In the good old system,
It was the usual custom,
Where teachers lived,
Their students stayed.
The students, beside studies,
Did teachers' household duties,
Be it any work indoor,
Or it was an errand outdoor.
Once, ten students brainless,
Joined a teacher useless,
In a remote village house,
Under the care of his spouse.
They watched one day,
A red hot spoon, the lady
Dropped in a water pool,
For the spoon to cool.
When one of them got fever,
The rest poured cold water,
To cool him down, instead,
Fever raised hot and red.
The ten, once, crossed a river,
And to check up the number,
One stood outside the line,
And the rest formed the line.
The man outside counted nine,
And searched for the tenth one.
Every one did the same, in turn
Found they were short by one.
An old man heard their cry,
To help the fools free from shy,
Asked them to stand in line,
And counted right all the ten.
'A sewing needle, get
Me from the market, '
So ordered the Spouse
Of their master's house.
Four of them went out,
And a needle they bought,
But how it should be carried,
They disputed and argued.
A plantain tree they cut,
At the center pinned it,
And carried the tree home,
With mouth full of foam.
The lady chided them all,
And picked up the needle,
Cursing her ruling stars,
That brought her such fools.