The Skeleton

'There used to hang a human skeleton in the room next to the one where we three childhood friends slept. Its bones would clatter all day and night against the wind. In those days, our parents were determined to make us excel in all subjects. On one hand we were given lessons in The Slaying of Meghnad by our teacher, and on the other hand we were taught osteology by a student from the Campbell Medical School. Those who knew us needn't be told how far their endeavour was successful; and those who didn't, from them it is better kept a secret.'

Rabindranath Tagore was the poet, writer and thinker who was the first Indian to win the Nobel Prize for the country. This is one of his stories, originally written in Bengali, translated in English by Riddhi Maitra.