The state of British politics
Posted: Thu Apr 16, 2009 10:13 am
Gordon Brown was visiting a classroom in a Scottish primary school. The class was in the middle of a discussion about words and their meanings. The teacher asked Mr. Brown if he would like to lead the discussion on the word 'tragedy'. So the illustrious leader asked the class for an example of a 'tragedy'.
A little boy stood up and offered: 'If my best freen, who lives on a fairm, is playin' in the field and a tractor rins ower him and kills him, that wuid be a 'tragedy.'
No, said Gordon - that would be an accident.'
A little girl raised her hand: 'If a skulebus carrying fufty children driv ower a cliff, killing a'bdy inside, that wuid be a tragedy'
I'm afraid not, explained Gordon - that's what we would call a great loss'
The room went silent. No other children volunteered. Gordon searched the room. 'Is there no-one here who can give me an example of a tragedy?'
Finally, at the back of the room, wee Johnny raised his hand. In a quiet voice he said: 'If a plane cerryin' you and Mr. Darlin' wis struck by a 'freenly fire' missile & blown to smithereens, that wuid be a tragedy.'
'Fantastic!' exclaimed Gordon. 'That's right. And can you tell me why that would be tragedy?'
'Weel,' says wee Johnny, 'it his to be a tragedy, because it certainly wuidnae be a great loss and it probably wuidnae be a f*cking accident either!'
A little boy stood up and offered: 'If my best freen, who lives on a fairm, is playin' in the field and a tractor rins ower him and kills him, that wuid be a 'tragedy.'
No, said Gordon - that would be an accident.'
A little girl raised her hand: 'If a skulebus carrying fufty children driv ower a cliff, killing a'bdy inside, that wuid be a tragedy'
I'm afraid not, explained Gordon - that's what we would call a great loss'
The room went silent. No other children volunteered. Gordon searched the room. 'Is there no-one here who can give me an example of a tragedy?'
Finally, at the back of the room, wee Johnny raised his hand. In a quiet voice he said: 'If a plane cerryin' you and Mr. Darlin' wis struck by a 'freenly fire' missile & blown to smithereens, that wuid be a tragedy.'
'Fantastic!' exclaimed Gordon. 'That's right. And can you tell me why that would be tragedy?'
'Weel,' says wee Johnny, 'it his to be a tragedy, because it certainly wuidnae be a great loss and it probably wuidnae be a f*cking accident either!'
