students were amused by this break and responded with a laughter here and a giggle there. But, the accomplished orator stood undeterred. He took this interruption in his stride and pretended to be surprised. He stopped his speech, checked his watch and got back to his mike.
In a calm and composed voice and a matter–of–fact tone, he said, “A cackling of a cock indicates daybreak, but my watch shows it is dusk. However, studies have proved that animals of lower creation possess a wonderful sense of the day–night rhythm. I guess my watch is wrong and the rooster is right.” He stressed the words ‘animals of lower creation’. At this, the entire audience burst into loud, hearty, never-ending laughter.
They applauded in true appreciation of the orator’s presence of mind and sense of humour. The student who made the crowing sound hung his head in shame. He had received a fitting response for his misbehaviour. The scholar, true to his greatness, won on this occasion too.
Exercises . A rich man had a neighbour who was suffering from acute poverty. The rich man was proud of his wealth and treated his poor neighbour with disrespect and derision. One day, a fortune-teller told the rich man that all his wealth would be possessed by his neighbour within a month.
The rich man became greatly worried and spent sleepless nights. He did not know how to safeguard his wealth round the clock. Suddenly he thought of a plan. He disposed of everything he had and with all that money, he bought a large, precious diamond.
He sewed up the diamond in his turban. He proudly said 12th - - Page relished every mouthful to the core and savoured the taste of each topping with a smile of approval. Soon, the plate was empty and clean with no trace. The boys dabbed their mouths and wiped their hands with tissues.
Mission accomplished, they leaned back with immense joy and satisfaction not knowing, it would be short-lived. The waiter arrived with the bill. Joseph, who had brought the others to