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President Mugabe is visiting a primary school and he joins one of the
classes. They are in the middle of a discussion related to words and 
their meanings.

The teacher asks the president if he would like to lead the discussion 
on the word 'Tragedy'. So the illustrious leader asks the class for an 
example of a 'Tragedy'.

One little boy stands up and offers: "If my best friend, who lives on 
a farm, is playing in the field and a war veteran comes along and knocks 
him dead with a log, that would be a 'Tragedy'."

"No", says Mr. Mugabe, "that would be an accident."

A little girl raises 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," explains the president. "That's what we would call 
a great loss."

The room goes silent. No other children volunteer.

Mr. Mugabe searches 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 raises his hand.

In a quiet voice he says, "If a Zimbabwean Air Force jet, carrying Mr. & 
Mrs. Mugabe was struck by a missile and blown to smithereens, that would 
be a 'Tragedy'."

"Fantastic!" exclaims Mr. Mugabe, "that's right. And can you tell me 
why that would be a tragedy?"

"Well," says the boy, "because it wouldn't be an accident, and it 
certainly wouldn't be a great loss."


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