Long past the midnight hour
statuesque Unniyarcha,
daughter-in-law
of the Attummanammel clan,
arose from her sleep,
astir with unease,
remembering an ominous dream.
She had seen Aromal Unni,
her brother, handsomest jewel
of the Puthooram clan
set out for his very first duel.
To the progenitors of her clan
she prayed and to the souls
of the dead that hover
around the battlefields, in fact,
to all the familial deities,
entreating, please save him,
save my brother Aromal Unni.
She straightened her clothes
and tidied her hair,
she lit a lamp to light up
the eastern gateway of the house.
She stooped to touch the earth
with her troubled brow.
She folded palms to salute the sun.
Then swept the courtyard clean
and cooked some rice with lentils
over the fluttering fragrant fire,
filled the pewters that held
five pints or more,
set out on banana leaves
the burnt husk of paddy
for brightening the teeth.
Then she called out,
as gently as she could,
Oh father, oh mother,
arise now from your sleep,
I have drawn the water
for your wash,
your breakfast of gruel
is cooked and ready.
The old ones asked.
Oh Unniyarcha,
why have you cooked our breakfast
so early, the cock has only begun
to crow.
I have my reasons.
said Unniyarcha
I dreamt of my brother
going out for a duel.
I saw him go out
to fight his very first duel.
I must therefore hasten home
to make sure that he doesn’t.
The dream certainly had
a message meant for me.
The old man said,
dreams are untrustworthy.
Besides, pregnant that you are,
you cannot walk your way home.
Oh, but I must go, she cried.
I must stop him
before it is too late.
Translated from the Malayalam by Kamala Das