A LITTLE OLD MANBy Natalie Norton

Illustrations : Will HuntingtonRedrawn : Jyoti Hiremath

¥ÀÅmÁt vÁvÀ£ÀmÁ° £ÉÆgïl£ï

C£ÀĪÁzÀ : PÉ f gÁd®Që÷ä

Once there was a little oldman who lived in a littlehouse on a little island inthe middle of a great bigocean.

DPÁgÀzÀ°è aPÀÌzÁzÀªÀAiÀĹì¤AzÀ ªÀÈzÀÞ£ÁzÀ M§âªÀåQÛ¬ÄzÀÝ£ÀÄ.CªÀ£ÀÄ PÀqÀ°£À £ÀlÖ£ÀqÀÄ«£À°èzÀÝ£ÀqÀÄUÀqÉØAiÉÆAzÀgÀ°è£À MAzÀÄaPÀÌ ªÀÄ£ÉAiÀÄ°è ªÁ¹¸ÀÄwÛzÀÝ£ÀÄ.

He lived all by himself.He was a smiling littleold man with no hair atall on the top of hishead.But he did have a nicewhite beard.

CªÀ£ÀÄ M§â£ÉÃEgÀÄwÛzÀÝ£ÀÄ.CªÀ£ÉƧ⠣ÀUÀĪÀÄÄRzÀvÁvÀ£ÁVzÀÝ£ÀÄ. CªÀ£ÀvÀ¯ÉAiÀÄ°è MAzÀÄPÀÆzÀ®Æ G½¢gÀ°®è.DzÀgÉ CªÀ¤UÉÆAzÀÄ©½AiÀi ZÀAzÀzÀ UÀqÀØ«vÀÄÛ.

Every day after he had washedhimself and dressed himself, hecooked his own breakfast. Hethought it would be fun if hehad someone to eat with.

¢£Á®Æ (¥Àæw¢£À) ¸ÁߣÀ ªÀiÁr,±ÀÄ s̈Àæ ªÀ¸ÀÛç zsÀj¹zÀ £ÀAvÀgÀ vÀ£ÀßG¥ÁºÁgÀªÀ£ÀÄß vÁ£ÉÃvÀAiÀiÁj¹PÉƼÀÄîwÛzÀÝ£ÀÄ. CªÀ£ÀÄwAr w£ÀÄߪÁUÀ ªÀÄvÉÆÛ§âgÀÄAiÀiÁgÁzÀgÀÆ vÀ£Àß eÉÆvÉUÉE¢ÝzÀÝgÉ JµÀÄÖ ZÉ£ÁßVgÀÄwÛvÀÄÛJAzÀÄPÉƼÀÄîwÛzÀÝ£ÀÄ.

He was a very busy little old man.After breakfast, he swept his little house inside.

CªÀ£ÀÄ ¸ÀzÁ MAzÀ®è MAzÀÄ PÉ®¸À ªÀiÁqÀÄvÀÛ¯Éà EgÀÄwÛzÀÝ£ÀÄ. wAr wAzÀÄ DzÀ ªÉÄÃ¯É CªÀ£ÀĪÀÄ£ÉAiÀÄ PÀ¸À UÀÄr¸ÀÄwÛzÀÝ£ÀÄ.

And then he worked outside.Sometimes he worked in his garden.

C£ÀAvÀgÀ CªÀ£ÀÄ CAUÀ¼ÀzÀ°è PÉ®¸ÀªÀiÁqÀÄwÛzÀÝ£ÀÄ. PÉ®¨Áj vÀ£Àß vÉÆÃlzÀ°èPÉ®¸À ªÀiÁqÀÄwÛzÀÝ£ÀÄ.

Sometimes he worked on the roof of his little house.

PÉ®ªÉǪÉÄä CªÀ£ÀÄ vÀ£Àß ¥ÀÅlÖ ªÀÄ£ÉAiÀÄ bÁªÀtÂAiÀÄ zÀÄgÀ¹ÛªÀiÁqÀÄwÛzÀÝ£ÀÄ.

Sometimes he went fishing in his rowboat.

