> >>
> >>
> >>Prime Minister Gordon Brown was visiting a primary school and he sat in
> >>on one of the classes.
> >>
> >>They were in the middle of a discussion related to words and their
> >>meanings. The teacher asked the PM 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 Brown, '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 Brown. 'That's what we would call great
> >>loss.'
> >>
> >>The room went silent. No other children volunteered. Gordon Brown searched the
> >>room. 'Isn't there someone here who can give me an example of a tragedy?'
> >>
> >>Finally at the back of the room, Little Johnny raised his hand...
> >>In a quiet voice he said: 'If the plane carrying you and Mrs. Brown was
> >>struck by a 'friendly fire' missile and blown to smithereens, that would
> >>be a tragedy.'
> >>
> >>'Fantastic!' exclaimed Brown. 'That's right. And can you tell me why that
> >>would be 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'.
