THE OVER-FED CATS ARE NOT INTERESTED IN MICE

It is a tensed time of the year for many young parents. They are anxious to admit their little-ones in a good school. 

Many years ago, all parents, barring a few, had only one option: to admit their children in the SSC-board schools. But, not anymore. They have many options, now: SSC, ICSE, CBSE, IB and I do not know how many more! But, what has not changed is the anxiety of parents to decide on what is ‘the best’ for their child. The more the options, the more the anxiety… At least, that is what it looks like!

A simple Maharashtrian young-man, in whose house no one has studied beyond SSC, is very anxious now. He wants his first son to be admitted in one of the local Christian English-medium schools. He recounted to me as to how he had to spend an entire night on the road outside the school so that he could get hold of a form the next morning! Now, the form has gone in; he is anxious about the interview process… “Do you know anyone, sir?” he asked me, last night.

And, incidentally, last morning, a mother of a twelfth-standard ISC-student called me. “Sir, I am really tensed,” she said from the other end, “Aarav* is not allowed to write his Boards; they say he won’t pass and want us to sign an undertaking that he won’t give his exams this time!” Then, in a choked voice, she asked me, “Sir you have taught him Accountancy this year; do you think he won’t pass?”

Yes, I had taught this young boy that subject. He was very quick in grasping but extremely poor in his enthusiasm and work. While many students are hard-working but are endowed with low grasping abilities… this boy was the opposite: God had given him fine privileges… the chance to be born in an affluent and educated family, the chance to join one of the best schools in the vicinity, the chance to grasp his subjects fast… but, the boy lacked motivation, he lacked direction. Whenever I teach such young-men, I do get this feeling: In life, what a powerful motivator poverty and deprivation can be… Yes, most of the times!

“He will pass ma’am,” I consoled the heart-broken mother, “try to persuade the Principal. Aarav needs to be self-motivated… He needs direction… He needs to know why he is not enthusiastic about studies… Any help, please come over.”

I do not know whether Aarav will be allowed to give his Boards or not. But, I do know this: he is not the kind to fail at least… He has come to this state, because, he is ‘over-fed’ in life!

Once, the King of Vijayanagara,  Krishnadeva Raya, began to receive many complaints from the poor farmers in his kingdom. The mice were destroying their crop and they wanted their King to do something about it.

After consulting his advisors, the King imported hundreds of cats from Persia to end the mice menace. He also arranged for plenty of cows. He handed to each of his farmers a cat and a cow and declared, “See that the cat is fed well with cow’s milk; every month there will be an inspection to check whether the cat is maintained hale and hearty or not. If not, punishment will be meted out!”

Not wanting to invite their King’s ire, the farmers began to feed their cats with ample milk. When King’s officers came to inspect, they were delighted to behold very, very happy and pluffy cats in the entire kingdom.  However, there was one case that certainly deserved King’s punishment… and, it was Tenali Rama. His cat was all skin and bones!

Krishnadeva Raya was furious. He immediately summoned Tenali. “Why is your cat in such a sorry state? Why did you fail to feed it well?” the King thundered.

“How could I feed milk to my cat, Your Majesty,” Tenali said to his King meekly, “when she is unwilling to drink it?”

“Impossible,” reacted the King showing even more anger, “how the hell are we supposed to believe that a cat is not interested in milk?”

So, Tenali had to prove before his King and the court that he was not lying. A bowl of fresh milk of his cow was placed in front of everyone. Then, he brought his skinny cat and kept her near the bowl. As soon as the cat saw the milk bowl, it sped for its life!

The King and the courtiers were stunned!

The King was quick to comment, “I know what you have done, Tenali. You have served her hot milk and burnt her mouth; she is too scared of the milk now!”

“With all my due respect to Your Majesty,” 

Tenali said to his King, “don’t you think that 

the cats,  over-fed with milk, 

are least interested in catching mice?”

 

 

“Any help, please come over, ma’am,” I have promised to the distressed mother. If at all she comes with her ‘pluffy cat’, I am going to tell 'Her Majesty' this Tenali Rama story.

 * The name is changed

GERALD D’CUNHA

Pics.: Yojana Singh