Game Of Cards And Other Stories

https://www.pustaka.co.in

Game Of Cards And Other Stories

Author:

Jayakanthan

Translated by

K. DIRAVIAM

For more books

https://www.pustaka.co.in/home/author/jayakanthan-novels

Digital/Electronic Copyright © by Pustaka Digital Media Pvt. Ltd.

All other copyright © by Author.

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Table of Contents

FOREWORD

Garland for a Hero

1. A WEDDING INVITATION

2. A GAME OF CARDS

3. GARLAND FOR A HERO

4. THE FLOWER SELLER

5. A BUSY BUSINESS-MAN

6. SNAKES AND LADDERS

7. THE WINDOW

8. NEW MOULDS

9. NOT OUT OF COMPASSION

FOREWORD

The stories in this collection were written during the earlier stages of my writing career, that is, they were written when I started contributing to popular magazines. Through these stories I became widely known to the Tamil reading public.

It is a rewarding, though difficult, experience to ruminate over the psychological backgrounds which induced me to pen down a particular thought. Regarding certain stories I can say no more than that I wrote them, that’s all.

Now, as I read this book, the English rendering by my friend Mr. K. Diraviam I find some of my stories retain their freshness even after the gap of a decade.

Many of my friends have always felt and often expressed a wish that my stories ought to be translated into English. Every time my answer to them was: Then there were some I can do nothing about it. Then there were some friends who took the initiative to translate the stories and eventually sent me a copy of the English translation neatly typed. Many such efforts did not fructify due to lack of encouragement and effort from my side.

Mr. Diraviam has successfully done this job on his own accord, and at his own choice and the entire credit goes to him. He has translated the stories, got them published in magazines and finally has brought out this publication and so deserves my gratitude thrice as much. I am glad that presently he is translating a few other stories of mine.

It is for readers and critics to comment on the stories in this collection; for that matter, the Tamil readers have spoken more than enough about them. My inadequacy in English prevents me from making any comment over the merits of this rendering. But I can say this much. His style is simple; his language gracefully carries the charm of the original, undiminished. I hope this work will be acclaimed by readers who read both in English and Tamil and those who read only in English.

I thank the magazines and the publishers for publishing this work and once again I thank my esteemed friend Mr. K. Diraviam for his praiseworthy effort.

D. Jayakanthan

Madras.

Garland for a Hero

The nine stories included in this collection belong to the earlier period of Jayakanthan’s writing and were written between 1956 and 1965. He had even then established himself as a creator of new moulds, a designer of new patterns in thought and style, an artiste of new dimensions, and a master of the art of raw, rugged, realistic, writing.

‘A wedding Invitation’ is the English rendering of the Tamil story, ‘டிரெடில்’, written in 1958, published in ‘Saraswathi’, and later included in a collection of short stories published in book-form under the title ‘ஒரு பிடி சோறு’. The English rendering was first published in the weekly edition of the ‘Mail’. (27th Sept, 1969).

‘A game of cards’ is the English version of ‘சீட்டாட்டம்’ written in 1960 and published in ‘Ananda vikatan’. The English version appeared in two parts in the ‘Sunday Standard’ (1st and 8th June, 1969).

‘மாலை மயக்கம்’ is the title of the original Tamil story, written in 1961 and published in ‘Kalki’, which has been rendered into English under the Caption ‘Garland for a Hero’. The English version was published in the weekly edition of the ‘Hindu’ (22nd Feb, 1970).

‘இது என்ன பெரிய விஷயம்?’ is the title of the Tamil story, written in 1960 and published in ‘Ananda Vikatan’, which has been rendered into English as ‘A busy business-man’. The English version was published in the weekly edition of the ‘Mail’ (15th Nov. 1969).

The three Tamil stories mentioned above are included in a collection first published in book-form in 1962, under the title ‘மாலை மயக்கம்’.

The original of the ‘Flower-Seller’ was published in 1956 in ‘Saraswathi’ under the title ‘பூ வாங்கிலியோ பூ’. The story was later included in a collection in book-form under the title ‘ஒரு பிடி சோறு’ first published in 1958. The English version was published in the weekly edition of the ‘Mail’ (17th January 1970).

The original of ‘Snakes and Ladders’ is the Tamil story ‘விளக்கு எரிகிறது’ written in Oct. 1964 and published in the ‘Ananda Vikadan’ Deepavali number. The English rendering was published in the ‘Quest’, in its issue No 64, (January-March 1970).

‘The Window’ is the English rendering of the Tamil story entitled ‘சாளரம்’ written in July 1958 and published in ‘Saraswathi’. The English rendering travelled widely, collected quite a few rejection slips from Editors, and appears in print for the first time in this book.

‘New Moulds’ is the English rendering of the Tamil story ‘புதிய வார்ப்புகள்’ written in March 1965 and first published in the Ananda Vikatan. The English version appears in print for the first-time in this collection.

The three Tamil original stories referred to above be included in a collection published in book-form under the title ‘புதிய வார்ப்புகள்’, in April 1965.

‘Not out of compassion’, is the English rendering of the Tamil novelette, ‘கருணையினால் அல்ல’, published in Ananda Vikatan and later brought out as a book under the same title in Nov. 1965. The English version appears in print for the first time in this collection.

