The Last Flower

÷Ê⁄Uà ôÊÊŸ ÁflôÊÊŸ ‚Á◊ÁÃ

¡Ÿ flÊøŸ •Ê¢ŒÊ‹Ÿ’Ê‹ ¬ÈSÃ∑§◊Ê‹Ê

•ÊÁπ⁄UË »Í§‹

James Thurber

¡ê‚ Õ’¸⁄U

The Last Flower

The Last Flower is a classic by thefamous American humourist James Thurber.

There is a message of peacein this anti-war book.

•ÊÁπ⁄UË »Í§‹ ¡ê‚ Õ’¸⁄U ∑§Ë ∑§Ë ∞∑§ ◊„UÊŸ ∑ΧÁà „ÒU–ÿ„U ÿÈf ∑§Ê Áfl⁄UÊœ ∑§⁄UÃË „ÒU

•ÊÒ⁄U ‡ÊÊ¢Áà ∑§Ê ‚’∑§ Á‚πÊÃË „ÒU–

Price: 10 Rupees

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ß‚ Á∑§ÃÊ’ ∑§Ê¬˝∑§Ê‡ÊŸ ÷Ê⁄UÃôÊÊŸ ÁflôÊÊŸ

‚Á◊Áà Ÿ ⁄UÊCÔUËÿ‚ÊˇÊ⁄UÃÊ Á◊‡ÊŸ ∑§‚„Uÿʪ ‚ Á∑§ÿÊ„ÒU– ¡Ÿ flÊøŸ

•Ê¢ŒÊ‹Ÿ ∑§ ÄUì˝∑§ÊÁ‡Êà ߟÁ∑§ÃÊ’Ê¥ ∑§Ê

©Ug‡ÿ ªÊ°fl ∑§‹ÊªÊ¥ •ÊÒ⁄U ’ìÊÊ¥◊¢ ¬…∏UŸ-Á‹πŸ∑§Ë L§Áø ¬ÒŒÊ

∑§⁄UŸÊ „ÒU–

The Last Flower — James Thurber

•ÊÁπ⁄UË »Í§‹ — ¡ê‚ Õ’¸⁄U•ŸÈflÊŒ— •⁄UÁfl㌠ªÈ#Ê

¡ŸflÊøŸ ’Ê‹ ¬ÈSÃ∑§◊Ê‹Ê ∑§ ÄUÃ÷Ê⁄Uà ôÊÊŸ ÁflôÊÊŸ ‚Á◊Áà mÊ⁄UÊ ¬˝∑§ÊÁ‡ÊÃ

© ÷Ê⁄Uà ôÊÊŸ ÁflôÊÊŸ ‚Á◊ÁÃ

⁄UπÊ¢∑§Ÿ— ¡ê‚ Õ’¸⁄Uª˝ÊÁ»§Ä‚ — •÷ÿ ∑ȧ◊Ê⁄U ¤ÊÊ

¬˝∑§Ê‡ÊŸ fl·¸— wÆÆv

Price: 10 Rupees

◊ÍÀÿ— vÆ L§¬∞U

•ÊÁπ⁄UË »Í§‹

Bharat Gyan Vigyan SamithiBasement of Y.W.A. Hostel No. II, G-BlockSaket , New Delhi - 110017Phone : 011 - 6569943Fax : 91 - 011 - 6569773email: bgvs@vsnl.netPrinted at Progressive Printers, Delhi.

James Thurber

¡ê‚ Õ’¸⁄U

The Last Flower

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’Ê⁄U„Ufl¥ Áfl‡flÿÈf ∑§ ’Ê⁄U ◊¥ •Ê¬∑§Ê ¬ÃÊ „UË „Uʪʖ

ß‚◊¥ ŒÈÁŸÿÊ ∑§Ë ¬Í⁄UË ‚¢S∑ΧÁà •ÊÒ⁄U ‚èÿÃÊ ŸCÔU „UÊ ªß¸–

ªÊ¢fl •ÊÒ⁄U ‡Ê„U⁄U ¬Í⁄UË Ã⁄U„U ÄU‚-Ÿ„U‚ „UÊ ª∞–

¡¢ª‹ •ÊÒ⁄U ¬«∏U Ã’Ê„U „UÊ ª∞–

You all know about the 12th World War.

