An Oriya poem that ends a tale.
My story is done,
The flowering tree is dead.
O flowering tree, why did you die?
The black cow ate me up.
O black cow, why did you eat the tree?
The cowherd didn't look after me.
O cowherd, why didn't you look after the cow?
The daughter-in-law didn't give me food.
O daughter-in-law, why didn't you give food to the cowherd?
My little baby was crying.
O baby, why did you cry?
The black ant bit me.
O black ant, why did you bite the baby?
I live in the dart
And when I find soft flesh,
I bite.
(Taken from FOLKTALES FROM INDIA by A.K. Ramanujan)
My story is done,
The flowering tree is dead.
O flowering tree, why did you die?
The black cow ate me up.
O black cow, why did you eat the tree?
The cowherd didn't look after me.
O cowherd, why didn't you look after the cow?
The daughter-in-law didn't give me food.
O daughter-in-law, why didn't you give food to the cowherd?
My little baby was crying.
O baby, why did you cry?
The black ant bit me.
O black ant, why did you bite the baby?
I live in the dart
And when I find soft flesh,
I bite.
(Taken from FOLKTALES FROM INDIA by A.K. Ramanujan)
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