As I looked about me, the voice came again: ‘Why aren’t you answering? What’s seven times two?’ I looked up and saw a jungle-crow scribbling something on a slate and bobbing his head towards me.
‘Seven times two is fourteen,’ I answered.
He shook his head very hard and said, ‘Wrong answer! No marks!’
‘Of course I’m right!’ I protested. ‘Seven ones are seven, seven twos are fourteen, seven threes are twenty-one.’
The Crow didn’t answer for a while, but just sat there sucking his pencil.
Then he began muttering, ‘Seven twos are fourteen, put down four and carry the pencil.’
‘Well then!’ said I…
‘It wasn’t quite fourteen when you spoke,’ answered the Crow.
‘At that point it was only 13 rupees 14 annas and 3 pice.
If I hadn’t put down 14 just at the right moment, it would have got to 14 rupees 1 anna and 9 pice by now.’
‘I’ve never heard such rubbish,’ I told him. ‘If seven twos make fourteen, it’s always fourteen, an hour ago or ten days from now.’
The Crow looked shocked and said, ‘Don’t you count the cost of time in your country?’