We Don't Understand!

It was a travel in the sea… The ship was moving.

Many people were travelling.

Some were standing in the upper deck and were enjoying the sights of the vast stretches of  the sky and the water.

Some were sitting in the lower deck and gossiping.

In between these two, was a man.

Until then, he had neither seen the sea… nor a ship.

At that time, the wind started blowing strongly.

He was filled with fear on seeing the ship sway.

He started shouting.

The co-passengers were in a dilemma.

How do they make him all right?

A doctor who was travelling came forward.

He gave a few medicines and went away.

The man ate them.

He slept off for some time.

When he woke up, he started shouting again.

Now, an old man came forward.

“I will cure him-” he said. “The disease called fear is gripping him! Call the man who is shouting!”

They brought him.

“Throw him into the sea,” he ordered. And, they did.

“Alas! I am dead!” the man in the sea cried.

“Now take him out, and bring him,” said the old man. They did so.

“Thank God! I am alive!” cried the man.

After that, he never shouted again.

He withdrew to one corner without speaking.

Everyone looked at the old man with admiration.

He said:

“Until our situation becomes worse… we really don’t think about how fortunate we already are!”

Translated by me from "Ullame Ulagam" by Thenkachi Ko Swaminathan (publishers Vanathi Pathipagam).