A Letter to God

Did You Know? (কিবা জানানে?)

The currency 'peso' mentioned in this Class 10 English story is used in several Latin American countries, including Mexico! The author of this story, G.L. Fuentes, was a famous Mexican writer, poet, and journalist.

THE house — the only one in the entire valley — sat on the crest of a low hill.

ঘৰটো — সমগ্ৰ উপত্যকাটোৰ ভিতৰত একমাত্ৰ ঘৰ — এটা চাপৰ পাহাৰৰ টিলাত অৱস্থিত আছিল।

From this height one could see the river and the field of ripe corn dotted with the flowers that always promised a good harvest.

এই উচ্চতাৰ পৰা নদীখন আৰু সদায় ভাল ফচলৰ প্ৰতিশ্ৰুতি দিয়া ফুলেৰে ভৰা পকা গোমধানৰ পথাৰখন দেখা গৈছিল।

The only thing the earth needed was a downpour or at least a shower.

মাটিৰ বাবে একমাত্ৰ প্ৰয়োজনীয় বস্তু আছিল এজাক বৰষুণ বা কমেও এজাক কিনকিনীয়া বৰষুণ।

Throughout the morning Lencho — who knew his fields intimately — had done nothing else but see the sky towards the north-east.

পুৱাৰে পৰা লেঞ্চোৱে — যিয়ে নিজৰ পথাৰখন খুব ভালদৰে জানিছিল — উত্তৰ-পূবৰ আকাশলৈ চোৱাৰ বাহিৰে আন একো কৰা নাছিল।

“Now we’re really going to get some water, woman.”

"হেৰা, এতিয়া আমি সঁচাকৈয়ে অলপ পানী পাম।"

The woman who was preparing supper, replied, “Yes, God willing”.

নিশাৰ আহাৰ প্ৰস্তুত কৰি থকা মহিলাগৰাকীয়ে উত্তৰ দিলে, "হয়, ভগৱানৰ ইচ্ছা।"

The older boys were working in the field, while the smaller ones were playing near the house until the woman called to them all, “Come for dinner”.

ডাঙৰ ল'ৰাকেইটাই পথাৰত কাম কৰি আছিল, আনহাতে সৰুকেইটাই ঘৰৰ ওচৰত খেলি আছিল যেতিয়ালৈকে মহিলাগৰাকীয়ে তেওঁলোক সকলোকে নামাতিলে, "ৰাতিৰ আহাৰৰ বাবে আহা।"

It was during the meal that, just as Lencho had predicted, big drops of rain began to fall.

আহাৰ গ্ৰহণৰ সময়তেই, লেঞ্চোৱে ভৱিষ্যতবাণী কৰাৰ দৰেই বৰষুণৰ ডাঙৰ ডাঙৰ টোপাল পৰিবলৈ ধৰিলে।

In the north-east huge mountains of clouds could be seen approaching.

উত্তৰ-পূব দিশত ডাৱৰৰ বিশাল পাহাৰ আগবাঢ়ি অহা দেখা গৈছিল।

The air was fresh and sweet.

বতাহজাক সতেজ আৰু সুমধুৰ আছিল।

The man went out for no other reason than to have the pleasure of feeling the rain on his body, and when he returned he exclaimed, ‘‘These aren’t raindrops falling from the sky, they are new coins.

মানুহজনে আন কোনো কাৰণত নহয়, কেৱল নিজৰ শৰীৰত বৰষুণৰ অনুভৱ লোৱাৰ আনন্দ ল'বলৈ ওলাই গৈছিল, আৰু যেতিয়া ঘূৰি আহিছিল তেতিয়া তেওঁ বিস্ময়েৰে কৈছিল, "এইবোৰ আকাশৰ পৰা সৰি পৰা বৰষুণৰ টোপাল নহয়, এইবোৰ নতুন মুদ্ৰা।

The big drops are ten cent pieces and the little ones are fives.’’

ডাঙৰ টোপালবোৰ দহ চেণ্টৰ মুদ্ৰা আৰু সৰুবোৰ পাঁচ চেণ্টৰ।"

With a satisfied expression he regarded the field of ripe corn with its flowers, draped in a curtain of rain.

এক সন্তুষ্টিৰ ভাবেৰে তেওঁ ফুলেৰে জাতিষ্কাৰ পকা গোমধানৰ পথাৰখনলৈ চালে, যিখন বৰষুণৰ আঁৰকাপোৰেৰে আবৃত হৈ পৰিছিল।

But suddenly a strong wind began to blow and along with the rain very large hailstones began to fall.

