An emergency session of the Darbar was convened at short notice this week following the discovery that the eleventh Bakra, recorded in the Great Register since Year 5, could not be produced for inspection. The session lasted six hours and concluded without a resolution, which officials described as a productive outcome given the circumstances.
The discrepancy came to light during a routine reconciliation of the Register's two official columns. Column one recorded eleven goats. Column two recorded ten. Both columns are, under Article 017, correct.
“The goat is not missing. The goat has never been present. These are different conditions and the Department is treating them separately.”
A subcommittee has been constituted to determine whether the eleventh Bakra was ever received, pledged, imagined, or simply written down in a moment of ceremonial enthusiasm. A second subcommittee will examine the first.
Measures Adopted
- All future Nazarana of ten goats shall continue to be recorded as eleven, per Article 011.
- The eleventh Bakra is not to be searched for, in accordance with the same Article.
- The Register will be maintained in two columns, as at present.
- The matter is referred to the Bureau of Pending Files for indefinite safekeeping.
The Darbar wishes to reassure contributors that no imaginary livestock has come to any harm. The eleventh Bakra remains in excellent fictional health wherever it is not.