Fittingly, it featured a ‘jaj’ named Weeramantry who was called upon to settle a dispute that was the source of great rancour between two fairies and which had then forced all fairies to take sides, dividing the community. Unfortunately, the solution offered by their judge proved unsatisfactory. The fairies then turned to Queen Rosemary Weeramantry and in the end, it was achchi’s solution that won the day. “And everyone lived happily ever after,” he concludes, clearly well pleased with this offering from a precocious grandchild.

Every year, in some more than others, the city of Colombo and its suburbs grind to a halt. Schools are compelled to close, people are unable to get to work, transport services are disrupted, homes are affected and men, women and children are not only displaced but suffer severe economic losses what with furniture floating and houses being damaged.