One Two Three Four Five - A Katya Tale

Katya is spending some quality time with her grandparents. Grandma is teaching her nursery rhymes that are either oh-so-20th century, or failed to cross the Atlantic, or have not yet reached Katya for some other reason.

[<em>As narrated by Katya's Grandma</em>]

Grandma: "One Two Three Four Five Once I caught a fish alive!"

Katya: "Did you really catch a fish, Grandma?!"

Grandma (<em>playing along</em>): "Yes I did."

Katya: "Was grandpa helping you?"

Grandma (<em>applies boolean logic</em>): "No."

Katya: "Where was he when you caught the fish?"

Grandma (<em>to use a chess term ... <strong>pinned</strong>, but escapes the check</em>): "He had gone to the temple."

[a little later, as observed by Grandma]

Katya (<em>in a singsong voice with action</em>): "One Two Three Four Five Six Seven ... Once I caught a Swan!"

Yahoooo!!! - another Baab tale

[as related by Mrs. Porcupyn]

As part of normal co-curricular activities in Baab's school, an intra-house quiz competition was underway. Participants were from Class IV through Class VII, and the audio-visual round was on. An actor's photo was displayed on the screen - participants had to identify him. No one from Team 1 could figure out who the actor was. All the other teams passed as well. The question now goes to the audience. Baab has his hand raised high... and, when asked, answers the question correctly!!

No prizes to my readers if they guess the actor without audio or visual clues! Suffice it to say that to a kid who I rocked on my lap to songs such as '<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gm1WnWVXYzQ">सुन लो सुनाता हूँ तुमको कहानी</a>',  '<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FqOOeK_ixg">चक्के में चक्का</a>' and '<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KB6dFfl1PTY">अकेले अकेले कहाँ जा रहे हो</a>' (audio and/or video) when he was a toddler, it was child's play :-)

Baab's grandfather was heard commenting that Team 1 would have easily answered the question had it been Shah Rukh Khan or Aamir Khan. My response was that Baab would need to spend a few days at his uncle's place to get to know those gentlemen (on the tube, not in real life).

A related thought: When I was in school (and probably even today), old songs were dubbed a 'दादाजी के ज़माने का गाना' (grandfather's song). In this particular instance though, that term is pretty accurate given that I learned - and learned to appreciate - these very songs by listening to my father hum/sing them when I was a kid!

* - to those born in the 21st century ... or later(!!) (if you are reading this post), the answer to the quizmaster's question is/was Shammi Kapoor!