In this episode, we listen to a fascinating incident in the life of the lady, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Kalithogai 51, penned by Kabilar. The verse is situated in the ‘Kurinji’ or ‘Mountains landscape’ and sketches a delightful moment of love’s blooming.

சுடர்த்தொடீஇ! கேளாய்! தெருவில் நாம் ஆடும்
மணற் சிற்றில் காலின் சிதையா, அடைச்சிய
கோதை பரிந்து, வரி பந்து கொண்டு ஓடி,
நோ தக்க செய்யும் சிறு பட்டி, மேல் ஓர் நாள்,
அன்னையும் யானும் இருந்தேமா, ‘இல்லிரே!
உண்ணு நீர் வேட்டேன்’ என வந்தாற்கு, அன்னை,
‘அடர் பொற் சிரகத்தால் வாக்கி, சுடரிழாய்!
உண்ணு நீர் ஊட்டி வா’ என்றாள்: என, யானும்
தன்னை அறியாது சென்றேன்; மற்று என்னை
வளை முன்கை பற்றி நலிய, தெருமந்திட்டு,
‘அன்னாய்! இவனொருவன் செய்தது காண்’ என்றேனா,
அன்னை அலறிப் படர்தர, தன்னை யான்,
‘உண்ணு நீர் விக்கினான்’ என்றேனா, அன்னையும்
தன்னைப் புறம்பு அழித்து நீவ, மற்று என்னைக்
கடைக்கண்ணால் கொல்வான் போல் நோக்கி, நகைக் கூட்டம்
செய்தான், அக் கள்வன் மகன்.

Such a different style from all the verses we have seen thus far. The words can be translated as follows:

“O maiden wearing radiant bangles! Listen to me! When we used to play on the streets, there was one little rascal, who would kick away our sand houses, pull out the flower garlands that adorned our tresses and then run away with our striped ball, making us suffer so. Later, one day, when I was at home with mother, we heard a voice call out, ‘O people at this home, would you give me some water to drink?’. Mother, hearing this, said to me, ‘O maiden wearing radiant jewels, pour some water in a thick golden bowl and go give it to that person to drink’. Without knowing who it was, I went out to do what she asked me. Just then, that old rascal caught hold of my bangle-clad arm tightly, and startled me so. I shouted out, ‘O mother! See what he’s doing!’. Mother came out screaming with worry, and I told her quickly, ‘He started having hiccups, when he was drinking water’. When mother rushed to rub his back, he looked at me, from the corner of his eye, as though he would kill me, and then, that daring thief smiled with so much love and joy!”

Time to delve into the nuances. The verse is situated in the context of a man’s love relationship with a lady, prior to marriage, and the words are uttered by the lady to her confidante. Without much ado, the lady dives straight into the core, relating how when they were young girls playing on the street, an impish little boy would kick away the sand castles they had built, would pull out their head garlands and then scoot off with the ball they used to play with. No doubt the confidante would have nodded her head, remembering that little scamp. Then, the lady moves to the recent past, when she was at home with her mother and a male voice was heard outside asking for a little water. Mother, full of kindness, seems to have asked her girl to go give water to that person, that too in a golden bowl. The lady too, innocently seems to have gone out to do her mother’s bidding. Just then, she saw that the person before her was none other than that old scamp, who had troubled them in play. When she handed the water, he seems to have pulled her hand and she instinctively shouted calling mother to come see what that person was doing. Mother seems to have come running outside, worrying what’s up. To save him, the lady changed the story and told mother that he had started having severe hiccups and that’s why she called mother. Again, believing her daughter, mother seems to have gone to rub the back and aid the poor, hiccuping man. The lady concludes with the image of how this man, looked at her from the corner of his eye, as though he was about to kill her and then burst into a smile, full of joy and love for her! One of the best narrative verses I have read thus far. It made me burst into a big smile too, reliving this adorable story of love’s antics and the innocent joys of that delightful time in one’s life!