Sister! Sister! Where Does Thunder Come From?

Sister, sister I wonder... What do you wonder, little brother, What do you wonder? I wonder, I wonder, Where thunder comes from. Where do you think, little brother, Where do you think? I think, I think Tell me, little brother, What do you think?

I think That there is a great big Kumbhakarna Sleeping in the sky And when the silver ropes of rain Lash him, and chase his sleep away, He wakes up. Sparks fly out of his eyes like lightning He stamps his big ugly feet Takes a long deep breath And ROARS with rage.

(Let me tell you If I had thrown a tantrum like that Mother would have spanked me. Hard.) I think that's Where the thunder comes from From the fury of a Kumbhakarna in the sky Who likes to stay asleep, and dry. I am clever, aren't I, sister?

Oh yes you are, little brother, oh yes you are. And maybe you're right, too... But in the books that I have read That is not what they said. Then what did they say, sister, What did they say? What do you think, little brother, What do you think? I think, I think... Tell me, little brother, What do you think?

I think There is a gang of crazy bikers Up there in the sky In their black leather jackets And steel-studded boots And dark glasses that hide their eyes Just like in the movies. And what they like to do best Is to race each other in the pouring rain.

I think When they mount their bikes and KICK them to life Steel strikes steel There's your lightning! Then, when they do what bikers do Rev up their engines, and rrrev them, and rrrev them There's your thunder!

I think that's where the thunder comes from Not from a demon, not from a plane, But from a fleet of bikes that race in the rain. I'm clever, aren't I, sister?

I know you are, little brother, I know you are And maybe you're right, too. But in all the books that I have read That is not what they said. Then what did they say, sister, What did they say? What do you think, little brother, What do you think? I think, I think... Tell me, little brother, What do you think?

I think That when it rains The children Of the old woman in the sky Are absolutely NOT allowed To play outside (for they may catch a cold!). Cooped up indoors They all get a little restless, and VERY cranky.

I think the old woman opens her trunk Pulls out a game of chaupad And a pair of giant dice. The children clap their hands in excitement Roll the giant dice And forget they were ever bored. I think that's where the thunder comes from From the dance of a pair of dice As they make their way across the skies. I'm clever, aren't I, sister?

Of course you are, little brother, And maybe you're right, too... But in all the books that I have read That is not what they said. Then what did they say, sister, What did they say? Come here, little brother, I'll tell you what they said. They said, they said... Tell me sister, what did they say?

They said That thunder always comes after lightning. But you know that, don't you? And that It is the lightning That makes the thunder.

The lightning is like ELEC-TRI-CITY The same magic ELEC-TRI-CITY That runs the pump And floods the house with light And fills the TV with Sachin and Saurav At the flip of a switch. But I asked about thunder, sister, I asked about thunder. Have patience, little brother, Have patience now.

They said that lightning is very hot Just like electricity. And when it slices through the air And stabs the earth It makes the air through which it comes Very Very Very hot. They said The hot air EXPANDS And explodes BOOOOOOM! Like a monster Diwali bomb.

And some little children Bury their faces In their mothers' sarees. But brave little boys like you Hear the air go BOOOOOOM! Turn around quickly. Can it be true, sister, can it be true? I can't say, little brother, I can't say. But in all the books that I have read That is what they said.