Which destroyed the whole humancivilisation and all culture.

Cities and villages disappeared from theface of the earth.

Plantations and forests were wiped out.

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‚÷Ë ’ʪ-’ªËø •ÊÒ⁄U πÃ-πÁ‹„UÊŸ ©U¡«∏U ª∞–

‚èÿÃÊ ∑§ËU ‚÷Ë ∑§‹Êà◊∑§ flSÃÈ∞¢ ŸCÔU „UÊ ªßZ–

•ÊÒ⁄UÃÊ¥-◊ŒÊZ •ÊÒ⁄U ’ìÊÊ¥ ∑§Ë „Uʋáʟfl⁄UÊ¥ ‚ ÷Ë ’ŒÃ⁄U „UÊ ªß¸–πÊŸ •ÊÒ⁄U ¬◊ ∑§ •÷Êfl ◊¥

∑ȧûÊ èÊË ÁŸ⁄UÊ‡Ê „UÊ∑§⁄U •¬Ÿ ◊ÊÁ‹∑§Ê¥ ∑§Ê ¿UÊ«∏U ª∞–

All parks and gardens were burned.

All artistic artifacts were destroyed.

Men, women and childrenbecame worse than animals.

Because of lack of food and love

even the lowly dogs left their masters.

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Ã’ ‡ÊÈM§-‡ÊÈM§ ◊¥ ‹Êª, π⁄UªÊ‡ÊÊ¥ ‚ ÷Ë «U⁄UŸ ‹ª–©U‚ ∑§Ê‹ ◊¥ ¬ÈSÃ∑§Ê¥, ÁøòÊÊ¥, ªÊŸÊ¥ ¬⁄U ¬Ê’¢ŒË ‹ªË–

•ª⁄U ‹Êª ∑ȧ¿U Œ⁄U ÷Ë πÊ‹Ë ’Ò∆Uà ÃÊ•ãÿ ‹Êª ß‚ ‚◊ÿ ∑§Ë ’⁄U’ÊŒË ‚◊¤ÊÖ

ß‚Ë Ã⁄U„U ‚ÁŒÿÊ¢ ’ËÃË¥–......

‚ŸÊ ∑§ Á¡Ÿ ¡Ÿ⁄U‹Ê¥ Ÿ Á¬¿U‹Ê ÿÈf ‹«∏UÊ ÕÊ fl •’ ÷Í‹øÈ∑§ Õ Á∑§ ©U‚◊¥ ∑§ÊÒŸ ¡ËÃÊ •ÊÒ⁄U ∑§ÊÒŸ „UÊ⁄UÊ–

In the beginning people were terrifiedeven at the sight of rabbits.

Books, pictures and songs were banned.

People who were doing nothing werethought to be wasting their time.

Decades and centuries passed by.

Those generals who escaped death in thelast war even forgot who won and who lost.

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‹«∏U∑§ •ÊÒ⁄U ‹«∏UÁ∑§ÿÊ¢ ∞∑§ ŒÍ‚⁄U ∑§Ë •Ê⁄U •Ê∑§Á·¸ÃŸ„UË¥ „UÊà Ֆ ¬ÎâflË ‚ ¬◊ ¬‹ÊÿŸ ∑§⁄U ªÿÊ ÕÊ–

