Stories

Stories have a wonderful way of communicating a message. I have been fascinated by stories since childhood. Reading Chandamama (the malayalam version 'Ambili Ammavan'), Poompatta, Thalir, Balarama, kadhasaritsagaram, panchathantram, 1001 Arabian nights, Aesop's fables, Grimm's stories........................................all helped.

Most of the popular stories linger in the memory. Quite a few not so popular ones too. One such is reproduced from memory in my own words.

An ayurvedic physician sat down for dinner one late evening. Since his house had a common wall with his neighbours, he could overhear his neighbour who was a reasonably rich trader.

That day he heard the trader ask his wife to bring him a cup of curd.

The physician turned to his own wife and told her 'I promise to get you a pair of ear rings'

Then he overheard his neighbour call after his wife " Add some salt to it"

Physician " there goes one of your ear rings"

After a minute, he heard his neighbour tell " don't forget to add a piece of ginger to the curd"

With a sigh, the physician remarked "now both your ear rings are gone"

The confused wife asked him the meaning of his promise and the later withdrawal. To this the physician said,

"It is not healthy to eat curd in the night. That would have led to the trader falling sick and approaching me for treatment. I thought I shall be able to get you a pair of ear rings from the fee he would have paid. But adding salt to the curd reduces the negative effect by 50%, hence my comment that you have lost the opportunity to get one ear ring. When he asked for ginger to be put in the curd, it makes the curd safe to consume. A guy who knows to add salt and ginger to negate the adverse effect of taking curd in the night don't need my services. Hence my final comment"

This story, that I read once nearly quarter of a century back, has somehow been etched in my mind. It conveys in a simple way the negative aspects of curd and the ways to counter it.