ªÀÄvÉÛ PÉ®ªÀÅ ¸Áj CªÀ£ÀÄ vÀ£Àß aPÀÌ zÉÆÃtÂAiÀÄ°è«ÄãÀÄ »rAiÀÄ®Ä ºÉÆÃUÀÄwÛzÀÝ£ÀÄ.

And caught fish to fry in his frying pan.

vÁ£ÀÄ »rzÀ «ÄãÀÄUÀ¼À£ÀÄß PÁªÀ°AiÀÄ ªÉÄðlÄÖ ºÀÄjAiÀÄÄwÛzÀÝ£ÀÄ.

But the little old man had no one to talkto and sometimes he was sad.

DzÀgÉ D ¥ÀÅmÁt vÁvÀ¤UÉ ªÀiÁvÀ£ÁqÀ®ÄAiÀiÁgÉƧâgÀÆ E®èªÉAzÀÄ MAzÉÆAzÀÄ ¸Áj¨ÉøÀgÀªÉ¤ß¸ÀÄwÛvÀÄÛ.

He thought he would be very happy if he had a cat.

vÀ£Àß §½ MAzÀÄ ¨ÉPÁÌzÀgÀÆ EgÀÄwÛzÀÝgÉ vÁ£ÀÄ JµÉÆÖAzÀĸÀAvÉÆõÀªÁVgÀÄwÛzÉÝ JAzÀÄ CªÀ£ÀÄ AiÉÆÃa¸ÀÄwÛzÀÝ£ÀÄ.

At night he dreamed of cats—big cats and little cats,black cats and gray cats, and sometimes little kittens.

CªÀ£ÀÄ gÁwæ vÀ£Àß PÀ£À¹£À°è ¨ÉPÀÄÌUÀ¼À£ÀÄß - zÉÆqÀØ ¨ÉPÀÄÌUÀ¼ÀÄ,aPÀÌ ¨ÉPÀÄÌUÀ¼ÀÄ, PÀ¥ÀÅöà ¨ÉPÀÄÌUÀ¼ÀÄ, PÀAzÀÄ ¨ÉPÀÄÌUÀ¼ÀÄ, PÉ®ªÉǪÉÄä¨ÉQÌ£À ¸ÀtÚ ªÀÄjUÀ¼À£ÀÄß – PÁtÄwÛzÀÝ£ÀÄ.

One morning when the little old man woke up he heard rain splashing on his roof.

MAzÀÄ ¨É½UÉÎ CªÀ¤UÉ JZÀÑgÀªÁzÁUÀ vÀ£Àß ªÀÄ£ÉAiÀÄ ¸ÀÆj£À ªÉÄÃ¯É ©Ã¼ÀÄwÛzÀÝ ªÀļÉAiÀÄ ¸ÀzÀÄÝ PÉüÀÄwÛ¢ÝvÀÄ.

And when he went outdoors, the wind was blowingand the ocean waves were getting bigger and bigger.

ªÀÄ£ÉAiÀÄ ºÉÆgÀUÉ ºÉÆÃV £ÉÆÃrzÁUÀ UÁ½ eÉÆÃgÁV©Ã¸ÀÄwÛvÀÄÛ. ¸ÀªÀÄÄzÀæzÀ°è zÉÆqÀØ zÉÆqÀØ C¯ÉUÀ¼ÀÄK¼ÀÄwÛzÀݪÀÅ.

Suddenly a huge wave came and carried thelittle old man’s little house right out into theocean.

DUÀ §ÈºÀzÁPÁgÀzÀ C¯ÉAiÉÆAzÀÄ ºÀoÁvÀÛ£É £ÀÄVÎ¥ÀÅmÁt vÁvÀ£À ¥ÀÅlÖ ªÀÄ£ÉAiÀÄ£ÀÄß PÀqÀ¯ÉƼÀUɸɼÉzÀÄPÉÆAqÉƬÄÝvÀÄ.

There the waves tossed it and the wind blew ituntil the little old man could no longer see his littlehouse.