∞∑§ ÁŒŸ Á∑§‚Ë ‹«∏U∑§Ë ∑§Ê ∞∑§ »Í§‹ ÁŒπÊ߸ ¬«∏UÊ– ÿ„U ’øÊ„ÈU•Ê •ÊÁπ⁄UË »Í§‹ ÕÊ– ©U‚Ÿ ß‚ »Í§‹ ∑§Ê ¬„U‹Ë ’Ê⁄U ŒπÊ–

©U‚Ÿ ‹ÊªÊ¥ ∑§Ê ’ÃÊÿÊ Á∑§flÊ •ÊÁπ⁄UË »Í§‹ ÷Ë ◊⁄UŸ flÊ‹Ê „ÒU–

∑§fl‹ ∞∑§ ŸÊÒ¡flÊŸ Ÿ©U‚ ‹«∏U∑§Ë ∑§Ë ’Êà ¬⁄U äÿÊŸ ÁŒÿÊ–

Boys and girls were no more attracted toeach other. Love disappeared from the

face of earth.

One day a girl saw the last survivingflower. She had seen a flower for the

first time.

She told the others that the lastflower was also about to die.

But no one paid any attention to her.Only one youth paid heed to her.

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‹«∏U∑§-‹«∏U∑§Ë Ÿ ‚ÊÕ Á◊‹∑§⁄U ©U‚ »Í§‹ ∑§Ë Œπ÷Ê‹ ∑§Ë–∑ȧ¿U ÁŒŸÊ¥ ’ÊŒ »Í§‹ Áπ‹ ©U∆UÊ–

ŒπÊ! ŒÊ »§Í‹! øÊ⁄U »Í§‹! •⁄U! øÊ⁄UÊ¥ •Ê⁄U, »Í§‹ „UË »Í§‹!

œË⁄U-œË⁄U ’ʪ-’ªËøÊ¥ •ÊÒ⁄U ¡¢ª‹Ê¥ ◊¥ Á»§⁄U ‚ ’„UÊ⁄U •Ê߸–

The boy and the girl tended the lastflower. Soon the flower blossomed.

∞∑§ ÁŒŸ ∞∑§ ◊œÈ◊ÄπË •ÊÒ⁄U ∞∑§ ÁøÁ«∏Uÿʻͧ‹ ∑§Ë ‚Ȫ¢œ ‚ •Ê∑§Á·¸Ã „ÈU∞–

A bee and a bird were attractedto the scent of the flower.

Look! Two flowers! Four flowers!Lots of flowers!

Forests and gardens reappeared.

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•’ ‹«∏U∑§Ë ◊¥ ‚Ê¡-Á‚¢ªÊ⁄U ∑§⁄UŸ•ÊÒ⁄U •ë¿U ∑§¬«∏U ¬„UŸŸ ∑§Ë øÊ„Uà ¡ÊªË–

∞∑§-ŒÍ‚⁄U ∑§ S¬‡Ê¸ ‚ ‹«∏U∑§-‹«∏U∑§Ë ∑§ÊåÿÊ⁄U ∑§Ê •ãÊÈ÷fl „ÈU•Ê–

åÿÊ⁄U Ÿ ŒÈÁŸÿÊ ◊¥ ŒÈ’Ê⁄UÊ ¡ã◊ Á‹ÿÊ–

©UŸ∑§ ’ìÊ ’«∏U „UÊ∑§⁄U πȇʄUÊ‹ ’Ÿ–©Uã„UÊ¥Ÿ „¢U‚ŸÊ •ÊÒ⁄U ŒÊÒ«∏UŸÊ ‚ËπÊ–

The girl became interested in deckingand dressing herself.

Touch made the boy and the girlexperience great pleasure.

Love was reborn in the world.

Their children were healthy and strong.They learnt to laugh and run.

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∑ȧûÊ flʬ‚ •Ê∞–

ŸÊÒ¡flÊŸÊ¥ Ÿ ßZ≈U ¬⁄U ßZ≈U ⁄Uπ∑§⁄U ÉÊ⁄U ’ŸÊŸÊ ‚ËπÊ–

©Uã„¥U Œπ ‚÷Ë ‹Êª •¬Ÿ-•¬Ÿ ÉÊ⁄U ’ŸÊŸ ‹ª–

ÉÊ⁄UÊ¥ ‚ ªÊ¢fl, ‡Ê„U⁄U •ÊÒ⁄U ◊„ÊŸª⁄U ’Ÿ–

Dogs returned.

