THE GENERAL came before the silent and angry King and saluting him said: 'The village is punished, the men are stricken to dust, and the women cower in their unlit homes afraid to weep aloud.
        The High Priest stood up and blessed the King and cried: 'God's mercy is ever upon you.'
        The Clown, when he heard this, burst out laughing and startled the court. The King's frown darkened.
        'The honour of the throne,' said the minister, 'is upheld by the King's prowess and the blessing of Almighty God.'
Louder laughed the Clown, and the King growled,-'Unseemly mirth!'
        'God has showered many blessings upon your head,' said the Clown; 'the one he bestowed on me was the gift of laughter.'
        'This gift will cost you your life,' said the King, gripping his sword with his right hand.
        Yet the Clown stood up and laughed till he laughed no more.
A shadow of dread fell upon the Court, for they heard that laughter echoing in the depth of God's silence.

আগা বলে, আমি বড়ো, তুমি ছোটো লোক।
গোড়া হেসে বলে, ভাই, ভালো তাই হোক।
তুমি উচ্চে আছ ব'লে গর্বে আছ ভোর,
তোমারে করেছি উচ্চ এই গর্ব মোর।

YOU SEEMED from afar
titanic in your mysterious majesty of terror.
With palpitating heart I stood before your presence.
Your knitted brows boded ill
and sudden came down the blow
with a growl and a crash.
My bones cracked,
with bowed head I waited
for the final fury to come.
It came.
And I wondered, could this be all of the menace?
With your weapon held high in suspense
you looked mightily big.
To strike me you came down
to where I crouched low on the ground.
You suddenly became small
and I stood up.
From thence there was only pain for me
but no fear.
Great you are as death itself,
but your victim is greater than death.