D ¥ÀÅlÖ ªÀÄ£É PÀqÀ°£À C¯ÉUÀ¼À gÀ s̈À¸ÀPÉÌ K¼ÀÄvÀÛ ©Ã¼ÀÄvÀÛºÉÆAiÀiÁÝqÀvÉÆqÀVvÀÄ. ©gÀÄUÁ½AiÀÄÄ CzÀ£ÀÄß zÀÆgÀzÀÆgÀPÉÌ vÀ½îPÉÆAqÀÄ ºÉÆÃUÀÄwÛvÀÄÛ. PÀqÉUÉƪÉÄä D ªÀÄ£ÉPÁtzÁ¬ÄvÀÄ.

Or could he?There was something far out in the ocean.Could it be his house?

CxÀªÁ PÁtÂ̧ ÀÄwÛvÉÛà ?¸ÀªÀÄÄzÀæzÀ ªÀÄzsÀåzÀ°è Cwà zÀÆgÀzÀ¯Éè¯ÉÆèà K£ÉÆÃEgÀĪÀAvÉ vÉÆÃgÀÄwÛvÀÄÛ.CzÀÄ CªÀ£À ªÀÄ£ÉAiÉÄà DVgÀ§ºÀÄzÉà ?

No, it was a boat.

C®è ! CzÉÆAzÀÄ zÉÆÃtÂAiÀiÁVvÀÄÛ.

The wind and the waves pushed the boat right uponto the island where his little house used to be.When the rain stopped raining and the windstopped blowing, the little old man went to seewhat the boat was like.

ZÀAqÀªÀiÁgÀÄvÀ ªÀÄvÀÄÛ ¥ÀæZÀAqÀ C¯ÉUÀ¼ÀÄ zÉÆÃtÂAiÀÄ£ÀÄß ¥ÀÅmÁt vÁvÀ£À ªÀģɬÄzÀÝ ¢éÃ¥ÀPÉÌvÀ½îPÉÆAqÀÄ vÀAzÀªÀÅ.drªÀļÉAiÀÄ C§âgÀ CqÀV ©gÀÄUÁ½AiÀÄ gÀ s̈À¸À vÀVÎzÁUÀ ¥ÀÅmÁt vÁvÀ D zÉÆÃtÂAiÀÄ°èK¤gÀ§ºÀÄzÉAzÀÄ £ÉÆÃqÀ®Ä CzÀgÀ §½ ºÉÆÃzÀ£ÀÄ.

He walked all around the outside. It was a big boat,bigger than the little old man’s house. And on the deckwas a little boat, smaller than the little old man’srowboat.

CzÀgÀ ¸ÀÄvÀÛ®Æ £ÀqÉzÀÄ CzÀ£ÀÄß ºÉÆgÀV¤AzÀ £ÉÆÃrzÀ£ÀÄ. CzÉÆAzÀÄ zÉÆqÀØzÉÆÃtÂAiÀiÁVvÀÄÛ. zÉÆqÀØzÉAzÀgÉ ¥ÀÅmÁt vÁvÀ£À ªÀÄ£ÉVAvÀ zÉÆqÀØ¢vÀÄÛ. CzÀgÀClÖzÀªÉÄÃ¯É MAzÀÄ aPÀÌ zÉÆÃt¬ÄvÀÄÛ. CzÀÄ ¥ÀÅmÁt vÁvÀ£À ªÀÄ£ÉVAvÀ®Æ aPÀÌ¢vÀÄÛ.

Then the little old man wentinside.He found a bedroom withbunks at the sides.

vÁvÀ zÉÆÃtÂAiÀÄ M¼ÀUÉ £ÉÆÃqÀ®Ä ºÉÆÃzÀ£ÀÄ.C°è MAzÀÄ ªÀÄ®UÀĪÀ PÉÆÃuɬÄvÀÄÛ CzÀgÀ°èJgÀqÀÆ §¢UÀ¼À°è ªÀÄAZÀUÀ½zÀݪÀÅ.

And a kitchen as neat as could be.

CZÀÄÑPÀmÁÖzÀ MAzÀÄ CqÀÄUÉ PÉÆÃuɬÄvÀÄÛ.

