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Thursday, January 05, 2012

The five cooks and the salt

The students of seventh grade at the town school were looking forward to the History class as always. History class broke the monotony of the entire day because of Mrs B's teaching methods. History was taught to students in the form of story telling, sometimes incorrect, sometimes exaggerated, but always interesting. A numerous times the teacher would just break into a story and the children would wonder what provoked it. Fiercely from the aristocratic philosophy of politics, often Mrs. B would thought provoking parables about mythological gods, historical figures and sometimes about people the students had no idea about.

So that day Mrs. B was especially in a very good mood. The class went about as usual with a story of Rasputin and how Russia entered the world war-I. According to her Rasputin had a high standing in the political matters of Russia's monarchy and it was he who persuaded Csar Nicholas II to extend support to the Entente Powers. Now nobody had the slightest idea of how it came or from where did it come but suddenly Mrs B said "... and now i would tell you the story of five cooks of the kingdom of S..". Then she retreated saying "... no just forget it for now. I would tell this to you tomorrow..". By this time though every sleeping person looked at her with rapt attention and anticipation. Virtually falling at her feet begging, the entire class began coaxing her to tell the tale. Probably out of habbit just to create some suspense and interest for the story she began to oppose the student's coaxing. The students were adament though and finally persuaded her to tell the tale. She relented after all, and so she began" Once upon a time in the kingdom of S, the king decided to host a grand dinner party. Hence the five royal cooks decided that the dinner would start with an excellent soup." Suddenly Mrs. B's story was interrupted by the shrilly sound of the school bell announcing the history class was over. Mrs. B gathered all her notes and abruptly left the class saying "I shall tell you the remainder of the story tomorrow."


Next day and the students wait anxiously for the history class. The wait is over and Mrs B enters. Every students jump of their desk shouting " the story! the story!" and Mrs B says "Let me first teach you about the russian revolution and the fall of csar and begins the class with the Lenin and the rise of communism, the Bloody Sunday and finally the fall of csar. Now the students being impatient remind her of the unfinished story. "Yes, yes the story" she says it as if she has all forgotten."So as i was telling you people" she adjusts her spectacles
".. The five cooks after days elaborate planning and consulting several age old recipes finally made the recipe to the most delicious soup according to them. The day arrived and they satrted preparing the soup. Finally the time arrived when they had to put salt into the soup. So one of them said that he would undertake this task and others protested. After a long fight which had narrowly come to a fist fight they all decided everyone would add their share of salt to the soup. They all added the salt....

...and students do you know what happened" Mrs B looks at all with her wizened expression
" and do you know what happened?" she asks again and everyone waits with attention, almost coming to the edge of their seats.

" The soup became salty. After all what would happen if you add so much salt to something" she says as a matter of fact.

The shrilly bell rings Mrs. B again gathers all her notes and is almost about to leave the class when she sees all the confused faces and says " Thats it. That was the story. After all what would happen to a soup if you add so much salt to it".

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