Nicholas-এর হাত ধরে (Goscinny)

বাংলায় স্কুলে পড়া দস্যি ছেলদেরকে নিয়ে কিছু গল্প-কাহিনী লেখা হয়েছিলো - ডোডো-তাতাইয়ের কাহিনী, রুকু-সুকু ও আরো বেশ কতকগুলো। কিছু কিছু বেশ জনপ্রিয়ও হয়েছিলো। বাস্তবিকই আমাদের প্রত্যেকের ছেলেবেলার জীবনেই অজস্র মজার ঘটনা লুকিয়ে থাকে। চোখ বুজে ভাবতে আরম্ভ করলে একের পর এক সেগুলো ক্যালাইডোস্কোপের নকশার মতো ভেসে ভেসে ওঠে। সেগুলোকে ছাপার হরফে ঠিকঠাক করে তুলে ধরা দারুণ কঠিন কাজ - আর এখানেই লুকিয়ে থাকে কোন সত্যিকারের ভালো লেখকের দক্ষতা ও সার্থকতা। 

René Goscinny-র ফ্যান বলেই আমি just কৌতুহলবশত: একদিন শুরু করেছিলাম "Nicholas" সিরিজের একটি বই পড়া - it was mostly the children's story which was set in 60's decade, in France. The book had a kind of old-fashioned look-n-feel - but once I started to read, all my doubts were blown away. This is a thoroughly enjoyable and hilarious story, which took me right back to my very own childhood days. Even to today's children, who have video games, tablets and smart phones, the stories still ring so true. The things the boys do, the things they say, are so real and yet so funny. The stories are episodic - one story follows another but is not a continuation of the previous story. The characters remain the same, but they have different adventures in each story. 

Nicholas - Vol 1

As we grow older we so often loose our childlike imaginations and candor, but not Goscinny. The late Goscinny obviously had a special gift - his writing was full of wit and the directness that children really do have. These adventures were written originally in french (in 60's) by René Goscinny and the artwork was done by Jean-Jaques Sempé, who was well-known in America for his wonderful, quirky 'New Yorker' cartoons and covers.

So, who is this 'Nicholas' ?

"Nicholas" is a little boy who attends an all-boys school in France. He always gets in some kind of trouble, as do his friends - over and over again. The boys are caught up in a series of hilarious escapades that always result in confusion, especially for their parents and teachers. They cause one disaster after another, but still remain best of friends. 

Here are few episodes taken from the 1st book of the famous 'Nicholas' series.