Swami and Friends

The scene ensues with Swaminathan’s father searching for his son, who has seemingly disappeared. Swaminathan’s mother and grandmother are worried sick, and his father returns home having failed to locate Swaminathan.

He makes a second attempt to locate his son, this time making his way to the Malgudi Railway Station, and down the railway line, where he discovers a wet patch that he mistakes for blood. Fortunately, it is not blood but water, and the chapter closes with the father expressing his great relief.

Swaminathan wanders several miles from home, feeling increasingly tired, hungry and ready to return home from his escape attempt. Heading towards home, he regrets defying the headmaster, and wishes that he had accepted his punishment. Nighttime arrives, and Swaminathan becomes terrified when he realizes he is lost.

Swaminathan wanders lost throughout the night, falling to the ground in despair and a fatigue so severe that he begins hallucinating and envisioning elephants, tigers, snakes, and scorpions attacking him.

The scene abruptly cuts to Swaminathan’s dream about the upcoming match between the M.C.C. and Y.M.U. In the dream, Swaminathan hits a sixer off the Y.M.U. bowler, and the crowd roars with approval. On the next play, the headmaster has replaced the Y.