A Strange Wrestling Match PART 1
A Strange Wrestling MatchThere was once a wrestler called Vijay Singh. A tall man with massive shoulders and muscular arms, he towered over others like a giant. Vijay Singh, people said, was a born wrestler and could beat all other wrestlers in the world. This pahalwan had but one shortcoming which often landed him in awkward situations. He was fond of boasting. One day, he was sitting in the market-place surrounded by several young men. After drinking many glasses of milk, he suddenly proclaimed, “Why are people afraid of ghosts? I am not. I wish I met a stout ghost. I’d teach him a lesson.”There were murmurs of applause as well as apprehension among the young men. “If you walk alone at night through the Haunted Desert,” one of them said, “you are sure to meet ghosts. They roam there freely. Strange shrieks and moans can be heard all over the place. Travellers have been looted and killed. Would you really want to go there?” Vijay Singh’s mighty heart missed a beat or two. Why did he have to boast? “Yes, I have heard of the Haunted Desert,” he said nonchalantly. “I think it’s just a fairy tale.”“Oh no,” said one of his admirers, “it’s true. This place is ten miles to the west on the road to Jaisalmer. The landmark is an ugly black rock that looks like the head of a camel. Beyond that there is nothing but sand and wilderness and, of course, ghosts.”Almost the entire village turned up that evening to bid farewell to Vijay Singh, who was ready to set out west. Just then an old woman came forward and thrust a small packet into his hands, and Vijay Singh started walking into the red sunset of the desert.As he walked, the night deepened. The moon was bright and the stars shone clearly in the Rajasthan sky. Still a few miles short of his destination, Vijay Singh remembered the old woman’s packet. He opened it and found nothing but a lump of salt and an egg. The old woman was well-known for her eccentricities. As Vijay Singh stepped into the Haunted Desert, he heard a voice. “Vijay Singh, Vijay Singh! You will get lost in the desert. Come this way. I am your friend, Natwar.” At once Vijay Singh realised it was not his friend but a ghost. Trying to sound brave, he called back, “Where are you, my dear Natwar? It’s dark and I cannot see you. Come here and show me the way.” Like all good wrestlers, Vijay Singh wanted to size up his enemy. Soon the ghost appeared at his side. Vijay Singh peered into his face and declared, “You are just a plain, lying ghost. Anyway, now I don’t have to walk all night. I was longing to meet you.” Not used to insults, the ghost was taken aback. People generally started back in horror when they met him. They often fainted. But here was this unfeeling creature claiming he wanted to meet a ghost. It didn’t make sense.“Really, I don’t know why you longed to meet me,” the ghost said. “That proves,” said Vijay Singh in a bored voice, “that you are a stupid ghost. The least a ghost can do is to read a man’s thoughts. However, a worthless ghost like you is better than no ghost. The fact is, I am tired of wrestling with men. I want to fight a ghost”.The ghost was speechless. Marshalling his ghostly wits, he made an attempt to look Vijay Singh scornfully in the eye. “Frankly,” he said, “you don’t appear all that strong to me.”“Appearances can be deceptive ,” Vijay Singh said. “Take your own case. You claim to be Natwar, though actually you are a rascal of a ghost. If you doubt my strength, let me give you a demonstration of it.” (To be continued………………….)
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Strange (adjective) – unusual, odd, curious, peculiar, funny, bizarre अजीब
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Often (adverb) – frequently, in many instances, repeatedly, again and again
अक्सर
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Faint (verb) – lose consciousness, fall unconscious, black out, collapse
मूर्छित/बेहोश होना
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Apprehension (noun) – anxiety, angst, alarm, worry, uneasiness, unease
शंका, डर
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Tower over someone (phrasal verb) – to be very tall in comparison with someone or something else
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Shortcoming (noun) – flaw, fault, defect, failing, weakness
कमी
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Land (verb) – cause someone to be in a difficult or unwelcome situation
(मुसीबत) में डालना
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Awkward (adjective) – clumsy, difficult, uncomfortable, inept, gauche
अटपटा
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Fond (of) (adjective) – Having or displaying warmth or affection
प्रिय, शौक़ीन
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Boasting (noun) – Boastfulness, Self-aggrandizement, Showing off
शेखी
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Proclaim (verb) – declare, announce, broadcast, assert, state
घोषणा करना
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Stout (adjective) – strong, sturdy
तगड़ा, मज़बूत
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Murmur (noun) – Speak softly or indistinctly
बड़बड़ाना
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Applause (noun) – acclaim, praise, acclamation, commendation
वाहवाही
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Haunted (adjective) – scary, ghostly,
भुतहा
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Roam (verb) – Move about aimlessly or without any destination, often in search of food or employment
इधर-उधर भटकना
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Shriek (noun) – Screech, Scream, Yell, Cry
चीख
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Moan (noun) – Sigh, Groan, Whine, Whimper, Sob, Lament
कराह
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Loot (verb) – Goods or money obtained illegally
लूटना
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Heart miss a beat (phrase) – used to say that someone is suddenly very surprised, excited, or nervous about something
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Nonchalantly (adverb) – casually, indifferently, calmly, carelessly
निश्चिंततापूर्वक
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Fairy tale (noun) – An interesting but highly implausible story
परियों की कहानी
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Admirer (noun) – Fan, Devotee, Follower, Lover Aficionado
प्रशंसक
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Landmark (noun) – The position of a prominent or well-known object in a particular landscape
सीमा चिन्ह
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Wilderness (noun) – wasteland, desert, wild, wilds, bush
जंगल, बियाबान
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Turn up (phrasal verb) – show up, appear, arrive, come,
आना
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Bid farewell (phrase) – say goodbye
विदाई देने
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Thrust into (phrasal verb) – force someone to do or accept something.
थमाना
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Deepen (verb) –Make more intense, stronger, or more marked
गहरा होना
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Shine (verb) – gleam, glow, glitter, sparkle, glint
चमकना
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Lump (noun) – a piece of something solid of any size or shape
ढेला, डला
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Eccentricity (noun) – peculiarity, idiosyncrasy, oddity, singularity, strangeness
सनक
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Size up (phrasal verb) – evaluate, scrutinize, appraise, assess, examine
परखना
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Peer (verb) –Look searchingly
ताकना
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Lying (adjective) – Deceitful, Dishonest, Twofaced
कपटी
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Longing (adjective) – Prolonged unfulfilled desire or need
चाह
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Take aback (phrase) – Surprise greatly; knock someone's socks off
हैरान रह जाना
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Marshal (verb) – To combine things together
क्रमबद्ध करना, एकत्र करना
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Wits (noun) – Intelligence or mental ability
बुद्धि
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Scornfully (adverb) – Without respect; in a disdainful manner
तिरस्कार से
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Deceptive (adjective) – deceitful, false, misleading, fraudulent, dishonest
भ्रामक
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Rascal (noun) – One who is playfully mischievous
दुष्ट
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Demonstration (noun) – A show or display; the act of presenting something to sight or view
प्रदर्शन