summary of JOURNEY BY NIGHT author NORAH BURKE in 650 words
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Sher Singh with his younger brother lay in the hut. Kunwar had a pain in his stomach and it was
getting worse with time. The other children of his village Laidwani were dead earlier due to
cholera, influenza or by some jungle accidents. Sher Singh’s mother tried to provide some home
remedy to Kunwar, but it did not work, so she thought that it was better that Kunwar be carried to
the hospital in Kalaghat. Sher Singh thought that his brother was dying as people in the jungle
were aware that if someone is to be taken to the hospital then he or she is doomed.
Sher Singh’s father, Sher Singh Bahadur – the brave, was a famous Shikari (hunter), who had
earned the title Bahadur by his prowess in hunting. He was away in the jungle on a photographic
expedition. So Sher Singh decided that he would carry Kunwar to the hospital as his mother just
stayed behind to look after the cattle and the farming. She Singh’s mother was a hill woman and
she knew about carrying loads. She took one of her two saris and she made a sling for Sher
Singh to put around his forehead and down his back, and she lifted up the child Kunwar who
was doubled with pain and put him into it. Sher Singh felt the weight and wondered how he was
going to manage.
It was evening when Sher Singh began the journey, first he had to cross the village, then the
jungle started - scrub at first, rough grass dotted with thorn trees, and then with sal, from which
they got sleepers for the railway at Kalaghat. Kalaghat was at least fifty miles away, but Sher
Singh thought that if he could get through the jungle and cross the two rivers then he might get a
lift in a bullock cart or perhaps even a broken-down truck for the last part of his journey.
As he was passing through the jungle, an unknown jungle sense made him hesitate between
one step and the next, and there was a cobra sunning itself on the path in the last of the
daylight. As Sher Singh slowly moved away, the cobra too swayed back. As night fell, he
quickened his steps through the forest as fear was gripping his mind and the weight of his
brother was too much for him. As he came near the river bed, he was sure that he could go no
further without rest. As he put Kunwar on the ground, he heard the jostle and squeal of
elephants. As he saw the herd of elephants, Sher Singh was frightened, but he could do nothing.
With Kunwar to carry, he could neither climb nor run. If he shouted, it would bring catastrophe
upon them. But soon the herd disappeared. He picked up Kunwar with great difficulty and
stepped into the shallow river. The water was colder than usual, as snowwater was already
coming down. As he swashed up on to the shore, he noticed fresh foot prints of a tiger, but with
great courage, he moved forward. Around midnight, the second river was ahead of him. The
river was full as snow had melted and the kutcha bridge that he hoped to find was not there. It
was submerged. There was a great current of the water, and underneath boulders moved, as if
the river was grinding its teeth. Sher Singh gathered some grass and plaited it into a rope. He tied the rope round his brother and himself so that they would keep together. Then he entered
the water just above the bridge. The river seized them and he could not move, but then he
began to move forward holding on to this and that. With great struggle he carried on keeping his
brother’s head above water, fighting a mortal struggle. At last he succeeded in crossing the river
with great difficulty with bruises everywhere on his body. Now he came to the road. Next they
were in a bullock cart, then a truck. At last they were at the hospital.
After admitting his brother to the hospital, Sher Singh went down to the rail yards in the morning
to get some work of loading coal. He laboured all day and earned a few pence to buy a little
coarse atta flour, some mustard oil and chilies, so as to cook a meal. Then the doctor called for
him. The doctor asked him whether he was the boy who brought the child Kunwar in from
Laidwani to which Sher Singh replied in the affirmative. The doctor smiled and said ‘Sher Singh
Bahadur! Your brother will live. Come and see.’
getting worse with time. The other children of his village Laidwani were dead earlier due to
cholera, influenza or by some jungle accidents. Sher Singh’s mother tried to provide some home
remedy to Kunwar, but it did not work, so she thought that it was better that Kunwar be carried to
the hospital in Kalaghat. Sher Singh thought that his brother was dying as people in the jungle
were aware that if someone is to be taken to the hospital then he or she is doomed.
Sher Singh’s father, Sher Singh Bahadur – the brave, was a famous Shikari (hunter), who had
earned the title Bahadur by his prowess in hunting. He was away in the jungle on a photographic
expedition. So Sher Singh decided that he would carry Kunwar to the hospital as his mother just
stayed behind to look after the cattle and the farming. She Singh’s mother was a hill woman and
she knew about carrying loads. She took one of her two saris and she made a sling for Sher
Singh to put around his forehead and down his back, and she lifted up the child Kunwar who
was doubled with pain and put him into it. Sher Singh felt the weight and wondered how he was
going to manage.
It was evening when Sher Singh began the journey, first he had to cross the village, then the
jungle started - scrub at first, rough grass dotted with thorn trees, and then with sal, from which
they got sleepers for the railway at Kalaghat. Kalaghat was at least fifty miles away, but Sher
Singh thought that if he could get through the jungle and cross the two rivers then he might get a
lift in a bullock cart or perhaps even a broken-down truck for the last part of his journey.
As he was passing through the jungle, an unknown jungle sense made him hesitate between
one step and the next, and there was a cobra sunning itself on the path in the last of the
daylight. As Sher Singh slowly moved away, the cobra too swayed back. As night fell, he
quickened his steps through the forest as fear was gripping his mind and the weight of his
brother was too much for him. As he came near the river bed, he was sure that he could go no
further without rest. As he put Kunwar on the ground, he heard the jostle and squeal of
elephants. As he saw the herd of elephants, Sher Singh was frightened, but he could do nothing.
With Kunwar to carry, he could neither climb nor run. If he shouted, it would bring catastrophe
upon them. But soon the herd disappeared. He picked up Kunwar with great difficulty and
stepped into the shallow river. The water was colder than usual, as snowwater was already
coming down. As he swashed up on to the shore, he noticed fresh foot prints of a tiger, but with
great courage, he moved forward. Around midnight, the second river was ahead of him. The
river was full as snow had melted and the kutcha bridge that he hoped to find was not there. It
was submerged. There was a great current of the water, and underneath boulders moved, as if
the river was grinding its teeth. Sher Singh gathered some grass and plaited it into a rope. He tied the rope round his brother and himself so that they would keep together. Then he entered
the water just above the bridge. The river seized them and he could not move, but then he
began to move forward holding on to this and that. With great struggle he carried on keeping his
brother’s head above water, fighting a mortal struggle. At last he succeeded in crossing the river
with great difficulty with bruises everywhere on his body. Now he came to the road. Next they
were in a bullock cart, then a truck. At last they were at the hospital.
After admitting his brother to the hospital, Sher Singh went down to the rail yards in the morning
to get some work of loading coal. He laboured all day and earned a few pence to buy a little
coarse atta flour, some mustard oil and chilies, so as to cook a meal. Then the doctor called for
him. The doctor asked him whether he was the boy who brought the child Kunwar in from
Laidwani to which Sher Singh replied in the affirmative. The doctor smiled and said ‘Sher Singh
Bahadur! Your brother will live. Come and see.’
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