This story by R. K. Narayan starts by juxtaposing the village of Somal’s poor utilities and sanitation practices against the almost idyllic existence of its inhabitants. Set before the coming of electronic media, the only regular source of entertainment is Nambi, the village storyteller. In his capacity as de-facto village priest, Nambi is also the focal point of its culture and traditions. Sadly, he is getting old, forgets where he left off in stories once started, and has difficulty coming up with new material. Fortunately, he has the good sense to make his ‘greatest’ story his last.
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