गेल्या भारत दौर्‍यात बायकोच्या लहानपणची काही आवडती पुस्तके, कॉमिक्स आवराआवरीत सासुबाईंना हाती लागली व लगेच आजीने ती वाचायला पाठवली. विकांताला वाचायची ड्युटी करता करता "बबन हजाम" नावाच्या एका धमाल बालकथा पुस्तकात एक छान सुंदर कविता दिसली. एकाच वेळी लहान मुलांना व मोठ्यांना (मस्त संदर्भ लागून) आवडणारी ही कविता तुमच्यासमोर मांडायचीच असे ठरवले. कवयित्री आहेत श्रीमती अनुपा लाल. दिल्ली युनिव्हर्सीटी मधुन इंग्लीश साहीत्यात पोस्ट ग्रॅज्युएट केल्यानंतर गेली चाळीस वर्षे अनेक वर्तमानपत्रे, देशविदेशात विविध मासीके, नियतकालीके इ तसे २० पुस्तके त्यात बालकथा, मुन्शी प्रेमचंद यांच्यावर, त्यांच्या कथांवर तसेच इंडीयन पॉटरी (कुंभारकाम / कला??) अश्या वेगवेगळ्या विषयांवर विपुल लेखन केले आहे. ही कविता इंग्लीश मधे आहे पण किमान इंग्लीश येणार्‍या सगळ्यांनाच समजु शकेल अशी सहज, सोपी. तसा हा लेख नियमात बसावा म्हणुन मी मराठी अनुवाद केला आहे पण तो वाचला नाहीत तर उत्तम. खर तर तो अनुवाद तसा भुक्कड आहे त्यामुळे मी तो प्रतिसादात टाकीन इथे नको :-) कवितेचे नाव आहे "कालू कौआ" (उगाच इंग्लीश मधे लिहायचे म्हणुन कवयित्रीने ब्लॅक क्रो असे नाव दिले नाही हे विशेष आवडले) Ladies are peculiar I am sure you will agree When I tell you how my neighbour has behaved with me I left a dead and tasty mouse for her dinner Sunday night Would you believe she fainted- not from joy, but fright? I waited till she'd recovered; I said, "How do you feel?" She said, "Go away, you nasty crow!" and let out such a squeal! I felt most insulted; I'm sure you would have too So I stopped being friendly for almost week or two When next I went to see her, I found to my surprise, She'd bought herself a puppy of a small and ugly size A lady needs a better pet was all that I could say So I pecked and pecked that nasty pup until he ran away My neighbour was alone again; I thought she'd like a chat But she shooed me off impolitely- what can you say to that? Still, I'm generous; I forgave her Next day, I went again I found she'd bought a parrot Thin, miserable and plain! I felt sorry for the parrot imprisoned in a cage "You shouldn't be sitting idle," said I, "not at your age" So I unlocked the cage door and watched him fly away I said,"Kalu Kauwa, good for you, This is your good deed for the day!" Once more my neighbour was alone so I stopped to say hello I feel neighbours should be friendly, And I'm a friendly crow She was reading a newspaper I hopped up to her chair She just went on reading As if I wasn't there Good morning I cawed cheerfully and it was a lovely day She threw her paper straight at me: "You nuisance! Go away!" I didn't flinch or budge an inch I just picked the paper up, And, looking sad and dignified I put it near her cup. She laughed and said "You crazy crow!" and offered me some bread I wanted to reject it but accepted it instead I still visit her occasionally, She always says hello Ladies are peculiar I'm glad that I'm a crow बबन हजामची कथा कधीतरी नंतर :-)