People who visit The House of Stories probably don't need to read this story. But perhaps you can pass it on to those who do. (I may have told it before, but it's worth repeating.)
That grande dame of story, a writer's writer, Rumer Godden, grew up in India where her father was something important in the civil service. They had lots of servants, so at a very early age - I think about seven - Rumer was used to giving orders. But she didn't always get her own way.
One day she asked an Indian servant for something that she wasn't allowed. He knew the rules, and refused. She tried all the techniques that any child will use to get its own way. She pleaded, she begged, she flattered, she cried, and none of it worked, so she stormed. She stamped and screamed. She was the Sahib's daughter and he had to do as she said. It still didn't work, and by this stage it wasn't just about what she wanted. She was furious at this man for opposing her and wanted to upset him, so she used all the bad language she knew. It still had no effect, so she swore at him using the name of the god he worshipped.
Now, this did upset him. It upset him so much that he spoke to her father, and little Rumer found herself on the carpet of his study while he told her this -
'Never do that again. Never, ever misuse the name of somebody else's deity. It may not mean anything to you, but to that person it is sacred. You may not personally have any respect for that name, but respect the person who honours it'.
I wish all our schools taught that.
2 comments:
Hi. :) When you gonna check your emails.
And this story made me think of 'Life of Pie" Super good move, by the way.
Good book, too, but grim reading in places
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