THE ASTRONOMER

I only said,“When in the evening the round full moon gets entangled among the branches of that Kadam tree,couldn’t somebody catch it?”

But dâdâ [elder brother] laughed at me and said,“Baby,you are the silliest child I have ever known.The moon is ever so far from us,how could anybody catch it?”

I said,“Dâdâ how foolish you are! When mother looks out of her window and smiles down at us playing,would you call her far away?”

Still said,“You are a stupid child! But,baby,where could you find a net big enough to catch the moon with?”

I said,“Surely you could catch it with your hands.”

But dâdâ laughed and said,“You are the silliest child I have known.If it came nearer,you would see how big the moon is.”

I said,“Dâdâ,what nonsense they teach at your school! When mother bends her face down to kiss us does her face look very big?”

But still dâdâ says,“You are a stupid child.”