| |
this boy was going to create some trouble for everybody."
But I said, "When we have crossed half, it is proof enough: the other half we can cross because we have already crossed half" Many times they both agreed to turn back, but I said, "You are being absolutely foolish, because to return is still the same distance. And for your whole life you will be known as a coward. What is the point of returning now? In the same time, with the same energy, we will reach the other shore. Even if you return, I am going to the other shore."
That pulled them out of it; they felt, "If he goes on and reaches the other shore -- and he is going to make it because he has been going across continually -- and we turn back now, he will spread the rumor in the whole city:'Look, this is the all-India wrestling champion, and this is my father, who has been swimming his whole life. They both turned back from the middle of the river leaving a small child to go alone to the other side.'
"Now," they said, whatsoever happens, even if death happens, there is nothing to do but follow him. He will not turn back." My father said to my brother-in-law, "You don't know him, he is not the type to go back on anything. He would rather die -- and we are both going to die with him! And we have unnecessarily got ourselves into trouble. I have been avoiding this for years, but just because of you, I agreed."
And my brother-in-law said, "Just because of you, I agreed. He played a trick on both of us."
But finally we reached the bank and I said, "Now, what do you say? Just a little courage and a little readiness to take the risk, and to go into the unknown.... And you were trying to go back, which was the same distance -- but it was known. That shore was known, so you felt that perhaps it was easier because it was known, and this side was unknown. The unknowability made you afraid, otherwise what arithmetic is this?"
We reached the other shore. We walked three, four miles up again, but they were not prepared to swim back because if we wanted to reach the other shore at the same point we started, then we would have had to go on four miles further. They said, "Four more
|
|
|