Kattu woke up early in the morning, feeling fresh and ready for school. He combed his hair in front of the mirror and then stepped out of his room.
As usual, his grandparents were sitting in the veranda. Grandpa was engrossed in reading the newspaper while slowly sipping from a cup of hot tea placed on a small wooden table beside him. Grandma, on the other hand, was busy knitting a woolen sweater on a nearby charpoy (traditional woven bed).
Kattu greeted them loudly and cheerfully and then headed toward the courtyard. In one corner, a little goat was tied up—his beloved pet he fondly called "Shanoo." On the left side of the courtyard stood a large mulberry tree, providing a thick shade.
Scanning the area, Kattu spotted his father near a large cauldron of milk on the right side of the courtyard, engaged in some "activity." Quietly sneaking up, he peered in and saw his father mixing water into the milk.
Kattu exclaimed in surprise,
"Abba! What are you doing?"
Startled, his father replied,
"Quiet, you little rascal!"
With innocent curiosity, Kattu said,
"But Abba, you always tell me never to deceive anyone. And here you are…"
His father cut him off with an explanation,
"Look, this isn't deceit. It's called adding blessings to the milk. Understand?"
Kattu grinned mischievously and said,
"Okay, Abba, just pour a little bit of pure milk into this bottle. It's for Shanoo."
(He extended the bottle toward his father.)
Abba, growing irritated, snapped,
"That goat drinks nearly a kilo of milk every day!"
Kattu replied proudly,
"Abba, she's not just a goat—her name is Shanoo!"
Abba grumbled while pouring milk into the empty bottle,
"Here—take it, and get out of here!"
Kattu took the bottle and walked toward the shaded side of the courtyard where Shanoo was tied. He opened the bottle and lovingly began feeding her the milk.
Just then, his mother's voice echoed,
"Kattuuuu… oh Kattu!"
Kattu looked at Shanoo fondly and called back,
"Yes Ammi, I'm outside!"
His mother called out again,
"Come inside and eat your breakfast!"
"Coming, Ammi!"
Kattu laughed and said to Shanoo,
"Wow, Shanoo! You finished your milk so quickly today!"
He then went inside, had his breakfast, and came out again. His friend Lallu was already waiting for him. The two set off toward school together.
Surprisingly, they weren't late today. After the morning assembly, all students moved to their respective classes.
Kattu and Lallu sat in the front of the middle row in their class. Soon, the mathematics teacher entered. All the students stood up and greeted him respectfully.
The teacher replied sternly,
"Wa Alaikum Assalam. Sit down and take out your math books."
Everyone complied.
The teacher continued,
"Open Chapter 6: Algebra."
Kattu asked,
"Sir, which page is that on?"
The teacher, slightly annoyed, replied,
"Page number 60!"
He then said,
"Before we begin, I have a question. Listen carefully—and if you know the answer, raise your hand."
"The question is: Who is the father of Algebra?"
Several hands shot up in the air. To everyone's surprise, Kattu raised his hand too.
The teacher said in amazement,
"Well, look at that! Even Kattu has raised his hand. Alright Kattu, you answer."
Kattu stood up innocently and replied,
"Sir, only he would know who the father of Algebra is!"
The whole class burst into laughter. The teacher's face turned red with anger.
Now Lallu raised his hand.
The teacher, trying to keep his temper, said,
"Yes Lallu, you tell us."
Lallu stood up and said with utmost seriousness,
"Sir, I agree with Kattu!"
The teacher had had enough.
"Both of you—get out and stand in the punishment position!"
Kattu and Lallu, heads hung low, stepped outside and crouched down into the classic "murgha" pose (a traditional school punishment where students hold their ears by passing hands under their legs).
Kattu looked at Lallu and whispered,
"We weren't wrong, were we? Only the father of Algebra would know who he is!"
Lallu laughed,
"Just like only I know my father's name!"
Kattu said,
"You fool! I know your father's name too—Jahangir!"
Lallu replied,
"And your Abba's name is Akbar!"
Kattu laughed,
"Congratulations! You got the answer right!"
Then he added sternly,
"Look Lallu, don't mess around—otherwise, we're both in big trouble!"
Lallu, still grinning, said,
"Hey friend, the teacher already explained this last week!"
He then peeked into the class and shouted,
"Sir! To find out who the father of Algebra is, maybe you should ask Algebra's friend! Just like I know my friend Kattu's father's name!"
Kattu whispered,
"We're dead!"
The teacher stormed out of the classroom, wooden stick in hand.
"Both of you—stand up! Face the wall!"
Kattu and Lallu trembled as they stood up and faced the wall.
The very next moment, the teacher whacked them on their backsides a few times with the stick, then returned to the class.
Wincing in pain, Kattu and Lallu rubbed their sore behinds and whispered to each other.
Kattu said,
"See, Lallu? Next time, only speak if you actually know the right answer. Otherwise, staying quiet is always safer!"