The King of Bombardia
by Sukumar Ray
(Translated by Satyajit Ray) (Roots)
The Poem :
"In the land of Bombardia
The customs are peculiar:
The king, for instance, advocates
Gilded frames for chocolates
While the Queen-who goes to bed
With pillows strapped around her head-
Insists her brothers specialise
In sticking nails in custard pies
On moonlit nights the Bombardian-
His eyes all painted vermillion-
Keeps his silver pocket watch
Immersed in boiling butterscotch.
And if by chance he catches cold
He somersaults (if not too old).
The King's old aunt (an autocrat)
Hits the pumpkin with her cricket bat,
All of which though mighty queer,
Is natural in Bombardia.
Summary of the Poem :
The poet talks about the strange behaviour of the land of Bombardia. The King asks to place chocolates in gold-plated frames. The Queen goes to bed with pillows tied round her head. She demands her brother to stick nails in custard pies.
The people of the land of Bombardia paint their eyes with vermillion on moonlit nights. They further dip their pocket watch in boiling butterscotch. If they catch cold, they somersault.
The King's old aunt is an autocrat. She plays cricket hitting pumpkins with her bat. All these customs are very strange to us. But they are natural in the land of Bombardia.
Comprehension
1. The Bombardian King advocates that -
a. chocolates be made of gold. [ ]
b. chocolates be placed in gold-plated frames. [✓]
c. chocolates be covered in gold plating. [ ]
2. Which of the royal characters in the poem wants/has total power?
a. the Queen's brothers. [ ]
b. the Queen. [ ]
c. the King's aunt. [✓]
3. What are the strange things that the Queen does?
= The Queen goes to bed with pillows tied round her head. She demands her brother to stick nails in custard pies.
4. Why do you think the customs of Bombardia are strange? Have you ever travelled to a place where the customs were strange to you? Why?
= I think the customs of Bombardia are strange because of the whimsical rule of the King. He is the father of the nation. If he insists to do such stupid things like framing chocolates in gold-plated frames, then his subjects would must do other stupid things.
No, I have not yet travelled to a place where the customs were strange to me. It is good to read about such customs. But in reality it is very impossible like those of Bombardia.
The custom of hanging stockings on the eve of Christmas seemed very strange to me. It is weird to think that Santa has put the gifts but in reality the elders have put them.
5. What are the strange habits of the common people of Bombardia?
= The people of the land of Bombardia paint their eyes with vermillion on moonlit nights. They further dip their pocket watch in boiling butterscotch. If they catch cold, they somersault.
About the Poet :
Sukumar Ray (1887-1923) was a Bengali poet and writer who wrote many famous poems and stories for children. Abol Tabol or Rhymes of Whimsy and HaJaBaRaLa, a short novel for children are his most popular works.