Another Bengali poem from the Abol Tabol.
This is the story of a boy who has made a unique invention. He claims that he has created a contraption that can reduce travel time to any destination by half.
The contraption has a rod that is attached to the back of a traveler. The rod has another horizontal rod attached to it which goes over the person”s head. At the end of this rod is a pulley and hook on which the traveler can hang her favorite savory item. But, the savory hangs at a distance from the traveler”s face. Maddened by the smell of the savory, the traveler walks faster and faster trying to eat it, but, the savory cannot be reached. Soon, the traveler reaches her destination walking or even running faster than she usually would.
Poem Title: Khuror Kol
Author: Sukumar Ray
Storyteller: Erica Taraporewala
Language: Bengali
More on the poem
Read a wonderful exposition of the device from the poem and a historical perspective on it here
