Originally Posted by WelshRed

> Tony Blair was visiting a school and was asked by a teacher if he would

like

> to lead the discussion on what constituted a "tragedy".

> So the illustrious leader asked the class for an example of a "tragedy".

> One little boy stood up and offered, "If my best friend, who lives on a

> farm, is playing in the 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 P.M. "That's what we would call a great

> loss."

> The room went silent. No other children volunteered. Blair searched 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. In a quiet

> voice he said: "If an aircraft carrying you, Mr. Blair, was struck by a

> "friendly fire" missile and blown to smithereens that would be a tragedy."

> "Fantastic!" exclaimed Blair. "That's right. And can you tell me why that

> would be a tragedy?"

> "Well," says the little boy, "it has to be a tragedy, because it certainly

> wouldn't be a great loss and it probably wouldn't be an accident."