For two or three days it rained conti-nously without a minute’s respite. The sea had an abundance of shrimp, but men could not go out to work. It was terribly cold. One day dawned bright and clear. The boats were launched and they had a good haul. When they came on shore they did good business. But soon the sky again became cloudy and the rain resumed. It went on and on.
In the curing yards the shrimp were in all stages. Some were half dry. Some had only been boiled. There was also the smell of raw shrimp. Generally the curing yards were in bad way. There were signs of big losses.
Pareekutti had one other misfortunes. His first consignment was very good. He second had not been dried properly, it seemed.
“We don’t want your trade. Let us have our money back. You can take your fish back!” The big trader said.
Pareekutti went to every fishmonger in Alleppey. Nobody wanted his product. Every godown was full. Pareekutti had borrowed money and bought more fish. When the weather turned against him, Pareekutti’s money disintegrated like the shrimp in his curing yard. In another day he would have to bury all the shrimp.
All the boat owners on the seashore were in difficulties, particularly Ramankunju. His business that year was poor. Ouseph, who had an eye on Ramankunju’s boat, began to press him for his money. Ramankunju vowed that he would return Ouseph’s money within a week, come what might.
Then Ramankunju asked Chemban Kunju for money. When Chemban Kunju showed some hesitation about giving him the money, Ramankunju sensed the meaning of his reluctance.
“Well, Chemban Kunju, be frank,” he said.
Putting on an air of doubt, Chemban Kunju said, “how can it be done without any security?”
“What security do you want?”
“ How can I say that?”
Finally Chemban Kunju spoke his mind. Ramankunju must mortgage his boat to him.
Thus Chemban Kunju acquired a second boat.
Chakki was happy about having a second boat, but she was distressed that the debts to Pareekutti were not settled. Karuthamma never failed to remind her of this.
The day that Ramankunju’s boat was mortgaged to Chemban Kunju, Chakki said to him, “this is all wrong.”
“ What?”
“Not to have repaid Pareekutti. After swindling him you don’t even talk to him.”
Chemban Kunju swore at her.
“You can swear at me, but that boy is in trouble now. If you return the money, it will be a big thing for him,” she said.
“Where will I get the money now?”
Listening to all this, Karuthamma spoke without thinking.
“Give him back that money, Father,” she said.
“What is it to you?” He asked sharply.
She was about to say that it was she who first asked Pareekutti for the money; that was why he gave them the dried fish even though he was short of money. Karuthamma wanted to warn her father. The more money they make, the more indebted she felt to that boy.
Chakki was terrified that Karuthamma might say something. That would be disastrous.
“What is there to get so excited about? She was speaking the truth,” Chakki said to Chemban Kunju.
“How does it concern her? That is what I am asking. Did she borrow the money? Is he asking her for it!”
Perplexed, Chakki said, “can’t she say something even if he hasn’t asked her?”
Chemban Kunju ended the matter by giving Karuthamma a serious piece of advice.
“Let me tell you something,” he said.”
All these transactions are made by men. You have no business in them. You will go to spend your life with a man one day yourself.”
The Chemban Kunju’s anger was turned against Chakki.
“The fact is, the girl is learning these things from you.” He said.
When mother and daughter were alone, Chakki turned on Karuthamma.
“Why did you forget yourself and address your father? If his suspicions are roused, what do you think will happen? You heard what our neighboring gossips are saying? If that reached your father’s ears, let Katalamma1 help us!”
1 Katalamma – goddess of the sea.
Chakki had been trying to sound out Karuthamma about marrying Palani, but Karuthamma refused to say anything one way or the other. Her reluctance worried Chakki. Was it due to her shyness? She was, after all, a young girl. Or was Karuthamma’s relationship with Pareekutti the reason behind it? Finally Karuthamma half promised to marry Palani after the debt was paid to Pareekutti. That was some comfort to Chakki.
Chakki’s face beamed with a cheerful smile.
