Page 1 - LN-The Tale of melon City

The Tale of the melon city

By Vikram Seth

A social satire

The poem The Tale of Melon City is a narrative poem about how a melon, following a custom,
was chosen to become the king of a state. It narrates in an amusing tone the events leading to
such a situation when no other but a melon was coronated as the king.

The poem begins with the description of a just and peace loving king ruling an ancient state.
Once the king planned to construct an arch, spanning the main thoroughfare. The purpose of
the arch was to improve the onlookers morally and provide aesthetic joy to them. The plan of
the king was executed immediately.

From arrogance to prejudice

One day the king was passing by the side of the thoroughfare. The arch was constructed very
low so that the king’s crown struck against it and fell off. Immediately the king responded
negatively. He felt dishonored. He decided to hang the chief of builders holding him
responsible. Necessary arrangements were made for the hanging.

Shifting responsibility

The chief of builders in his defence shifted the responsibility to the laborers. On hearing so, the
king adjourned the proceedings for a moment, and then decided to have all the laborers
hanged. According to the laborers, it all happened due to faulty size of the bricks. So, the king
summoned the masons. They, in their turn, put the blame on the architect. The king decreed to
hang the architect. The architect reminded the king that he had made certain amendments to
the plans when they were shown for his approval. In a way, the architect indirectly put the
blame on the king. The argument of the architect left the king completely confused.
Considering the matter to be intricate, the king sought the advice of a wise man. He ordered to
bring to him the wisest man in the country.
Mockery of Justice
The king’s men could find out the wisest man and, accordingly, he was brought to the court of
the King. He was so old that he could neither walk nor see. According to the old man, the real
culprit was the arch. It was the arch that hit the crown violently and it fell off. So, the arch was
to be hanged. The arch was led to the scaffold. At that time, a councilor said that it would be a
very shameful act to hang the arch that hit the king’s head.

Indecision leads to doom
The crowd was getting restless. In order to appease the mass, the king commented that
someone must be hanged as it was the public demand. The noose was set up. It was somewhat