don't you know? You didn't paint your hands and feet like that yesterday. I told my mother, mother painted flowers like you. Nadia tells Idia these words with a happy expression.
You see, you don't know anything. I wore red paint yesterday. The flowers on my hands and feet turned red. Didn't you see? Yours didn't turn red, Nadia.
Why, mine is red too.
No, you're not that red.
Its past time for Idia to return from school.
Idia's mother came out of the house to see her daughter and went towards the mango orchard. She saw Idia talking to Nadia. Seeing her mother, she ran to her. She grabbed her hand and pulled her to Nadia. She pointed at Nadia's feet and said, "Look, mother, are the flowers on Nadia's feet redder or my feet redder?"
Idia's mother got angry.
Who painted you all this?
Idia's mother said, "I can't live without seeing your colourful jokes." Saying this, Idia's mother turned her face away. Now her mother snarled, "Oh, if you wear these again, I will break your legs." Hearing her mother's words, Idia's smiling face turned pale. Nadia cried and cried, "No, Aunt, I will not wear them again."
At that moment, a ripe mango fell from the tree next to Nadia. She picked up the mango in her hand. A crow flew away. Nadia saw the crow flying away. And Idia's mother snatched the mango from her hand. Nadia looked at her aunt's face in surprise. Idia was also surprised. Then her mother took Idia by the hand and dragged her towards the house. Nadia stared at the mango in her aunt's hand. This time Nadia's insistence put pressure on her aunt. She found a pitcher near her hand and threw it at her aunt. It hit a nearby tree. Hearing the sound, her aunt looked back. Nadia ran away.
Idia was picking bougainvillaea flowers during school holidays. Nadia saw Idia and wanted to come towards her. But when she saw her aunt, she turned back.
After a while, Nadia came to Idia without seeing her aunt. Idia was happy. Seeing the yellow bangles and earrings on Nadia's hands and feet, Idia asked, "Nadia, who made these for you?"
Mother. Didn't you see how many golden vines are growing on our plum tree? Nadia spoke slowly.
These suit you very nicely, Nadia.
Will you take them? Nadia said happily.
Will you give them? Idia asked.
Yes. Nadia started taking off the pendants.
She took off the pendants and gave them to Idia. She kept shaking them and looking at them. At that moment, Idia's mother came to the pond to wash rice. She stopped when she saw Nadia with Idia. Her forehead creased when she saw the yellow pendants in Idia's hand.
Who gave them to you, Idia? Her mother's voice was hoarse.
Looking at her mother's face, Idia said softly, "Nadia gave them to you."
Hearing this, Nadia's mother snatched the pendants from Idia's hands and threw them away. Then she grabbed Nadia's hair and started shaking her head.
Mother's eyes seemed to be burning.
Idia had never seen her mother in such a terrible state before.