“Then, my dear, you are in favor of the marriage,” she said. Karuthamma said nothing.
“He is a fine boy, my child, a fine boy,” Chakki continued.
Listening to Chakki as she praised Palani, Karuthamma, hardly realizing it, stiffened. She would oppose the marriage. She had reason to oppose it. How old was Palani? Hadn’t she a right to know? What relatives had he? After all, had Palani entered her heart?
Chakki’s relief was great. As she talked on, Karuthamma felt suffocated.
“Stop, Mother,” she burst out.
Then she muttered something between her teeth that Chakki couldn’t make out.
“Before the marriage, your mother will settle that matter,” Chakki said.
Angrily, Karuthamma said, “Oh, yes, Mother will settle it. Then what happened all these days?”
“Now I shall insist.”
“No, it will mean nothing,” Karuthamma said in despair. “And the marriage will take place. That is how it will be.”
“You wait and see,” Chakki said with determination.
In her confused and desperate state Karuthamma came to an irrevocable decision.
“I won’t consent unless that money is returned. Otherwise I shall kill myself. That is certain,” she said.
“Don’t say such things, my child.” Chakki was worried.
Karuthamma burst into tears.
“What is this? He is ruined. I could understand it if we didn’t have the money. But we have it and refuse to honor the debt.”
Then she blamed Chakki.
“You, too, Mother, have no intention of returning his money,” she said.
Chakki swore by the goddess of the sea that that was not so. Karuthamma made another decision.
“I am going to talk to Father myself.”
“ No, no, don’t do it, child.”
“And why not?”
After a little while she continued, “think what might happen if we celebrate the wedding. As we are about to leave, suppose Pareekutti stops us and says he won’t let us go unless you pay the money back? What will you do then?”
That possibility had never occurred to Chakki. The prospect frightened her.
“Why should he stop you?” She asked.
“He gave the money because I asked for it.”
“ But that - you just asked in fun.”
“Who said so?”
This picture of Pareekutti obstructing her path was fixed in Chakki’s mind. Pareekutti was a desperate man. He was down and out. He might well adopt a desperate measure.
“I am determined to tell Father,” Karuthamma continued. “I will tell him today. What is there that I cannot tell?”
“ Don’t say anything, my child.”
“I will tell him.”
Chakki promised that she would settle the matter somehow or other before the marriage.
But the day when Chakki informed her husband that Karuthamma was not against the marriage, she could find no way to tell him about the condition Karuthamma had made. To Chemban Kunju, Karuthamma’s consent to the marriage was no problem at all. Chakki had no means to force her husband’s hand in repaying Pareekutti’s debt.
The fish weren’t fetching any price. Not only Chemban Kunju, but no one on the seashore had any peace of mind. When the stocks at Alleppey and Cochin were shipped, Rangoon prices had fallen to half of what was expected.
Pareekutti lost a thousand rupees.
A great change came over Karuthamma’s character. She had grown up. She had courage. With new determination she waited for a chance to talk to Pareekutti.
And one day they met. He was on one side of the fence, she on the other. That day it was Karuthamma who started the conversation, and it did not take the form of irre-spondible chitchat.
“Your business is running at a loss, Kochumuthalali, isn’t it?” She said.
It was not the opening Pareekutti had expected. He said nothing.
“I shall return your money,” she continued.
“But you haven’t borrowed any money from me, Karuthamma,” Pareekutti said.
“Even so, it is I who should return it.”
“ How is that?”
“That is how it is, Muthalali. Only after your debt had been repaid can---“
Karuthamma could not finish the sentence. It was as if something choked her voice. She was powerless. Tears filled her eyes.
Pareekutti expressed what she was trying to say.
“You want to repay the debt before you get married. Isn’t that it?” he said.
The tear flowed out of Karuthamma’s eyes. Pareekutti did not cry.
“And that way you want to break our relationship. Isn’t it?” He asked.
