Consolation Prize

There used to be a painting competition in a certain town every year. Many children participated in the competition and won prizes as well.

One year, young Kaladharan was among the hundreds of participants. The prize-winning paintings were of high quality, and the children seemed to have fully tapped into their imagination. Kaladharan, however, won only an encouragement prize.

Holding the prize, he returned home. Some of his friends congratulated him on his success, while others sympathized with him for having won just a consolation prize. “Why should you be crestfallen? You did win an encouragement prize, didn’t you?” they consoled him.

“You call this encouragement?” Kaladharan retorted as he opened the packet. It was a book. He showed it to his friends and said, “Read the title!” They took the book from him, and the title read: “HOW TO PAINT AND DRAW!”