***"... And die as fast as they see others grow/ And nothing 'gainst Time's scythe can make defence.'

(Shakespeare. Sonnet 12)***

For an instant Syeed reminded me of Prince Hamlet of Denmark. After all he has his father killed by his mother with the help of his uncle — supposedly, to pave the way for a remarriage. But then the contrast is so great that the comparison looked to Syeed escapes from Sylhet, his home, and starts begging at Gulistan area until he finds shelter at AzImpur graveyard. Now with a scythe in his hand he roams about the burial ground and asks the visitors if their near and dear ones' graves needed to be trimmed. "We found him begging and later asked him to Join us.' said Badrul another young grave cleaner, adding "Many of my kins work here, so we don't have any trouble with the authority.

took pity on Syeed," Badrul recalled. Syeed. hardly spoke a word all the while.

"Usu;illy, we earn Tk 40 to Tk 50 a day ... but It varies," said Badrul. "Often, we have some generous clients."

Asked If they will smoke away their earnings, all of them protested Instantly. "Cigarette causes cancer, It makes holes in your liver," said Soleman wisely, "Zafar Iqbal (film artiste) died tn his way ... we will never smoke. "All three of them seemed to understand the evil effect of smoking."

What about cinemas? "Never ever we went to the halls." said Badrul and Soleman. Syeed, on the other hand, after a brief silence said. "1 went to watch video once." “There are some big boys who

"Just a few minutes ago. the guard took away the scythe from some grass-cutters ... but not from us," said Badrul, putting up a brave face. His crooked blade chopped off the weeds on the grave, while another boy. Soleman came.

There was an exchange of signs which fed Soleman to say softly, "I am just helping you ... 1 won't charge money for that" "I work here only on Friday, when my school is closed," said the new comer. "And I will give my earning to my mother." "You see. Ms father is mad, all day long he scribbles and talks rubbish." Badrul remarked about his neighbour Sofeman.

Both of them live in Kamranglrchar on the outsklrt of the city. Sofeman is a students of class III of Suravt school, while Badrul has been forced to quit school because of poverty.

"The other day one Shahib gave Syeed 70 taka for planting a tree on his child's grave ... he

smoke and go to the cinemas, but not we." Badrul was almost through with the cleaning of the grave. "You know, these rowdy boys often steal fish from new Market, and Syeed often gets a share of it." Soleman Informed. When the fish traders are engaged in a bargain with their customers, these boys simply pick a fish or two unnoticed and -put their spoil in their pockets." This often earns them a severe beating." all three broke Into grins adding. They have big sticks"

These three boys are growing on the graveyard where the dead come to have a perpetual rest. Full of life, these children present sharp contrast to the morbid surroundings. Although reticent, Syeed. however, has little time to be preoccupied with death like Hamlet: Badrul and Soleman are very much concerned with money. So with scythes in hands they search life among the dead.