1120. Flower Becomes A Thorn!

"You see the beautiful garden there. Can we go there?" asked Malarkkodi.

"We can. But the problem is, if we go there, people who have been enjoying the beauty of the garden will be distracted by your beauty!" said Manivannan.

"If you are going to talk like this, I won't come with you to any place. I will go home right away" said Malarkkodi, in feigned anger.

"Pardon me, Your Majesty. Hereafter, I won't say things that will anger you. That garden is at a distance of a couple of hundred feet from here. If you walk that distance, your feet will get inflamed. Will you allow me to carry you?"

"Just now you said that you won't say things that will annoy me. It seems that you want me to leave this place and go home."

"No, no. Please don't go away. I will be more careful in my speech. If you want, you can close my mouth with your petal-like palm when we are walking to the garden."

Malarkkodi burst out laughing. "You are corrigible."

She then walked to the garden, holding his hand.

Manivannan and Malarkkodi walked in the garden, holding each other's hand.

"See how beautiful these Anichcham flowers are!" said Malarkkodi.

"Yes. They are like you. So beautiful, but so sensitive to touch."

Malarkkodi ignored his observation and said, "So many swans are walking in the garden. What a delightful sight!"

"If I make a truthful statement that the swans are practicing to walk gracefully, by observing you, you will get angry with me!"

Malarkkodi was about to respond to his observation, but gave out a mild cry and sat on the ground.

"What happened" asked Manivannan, with anxiety.

"I seemed to have stepped on some hard object and my foot is strained" said Malarkkodi, caressing her foot with her fingers.

"Be gentle! Your foot which was like a white lotus has inflamed and become like a red lotus now. Thank God, there is no bleeding. The doctor's house is nearby. Let us go there" said Manikandan, trying to make her get up, by pulling her arm up.

Malarkkodi shrugged off his hand and said, "I am not sure whether I can walk up the distance."

"If I offer to carry you, you will get angry."

Malarkkodi frowned at him and said, "If I sit down for a while, I will become alright."

"What you say makes sense. After all, if we go to the doctor's house, he will laugh at us."

"Why should he laugh at us?"

"Will he not be amused by your foot having got inflamed by your stepping on the petals of Anichcham flowers and the feathers of swans?"

Annoyed by Manikandan's remarks, Malarkkodi got up and began to walk away fast.

Thirukkural
Section 3

Love

Chapter 112
In Praise of Her Charms

Verse 1120 (in Tamil):
anichchamum annaththin thUviyum mAdhar
adikku nerunjip paZham.

Meaning:

The anicham and the feathers of the swan are, to the feet of this woman, like the fruit of the (thorny) Nerunji.

(This is the English version of the Tamil story 'malarum muLLAgum' by the same author.)

Verse 1121 (Soon)
Verse 1119