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The Astronomer

by Rabindranath Tagore

I only said, “When in the evening the round full moon gets entangled among the branches of that Kadam tree, couldn’t somebody catch it?”
But dâdâ [elder brother] laughed at me and said, “Baby, you are the silliest child I have ever known. The moon is ever so far from us, how could anybody catch it?”
I said, “Dâdâ how foolish you are! When mother looks out of her window and smiles down at us playing, would you call her far away?”
Still said, “You are a stupid child! But, baby, where could you find a net big enough to catch the moon with?”
I said, “Surely you could catch it with your hands.”
But dâdâ laughed and said, “You are the silliest child I have known. If it came nearer, you would see how big the moon is.”
I said, “Dâdâ, what nonsense they teach at your school! When mother bends her face down to kiss us does her face look very big?”
But still dâdâ says, “You are a stupid child.”