The Sands Of Dee
by 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 on 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 boatmen hear her call the cattle home
Across the sands of Dee.
Paraphrasing
"O Mary, go and call the cattle home,"
The speaker is asking Mary to go and bring the cattle back to their home. This is her job, and it’s important for her to do it now.
"And call the cattle home,"
This repeats the instruction to Mary, emphasizing that she needs to bring the cattle back to their home. The repetition shows it is an important task.
"And call the cattle home across the sands of Dee;"
Mary needs to bring the cattle across the sands of Dee, which is a stretch of land near the sea. This location is important because it is where the story takes place and also where the tragic event happens.
"The western wind was wild and dank with foam,"
The wind from the west is very strong, cold, and filled with sea foam. The word "dank" makes it sound like the air is wet and uncomfortable.
"And all alone went she."
Mary is going alone on her journey to bring the cattle back. This makes it more dangerous, as she has no one to help her if something goes wrong.
"The western tide crept up along the sand,"
The tide from the west slowly moves up the sandy beach. The word "crept" makes it sound like the tide is coming in quietly but steadily.
"And o'er and o'er the sand,"
The tide moves back and forth over the sand again and again. This shows that the sea is always moving and is a powerful force that cannot be stopped.
"And round and round the sand,"
The tide moves in circles around the sand, continuing to cover more ground. The sea’s movement is endless and repetitive.
"As far as eye could see."
The sand stretches as far as the eye can see. This shows that Mary is far from help, and there is no one around to assist her.
"The rolling mist came down and hid the land:"
A thick mist or fog comes down and covers everything. It makes it hard for anyone to see clearly, and this adds to the danger of the situation.
"And never home came she."
Mary never returns home. The mist and the sea take her, and she disappears without anyone seeing what happened to her.
"'Oh! is it weed, or fish, or floating hair - "
Some people see something floating in the water and wonder if it is a plant (weed), a fish, or something more surprising, like hair.
"A tress of golden hair,"
The floating thing turns out to be a piece of beautiful golden hair. This hair could be from a woman, and it suggests that the person it belongs to may have drowned in the sea.
"A drowned maiden's hair above the nets at sea?"
The speaker wonders if the golden hair belongs to a young woman who has drowned in the sea. This is an important clue that connects the hair to the tragedy.
"Was never salmon yet that shone so fair among the stakes on Dee."
The hair is described as more beautiful and shining than any fish that has ever been caught in the river Dee. The comparison makes the hair seem almost magical or otherworldly.
"They rowed her in across the rolling foam,"
The boatmen take her body and row it through the sea foam, which is rough and rolling. The foam shows the strength of the sea as it continues to move powerfully.
"The cruel crawling foam,"
The foam is described as cruel, making it seem like the sea is unforgiving. It is "crawling" because it is slowly moving, just like the danger that slowly took Mary.
"The cruel hungry foam,"
The foam is also described as "hungry," suggesting that it consumes lives, as if the sea is a predator that takes what it wants.
"To her grave beside the sea:"
Her body is taken to be buried near the sea, the place where she lost her life. The sea, which was the cause of her death, now becomes the site of her grave.
"But still the boatmen hear her call the cattle home across the sands of Dee."
Even after her death, the boatmen still hear Mary’s voice calling for the cattle to come home, as if her spirit is still trying to finish her task. This suggests that her work is not over, and her voice lives on.
Short Answer Questions
Here are the detailed answers to the short questions from The Sands of Dee:
Who is called to bring the cattle home?
Answer: Mary is called to bring the cattle home. In the opening lines of the poem, the speaker instructs Mary to call the cattle across the sands of Dee, and she sets off to do so alone. This task sets the stage for the tragedy that follows.
What is the setting of the poem?
Answer: The setting of the poem is across the sands of Dee, a stretch of land by the sea. The poem describes the wild western wind and the rising tide that comes up along the sand, as well as the mist that eventually hides the land. The sea and the natural environment create a mood of isolation and danger.
What happens to Mary after she goes to call the cattle?
