Definition Of Tragedy

[lamphun]

President Bush was visiting a primary school and he dropped in on one of

the classes. They were in the middle of a discussion related to words

and their meanings. The teacher asked the President 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".

One little boy stood up and offered: "If my best friend, who lives on a

farm, is playing in the field and a tractor runs over him and kills him

that..... would be a tragedy."

"No," said Bush, "that would be an accident."

A little girl raised her hand: "If a school bus carrying 50 children

drove over a cliff, killing everyone inside that would be a tragedy."

"I'm afraid not," explained the president. "That's what we would call a

great loss."

The room went silent. No other children volunteered. Bush searched the

room. "Isn't there someone here who can give me an example of a

tragedy?"

Finally at the back of the room a small boy raised hand. In a quiet

voice he said:.... "If Air Force One carrying you and Mrs.Bush was

struck by a "friendly fire" missile and blown to smithereens, that would

be a tragedy."

"Fantastic!" exclaimed Bush. "That's right. And can you tell me why that

would be a tragedy?

"Well," says the boy, "It has to be a tragedy because it certainly

wouldn't be a great loss and it probably wouldn't be an accident

either."