The Tale of Melon City poem explanation

Lesson-8

The Tale of Melon City

By Vikram Seth

The Tale of Melon City Introduction

The poem "The Tale of a Melon City" tells the storey of the city's new King, a melon. As the storey progresses, their King orders the construction of an arch, which turns out to be too low. It struck the King's head, causing his crown to fall off. The King regards it as a disgrace and orders that the chief of builders be hanged. It is then followed by a chain of events in which they each blame the other. Finally, a noose is constructed to determine the guilty, and the only person who can fit the noose is the just and placid King. The first person to pass through that arch is then elected as the new King.

The Tale of Melon City Summary

The poem begins with a description of the King who ordered the construction of an arch. When he rode down that arch, it collided with his head, causing his crown to fall to the ground. It was due to the fact that it was built too low. Because the King thought it was dishonourable, he ordered that the chief of builders be hanged. The chief of builders blamed the labourers, who in turn blamed the bricks. The mason who blamed the architect is sentenced to death by the King. The architect is summoned to the Royal Court, where he indirectly blames the King for the incorrectly constructed arch.

The placid King becomes enraged and demands that the wisest man in the country be summoned to the Royal Court. They brought the wisest man, who was so old he couldn't see or walk. He believes the arch should be hanged. When the arch is about to be executed, one of the ministers says it would be a shame to punish something that had touched their mighty King's head. Everyone, including the King, agreed. The crowd became uncomfortable, and the King threatened them with a hanging.

As a result, a noose was set-up, and the one who fit it was hanged. All of them were measured one by one, but only the King fit. When they found someone to execute, the ministers breathed a sigh of relief. As a result of the customary choice, the next person to pass through the City gate would choose the new King, and the next person to pass through it would be an idiot who wanted a melon to be their King. The melon was crowned with pomp and ceremony, and the town lived happily ever after without interruption or interference.

The Tale of Melon City Lesson Explanation

The following poem is from Mappings, which was published in 1981 and is included in Vikram Seth's Collected Poems.

In the city of which I sing
There was a just and placid King.
The King proclaimed an arch should be
Constructed, that triumphally
Would span the major thoroughfare
To edify spectators there.

• Just- based on or behaving according to what is morally right and fair
• Placid- calm
• Proclaimed- announce officially or publicly.
• Arch- a curved symmetrical structure spanning an opening and typically supporting the weight of a bridge, roof, or wall above it.
• Triumphally- Celebrating or commemorating a victory
• Span- Celebrating or commemorating a victory
• Thoroughfare- a main road in a town
• Edify- instruct or improve (someone) morally or intellectually
• Spectators- onlookers

The poet is referring to a city ruled by a 'just and placid' King. He is well-known for his fairness and calm demeanour in court. He ordered the construction of an arch on the town's main road one day. He thought it would be a nice sight to see and would inspire those who saw it.

The workmen went and built the thing.
They did so since he was the King.
The King rode down the thoroughfare
To edify spectators there.
Under the arch he lost his crown.
The arch was built too low. A frown
Appeared upon his placid face.
The King said, ‘This is a disgrace.
The chief of builders will be hanged.’
The rope and gallows were arranged.

• Frown- a facial expression indicating disapproval, displeasure, or concentration, characterized by a furrowing of one’s brows.
• Gallows- a structure, typically of two uprights and a crosspiece, for the hanging of criminals

The workmen built the arch in accordance with the King's instructions, as he was the one who ordered it to be built. The King went to the thoroughfare to commemorate its inauguration and to entertain the onlookers. The arch collided with his head, causing his crown to fall to the ground. It occurred as a result of the arch being formed too low. His calm demeanour abruptly changed to one of utter displeasure. He saw it as a moment of dishonour and ordered that the chief of builders be hanged. Ropes and gallows were erected in accordance with the King's orders.

The chief of builders was led out.
He passed the King. He gave a shout,
‘O King, it was the workmen’s fault’
‘Oh!’ said the King, and called a halt
To the proceedings. Being just
(And placider now) he said, ‘I must
Have all the workmen hanged instead.’
The workmen looked surprised, and said,
‘O King, you do not realise
The bricks were made of the wrong size.’

• Halt- bring or come to an abrupt stop

The chief of builders was apprehended and sentenced to death. He was on his way to the King. When he saw the King, the chief of builders immediately shouted and exclaimed that it was the workmen's fault. The King immediately called the meeting to a halt and declared that the workers would be hanged. The workers were shocked by this. They stated that it was not their fault, but that the bricks were not the correct size.

‘Summon the masons!’ said the King.
The masons stood there quivering.
‘It was the architect…’, they said,
The architect was summoned.

• Summon- order someone to be present
• Masons- a person skilled in cutting, dressing, and laying stone in buildings
• Quivering- trembling or shaking with a slight rapid motion
• Architect- a person who designs buildings and in many cases also supervises their construction

When the King learned that the wrong signs were on the bricks, he summoned the masons. In front of the King, the masons were trembling. They placed the blame on the architect, and thus the architect was summoned.

‘Well, architect,’ said His Majesty.
‘I do ordain that you shall be
Hanged.’ Said the architect, ‘O King,
You have forgotten one small thing.
You made certain amendments to
The plans when I showed them to you.’
The King heard this. The King saw red.
In fact he nearly lost his head;
But being a just and placid King
He said, ‘This is a tricky thing.
I need some counsel. Bring to me
The wisest man in this country.’

