Discover fascinating events that happened on 24th June in history — from Viking raids and Scotland’s freedom to Picasso’s first art show and the Dance Plague mystery! Plus, enjoy a funny story about how a British officer learned to say ‘Close the door’
Dear Students,
Have you ever seen a brown crow? No? Well, hold on tight because today I have an amusing little tale for you — but first, let’s hop into our time machine and see what amazing things happened on the 24th of June through history!
✨ Vikings Sail to Nantes (843)
Long ago, fierce warriors called Vikings set sail from cold Scandinavian lands — which today we know as Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. On 24th June, in the year 843, they sailed up the Loire River with 67 ships, planning to raid the city of Nantes in France! They were famous for their fearsome raids and superb ships.
⚔️ Scotland Wins Freedom (1314)
On 24th June, 1314, brave Scottish warriors defeated the English army at the Battle of Bannockburn and regained independence for Scotland. It was a turning point in Scottish history!
💃 The Mysterious Dance Plague (1374)
Here’s a puzzling one: in the German town of Aachen, on this day in 1374, people suddenly started dancing wildly in the streets. They twitched, jumped and danced until they collapsed. This strange event is still a mystery and is known as the Dance Plague!
👑 Shah Jahan Takes Action (1632)
Shah Jahan is the emperor who built the Taj Mahel. But besides that he was also known for protecting the people of India against slavery. It was on on 24th June, 1632, he ordered his army to stop the Portuguese slave traders in Hoogly.
🗺️ Napoleon Invades Russia (1812)
On 24th June, 1812, Napoleon Bonaparte led his huge army of half a million soldiers across the Nieman River to invade Russia. It turned out to be one of history’s most disastrous campaigns!
🎨 Picasso’s First Show (1901)
Guess what? On 24th June, 1901, in Paris, a young artist named Pablo Picasso held his first art exhibition. He was just 19! Later, Picasso changed the way people painted and looked at art forever.
📡 Early Radar Discovery (1930)
And on 24th June, 1930, American engineers at the US Naval Research Laboratory made a big leap in science. They used radio waves to detect an airplane in the sky — an early step towards the invention of radar which we use today!
🐦 Now, the Story of the Brown Crow!
Here’s a funny tale that has been passed down for generations.
When the British East India Company ruled India, British officers often found it hard to speak the local languages. One day, a British officer told his Indian servant in English, “Close the door!” — but the poor servant didn’t understand a word!
Fuming with anger, the officer called his clever Indian assistant and asked what to do. The assistant thought for a while and finally came up with a smart solution. He taught the officer a clever trick. He said, “Sir, just say: ‘There was a Brown Crow!’”
Why? Because when you say it quickly, it sounds like “Darwaza Bandh Karo” in Hindi, which means “Close the door!”
And so, every time the officer wanted the door shut, he would shout “There was a Brown Crow!” — and the servant would happily close the door. What an easy solution to a tricky language problem!
✨ That’s all for today, young explorers!
Keep reading, keep laughing, and always remember: history is full of surprises and stories — just like the tale of the brown crow!
Until next time! 🐦📚🌏✨
