Teaching a Horse to Sing: Tales of Uncommon Sense from India and Elsewhere by Delshad Karanjia. Published in 2021 by Aleph Book Company, 7/16 Ansari Road, Daryaganj, New Delhi 110002. Pp: xvii + 346. Price: Rs 699.
Teaching a Horse to Sing is a delightful collection of stories and fables retold by Delshad Karanjia (pictured). She brings to life the stories which we have heard in our childhood, the wit of Mullah Nasruddin, the quick repartee of Birbal, anecdotes about Vikram and Vetal on how justice is meted, amongst many others selected from the world at large.
Though Karanjia has had a long career spanning several decades in the media — The Times of India group; the Daily Telegraph and the Sunday Times, BBC and Channel 4 in the UK; the Houston Chronicle in the USA to cite a few — Teaching a Horse to Sing is her first book.
It has been divided into three sections: the first dealing with Mullah Nasruddin, the second with Akbar and Birbal and the last, entitled "The Lore of Common Sense.” Karanjia depicts how her protagonists face "identical dilemmas in variations of the same folk tale, the only difference being that the setting shifts to some other part of the world.” Though some of the stories center on the "antics of wise fools and foolish knaves” they are generally full of wit and vigor and demonstrate sound common sense.
Mullah Nasruddin’s anecdotes date back to the 13th century. Karanjia has wisely chosen a strange title which immediately arouses the curiosity of the reader. In the story which lends its title to the book, Mullah Nasruddin, who has been condemned to be executed, promises the Sultan he will teach his favorite horse to sing within a year if reprieve is granted. How will Mullah Nasruddin fulfil his promise?
In her choice of stories, Karanjia often zeroes in on those in which the Mullah’s tact and quick repartee are showcased. He gives a quick witted response when asked to suggest a title for the Sultan with the word God in it, like God’s gift or God’s grace. His tact is evident in the story of the mayor who puts three men in prison: one for telling him the truth that his hair is beginning to turn grey, the other two for lying, as one confirms there not much grey in the hair and the other that the mayor’s hair is black. How should Mullah Nasruddin reply to save his skin?
But Karanjia also chooses stories that center around the follies of the Mullah. He once hoists himself between the horns on a buffalo’s head and comments he feels like a king on his throne, only to be sent flying to the ground when the animal jerks his head. But even when Nasruddin acts like a buffoon, Karanjia always ensures that his retorts are witty, succinct and tongue-in-cheek.
In the second section the reader is treated to the age-old stories of Akbar and the wisdom of his counselor, Birbal, whose name means "brave of heart.” Karanjia narrates stories where we are treated to Birbal’s acute sense of observation and his quick witted, wise and impartial justice. In one of the stories, a father died leaving his two sons an equal share of his property; but each son was convinced that the other had got the larger share. In another story Firdaus complains that Iqbal was continuing to draw water from the well despite selling it to him. Iqbal argued that he merely sold the well and not the water it contained. In yet another, Birbal is asked to find out which one of the four servants has robbed the jewelry and a bag of gold coins of a rich merchant’s wife. In all these stories as well as others in the collection, Karanjia always creates an element of surprise and suspense as to how Birbal will come to his decision.
In the last section the author deals with stories from all over the world, once again trying to establish the virtue of good sense. The choice of stories she could have included would have been immense but Karanjia often opts for those with a serious moral implication; even these are written in an effervescent manner.
When God decides to visit a town in Africa, there is a great debate as to whether his hat is red or blue. The difference of opinion becomes so vicious that a wall is built in the town to divide the worshippers of the two factions. Several years later, the townspeople see the same man walking on the wall put up between the two warring parties. What was God’s reply that made the inhabitants realize their folly, demolish the wall and decree that they would never be divided on account of their beliefs?
In "Time for Love,” Karanjia chooses a thought provoking tale. A long time ago, all the emotions lived on an island. When they were warned that the island was about to sink, all the emotions began to plan their escape but for Love who, true to her nature, "turned her blind eye to the fast approaching calamity,” continued to live in a dream world, and refused "to give up easily on anyone or anything she cared about.” When the truth finally dawned on her (as it does for all lovers) she asks the various emotions — Contentment, Pride, Hate, Sadness, Joy as well as several others — to rescue her, but is rebuffed on every occasion. Who will finally save her?
Karanjia demonstrates that she is also adept at writing poetry. She rewrites the fable of the "Ant and the Grasshopper” in rhyming couplets and adds a surprise ending as well.
One wonders why Karanjia chose "No Place Like Home.” It is, to my mind, the most disappointing story in the entire collection — strangely that of a Parsi who travels to London to study in the hope of obtaining a lucrative job. The story is totally devoid of all the sterling qualities of the other stories and the conclusion is both trite and predictable.
The collection is fascinating. The stories are inventive and enlightening and have been told in an extremely clear and cogent manner. The Vikram and Vetal tales are also captivating and I’m sure that some of the stories, if not all of them, will gladden the hearts of the readers and give them food for thought.
FIRDAUS GANDAVIA
Gandavia holds a doctorate in English literature and is a retired chartered accountant. He is a compulsive reader of fiction.