• Ordain- order (something) officially
• Amendments- a minor change or addition designed to improve something
• Saw red- became angry
• Counsel- advice, especially that given formally

The King tells the architect that he is the one who is to blame and that he must be executed. The architect immediately mentions that it was the King who made minor changes to the architect's original plan. This implied that the King was to blame for the incorrect construction of the arch. The King became enraged, but because he was 'just and placid,' he decided it would be best to consult someone in such a confusing situation. As a result, he directed them to find the wisest person alive.

The wisest man was found and brought,
Nay, carried, to the Royal Court.
He could not walk and could not see,
So old (and therefore wise) was he —
But in a quavering voice he said,
‘The culprit must be punished.
Truly, the arch it was that banged
The crown off, and it must be hanged’.

• Quavering- (of a person’s voice) shake or tremble in speaking, typically through nervousness or emotion.

They found the wisest man, but he had to be carried to the Royal court because he was too old to walk or see properly. His wisdom grew with his age. He finally said, in a shaky voice, that the one at fault must be executed, and that it is the arch that has struck off the King's crown. As a result, the arch must be hung.

To the scaffold the arch was led
When suddenly a Councillor said —
‘How can we hang so shamefully
What touched your head, Your Majesty?’
‘True,’ mused the King. By now the crowd,
Restless, was muttering aloud.
The King perceived their mood and trembled
And said to all who were assembled —
‘Let us postpone consideration
Of finer points like guilt. The nation
Wants a hanging. Hanged must be
Someone, and that immediately.’

• Scaffold- a raised wooden platform used formerly for the public execution of criminals.
• Mused- say to oneself in a thoughtful manner

After hearing the wise man's advice, the arch was being prepared for public execution when one of the Royal Court's ministers raised an objection. It would be disgraceful, he said, to hang something that had come into contact with their mighty King's head. It was also appropriate for the King. The crowd had become unsettled by this point. They demanded that the person who was at fault be executed. The King, being 'just and placid,' recognised his people's temper and declared that something as important as determining the guilty must be postponed. He went on to say that if the nation wants a hanging, the guilty would be hanged as soon as a decision was made.

The noose was set up somewhat high.
Each man was measured by and by.
But only one man was so tall
He fitted. One man. That was all.
He was the King. His Majesty
Was therefore hanged by Royal Decree.

• Noose- a loop with a running knot, tightening as the rope or wire is pulled and used to trap animals or hang people
• Decree- an official order that has the force of law

They set up a noose to determine who would be executed, and the person who fit into it would be hanged. Each man was called and measured individually. The noose was set up at a high point, and the only man tall enough to fit inside was the King himself. They had finally found someone to be executed, and their King was hanged by the official force of law.

‘Thank Goodness we found someone,’ said
The Ministers, ‘for if instead
We had not, the unruly town
Might well have turned against the Crown.’
‘Long live the King!’ the Ministers said.
‘Long live the King! The King is dead.’

• Unruly- disorderly and disruptive and not amenable to discipline or control
• Against the Crown- questioning the power, integrity and honesty of the state

The Royal Court Ministers breathed a sigh of relief when they found who would be executed for the faulty arch. They were afraid that if they hadn't found someone, the disorderly crowd would begin to question the Crown's power and integrity. Everyone chanted, "Long live the King!" The irony is that the King they were hailing for was no longer alive. They desired that their King live a long life, but they were relieved to have found someone to execute, even if it was their King.

They pondered the dilemma; then,
Being practical-minded men,
Sent out the heralds to proclaim
(In His [former] Majesty’s name):
‘The next to pass the City Gate
Will choose the ruler of our state,
As is our custom. This will
be Enforced with due ceremony.’

• Pondered- think about (something) carefully, especially before making a decision or reaching a conclusion
• Heralds- an official employed to oversee state ceremonial, precedence, and the use of armorial bearings, and (historically) to make proclamations, carry official messages, and oversee tournaments
• Proclaim- announce officially or publicly

At first, the ministers couldn't agree on how to choose their new King. Nonetheless, as reasonable as they were, they sent official messengers to declare that their next ruler will be chosen by the person who passes through the City Gate next. As was customary, the one he chooses will be crowned 'King' with due ceremony.

A man passed by the City Gate.
An idiot. The guards cried, ‘Wait!
Who is to be the King? Decide!’
‘A melon,’ the idiot replied.
This was his standard answer to
All questions. (He liked melons.) ‘You
Are now our King,’ the Ministers said,
Crowning a melon. Then they led
(Carried) the Melon to the throne
And reverently set it down.

• Reverently- with deep and solemn respect

The next person to pass through the City Gate was a man, no, an idiot. He was stopped by the guards, who asked him to name their next King. As an idiot, he replied, 'a melon.' Not to call it his or anyone else's mistake, but this was his standard response to all questions because the man loved melons. The ministers crowned a melon, believing it would now rule over their city. They placed the melon on the throne and crowned him "King."

This happened years and years ago.
When now you ask the people, ‘So —
Your King appears to be a melon.
How did this happen?’, they say, ‘Well, on
Account of customary choice.
If His Majesty rejoice
In being a melon, that’s OK
With us, for who are we to say
What he should be as long as he
Leaves us in Peace and Liberty?’
The principles of laissez faire

• Seem to be well-established there.
• Customary- according to the customs or usual practices associated with a particular society, place, or set of circumstances
• Rejoice- feel or show great joy or delight
• Laissez faire- the policy of leaving things to take their own course, without interfering

Now, the melon was crowned King many years ago, and when people in the city are asked how it all happened, they simply say it was a "customary choice." It means that their rules forced them to make a melon their King. But, for the time being, they are happy with their King being a melon because the people live in peace and freedom. They are prospering in the absence of their King's interference.

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