The Sands of Dee-Charles Kingsley

 The Sands of Dee

– Charles Kingsley

“O Mary, go and call the cattle home.

And call the cattle home,

And call the cattle home Across the sands of Dee!”

The western wind was wild and dank with foam,

And all alone went she.

The western tide crept up along the sand,

And o’er and o’er the sand.

And round and round the sand, As far as eye could see.

The rolling mist came down and hid the land

And never home came she.

“Oh! Is it weed, or fish, or floating hair,

 A tress of golden hair,

A drowned maiden’s hair

Above the nets at sea?

Was never salmon yet that shone so fair

Among the stakes of Dee.”

They rowed her in across the rolling foam.

The cruel crawling foam,

The cruel hungry foam,

To her grave beside the sea:

But still the boatman hear her call the cattle home

Across the sands of Dee.

 

দি স্যান্ডস অব ডি

চার্লস কিংসলি
(বাংলা অনুবাদ)

“ও মেরি, যাও গরুগুলোকে বাড়ি নিয়ে এসো,
গরুগুলোকে বাড়ি নিয়ে এসো,
গরুগুলোকে বাড়ি নিয়ে এসো —
ডি নদীর বালুচরের ওপার থেকে!”
পশ্চিমের হাওয়া ছিলো উন্মত্ত, আর ফেনায় ভেজা,
আর একা একাই চলেছিল সে।

পশ্চিমের জোয়ার বালুর উপর এগিয়ে এলো,
আর বারে বারে বালুতে,
আর ঘুরে ঘুরে বালুতে,
যতদূর চোখ যায় দেখা —
ঘূর্ণায়মান কুয়াশা নেমে এলো, আর ঢেকে দিলো স্থলভাগ,
আর সে আর কখনো বাড়ি ফিরলো না।

“ওহ! এটা কি জলজ ঘাস, না মাছ, না ভেসে থাকা চুল,
এক গুচ্ছ সোনালি চুল,
এক ডুবে যাওয়া কুমারীর চুল —
জালের ওপরে, সাগরের মাঝে?
ডি নদীর বাঁধে কখনো এমন উজ্জ্বল স্যামন দেখা যায়নি!”

তারা তাঁকে ফিরিয়ে আনলো ফেনার মধ্য দিয়ে —
নির্মম, হামাগুড়ি দিয়ে এগোনো ফেনা,
নির্দয় ক্ষুধার্ত ফেনা —
সাগরের ধারে তাঁর কবরের দিকে।
তবুও নৌকার মাঝিরা এখনো শুনতে পায় তাঁর ডাক —
ডি নদীর বালুচরের ওপার থেকে, গরুদের বাড়ি ডাকছেন তিনি।

:

Word/ Phrase	Bangla	Synonyms	Antonyms
Cattle (n)	গবাদি পশু	Livestock, cows	—
Dank (adj)	আর্দ্র ও স্যাঁতসেঁতে	Damp, moist	Dry
Foam (n)	ফেনা	Froth, bubbles	—
Tide (n)	জোয়ার–ভাটা	Sea current, wave	Still water
Mist (n)	কুয়াশা	Fog, haze	Clarity
O’er (poetic)	“Over” এর সংক্ষিপ্ত রূপ	Above, across	Under
Tress (n)	চুলের গুছা	Lock of hair, strand	—
Drowned (adj/v)	ডুবে যাওয়া	Submerged, lost in water	Floated, saved
Rowed (v)	নৌকা বাইয়া নিয়ে যাওয়া	Paddled, ferried	—

Theme (মূলভাব) in English:

The poem shows the sadness of a girl named Mary who went to bring the cattle home but never returned. It talks about the dangers of nature, like the sea and the mist. It also shows how love, duty, and tragedy are part of life. Even after her death, people feel her presence and hear her voice.

বাংলায় মূলভাব:

এই কবিতায় মেরি নামের একটি মেয়ের দুঃখের কাহিনি বলা হয়েছে। সে গরু আনতে গিয়ে আর বাড়ি ফিরে আসেনি। সমুদ্রের ঢেউ ও কুয়াশা তার পথ বন্ধ করে দেয়। কবিতাটি প্রকৃতির ভয়ংকর রূপ ও এক মায়াবী আবেগের কথা প্রকাশ করে। মৃত্যুর পরেও, মানুষের মনে তার ডাকে সাড়া পড়ে।

Summary (সারাংশ) in English:

The poem tells the sad story of Mary. One day, she goes out alone to bring the cattle home across the sands near the River Dee. The wind is strong and the sea is wild. The mist comes down and covers everything. Mary gets lost in the mist and never returns. Later, people wonder if the golden hair floating in the sea is hers. They find her drowned body and bury her near the sea. Even after her death, people imagine hearing her voice calling the cattle home across the sands.

বাংলায় সারাংশ:

এই কবিতায় মেরির একটি করুণ কাহিনি বলা হয়েছে। একদিন সে একা গরু আনতে যায় ডি নদীর পাড়ে বালির চরে। তখন বাতাস ছিল জোরে, আর সমুদ্র ছিল উত্তাল। হঠাৎ ঘন কুয়াশায় চারদিক ঢেকে যায়। মেরি পথ হারিয়ে ফেলে এবং আর ফিরে আসে না। পরে মানুষ দেখে সমুদ্রে ভাসছে সোনালী চুলের মতো কিছু। তারা ভাবে হয়তো ওটা মেরির চুল। পরে তারা মেরির মৃতদেহ খুঁজে পায় এবং তাকে সমুদ্রের পাশে কবর দেয়। মৃত্যুর পরেও মানুষ কল্পনায় তার গরু ডাকার আওয়াজ শুনতে পায়।

1. Who is Mary in the poem?
2. What task was Mary given?
3. Who asked Mary to call the cattle?
4. Where did Mary go?
5. What is the Sands of Dee?
6. What was the weather like when Mary went out?
7. What time of day is implied in the poem?
8. Why was Mary alone?
9. What natural element is described as “wild and dank with foam”?
10. What crept up along the sand?

1. Who is Mary in the poem?
   Mary is a young girl sent to call the cattle home. She is the central figure of the poem who tragically never returns.
2. What task was Mary given?
   She was told to call the cattle home across the sands of Dee. It was a simple, everyday task that led to tragedy.
3. Who asked Mary to call the cattle?
   Her family or elders gave her the task, likely her mother or someone from home. This is implied in the repeated command in the first stanza.
4. Where did Mary go?
   She went across the sands of Dee to find and call the cattle. These sands were near the sea and treacherous during tides.
5. What is the Sands of Dee?
   It is a stretch of sand near the River Dee, known for its dangerous tides. The setting is crucial to the poem’s tragic ending.
6. What was the weather like when Mary went out?
   The wind was wild and the air was filled with sea foam. This created dangerous conditions for Mary.
7. What time of day is implied in the poem?
   It seems to be late in the day or early evening as the mist rolls in. The dark and dangerous setting suggests twilight or dusk.
8. Why was Mary alone?
   She went out by herself to call the cattle home. Being alone added to her vulnerability in the dangerous weather.
9. What natural element is described as “wild and dank with foam”?
   The western wind is described this way. It emphasizes the rough, stormy sea conditions.
10. What crept up along the sand?
    The western tide crept up. This is what ultimately engulfed Mary.