কিন্তু হঠাতে এজাক প্ৰবল বতাহ বলিবলৈ ধৰিলে আৰু বৰষুণৰ লগতে অতি ডাঙৰ শিলবৰষুণ পৰিবলৈ ধৰিলে।

These truly did resemble new silver coins.

এইবোৰ সঁচাকৈয়ে নতুন ৰূপৰ মুদ্ৰাৰ দৰে আছিল।

The boys, exposing themselves to the rain, ran out to collect the frozen pearls.

ল'ৰাকেইটাই বৰষুণত তিতি সেই গোট মৰা মুকুতাবোৰ বুটলিবলৈ বাহিৰলৈ দৌৰি গ'ল।

‘‘It’s really getting bad now,’’ exclaimed the man.

মানুহজনে চিঞৰি উঠিল, "এতিয়া সঁচাকৈয়ে অৱস্থা বেয়া হৈ গৈছে।"

“I hope it passes quickly.”

"মই আশা কৰোঁ এইটো সোনকালে পাৰ হৈ যাব।"

It did not pass quickly.

এইটো সোনকালে পাৰ হৈ নগ'ল।

For an hour the hail rained on the house, the garden, the hillside, the cornfield, on the whole valley.

এঘণ্টা ধৰি ঘৰটো, বাগিচাখন, পাহাৰৰ দাঁতি, গোমধানৰ পথাৰ আৰু সমগ্ৰ উপত্যকাটোত শিলবৰষুণ পৰিল।

The field was white, as if covered with salt.

পথাৰখন বগা হৈ পৰিছিল, যেন নিমখেৰেহে ঢাকি পেলোৱা হৈছে।

Not a leaf remained on the trees.

গছবোৰত এটা পাতো নাথাকিল।

The corn was totally destroyed.

গোমধান সম্পূৰ্ণৰূপে ধ্বংস হৈ গ'ল।

The flowers were gone from the plants.

গছবোৰৰ পৰা ফুলবোৰ সৰি পৰিল।

Lencho’s soul was filled with sadness.

লেঞ্চোৰ মনটো দুখেৰে ভৰি পৰিল।

When the storm had passed, he stood in the middle of the field and said to his sons, “A plague of locusts would have left more than this.

ধুমুহা পাৰ হৈ যোৱাৰ পিছত, তেওঁ পথাৰৰ মাজত থিয় হৈ পুতেকহঁতক ক’লে, "একজাক কাকতী ফৰিং অহা হ'লেও ইয়াতকৈ বেছি ৰৈ গ'লহেঁতেন।

The hail has left nothing.

শিলবৰষুণে একোৱেই বাকী নাৰাখিলে।

This year we will have no corn.’’

এই বছৰ আমাৰ কোনো গোমধান নাথাকিব।"

That night was a sorrowful one.

সেই ৰাতিটো আছিল এক দুখজনক ৰাতি।

“All our work, for nothing.”

"আমাৰ সকলো কষ্ট, এনেই গ'ল।"

‘‘There’s no one who can help us.”

"আমাৰ সহায় কৰিব পৰা কোনো নাই।"

“We’ll all go hungry this year.”

"এই বছৰ আমি আটাইয়ে লঘোনে থাকিব লাগিব।"

But in the hearts of all who lived in that solitary house in the middle of the valley, there was a single hope: help from God.

কিন্তু উপত্যকাটোৰ মাজত থকা সেই নিসংগ ঘৰটোত বাস কৰা সকলোৰে হৃদয়ত মাত্ৰ এটাই আশা আছিল: ভগৱানৰ পৰা সহায়।

“Don’t be so upset, even though this seems like a total loss.

"ইমান হতাশ নহ'বা, যদিও এইটো সম্পূৰ্ণ ক্ষতি যেন লাগিছে।

Remember, no one dies of hunger.”

মনত ৰাখিবা, অনাহাৰত কোনেও নমৰে।"

“That’s what they say: no one dies of hunger.”

"মানুহে তেনেকৈয়ে কয়: অনাহাৰত কোনেও নমৰে।"

All through the night, Lencho thought only of his one hope: the help of God, whose eyes, as he had been instructed, see everything, even what is deep in one’s conscience.

গোটেই ৰাতি লেঞ্চোৱে কেৱল তাৰ একমাত্ৰ আশাৰ বিষয়ে ভাবিছিল: ভগৱানৰ সহায়, যাৰ চকুৱে, যেনেকৈ তাক শিকোৱা হৈছিল, সকলো দেখে, আনকি এজন মানুহৰ বিবেকৰ গভীৰতাত কি আছে সেয়াও।

Lencho was an ox of a man, working like an animal in the fields, but still he knew how to write.