Answer: After Mary sets off to call the cattle, she is lost to the sea. The tide creeps up and the rolling mist hides the land, causing Mary to disappear. Despite the speaker's expectation that she will return, she never comes back, and her body is later found by the boatmen, who row her in across the foam.
What does the speaker think they see above the nets at sea?
Answer: The speaker believes they see a tress of golden hair floating above the nets at sea. This image suggests the possibility that Mary has drowned, and the golden hair symbolizes her tragic fate. The imagery evokes a haunting and eerie connection between Mary and the sea.
How does the poem describe the tide?
Answer: The poem describes the tide as creeping up the sand and covering it again and again. The movement of the tide is persistent and relentless, a symbol of the inevitable danger that Mary faces as she walks across the sands. The repetition of the tide’s action underscores the passing of time and the sense of being trapped by nature.
What is the condition of the western wind in the poem?
Answer: The western wind is described as wild and damp with foam. This creates a sense of harshness and foreboding, as the wind plays a role in the dangerous environment that Mary navigates. The wind’s wildness contrasts with the calmness expected from the act of calling the cattle home, adding an element of unease to the scene.
What happens to Mary’s body when the boatmen find her?
Answer: When the boatmen find Mary, they row her body in across the rolling foam. The cruel and hungry foam that surrounds her body reflects the power of the sea and its ability to claim lives. The boatmen eventually bury her beside the sea, marking the tragic end of her journey.
What is the significance of the phrase "Call the cattle home"?
Answer: The phrase "Call the cattle home" serves as a symbolic refrain throughout the poem. It represents Mary’s task and the moment before her death, emphasizing her innocence and duty. However, after her death, the call becomes a haunting reminder of her lost life. Even after she is gone, her voice continues to echo, suggesting that she is still calling the cattle across the sands of Dee.
What emotion is conveyed through the description of the tide and the foam?
Answer: The description of the tide and foam conveys emotions of danger, inevitability, and despair. The cruel and crawling foam that surrounds Mary as she is lost at sea emphasizes the relentless, consuming nature of the water. The tide’s rise and the foam’s hunger suggest that Mary’s fate was sealed by the power of the sea, evoking a sense of helplessness and tragedy.
What is the last thing heard by the boatmen after Mary’s death?
Answer: After Mary’s death, the boatmen continue to hear her call for the cattle. Despite her physical absence, her voice lives on in the haunting echo of her duty to bring the cattle home. This lingering sound serves as a reminder of her tragic fate and the enduring connection between her and the sands of Dee. The poem ends with this eerie image of her voice continuing to call, even after death.
Detailed Summary of The Sands of Dee by Charles Kingsley:
In this poem, The Sands of Dee, Charles Kingsley tells the tragic tale of a young woman named Mary who is tasked with calling the cattle home across the sands of Dee, a stretch of land near the sea. The western wind is strong and stormy, and Mary sets out alone, calling the cattle back. As she walks across the sands, the tide begins to rise, creeping up and covering the sands, and the mist thickens, gradually concealing the land.
The poem then shifts to a darker tone as Mary does not return home. Her absence is noticed, and there is concern about what has happened to her. The speaker reflects on the strange sight of something floating in the sea—perhaps a piece of floating hair or something else that is mysterious. The imagery of the golden hair evokes a sense of tragedy, implying that it may be the hair of a drowned maiden.
Eventually, the boatmen row out to search for Mary and find her body in the foam. Despite her death, her voice seems to linger in the air, still calling out to the cattle. The poem ends with the eerie idea that the boatmen continue to hear her voice across the sands of Dee, as if she is still calling the cattle, even in death.
Themes:
The theme of The Sands of Dee revolves around the powerful forces of nature and the tragic consequences they can bring. It highlights the danger of the sea and the unpredictable, uncontrollable tide that claims Mary’s life. The poem also touches on loss and memory, as Mary’s spirit seems to linger, still calling the cattle even after her death. It reflects how nature’s power can be both beautiful and destructive, and how the memory of those we lose can remain with us in some form.
Multiple-choice questions based on the text:
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
Who is called to bring the cattle home?
