A Goan Fable for little children.

Like all Ancient Fables, this one too is based on reality. Names and descriptions have been altered to hide the identities of the participants.

This is the house of the Three Bears. Dada Bear, Mama Bear and Small Bear. One more Bear, a Baby Son Bear has been recently added to the family. Baby Bear has not yet been given a name. Mama Bear, Dada Bear, Small Bear, Baby Bear, Grandpa Bear, Grandpa Bear and Grand Mai Bear (Mama Bear's mama) are all gathered in the hall of the house of the Three (now four) bears to choose a name.

Mama Bear: "So what options do we have now?"

Dada Bear: "I've got you the best Baby Bear Names Books. Downloaded the best Baby Bear Names Internet Sites. We've discussed this matter enough times already. So today we decide."

Grandma Bear: "Just keep it simple. Easy to pronounce. Easy to remember."

Grandpa Bear: "And it has to be meaningful too. Preferably something from the Bible."

Grand Mai Bear: "Get the Almanac. You young people of today don't refer to the Almanac. In our time there were no Baby Bear Books and Internet Sites. We just saw the name of the saint in the Almanac and that was the name given to the child. If anyone had just died in the family, then that name was given. Nowadays you people have no religion, nor respect for the dead!"

Dada Bear: "How about Digambar?"

Everybody: "Naaaaaaah!!!!"

Grandma Bear: "Carl sounds nice"

Grand Mai Bear: "We have a Carl in our village who is a perpetual drunk. No!"

Mama Bear: "Tim is short and sweet and easy to remember"

Grandma Bear: "Your cousin's son is already named Tim"

Dada Bear: "But he's in Australia. We have'nt seen him in twentyfive years!"

Grandma Bear: "Doesn't make a difference. There are thousands of names. Why do we have to repeat the same name in the immediate family?"

Dada Bear:"Daniel sounds nice. And its from the Bible. And it is easy to remember and pronounce and..."

Mama Bear: "And I know at least three friends of mine, in the last two years, who have named their son Daniel."

Dada Bear: "So what of it?"

Mama Bear: "There's to many Daniels around and there is sure to be confusion when they grow up"

Grandpa Bear: "Einstein is elegant"

Dada Bear: "Yes. Sure. And if he fails in the fifth standard then we will be the laughing stock of the neighborhood"

Mama Bear: "In that case, if you're so worried about him failing, let's name him Jesus!"

Dada Bear: "Why?"

Mama Bear (laughing): "Because Jesus Never Fails!"

Dada Bear and Mama Bear and even Small Bear laughs. But the elders don't appreciate the joke. So back again to a sober discussion.

Grandpa Bear (cautiously): "Ethan?"

Baby Bear: :"Waaaaaaah! Waaaaah! Waaaaaaaah!"

Mama Bear: "See even he doesn't like the name!"

Dada Bear: "Domnick would be nice."

Mama Bear: "How come all your suggestions start with the letter D?"

Dada Bear: "Well me and my brothers were all named with C. So maybe the next generation should be named with D"

Mama Bear: "I don't want any of these sequences, and definitely none of those stupid combi-names like your cousins Hector and Edna. Imagine naming your daughter Hecna."

Dada Bear: "So how about you suggesting something practical for a change?"

Mama Bear: "I'm thinking. I'm thinking"

Grand Mai Bear: "Francis, after the Saint who protects us all"

Dada Bear: "Too common, in fact that's the most common name in Goa."

Grandma Bear:"We're never going to get anywhere at this rate. I have a suggestion. We randomly open the baby Bear Names book and choose a name. If any one Bear objects, anyone, the name is discarded. Again we randomly open the book, and so forth. The first name that NOBODY objects to is selected. Is that Ok?"

Everyone: "Ok!"
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