Some youth discovered that they couldkeep a brick on brick and build a house.

Soon everyone started building houses.

These houses turned intovillages and cities.

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‚¢ªËà Á»§⁄U ‚ ªÍ¢¡Ÿ ‹ªÊ–

‚¢ªËÃôÊ •ÊÒ⁄U ¡ÊŒÍª⁄U

Œ¡Ë¸ •ÊÒ⁄U ø◊Ê⁄U

∑§Áfl •ÊÒ⁄U ÁøòÊ∑§Ê⁄U

Music was born again.

Musicians and Magicians

Tailors and Cobblers

Artists and Poets

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‚ÒÁŸ∑§ •ÊÒ⁄U Á‚¬Ê„UË ’…∏U߸ •ÊÒ⁄U ‹Ê„UÊ⁄U

Soldiers Blacksmiths and Carpenters

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‹Áç≈UŸ¥≈U •ÊÒ⁄U ∑§#ÊŸLieutenants and Captains

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¡Ÿ⁄U‹ •ÊÒ⁄U ◊¡⁄U ¡Ÿ⁄U‹

•ÊÒ⁄U œÊÁ◊¸∑§ ŸÃÊ•Ê¥ ∑§Ê •Êª◊Ÿ „ÈU•Ê–

Generals and Major Generals

And Religious Leaders again became prominent.

⁄UÊ$¡Ë-⁄UÊ≈UË ∑§◊ÊŸ ∑§ Á‹∞ ∑ȧ¿U ‹Êª ∞∑§ ÁŒ‡ÊÊ ◊¥ ª∞,∑ȧ¿U ‹Êª ŒÍ‚⁄UË ÁŒ‡ÊÊ ◊¥...

For the sake of livelihood a few left in one direc-tion and a few others in the opposite direction.

Very soon those who went to the plains startedfeeling they should have gone to the hills.

∑ȧ¿U ‚◊ÿ ’ÊŒ ◊ÒŒÊŸË ß‹Ê∑§Ê¥ flÊ‹ ‹ÊªÊ¥ ∑§Ê‹ªÊ Á∑§ ©Uã„¥U ¬„UÊ«∏UÊ¥ ¬⁄U ¡ÊŸÊ øÊÁ„U∞ ÕÊ–

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ŒÈÁŸÿÊ ∞∑§ ’Ê⁄U Á»§⁄U ‚‹«∏UÊ߸ ∑§Ë •Êª ◊¥ ¤ÊÈ‹‚ ©U∆UË–

Those who went to the hills felt theyshould have gone to the plains.

•ÊÒ⁄U ¬„UÊ«∏UË ‹ÊªÊ¥ ∑§Ê ‹ªÊ Á∑§ ©Uã„¥U◊ÒŒÊŸË ß‹Ê∑§Ê¥ ◊¥ ¡ÊŸÊ øÊÁ„U∞ ÕÊ–

In the name of god, religious leadersstoked the fires of discontent.

÷ªflÊŸ ∑§ ŸÊ◊ ¬⁄U œÊÁ◊¸∑§ ŸÃÊ•Ê¥ Ÿ‹ÊªÊ¥ ∑§ ÁŒ‹Ê¥ ◊¥ Ÿ»§⁄Uà ∑§Ë •Êª »Í¢§∑§Ë–

Once again the worldplunged into war.

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ß‚ ’Ê⁄U ŒÈÁŸÿÊ ¬Í⁄UË Ã⁄U„U ‚ äflSà „UÊ ªß¸–∑ȧ¿U ÷Ë Ÿ„UË¥ ’øÊ–

Á‚»¸§ ∞∑§ ◊Œ¸

∞∑§ •ÊÒ⁄UÃ

This time the destructionwas almost total.

One man

One woman

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And only one flower remained.•ÊÒ⁄U ∞∑§ »Í§‹ ’øÊ–