The Tailor and his wife

Once upon a time, started , Thatha. Stop, Thatha , you are boring us by this “once upon a time”, chided Maithree Kutti. But , Kutti, my stories have always to begin with , once upon a time. If you do not want , I will not tell stories to you. Maithree Kutti, said , OK , Thatha, I am giving you special permission to tell stories with, “Once upon a time.”

So , Thatha continued, Once upon a time, there lived in a village a tailor. He and his wife lived in a small house in a big street. One day the tailor closed his shop early and went home for lunch. He called his wife and asked her to close the main door . But she was angry on the tailor because , he was not taking her to the mall. She said , I wont close the door, you only close it. Then the tailor shouted at his wife, you close the door. They quarreled for a long time and then the tailor told his wife, OK , whoever among us speaks first will have to close the door. The wife also agreed to this condition. Both of them did not want to speak, first. So they went on sitting there with out doing any thing. The wife got bored and went for a walk. The tailor was sitting idle. Suddenly a street dog entered the house. Street dog was a new term for , Maithree. What is it Thatha. Is it a dog like our uncle has. Thatha then explained to her that in India many dogs did not belong to anybody and will be roaming round the streets. Nobody gave them food and so they used to steal food from wherever it was available. So this street dog came to Tailors house and ate all the food prepared by his wife . It also climbed up on the kitchen shelf and ate all food. The tailor kept silent , because if he shouts at the dog , he has to close the door. After some time the local barber came to his house. He asked the Tailor do you want a haircut or shaving off your head. Tailor did not reply him. Then the barber shaved of his hair completely. We call it Mottai in Tamil. Then the barber asked for his charges. Tailor kept quiet. Then the barber got angry and painted the head of tailor black. Then also the Tailor kept quiet, because if he speaks first , he has to close the door.

The wife of the tailor returned to her house after some time. She saw the kitchen the dining table and her husband. Then she started shouting and crying. Then the Tailor jumped with happiness and told her. You have spoken first and so you should shut the door.

Were they not fools, Maithree kutti.