THE KITE AND THE CROWS





Pic.: Anima D'Cunha

Years ago, when I had decided to do something about my poor English, one of the things I did – and found very effective – was telling a nice story in two tenses… the Present and the Past. Over the years, I have helped hundreds of people, who were earnest about improving their English, with the same method… Yes, write a nice story down in both the tenses… and, then, tell it to someone!

Presently, I am helping a young businessman by the name Pravin Pahuja. “Just twenty stories, Pravin,” I have told him, “You write down just twenty nice stories in two tenses… and, then, narrate them to someone in the same way… Your English will fall in place and, along with it, you will become an effective communicator, too.”

Pravin has already written some… This is one of them…

PAST:
In a village, the fishermen had just returned after their daily catch. As they were sorting out the fishes, a kite swooped down, picked a fish by its beak and shot up into the skies. Immediately, hundreds of crows appeared from nowhere and started chasing the kite…

Whichever direction the kite took, the crows followed, filling the sky with their crazy noise… The kite went East, the crows went East… the kite went West, the crows went West… The kite went North, the crows did the same… the kite went South, the crows did, too…

Finally, the kite was tired and frustrated. It decided to drop the fish. And, as soon as the fish was dropped, the crows stopped chasing the kite and went after the falling fish… The kite, now relieved of the stress, decided to settle down on the branch of a nearby tree. Sitting there, it watched the crazy sight… and declared:
“There goes, with that wretched fish, all my misery!”

PRESENT:

In a village, the fishermen have just returned after their daily catch. As they are sorting out the fishes, a kite swoops down, picks a fish by its beak and shoots up into the skies. Immediately, hundreds of crows appear from nowhere and start chasing the kite…

Whichever direction the kite takes, the crows follow, filling the sky with their crazy noise… The kite goes East, the crows go East… The kite goes West, the crows go West… The kite goes North, the crows do the same… and, the kite goes South, the crows do, too.

Finally, the kite is tired and frustrated. It decides to drop the fish. And, as soon as the fish is dropped, the crows stop chasing the kite and go after the falling fish. The kite, now relieved of the stress, decides to settle down on the branch of a nearby tree… Sitting there, it watches the crazy sight… and declares:
“There goes, with that wretched fish, all my misery!”

(P.S.:  I had first come across this story in the book 'TALES AND PARABLES OF SRI RAMAKRISHNA PARAMAHAMSA' published by Ramakrsihna Mission. I am deeply indebted to this master story-teller.)




GERALD D’CUNHA

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