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"Come and hire me," I cried, while in the morning I was walking on the stone-paved road.
Sword in hand, the King came in his chariot.
He held my hand and said, "I will hire you with my power."
But his power counted for nought, and he went away in his chariot.
In the heat of the midday the houses stood with shut doors.
I wandered along the crooked lane.
An old man came out with his bag of gold.
He pondered and said, "I will hire you with my money."
He weighed his coins one by one, but I turned away.
It was evening. The garden hedge was all aflower.
The fair maid came out and said, "I will hire you with a smile."
Her smile paled and melted into tears, and she went back alone into the dark.
The sun glistened on the sand, and the sea waves broke waywardly.
A child sat playing with shells.
He raised his head and seemed to know me, and said, "I hire you with nothing."
From thenceforward that bargain struck in child's play made me a free man.
-Rabindranath Tagore
Summary:-
"The Last Bargain" by Tagore is a poem composed in blank verse. It conveys a powerful message which is apt for today's materialistic world, that no power, wealth or lust can make us content. Lucidity and innocence are unparalleled.
The poem opens with the speaker walking on a stone-paved road {which symbolises that life is not smooth} asking out to hire him. He came across a king who was ridding on his chariot with a sword in one hand.
The King offered to hire the narrator with his power and authority, however the power of the king had no value for the narrator and he thus moved ahead. During the midday, the speaker wandered along a twisted lane comprising of houses with shut doors. An old man, with a bag of gold came out and offered to hire the speaker with his money. However, money will soon be spent, and cannot buy us everlasting happiness.Therefore, the old man's wealth could not persuade the narrator to sell his services. During the evening, the narrator passed a garden hedge which was covered by various flowers. A beautiful maiden came out and offered to hire him with her flattering smile. However, since beauty took a short lift and would soon fade away, he rejected her. Upon which, the maiden's beautiful, flattering smile melted into tears and she then went back alone into the dark night.
The next morning, the seacoast shone golden and the sea waves broke in a rebellious manner. A child {which symbolises cheerfulness and contentment} was sitting on the sun-glistening cost playing with seashells. He offered to hire the speaker with nothing.
The narrator was attracted by the flawless character of the child and was overwhelmed by the simplicity and innocence which did not give materialistic pleasures but was more satisfying. Thus, the bargain was struck by a child who hired the speaker for nothing.
Through this poem, it is significant that power, money or lust could not free the speaker. However the power of innocence had the ability to break away the speakers bondage. The child had the power to enslave him.