1150. Kuzhali's Calculation

"It has been two months since I have been seeing Kumaran. What are people of this town saying about it?" Kuzhali asked her friend Sindhu.

"Do you think people have no other business except to watch your activities and comment about them?" shot back Sindhu.

"Does it mean that nobody is talking about me and my lover?" asked Kuzhali, showing her disappointment. 

"I didn't hear any such talk" said Sindhu. "It appears that you are disappointed that people are not gossiping about you?"

Kuzhali didn't reply.

After a few days, Sindhu told Kuzhali, "That day, you asked me what people have been gossiping about you and your lover. Immediately after your asking me that question, I came across people gossiping about you!"

"Really?" asked Kuzhali, feeling excited.

"I thought you would be perturbed by people gossiping about you. But you seem to be exhilarated by the gossip!" remarked Sindhu, with surprise.

"Not at all!" said Kuzhali, feeling somewhat embarrassed. 

'I wanted people to talk about my love. I knew that it would make me happy. I had created a belief that if this desire came true, my other desire that my lover should marry me would also come true. But, if I share this belief of mine with my friend, she will make fun of me' Kuzhali told herself.

Thirukkural
Section 3

Love

Chapter 115
Gossiping by Others

Verse 1150 (in Tamil):
thAm vENdin nalguvar kAdhalar yAm vENdum
kouvai edukkum ivvUr.

Meaning:

This town is gossiping about my lover, as per my desire. My lover will marry me as per my desire too.

(This is the English version of the Tamil story 'idhu nadandhAl, adhu nadakkum' by the same author.)

Verse 1151 (Soon)
Verse 1149