The little old man looked allaround and said:“Oh my, what a wonderful housethis would be. I will live in ituntil the people who own itcome for it.”

¥ÀÅmÁt vÁvÀ ªÀÄ£ÉAiÀÄ J¯ÁèPÀqÉAiÀÄ°èAiÀÄÆ £ÉÆÃr ‘JµÉÆÖAzÀÄZÀAzÀzÀ ªÀÄ£ÉAiÀiÁ¢ÃvÀÄ EzÀÄ !EzÀgÀ ªÀiÁ®PÀgÀÄ AiÀiÁgÉÆà ! CªÀgÀħgÀĪÀªÀgÉUÀÆ £Á£ÀÄ EzÀgÀ°èAiÉÄÃEgÀĪɣÀÄ’ JAzÀÄPÉÆAqÀ£ÀÄ.

And then the little old man hearda sound. Purrp!Out from under the stove came acat!

¥ÀÅmÁt vÁvÀ¤UÉ K£ÉÆà ¸ÀzÀÄÝPÉý§AvÀÄ. ¥ïæçççgïæçççgïæç ! C°èzÀÝzÉÆqÀØ CVζÖPÉAiÀÄ Cr¬ÄAzÀ¨ÉPÉÆÌAzÀÄ ºÉÆgÀ§A¢vÀÄ !

Purrp! Purrp! Purrp! Purrp!

«ÄAiÀiÁåAªï ! ¥ïæçççgïæçççgïæç ! «ÄAiÀiÁåAªï ! ¥ïæçççgïæçççgïæç !

Out from under the stove came one, two, three, four kittens.

CVζÖPÉAiÀÄ PɼÀV¤AzÀ MAzÀÄ, JgÀqÀÄ, ªÀÄÆgÀÄ, £Á®ÄÌ ªÀÄjUÀ¼ÀÆ ºÉÆgÀ§AzÀªÀÅ.

The little old man was as happyas any little old man could be.

CªÀ£ÀÄß £ÉÆÃr ¥ÀÅmÁt vÁvÀ¤UÉ»r¸À¯ÁUÀzÀ »UÀÄÎ.

And so he and the cat and thefour kittens lived together on theboat.

CªÀgÉ®ègÀÆ, CAzÀgÉ CªÀ£ÀÆ,¨ÉPÀÆÌ, ¨ÉQÌ£À ªÀÄjUÀ¼ÀÆ DzÉÆÃtÂAiÀÄ°è MnÖUÉÃEgÀvÉÆqÀVzÀgÀÄ.

They swept it on the inside.

CªÀgÀÄ CzÀgÀ M¼À s̈ÁUÀªÀ£ÀÄßUÀÄr¹ ±ÀÄaUÉƽ¹PÉÆAqÀgÀÄ.

And painted it on theoutside.

ºÉÆgÀV¤AzÀ ¸ÀÄtÚ-§tÚºÉÆqÉzÀgÀÄ.

They went fishing in the little boat.

C°èzÀÝ aPÀÌ zÉÆÃtÂAiÀÄ°è PÀĽvÀÄ «ÄãÀÄ»rAiÀÄ®Ä ºÉÆÃzÀgÀÄ.

And caught fish to fry in the frying pan.

«ÄãÀÄUÀ¼À£ÀÄß »rzÀÄ PÁªÀ°AiÀÄ°èlÄÖ ºÀÄjAiÀÄ®Ä vÀAzÀgÀÄ.

No one ever came for the boat.And the little old man wasnever sad or lonely again.

D zÉÆÃtÂAiÀÄ£ÀÄß ¥ÀÅmÁtÂvÁvÀ¤AzÀ PÉüÀ®Ä AiÀiÁgÀƧgÀ°®è. ¥ÀÅmÁt vÁvÀªÀÄvÉÛAzÀÆ MAnAiÉÄAzÀÄPÉƼÀî®ÆE®è, ¨ÉøÀgÀ ¥ÀqÀ®Æ E®è.

ENDªÀÄÄV¬ÄvÀÄ.