39. April 28, 2018 Bangladeshi stories
April 28, 2018
RACONTEUR - a person who tells anecdotes in a skilful and amusing way.
- a person skilled at telling stories or anecdotes
- a person skilled at telling stories or anecdotes
The Bangladeshi raconteur
I met this man at a social dinner. He was a business man in his late 30s, slim built and sharp-eyed.
Here are some anecdotes from him.
1. The mother's police.
In this farm managed by his mother, there were 7 large German Shepherd dogs. In the daytime, these dogs would go outside the farm to scavenge and roam but they would be back in the evening to patrol and protect the farm and his mother.
1.1 During one thunderstorm, the dogs barked. One of the dogs that was close to his mother barked and gripped her sleeve to get her to the door. She went out to investigate. There were some intruders who apologised and left.
1.2 When he visited his mother, the dogs would not permit him to enter the house unless his mother came out.
2. His slim mother.
2.1 "My friends always ask me which of the 2 women in my house was my wife - the slim one or the fat one since my mother looks around my age of late 30s. They would invariably get it wrong. My mother is the slim one as she has to work hard managing the workers in the farm."
I met this man at a social dinner. He was a business man in his late 30s, slim built and sharp-eyed.
Here are some anecdotes from him.
1. The mother's police.
In this farm managed by his mother, there were 7 large German Shepherd dogs. In the daytime, these dogs would go outside the farm to scavenge and roam but they would be back in the evening to patrol and protect the farm and his mother.
1.1 During one thunderstorm, the dogs barked. One of the dogs that was close to his mother barked and gripped her sleeve to get her to the door. She went out to investigate. There were some intruders who apologised and left.
1.2 When he visited his mother, the dogs would not permit him to enter the house unless his mother came out.
2. His slim mother.
2.1 "My friends always ask me which of the 2 women in my house was my wife - the slim one or the fat one since my mother looks around my age of late 30s. They would invariably get it wrong. My mother is the slim one as she has to work hard managing the workers in the farm."
2.2 "Was it an arranged marriage for your mother?" I asked as I presumed his mother was married young. "How do I know?" he replied. "I was not born when she was married!" He laughed heartily at his own sense of humour. The way he laughed and swung his hands caused the other diners to laugh too. Dining could be a solemn affair with family members eating together as a routine and so, his anecdotes were a breath of fresh air.
His mother had married at 12 years of age, a practice now disallowed in Bangladesh. Hence at the age of 40 - 50 years and being slim and trim, she looked as young as his fat wife.
His mother had married at 12 years of age, a practice now disallowed in Bangladesh. Hence at the age of 40 - 50 years and being slim and trim, she looked as young as his fat wife.
3. The Villager who cried "Tiger"!
He related a story about a Bangladeshi man shouting "help me, help me, there is a tiger attaching me!" The villagers rushed to help him but there was no tiger. This man repeated this joke 3 times. When he shouted for help at the 4th time, no one bothered to help him. A tiger came and he was eaten.
"This was a Little Red Riding Hood story," the Bangladeshi raconteur said. Actually it was "The Boy who cried wolf". I did not correct him as it would be impolite.
4. Fate
"Accidents can occur anytime" he said. "Life is transient and when we die is fated. So do not be afraid to do the right thing. God will help you!"
He related a story about a Bangladeshi man shouting "help me, help me, there is a tiger attaching me!" The villagers rushed to help him but there was no tiger. This man repeated this joke 3 times. When he shouted for help at the 4th time, no one bothered to help him. A tiger came and he was eaten.
"This was a Little Red Riding Hood story," the Bangladeshi raconteur said. Actually it was "The Boy who cried wolf". I did not correct him as it would be impolite.
4. Fate
"Accidents can occur anytime" he said. "Life is transient and when we die is fated. So do not be afraid to do the right thing. God will help you!"
He invited us to visit his motherland to see his big farm. It had animals such as milking cows, hens laying eggs, ducks eating snails in the padi and 3 types of fruit trees.
He had this sense of humour which make the other person regret asking him questions or doing something awkward as he would not stop laughing at him. So the other diners listened but dared not engage him in asking questions about his anecdotes, for fear of being laughed at.
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