That question went straight to her heart. When he asked it, had he also accepted the situation? Pareekutti realized that she was helpless. But he expected an answer.
“No, no. I want you to do well!” She said.
Pareekutti also was no longer the lighthearted lover. He smiled. It was an ironic smile.
“You want me to do well, Karuthamma?”
Karuthamma understood that he meant he could never be well and happy. She could not stand there any longer. Pareekutti stood motionless for a while after she walked away.
That night Chemban Kunju had a particularly interesting piece of news for Chakki. He was in a happy frame of mind.
“Palani says he does not want any dowry,” he said softly.
Chakki couldn’t believe it.
“Then?” She asked.
“Then, what? He will marry her without a dowry.”
Chakki fixed her eyes on Chemban Kunju. Chemban Kunju crossed his heart.
“I swear by the goddess of the sea. It was he who said it,” he said.
“Because he said he didn’t want it, are you proposing not to give him any dowry?” Chakki asked.
Chemban Kunju made excuses. If a man didn’t want something, why should you force it on him, particularly when it was a matter of money? He was surprised to hear Chakki talk like that.
“That poor boy knows nothing. You must have talked him into this,” Chakki said sharply.
“I talked him into nothing.” Chemban Kunju answered.
“Why does a man want all this money?” Chakki said.
“Have I any money?”
“What we call this dowry is what we give our own child.”
“ But what if he won’t have it?”
“Then for whom are you putting by all this money? That is what I ask. You may have fun in your old age,” Chakki continued.
“You may make yourself soft beds and pillows, you may even bring in a pretty girl. But there are some things you must do in life. All this you made with my help.”
To cool her down, Chemban Kunju laughed and said, “all right. We shall both enjoy ourselves. The bed is for you too.”
Chakki got really angry. She raised her voice. Chemban Kunju was terrified that the neighbors would know why they were having a row. Before the quarrel could go any further, he went out of the house.
Karuthamma came from her room to quiet her mother. “I don’t want any dowry, Mother,” she said.
“Why not? Any girl without a dowry is a disgrace. You must have a few rupees of your own.”
“There isn’t going to be a mother-in-law where I am going,” Karuthamma said after a moment. “It is to such a place that you are sending me, isn’t it?”
That question went straight home to Chakki. Yes, she was being sent to just such a home.
“But listen, my child. You will have your neighbors to think of.”
“Of - the neighbors!” Karuthamma continued. “Send me away somehow or other, and give the money to our Kochumuthalali.”
A little later Karuthamma said, “he is ruined. I can’t go seeing him ruined. And, if I go - he will die.”
“You must repay the debt even if you have to steal the money from where Father has hidden it,” Karuthamma told her mother.
If Chemban Kunju found out, there would be murder. Chakki wasn’t bold enough for that. She had never done anything of the sort.
“Are you afraid of doing it, Mother?” Karuthamma asked.
Yes, she was afraid. That was why she couldn’t manage what she promised earlier.
At the beginning of the Chakara season they had made a lot of money. If they had taken a little from it every day, it would have passed unnoticed. Karuthamma encouraged Chakki, impressed upon her the gravity of the situation. So when Chemban Kunju went to sea in the early hours of the morning, mother and daughter together opened the safe and took out a little money. They spent the day in fear of being found out. Chemban Kunju placed the day’s takings in the box and locked it in the evening. Chakki asked him how much he made that day. It was not at all unusual for her to ask such a question.
“Nobody wants shrimp,” he said.
“But what did you make?”
“Why do you want to know?”
Every day mother and daughter together took out a little money. One day Chemban Kunju counted the cash and calculated his takings. Chakki and Karuthamma were on tenterhooks. When he had locked his safe again, they breathed. He had not detected their fraud.
After several days they had collected only seventy rupees. They also had some fried fish worth some twenty rupees. Although it was a small sum, they decided to give it to Pareekutti.