Tragedy

Tony Blair was visiting a school the other day when a Teacher asked the Prime Minister if he would like to lead in a discussion on the word "Tragedy". So the PM asked the class for an example of "Tragedy".

One little boy stood up and said, "If my best friend, who lives on a farm, is playing in a field and a tractor runs him over and kills him, that would be a tragedy."

"No," said Blair, "that would be an accident."

A little girl raised 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," explained the Dear Leader, "that would be a great loss."

The room went silent. No other children volunteered. Blair looked all round the room. "Isn't there someone here who can give me an example of tragedy?"

Finally, at the back of the room, a small boy raised his hand and in a quiet voice said, "If an aircraft carrying you, Mr Blair, was struck by a 'friendly fire' missile and was blown to smithereens, that would be a tragedy."

"Fantastic!" exclaimed Blair. "And can you tell me why that would be a tragedy?"

"Well," said the boy, "It has to be a tragedy as it certainly wouldn't be a great loss and it probably wasn't an accident either!"