লেঞ্চো আছিল এজন ষাঁড়গৰুৰ দৰে পৰিশ্ৰমী মানুহ, পথাৰত জন্তুৰ দৰে কাম কৰিছিল, কিন্তু তথাপিও তেওঁ লিখিবলৈ জানিছিল।

The following Sunday, at daybreak, he began to write a letter which he himself would carry to town and place in the mail.

পিছৰ দেওবাৰে, ৰাতিপুৱাই তেওঁ এখন চিঠি লিখিবলৈ আৰম্ভ কৰিলে যিখন তেওঁ নিজেই চহৰলৈ লৈ গৈ ডাকত দিব।

It was nothing less than a letter to God.

এইটো ভগৱানলৈ লিখা এখন চিঠিতকৈ কম নাছিল।

“God,” he wrote, “if you don’t help me, my family and I will go hungry this year.

তেওঁ লিখিছিল, "ভগৱান, যদি তুমি মোক সহায় নকৰা, তেন্তে মই আৰু মোৰ পৰিয়াল এই বছৰ লঘোনে থাকিব লাগিব।

I need a hundred pesos in order to sow my field again and to live until the crop comes, because the hailstorm....”

আকৌ পথাৰত বীজ সিঁচিবলৈ আৰু শস্য চপোৱালৈকে জীয়াই থাকিবলৈ মোক এশ পেছোৰ (pesos) প্ৰয়োজন, কাৰণ শিলবৰষুণে...."

He wrote ‘To God’ on the envelope, put the letter inside and, still troubled, went to town.

তেওঁ খামটোৰ ওপৰত ‘ভগৱানলৈ’ বুলি লিখিলে, চিঠিখন ভিতৰত ভৰালে আৰু উদ্বিগ্ন হৈয়ে চহৰলৈ গ'ল।

At the post office, he placed a stamp on the letter and dropped it into the mailbox.

ডাকঘৰত তেওঁ চিঠিখনত মোহৰ লগালে আৰু ডাকবাকচত পেলাই দিলে।

One of the employees, who was a postman and also helped at the post office, went to his boss laughing heartily and showed him the letter to God.

কৰ্মচাৰীসকলৰ মাজৰ এজন, যি এজন ডাকোৱাল আছিল আৰু ডাকঘৰতো সহায় কৰিছিল, তেওঁ হিয়া উজাৰি হাঁহি হাঁহি তেওঁৰ বছৰ ওচৰলৈ গ'ল আৰু ভগৱানলৈ লিখা চিঠিখন দেখুৱালে।

Never in his career as a postman had he known that address.

ডাকোৱাল হিচাপে তেওঁৰ কৰ্মজীৱনত সেই ঠিকনা তেওঁ কেতিয়াও জনা নাছিল।

The postmaster — a fat, amiable fellow — also broke out laughing, but almost immediately he turned serious and, tapping the letter on his desk, commented, “What faith!

ডাকমাষ্টৰ — এজন শকত, অমায়িক মানুহ — তেৱোঁ হাঁহিবলৈ ধৰিলে, কিন্তু প্ৰায় লগে লগেই তেওঁ গম্ভীৰ হৈ পৰিল আৰু নিজৰ মেজত চিঠিখন থপৰিয়াই মন্তব্য কৰিলে, "কি বিশ্বাস!

I wish I had the faith of the man who wrote this letter.

এই চিঠিখন লিখা মানুহজনৰ দৰে বিশ্বাস মোৰো থকা হ'লে।

Starting up a correspondence with God!”

ভগৱানৰ সৈতে চিঠিৰ আদান-প্ৰদান আৰম্ভ কৰিছে!"

So, in order not to shake the writer’s faith in God, the postmaster came up with an idea: answer the letter.

গতিকে, লেখকে ভগৱানৰ প্ৰতি ৰখা বিশ্বাস যাতে ভংগ নহয়, তাৰ বাবে ডাকমাষ্টৰৰ মনলৈ এটা ধাৰণা আহিল: চিঠিখনৰ উত্তৰ দিয়া।

But when he opened it, it was evident that to answer it he needed something more than goodwill, ink and paper.

কিন্তু যেতিয়া তেওঁ সেইখন খুলিলে, তেতিয়া স্পষ্ট হৈ পৰিল যে ইয়াৰ উত্তৰ দিবলৈ শুভেচ্ছা, চিয়াহী আৰু কাগজৰ বাহিৰেও আন কিবা এটাৰ প্ৰয়োজন।

But he stuck to his resolution: he asked for money from his employees, he himself gave part of his salary, and several friends of his were obliged to give something ‘for an act of charity’.

