Page 17 of A Thousand Painted Hours
February 3, 1907
Ajmer
Dear Elsie,
I will write about one small beauty in Urdu so you can practice.
[In Urdu]: Today a pair of birds built a nest in the tree outside my window.
[In English]: We have been studying the making of maps. I think you would like making an old map, with a dragon at the middle, like the old-world explorers. This year, we have studied Magellan, who sailed the world and discovered places that had not been found before. I asked my teacher why they were discovered if people already lived there, but he did not answer me.
I do admire Magellan for being the first explorer to sail around the world. Not that he was able to complete it himself, of course, but his expedition was the first to complete it. Have you studied the explorers yet?
I am also learning to play polo, which I quite like. We are also marching in formation. I like the sound of our feet in unison.
Your friend,
Tanveer
March 10, 1907
Nainital
Dear Tanveer,
[In Urdu]: I put a red flower in a vase.
[In English]: There! I will not tell you how long it took. I do love the look of the letters on the paper.
I study explorers. My favorite is Magellan. I have also been reading stories about Alice in Wonderland. I have art classes. The teacher is good.
The explorers’ lives are exciting. It would have been terrifying to sail across a vast ocean with no idea of what was beyond it. I have drawn you a map with a dragon. I hope you like it.
Write soon,
Elsie
[Enclosed map]
March 29, 1907
Ajmer
Dear Elsie,
[In Urdu]: One small beauty is that I found a sarus crane feather.
[In English]: Thank you for the map. It was quite good. My friend thought you must be a grown-up.
I have broken my arm, and not playing polo, but falling from a wall laughing. Is that the silliest thing you ever heard? My friend is a good joke teller, and I laughed so hard that I slipped off the wall and cracked the bones in my wrist. I acquired a cast in the infirmary. It is very heavy! I have to wear it for two months. At least it is on my left arm so I can still write to you.
Your friend,
Tanveer
Nainital
May 1, 1907
