There lived a woman in a village, who wanted to sing a song, but knew none to hum. A friend teased her to buy one. Naively she asks her husband to buy a song for her from the market and from there starts the funny journey of a search for a song. The husband, finding it hard to disillusion his wife, creates a song for her. It is interesting to read as to how, at every step, animals inspire the husband to write a song – when every human being lets him down.

The moment the wife learns the song, she gets down to rehearse it. Very soon the house is resonating with melody and rhythmic verses. She sings through the night without a break. It is amusing to read how the song averts the danger which was lurking around the house.

Truly...what a song!

This is a Bundelkhand folk tale. The story and the illustrations do capture the folk mood. However, Bundelkhand is also known for its miniature paintings with their details, richness and colour. All of 500 cantos of Valmiki’s Ramayan have been illustrated through the colourful art of Bundelkhand. Inclusion of this art and its element in the picture book would perhaps have rounded off this unique tale with a flourish.