The Axe is a short story novel written by famous Indian author, R.K Narayan. The novel was originally published in 1996. The story of novel revolve around a boy named Velan from village, Koppal.
The Axe By R.K Narayan
Summary of The Axe By R.K Narayan
The story of novel begins from village, Koppal where one astrologer comes one day and predict that boy named Velan from your village would live in three floor house with big garden around his house. Velan was a kid at that time, people started making fun of him after astrologer’s prediction because there was no family poorer than Velan family. Velan’s father has mortaged everything of his house and he works with his family on other’s land.
The villagers were not able to believe that how can such poor boy will live in three floor house. But if they can look Velan after 30 – 40 years then maybe they would believe on Astrologer’s prediction.
The complete story of novel revolves around a life of Velan who left his house at the age of 18. One day, Velan would not able to bring food for his father on time, then his father slapped him infront of everyone. Velan felt insulting and then he left his father’s house. He ends up coming out far away from his village, Koppal. Thereafter, he slept hungry for many days, he even begged for money and then he comes in village, Malgudi.
The story now introduces an old gardener who meets Velan and gives him a job. He decided to make a garden on acre land. The gardener gives Velan a job to remove bad plants and trees from that land. Velan started removing bad plants from that field day and night and after many days he complete it and make it as clear as like football ground.
The gardener had a complete plan on his mind to make a garden. He said that we will make garden on three side of this field, and we will make house on fourth side of land. Velan made that field like a wonderland with his hard work and dedication. He used to talk with plants, walls and animals on that land. The gardener became old and Velan take over his position and becomes Chief Gardener.
Velan and gardener are doing all these work for one man. When that man came, he was impressed by the garden and house because everything was done thoroughly and properly. The plants were trimmed cleanly and the house was so beautiful that Velan believes that type house made in heaven only.
House builder assistant said to Velan that we have build more bigger house than this on the cost of 2 lakhs while your house cost is only one lakh. Velan get confused go on his hut and thinks about the cost and supply and does all the calculation.
Afterwards, Velan go out in sees his margosa tree which he planted with his own hands. He says to his Margosa tree that why are you so small, grow fast and reach the height of this house. He says to his tree, keep in mind if you does not grow well then I will tear you apart from land.
Velan cares for his tree like a mother who cares for her child. But practically it isn’t possible because trees takes time to grow. After 4-5 years, when Margosa tree reach the height of that house, till then house color faded. The house was getting old but Margosa tree does not as it is growing and become a house of many birds and insects.
The house master’s grand children used to play under a shadow of Margosa tree. As Velan belongs to poor family, he doesn’t have money to build his own house. He had only one thing which is Margosa tree which planted. Velan spends many years working in garden and now he is 30 – 35 years old.
The house master who was young when house was build is now very old and the mistress as well. When Velan left his father’s house at the age of 18, he was married, and now he has children in his father’s house who are married.
Velan used to go his father’s house on festivals like Diwali, new year and Holi to meet his family. Velan is very happy with his life now, and don’t want anything else from life as he does not have much ambitions. One day, Velan learns through worker of house that master is very sick and he shifted to ground floor room.
One day, Velan get up at night and someone told him that his master is no more. Velan thought only one thing that is what will happens to him and garden now because Master’s children were not good to take care of house.
Velan was right as master’s children lived in that house for one year and then goes away. Then one new family comes to live in that house, when family comes in house, they saw Velan and says don’t try to trick us. If you does not work properly then we will fire you from your job. Velan could not digest these words because family does not care about the garden. The family’s children used to walk on flowers and break raw fruits from trees.
Velan could not able to do anything as he was just a servant nothing else. Velan lived with that family in frustration and sadness. His life changes when family leaves the house after few years. The house remain closed for many years but master’s children used to visit house and garden for the inspection.
After few years, Velan got the key of house and started living in a hall of house. Living in a hall of house doesn’t mean Velan become the owner. He is still just a old gardener and servant of house.
One day, someone comes in car at house’s gate, Velan goes in hurry at gate along with keys, man in car asks Velan to open the big gate to enter in house with his car. The man saw house and said it is very big and old now so we are going to crush it.
As they don’t want old house, they also don’t want old garden and gardener. We don’t want garden as it is old fashioned now. One day, master’s son comes in house asks Velan to go back to his village’s house as we have sold this house to a company.
Think how strange it is, Velan spends his life to build that house and garden and now everything is going to be crushed. When Velan was in his hut, he heard a sound of axe, he goes out and saw that four people are cutting his Margosa tree. He started shouting and asks them to stop as Margosa tree is like his children. Those workers were compelled to do so they can’t do anything about it.
The story of novel ends with Velan who asks those four people to stop cutting Margosa tree in-front of his eyes as he can’t bear to see his child cut. He left the house in sadness and returns to his hometown to live with his family.