A) Mary
B) Jane
C) Anne
D) Lucy
Answer: A) Mary
Where is Mary called to bring the cattle?
A) Across the river
B) Across the fields
C) Across the sands of Dee
D) Across the hills
Answer: C) Across the sands of Dee
What is the weather like when Mary goes to call the cattle home?
A) Calm and sunny
B) Windy and rainy
C) Wild and dank with foam
D) Clear and warm
Answer: C) Wild and dank with foam
What happens as the tide creeps up the sand?
A) It retreats back to the sea
B) It becomes still and calm
C) It comes up along the sand and covers it
D) It dries up
Answer: C) It comes up along the sand and covers it
What hides the land from view?
A) The sunlight
B) A rolling mist
C) A storm
D) A thick fog
Answer: B) A rolling mist
What is found above the nets at sea?
A) A golden fish
B) A tress of golden hair
C) A boat
D) A lost ring
Answer: B) A tress of golden hair
What did the boatmen find when they rowed Mary in?
A) Her body washed ashore
B) A golden crown
C) A bag of jewels
D) Her call for the cattle
Answer: A) Her body washed ashore
What kind of foam is mentioned in the poem?
A) Gentle foam
B) Cruel and crawling foam
C) Soft and white foam
D) Clear foam
Answer: B) Cruel and crawling foam
Where was Mary buried?
A) In the town cemetery
B) In the churchyard
C) Beside the sea
D) On a hilltop
Answer: C) Beside the sea
What do the boatmen still hear after Mary's death?
A) Her singing
B) Her call for the cattle
C) Her laughter
D) Her crying
Answer: B) Her call for the cattle
Bangla Translation (Summary)
"দ্য স্যান্ডস অফ ডি" এই কবিতায়, চার্লস কিংসলি মেরি নামে এক তরুণীর করুণ কাহিনী বর্ণনা করেছেন, যাকে সমুদ্রের কাছে অবস্থিত ডি-এর বালির ওপারে গবাদি পশুদের বাড়িতে ডেকে আনার দায়িত্ব দেওয়া হয়েছে। পশ্চিমা বাতাস প্রবল এবং ঝড়ো, এবং মেরি একাই বেরিয়ে পড়েন, গবাদি পশুদের ডাকেন। বালির ওপারে হাঁটার সময়, জোয়ার উঠতে শুরু করে, লাফিয়ে লাফিয়ে বালি ঢেকে দেয়, এবং কুয়াশা ঘন হয়ে ধীরে ধীরে জমি ঢেকে দেয়।
এরপর কবিতাটি আরও গাঢ় সুরে পরিবর্তিত হয় কারণ মেরি বাড়ি ফিরে আসে না। তার অনুপস্থিতি লক্ষ্য করা যায় এবং তার সাথে কী ঘটেছে তা নিয়ে উদ্বেগ দেখা দেয়। বক্তা সমুদ্রে ভাসমান কিছুর অদ্ভুত দৃশ্যের প্রতিফলন করেন - সম্ভবত ভাসমান চুলের টুকরো বা অন্য কিছু যা রহস্যময়। সোনালী চুলের চিত্রকল্প ট্র্যাজেডির অনুভূতি জাগিয়ে তোলে, যা ইঙ্গিত করে যে এটি একটি ডুবে যাওয়া মেয়ের চুল হতে পারে।
অবশেষে, নৌকার মাঝিরা মেরির সন্ধানে সারিবদ্ধভাবে বেরিয়ে পড়ে এবং ফেনার মধ্যে তার দেহ দেখতে পায়। তার মৃত্যুর পরেও, তার কণ্ঠস্বর বাতাসে রয়ে গেছে, এখনও গবাদি পশুদের ডাকছে। কবিতাটি শেষ হয় এই অদ্ভুত ধারণা দিয়ে যে, ডি-র বালির ওপারে নৌকার মাঝিরা তার কণ্ঠস্বর শুনতে পাচ্ছে, যেন সে মৃত্যুর পরেও গবাদি পশুদের ডাকছে।
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