A teacher asked the British Prime Minister Tony Blair if he would like to
lead the discussion on the word "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 PM. "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 boy, "it has to be a tragedy, because it certainly
wouldn't be a great loss and it probably wouldn't be an accident either."