The grateful thanks of the Translator are due to the Editors of the Tamil journals in which the original Tamil stories appeared, and the Editors of the English journals in which some of the English renderings included in this collection were first published.

To Thiru Jayakanthan himself, the translator’s thanks and tributes can at best be only woefully inadequate. Jayakanthan is a phenomenon in contemporary Tamil writing, an inspiration to some, a challenge to some, an anathema to a few. There are many who consider him a dynamic writer of profound social significance. There are also some who consider him a disturbing element, with his alleged obsession with individual perversions and social aberrations. But whether he pleases or provokes, delights or disturbs, soothes or sears, consoles or challenges, none can deny that he is a writer of rare power and refreshing realism, vigorous in his portrayal, virile in his style, sweeping in his range, and subtle in his touches. Reading him was, for me, a revelation. Rendering him in English was a rare privilege and a rich experience.

Jayakanthan deserves a much wider audience than he has today. This publication in English is a small step in the direction of establishing rapport between a discriminating public and a dedicated writer.

DIRAVIAM

1. A WEDDING INVITATION

(டிரெடில்)

Tring... tring...

The ink blade rotates. The blades go up and down. The impression falls.

A thin leg presses the pedal and the machine goes into action. This is the leg on which the small, dark, dingy press stands and moves.

The press was more than twenty years old. The normal work of the press was the printing of wedding invitations. It received stray orders for printing bill books and letter pads. One treadle, and four or five job type cases constituted the equipment of the press. After all, it was only a small job-press and earned a small profit.

But yet Murugesa Mudaliar, the owner, had managed to build a house for himself, after running the press for twenty years.

Vinayagamurti, standing stoically near the treadle, was the compositor, binder, and machine-man, all rolled into one. His pay was a grand twenty rupees a month. Occasionally, when the owner was in a good mood, he would get some extra tips and ‘tea money’. All told, he cleared about thirty rupees.

It was more than twelve years since Vinayagam had first handled the composing stick. His first job was printing a wedding invitation. Since then he had printed numerous wedding invitations in diverse designs for various people. But what about himself?

‘For how many people, have I printed a wedding invitation!’ he thought and heaved a sigh.

He was now thirty years old. How much longer can I survive on the wretched six - anna meal in the hotel?" he bemoaned.

Vinayagam clamped down the hand-brake. His leg stopped pedalling and the treadle came to a stand-still. His fingers groped for something on the stand nearby, where the ink barrels were kept. He brought out a snuff pad, took a pinch of snuff, and inhaled it. He wiped his nose with the back of his hand; his nose got smeared with ink.

He did not bother about the ink stains on his face, but pulled out a freshly imprinted paper, which he had hung up for drying.

How evenly the ink has spread! he noted with satisfaction. If the bottom roller is changed, the impression will be better still. What a pity this particular letter is not clear! I wonder if the type has worn out.

When he was thus reviewing his performance, Mudaliar shouted, Hey, why have you stopped the machine? The customer will come presently to collect the printed matter.

Sir, give me four annas. I had skipped my morning tiffin. I will come back soon and finish the job.

All right, come soon; a lot of work remains to be cleared.

Yes, sir. This was his standard reply, his standing rule of conduct, his stable formula for survival. He took the money and walked towards the tea shop.

***

There was no one in the press besides Vinayagam that day. He had to type-set two wedding invitations and carry out the corrections in the proof of a felicitation address.

He had also to cut the paper to size, for striking off the copies. Just then a childish desire took hold of him.

He removed the chase and laid it on the stone. It was a wedding invitation. He applied a brush over the types that framed the bride-groom’s name. ‘Chiranjeevi Sridharan’, the name of the bride-groom greeted him.

Skilfully he removed the types and placed them in the case box. A mischievous smile lit up his face.

He picked out a few other types and composed the name afresh. He mounted the matter, screwed up the chase, laid a waste sheet on the treadle bed, ironed out the wrinkles and ran the treadle.

The wedding invitation now read the marriage of K. Vinayagamurti and Sow. Anasuya. He could not repress his laughter. The names of the parents of the bride-groom made no difference to him.

After admiring his handiwork, he removed the chase and was about to distribute the matter.

Just then, the proprietor’s voice rang out, What are you doing? I asked you to hurry with the printing. But you are distributing the matter. Get on with the work.

Vinayagam gave the usual reply, which had become part of his reflex, and plunged into the work.

Whatever time it takes, the work should be finished today. Those were the proprietor’s orders.

***

It was past three in the afternoon. The printing of the felicitation address had now to be taken up.

His hands were busily involved in the work. His mind was lost in the visions of the day when his own wedding invitation could be printed.

If I tell my cousin in Choolai, she will fix up an alliance with one of my own relatives. Finding a girl was no problem. The real snag was finding the money. He would need at least a hundred rupees for the marriage and then every month at least forty rupees to maintain his family.

What is it, you are laughing like a mad fellow? chided Mudaliar.

Have a look at the mistake I have committed, sir he said and showed him the proof of the felicitation address.

The original had read, ‘Man needs a mate to share life’s joys and sorrows.’ Instead of the word ‘mate’, he had composed ‘mare’. A small printer’s devil had made all the difference in the meaning.

Mudaliar had impulsively enjoyed the joke, but suddenly the proprietor in him