A TRAIN JOURNEY
The people on the train were hot and tired.A tall young man sat next to three small children and their aunt.The aunt and children talked When the aunt spoke she always began with "Don't..."When the children spoke they always began with"Why...?"The young man said nothing.
The esmall boy whistled loudly."Don't do that,Cyril,"said his aunt.Cyril stood up and looked out of the window at the countryside.
"Why is that man taking those sheep out of that field?"
he asked.
"Perhaps he's taking them to another field where there's more grass,"said the aunt.
"But there's lots of grass in that field.Why can't the sheep stay there?"
"perhaps the grass in the other field is better."
"Why is it better?"
The young man looked annoyed.
"Oh, dear," thought the aunt ,"he doesn't like children."
"Sit down quietly,Cyril.Now, listen, I'm going to tell you all a story."
The children looked bored but they listened.The story was very boring indeed.It was about a very beautiful little girl,who worked hard and behaved beautifully.Everybody loved her.One day she fell into a lake and everyone in the village ran to save her.
"Why did they save her?" asked the bigger girl.
"Because she was so good," said the aunt.
"But that's stupid,"said the girl."When people fall into lakes, it doesn't matter if they're good or bad, you run to save them."
"You're right," said the young man ,speaking for the first time."That's a ridiculous story."
"Well, perhaps you would like to a story," said the aunt coldly.
"OK," said the man.The children looked interested and he began.
END
SARKAR KHANUM MOSHTAGHI