When Wishes Come True by Rabindra Nath Tagore, reviewed by Varnit Verma

When Wishes Come True by Rabindra Nath Tagore

Reviewed by
Name: Varnit Verma
School: Gyan Mandir Public School

Subal Chandra’s son called Sushil Chandra. But people are not always true to their names – Subal, whose name means ‘the strong one’ was actually quite weak and Sushil which means ‘gentle and quiet’, was just the opposite. The day on which this story begins was a Saturday and school would be over by two in the afternoon. But Sushil was in no mood to go to school for a number of reasons. To start with, there was the geography test. Then, there was to be fireworks display at the Boses’ that evening and Sushil longed to spend the day watching the preparations. After thinking long and hard about it, Sushil jumped back into bed just when it was time to go to school. His father looked at him in surprise. “Why are you still in bed? “He asked.” Aren’t you going to school?” “I have a terrible stomach ache”, said Sushi promptly “I can’t go to school. “ His father saw through the trick at once. “Very well,” he thought,” I know how to teach him a lesson. ‘You a re not going anywhere today,” said his father firmly. “Drink this and lie down”. His father Subal, was sitting outside at this every time and thinking,” If only I could be young again, I wouldn’t waste a single moment as I did when I was a boy. I would spend all my time studying hard. Appearing before Subal, she said, “From tomorrow you will be as young as your son.” When the sun rose the next morning, Subal jumped out of bed and found he had grown quite small. His moustache and beard had vanished. Sushil, who usually got up very early and ran about the house, could o even open his eyes in the morning, Subal clothes had become too big for him. Sushil clothes had become too tight for him. Both father and son got exactly what they had wanted. What they had not expected were these difficulties. Sushil had always thought that once he was old as his father, he could do exactly as he liked. He would limb as many trees as he wanted. He would visit his friends instead of going to school. Although Sushil could do what he pleased now, he found that he had o wish to do any of these things. He soon realized that things that used to be easy for him did not suit him anymore. He went back to his chair in the verandah and sat there. Just then Sushil’s friends. Rakhal, Gopal, Akshay and Harish cam past. They ran away when they saw a stranger sitting there instead of their friend. He found that he did not want to be disturbed. Subal now prayed with all his heart to be old again Sushil too prayed that he might become young again and play around with his friends and go to school. The next day Subal woke up as an old man and Sushil found himself young once again. Subal raised his voice and asked “Sushil, why aren’t you studying your grammar” – Father’, I have lost my book.