কিন্তু তেওঁ নিজৰ সিদ্ধান্তত অটল থাকিল: তেওঁ কৰ্মচাৰীসকলৰ পৰা টকা খুজিলে, নিজেই দৰমহাৰ এটা অংশ দিলে, আৰু তেওঁৰ কেইবাজনো বন্ধুৱে ‘এক দানৰ কাম’ হিচাপে কিবা এটা দিবলৈ বাধ্য হ'ল।

It was impossible for him to gather together the hundred pesos, so he was able to send the farmer only a little more than half.

তেওঁৰ বাবে এশ পেছো একেলগে সংগ্ৰহ কৰাটো অসম্ভৱ আছিল, গতিকে তেওঁ খেতিয়কজনক আধাতকৈ মাত্ৰ অলপ বেছিহে পঠিয়াবলৈ সক্ষম হৈছিল।

He put the money in an envelope addressed to Lencho and with it a letter containing only a single word as a signature: God.

তেওঁ টকাখিনি লেঞ্চোৰ ঠিকনা থকা খাম এটাত ভৰালে আৰু তাৰ লগতে এখন চিঠি দিলে য’ত স্বাক্ষৰ হিচাপে মাত্ৰ এটা শব্দ লিখা আছিল: ভগৱান।

The following Sunday Lencho came a bit earlier than usual to ask if there was a letter for him.

পিছৰ দেওবাৰে লেঞ্চোৱে তেওঁৰ বাবে কিবা চিঠি আহিছে নেকি সুধিবলৈ সচৰাচৰ অহাতকৈ অলপ সোনকালে আহিল।

It was the postman himself who handed the letter to him while the postmaster, experiencing the contentment of a man who has performed a good deed, looked on from his office.

ডাকোৱালজনে নিজেই তেওঁক চিঠিখন দিলে আনহাতে ডাকমাষ্টৰজনে, এটা ভাল কাম কৰাৰ সন্তুষ্টি অনুভৱ কৰি, তেওঁৰ কাৰ্যালয়ৰ পৰা চাই আছিল।

Lencho showed not the slightest surprise on seeing the money; such was his confidence — but he became angry when he counted the money.

টকাখিনি দেখি লেঞ্চোৱে অলপো আচৰিত হোৱা নাছিল; তেওঁৰ আত্মবিশ্বাস আছিল তেনেকুৱাই — কিন্তু টকাখিনি হিচাপ কৰোঁতে তেওঁৰ খং উঠি গ'ল।

God could not have made a mistake, nor could he have denied Lencho what he had requested.

ভগৱানে কেতিয়াও ভুল কৰিব নোৱাৰে, আৰু লেঞ্চোৱে যি বিচাৰিছিল সেয়া ভগৱানে অস্বীকাৰ কৰিব নোৱাৰে।

Immediately, Lencho went up to the window to ask for paper and ink.

লগে লগে লেঞ্চোৱে কাগজ আৰু চিয়াহী বিচাৰি খিৰিকীখনৰ ওচৰলৈ গ'ল।

On the public writing-table, he started to write, with much wrinkling of his brow, caused by the effort he had to make to express his ideas.

ৰাজহুৱা লিখা মেজখনত তেওঁ নিজৰ ভাৱ প্ৰকাশ কৰিবলৈ কৰিবলগীয়া প্ৰচেষ্টাৰ বাবে কপাল কোঁচ খুৱাই লিখিবলৈ আৰম্ভ কৰিলে।

When he finished, he went to the window to buy a stamp which he licked and then affixed to the envelope with a blow of his fist.

যেতিয়া তেওঁৰ লিখা শেষ হ'ল, তেতিয়া তেওঁ টিকট কিনিবলৈ খিৰিকীখনৰ ওচৰলৈ গৈ টিকটটোত থু লগাই নিজৰ হাতৰ মুঠিৰে মাৰি খামটোত লগাই দিলে।

The moment the letter fell into the mailbox the postmaster went to open it.

চিঠিখন ডাকবাকচত পৰাৰ লগে লগেই ডাকমাষ্টৰজনে সেইখন খুলিবলৈ গ'ল।

It said: “God: Of the money that I asked for, only seventy pesos reached me.

তাত লিখা আছিল: “ভগৱান: মই বিচৰা টকাখিনিৰ ভিতৰত মাত্ৰ সত্তৰ পেছোহে মোৰ হাতত পৰিছেহি।

Send me the rest, since I need it very much.

বাকীখিনি মোলৈ পঠাই দিয়া, যিহেতু মোৰ ইয়াৰ বহুত প্ৰয়োজন।

But don’t send it to me through the mail because the post office employees are a bunch of crooks. Lencho.”

