It was the rainy season. The Learned Man, a great scholar, was crossing a river on a boat. He got into a conversation with the only other person in the boat, the illiterate boatswain. It was the rainy season.
"Do u know arthimetic ?" enquired the Learned Man.
"No, sir and how can i with my humble origins? " replied the boatswain, in the negative.
"In that case, one quarter of your life has been waste", the learned man gave his judgement,
"Perhaps you know a little bit of reading and writing ?" continued the Learned man and ehicited with the similar answer.
"Then, man half of your precious life has gone waste", started thus the Learned man.
Next came the following query:
"Have you ever gone out of your limited locality, to know other lands and people's?"
"How could i, being hooked to this shuttling profession day in and day out?" the boatswain gave once again a reply in the negative.
"I am sorry to find that three-fourths of your valuable life has turned useless", opined the Learned man sympathetically.
There after, was a deep silence between the two, when suddenly the boatswain asked whether the Learned Man had ever learnt swimming.
"Man, that is one thing that i never bothered to learn? I must honestly confess regarding my absolute inability in this aquatic exercise" said the Learned man.
There was a pregnant silence and a sign from the boatswain.
There was a sudden inspiration from the Learned Man, who wanted to know of what pmopted that question.
"Then look yonder there, Learned pundit. We are heading inescapably towards a fatel whirlpool. There is no other alternative except to jump down and swim off to safety before it turns too late....... just as i am doing at this very moment," blabbered the boatswain as he linger into the river in spate.
"Pundit, know that your entire life of great distinction is lost because you didn't ever care to learn swimming" declared the boatswain, as he swam away from the imminent whirlpool.
" An illiterate man need not necessarily an incapable man "
"The pragmatic illiterate !"
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