"Friendship knows no barriers". Explain this phrase with reference to R.K. Narayan's short story
A Horse and Two Goats.
(Hint: Describe the development of their relationship from fear to comfort.
Answers
Answer:
Horse and Two Goats Synopsis and Important Questions
Synopsis
‘A Horse and Two Goats’ is a short story written by R.K. Narayan set in one of the tiniest villages in India, Kritam. R.K. Narayan is most known for his early Indian writing in English. This short story has used the simplest of settings and displays an amusing story. Narayan has used the language barrier to craft situational comedy. It is a fun story with a lot of humour yet conveying a social message with aspects to the difference in the life of a villager and a foreigner.
Muni is the protagonist of the story. He used to be an affluent cattle grazer. He owned forty sheep and goats. He took them grazing every day a couple of miles from his house and brought them back at sunset. His fortunes declined, and presently, he is left with two goats. These goats are too skinny to either sell or eat. Muni’s wife gave him breakfast and lunch in the past, but that is history now. He has no children. The only source of income for him and his wife was the occasional jobs that his wife got at the Big House. The Big House was the only house in the village built with bricks and cement. Muni’s wife would either sweep or scrub or grind corn in the Big House and earn some money.
One day Muni managed to get six drumsticks. Triumphantly, he carried it to his wife hoping to eat it with sauce. His wife could not fulfil his desire as they did not have the necessary food items to prepare the sauce. Muni went to the local shop to get the food items on credit. He placed a request to the shopkeeper for the food items, but the shopkeeper paid no attention to him. On the contrary, Muni was humiliated by the shopkeeper and was not given any item after being reminded of the previous unpaid credit. Muni was dismal and returned.
The statue of the horse was nearly life-sized, moulded out of clay, baked burnt and brightly coloured and reared its head proudly, prancing its forelegs in the air and flourishing its tail in a loop; beside the horse stood a warrior with scythe-like mustachios, bulging eyes and aquiline nose. It was white and had on its back a cover of pure brocade of red and black lace matching the multicoloured sash around the waist of the warrior. The splendour was unnoticed by the villagers. The pedestal of the statue was broad enough for him to move accordingly for shade.
As unable to understand Muni yet he nods. He asks Muni about the horse. In response, Muni asks him to leave, assures him that the murderer will be punished surely and that he has to be from the other village.
This is a simple tale involving the clash of cultures, wealth and poverty illustrated in a comical way.