কিন্তু এইটো ডাকযোগে মোলৈ নপঠাবা কাৰণ ডাকঘৰৰ কৰ্মচাৰীবোৰ হৈছে এক ঠগৰ দল। লেঞ্চো।”

1. Q: What did Lencho hope for?
Ans: Lencho hoped for a good rainfall for his ripe corn field and a good harvest.

2. Q: Why did Lencho say the raindrops were like “new coins”?
Ans: Lencho said this because the rain would help his crops grow and bring him money and prosperity. The big raindrops looked like ten-cent coins and the small ones like five-cent coins.

3. Q: How did the rain change? What happened to Lencho’s fields?
Ans: The rain soon changed into a hailstorm with strong winds and large hailstones. The hailstorm completely destroyed Lencho’s corn field and crops.

4. Q: What were Lencho’s feelings when the hail stopped?
Ans: Lencho felt very sad and hopeless. He believed that all his hard work had been ruined and his family would suffer from hunger.

1. Q: Who or what did Lencho have faith in? What did he do?
Ans: Lencho had complete faith in God. He wrote a letter to God asking for one hundred pesos to help his family and sow his field again.

2. Q: Who read the letter?
Ans: The postman first read the letter and then showed it to the postmaster.

3. Q: What did the postmaster do then?
Ans: The postmaster decided to help Lencho so that his faith in God would not break. He collected money from his employees, friends, and part of his own salary and sent it to Lencho in an envelope signed “God”.

1. Q: Was Lencho surprised to find a letter for him with money in it?
Ans: No, Lencho was not surprised because he had complete faith in God and expected help from Him.

2. Q: What made him angry?
Ans: Lencho became angry after counting the money because he had asked for one hundred pesos but received only seventy pesos.

1. Q: Who does Lencho have complete faith in? Which sentences in the story tell you this?
Ans: Lencho has complete faith in God.
The sentences that show this are:
“But in the hearts of all who lived in that solitary house in the middle of the valley, there was a single hope: help from God.”
“All through the night, Lencho thought only of his one hope: the help of God.”
He also wrote a letter directly to God asking for money.

2. Q: Why does the postmaster send money to Lencho? Why does he sign the letter ‘God’?
Ans: The postmaster sends money to Lencho because he does not want to break Lencho’s faith in God. He is touched by Lencho’s strong belief and wants to help him.
He signs the letter “God” so that Lencho will believe that the money has really come from God.

3. Q: Did Lencho try to find out who had sent the money to him? Why/Why not?
Ans: No, Lencho did not try to find out who had sent the money. He strongly believed that God had sent it to him because he had complete faith in God.

4. Q: Who does Lencho think has taken the rest of the money? What is the irony in the situation?
Ans: Lencho thinks that the post office employees have taken the rest of the money.

The irony in the situation is that the post office employees were actually the people who had collected money and helped Lencho out of kindness. But instead of thanking them, Lencho wrongly accused them of stealing the money. He also calls them “a bunch of crooks,” which means a group of dishonest people or thieves.

5. Q: Are there people like Lencho in the real world? What kind of a person would you say he is?
Ans: Yes, there are people like Lencho in the real world who have deep faith in God.
Lencho was a simple, hardworking, and unquestioning man. He was also naïve because he could not understand who had really helped him.

6. Q: There are two kinds of conflict in the story: between humans and nature, and between humans themselves. How are these conflicts illustrated?
Ans: The conflict between humans and nature is shown through the hailstorm that destroys Lencho’s crops and hard work.
The conflict between humans themselves is shown when Lencho wrongly suspects the post office employees of stealing his money, even though they were helping him.

1. Q: I often go to Mumbai. Mumbai is the commercial capital of India. (which)
Ans: I often go to Mumbai, which is the commercial capital of India.

2. Q: My mother is going to host a TV show on cooking. She cooks very well. (who)
Ans: My mother, who cooks very well, is going to host a TV show on cooking.

3. Q: These sportspersons are going to meet the President. Their performance has been excellent. (whose)
Ans: These sportspersons, whose performance has been excellent, are going to meet the President.

4. Q: Lencho prayed to God. His eyes see into our minds. (whose)
Ans: Lencho prayed to God, whose eyes see into our minds.

5. Q: This man cheated me. I trusted him. (whom)
Ans: This is the man whom I trusted.

• 1. The trees lost all their leaves.
  Ans: Not a leaf remained on the trees.
• 2. The letter was addressed to God himself.
  Ans: It was nothing less than a letter to God.
• 3. The postman saw this address for the first time in his career.
  Ans: Never in his career as a postman had he known that address.