The Legend of Throatless Tom - Honouring Labour's Day

To swallow, you must have a throat. But what if someone didn't have one...

Once there was a farmer. He was a hard-working man. When he was about to die, he called his only son and told him that the lord of the area was a very cruel man. He advised his son that if he wanted to live in peace and have a decent life and income, he should swallow his pride and work on the farm according to the wishes of the Feudal Land Lord.

The son, being young and hot-blooded, replied, "Why, Father, why? This is our harvest, and we work so hard. Our crops, our rules. End of discussion."

The father tried to reason with him, explaining that things were not as simple as that. Even if it was their hardwork, they had no say in the matters of buying and selling. They had to agree to the conditions set by the lord, which meant only a peanut amount of profit on their harvest.

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He emphasized again, "Remember what I said: you have to swallow your pride and bow your head to the wishes of the master."

By now, the son was getting irritated by the phrase "swallow your pride." He left the room and went to the fields to clear his mind and cool down from this heated discussion.

As he wandered through his father's crops, he couldn't help but feel proud of the golden wheat stretching as far as the eye could see. It was such a beautiful sight; the ripe crops looked just like gold. His father's words echoed in his mind: "You have to swallow your pride." Suddenly, an idea struck him. What if he had no throat? Then he wouldn't have to swallow his pride. He thought: "To swallow, you must have a throat. But what if someone didn't have one?"

He went to a compounder and asked him to cut his throat and sew his head directly to his trunk. The man was puzzled by the request and told him to go away, not to waste his time with such foolish jokes.

The young man, determined to rid himself of the constant reminder to "swallow his pride," persisted in his unusual request. Despite the compounder's initial reluctance, the young man explained his reasoning with such conviction that the compounder couldn't help but agree to this unusual request and agreed to perform the procedure.

Once the operation was over, the son looked at himself in the mirror and thought that now, no longer could anyone tell him to swallow his pride, for he had quite literally removed his ability to do so!!!

As the word spread in the village the feudal lord got the air of the story. He was so intrigued that he called for the son.

The son entered the room with an air of audacity. Unlike the other farmers, who sat like criminals before a policeman, he didn't bow his head.

In a loud voice, he declared, "These were my father's crops, and now they're mine. From now on, you will have no say in the price or sale of harvest on it. And no, you can't tell me to swallow my pride and lick your boots because I don't have a throat for it."

The feudal lord stunned and terrified by the son's boldness and strange appearance, realized he had lost their grip on the farmers. Shaken by the son’s determination, he gave up on harassing the farmers altogether. From that day forward, the farmers worked their land in peace, free from the feud’s tyranny.

The legend has it: the man was declared a hero and was known by the name 'Throatless Tom.' He became a hero for resisting societal pressures in a very unique way.

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A few descriptions to understand the story well.

Feudal System:

In contemporary Pakistan, the term "feudal" refers to the power and influence of large landowning families, particularly those with vast estates in remote areas. These families, a small group of politically active landowners, wield significant control over local people, often through debt bondage and the distribution of essential agricultural resources. Five percent of agricultural households own nearly two-thirds of Pakistan's farmland, with large joint families possessing vast acres while peasants or tenants manage the farming. This system results in a combination of arrogance and entitlement among the landowners, with substantial influence over local governance. _{Resourced from and summarised.}

What is a compounder?

I can explain it in simpler terms. In the olden days, there were no specific courses like B.Pharm or D.Pharm. A plain chemistry graduate with some diploma could also work as a compounder.

Compounder, or pharmacist, is someone who compounds medicines, meaning they fill doctor's prescriptions. In very remote villages, these people still work as replacement of doctors. I would call them quacks. I doubt they even have something as basic as a diploma. Of course, they can't perform operations, and I have exaggerated the role of the compounder in the story, but you would be baffled to know how people receive treatment in those remote areas.

And also you must be thinking, a person without a throat and voice box cannot declare something in a loud voice.

...In a loud voice, he declared...

But it's just a story!

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This story is purely fictional and has no correlation with any folklore or tale. I just woke up with this story in my mind today, inspired by the spirit of Labor Day. Two of my children are given this task through WhatsApp group:

Dear students, write an essay on Labour Day on a computer page. Paste your picture, write your name and house, and submit it on Monday, positively.

And I am wondering if they could submit this story for the task...

What do you say???

I say:

"یہ جو اناج ہے اس کے پیچھے کسان ہے"

"Behind every grain of wheat lies the hard work of farmers."

They need to be respected and given their due place in society, and governments should assist them by providing relief and incentives.

Happy May Day to all the farmers and hardworking people around the globe. You are the assets to mankind. More power to you!