Children's Literature

  Long ago, there was a poor porter named Hindbad. He used to live in Baghdad. Hindbad used to carry heavy loads every day.           One day, he was carrying a heavy load as usual. As a result, he became tired and sat down to take some rest in front of a palace.           The palace was so grand that the porter became curious to know about the people living in it. He wondered, “How rich the people living inside the palace would be!”           Sometime later, Hindbad saw a passer-by. Right then, Hindbad asked the passer-by, “Who lives in this palace?           The passer-by replied, “The palace is of Sindbad, the famous sailor. He has travelled to a number of places or distant lands.”           After hearing everything with rapt attention, Hindbad looked up at the sky. Then he shouted loudly to heaven, “O, God, I am a poor porter. I, Hindbad, have to carry such heavy loads for getting every single meal. But Sindbad, right here, lives in such pomp and wealth.”           Then

            Mortimer fell down into the armchair. Picking up the old book, he, in extreme shock, recognised the book that contained the story of ‘The Midnight Express’. In great panic, he turned the pages of the book with trembling hands. Beginning to read, Mortimer came to find that the story was regarding a man, who, in his childhood, had read a book with a scary picture.           He tried to understand the strange cycle of events that he was going through. Filled in extreme fear, Mortimer asked himself, “Who was the strange man asking me to come into this cottage?”           The door got opened and the strange host entered at that very moment. The candle put on the table cast a huge shadow on the wall. Although the shadowy figure was standing in front of Mortimer, the figure slowly but surely came forward. Sitting on the armchair, Mortimer experienced a spine-chilling feeling. When he looked up to see the face of the figure, Mortimer heard the clock ticking in the hall downstai

            However, Mortimer was aroused. Yes, his instincts got awakened. He stepped towards the dark figure to look into its face. Mortimer became shocked to find that he was looking steadfastly into his own face.           Suddenly, a current of fear gripped his mind. Immediately, he turned. Then gasping for a while, he started running wildly. Stumbling out of the platform, he hastened down a moonlit street. Yes, he could even hear the echo of his own footsteps behind him. What is more, the footsteps were constantly approaching him. After taking a breath and a pause for a moment, he started running once again.           After some time, Mortimer found a little white cottage a little distance away. He kept on pounding on the wooden door of the cottage to seek a shelter desperately. Again, he could hear that the sound of heavy footsteps was nearing him. After the door had been opened, he saw that a shadowy figure was standing with a candle. Exchanging no words, the figure beckone

Then Mortimer was twelve years of age. He found a tattered old book that was bound in red leather in his father’s library. As and when the rest of his family members were asleep, Mortimer stealthily took the book. Where? To his bedroom for reading it by candlelight. The roaring sea outside as well as the ticking clock in the hall were in their flow.           Anyway, Mortimer was deeply attracted by the old book that contained a story named ‘The Midnight Express’. The illustration on the fiftieth page of the book scared Mortimer due to some unknown reason. What was in the illustration? It showed a vacant railway platform. It was night-time. So, a dull and yellow lamp lit the platform. A lonely man was seen standing under the lamp. He turned his face towards the dark mouth of a tunnel. Everything seemed so sound. Still, Mortimer did never read beyond that fiftieth page.           A number of years rolled away in this way. Mortimer was no more a child. Yes, he became a young man in c

              Eureka! It was a tiny key. The boy put the key in the slot of the box. Thus, the box got opened.           All of a sudden, the little boy came to see that there was neither gold nor silver. While he was trying to find out what there was inside the box, he closed his eyes because of the dazzle coming out from inside the box.           When the dazzling light came out, the boy became surprised. What did he see?           He saw that the light turned into a beautiful fairy. Then she said to the boy, “O, little boy, I had been suffering from a curse for a long time. However, you have released me from the curse as well as from the captivity. I bless you that happiness stays with you always.”           After blessing the boy with happiness, the fairy disappeared.           The boy was as if under a spell. He was gaping at the light and pondering over the blessings of the fairy.           He asked himself, “Was I dreaming or did I see everything in real?”         

  It was a dark night. A little boy had a dream.           In his dream, he had found a golden box. Suddenly, he woke up from his sleep. Actually, the boy was feeling very happy.           It was the season of winter. Anyway, the night being over, the next morning was there at hand.           The little boy set out on a journey to find that golden box. He pulled his cap over his ears, because it was too cold outside. Then he walked on and on.           There was a magical forest near his house. The forest was rich with beautiful trees as well as whispering sounds. Whenever a breeze used to blow, the rustling sound of the leaves could be heard and enjoyed.           The little boy walked into the magical forest. He spoke to himself, “I wish I would get a chance to meet an elf, or maybe, the king of the trees.”           Thus, he kept on thinking about his wish.           Suddenly, the little boy was almost to stumble, since his foot had struck something pretty hard. Well,

          The tree exclaimed in utter surprise, “Safer! So, you suppose that you are even safer than I? Did you not notice that none of the people dared to pluck me by the roots? Nobody can even dare to make me bow my head.”           Thus, the large tree kept on boasting. On the contrary, the little plant was silent.           The little plant mumbled, “Still, I must say that I am happy with what I am. I remain silent and that is my power.”           Then one evening, time was no more favourable for anyone; nor was the atmosphere. Both the tree and the plant were tropical. That is to say, after a scorching day, there is a heavy rain with a howling storm most of the times.           Anyway, in that very evening, a gigantic storm came into being. There was the roaring of the wind; there was the howling of the storm and a heavy rain.           Unfortunately, most of the large trees got uprooted in the violent storm. The tiny plant did not break, though it tossed and turned.