"What are you looking at?" he asked a man beside him. The man gave him a scrutinizing glance
and replied, "Our king has a princess. No one in the world can match her in beauty. The king
loves her so much that he will not let anybody look at her. The princess used to live in the
palace, but the king thought that she was not safe enough there, so he has had a mansion
built in the sky and the princess lives there all by herself. Every day, when the court is
dismissed, the king goes up to see her. He has been there for quite a long while and is
expected to return at any moment. That's why everyone is here, waiting for him."
This sounded quite strange to the little prince.
"Surely it's impossible to build a palace in the sky?"
"The palace was built by an immortal, and only the king can go there," said the man.
The little prince bore these words in mind. That night he mounted his wooden horse and flew
up into the sky, where sure enough, a magnificent palace GREeted his eyes. He flew directly
to the door, dismounted from his horse and walked in. Seeing a man come in, the princess at
first took him for her father. When she discovered her mistake, she thought he must be a god
come down from heaven and hurriedly stood up
to GREet him. "What a lovely young lady!" thought the prince. "What a handsome young man!"
thought the princess. They fell in love at first sight and without knowing what they were
doing, they walked up to each other and embraced.
The following morning the little prince returned to the inn on his horse, and later that
day, the king came to the palace in the sky as usual. The first thing he did was to weigh
the princess. He used to do this every day, for he knew that a woman would put on weight if
she had touched a man. As he weighed her that day, he found the princess two pounds heavier
than usual. He flew into a rage, he scowled and his beard stood on end. People were very
puzzled that day because the king returned to his palace rather early. Seeing that he was in
a bad mood, his courtiers came forward to ask what was troubling him. The king told them
what had happened. "Who else can go up there but me?" he asked, and then added, "You must
find me a way to arrest this man."
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
The Magic Moneybag-3
Time went slowly by. One day the husband suggested, "Let's buy an ox."
The wife didn't aGREe. A few days later, the husband suggested again, "How about buying a few acres of land?"
His wife didn't aGREe with that either. A few more days elapsed, and the wife herself proposed, "Let's build a little thatched cottage."
The husband was itching to spend all the money they had saved and said, "Since we have so much money in hand, why don't we build a big brick house?"
The wife could not dissuade her husband and reluctantly went along with his idea.
The husband spent the money on bricks, tiles and timber and on hiring carpenters and masons. From that time on, neither of them went into the mountain to cut firewood any more. The day came when their pile of silver was almost exhausted, but the new house was still unfinished. It had long been in the back of the husband's mind to ask the moneybag to produce more silver. So without his wife's knowledge, he opened the bag for a second time that day. Instantly, another lump of snow-white silver rolled jingling out of the bag onto the ground. He opened it a third time and received a third lump.
He thought to himself, "If I go on like this, I can get the house finished in no time!" He quite forgot the old man's warning. But when he opened the bag for the fourth time, it was absolutely empty. This time not a scrap of silver came out of it. It was just an old cloth bag. When he turned to look at his unfinished brick house, that was gone as well. There before him was his old thatched hut.
The woodcutter felt very sad. His wife came over and consoled him, "We can't depend on the magic moneybag from heaven. Let's go back to the mountain to cut firewood as we did before. That's a more dependable way of earning a living."
From that day on, the young couple once again went up to the mountain to cut firewood and led their old, hardworking life.
The wife didn't aGREe. A few days later, the husband suggested again, "How about buying a few acres of land?"
His wife didn't aGREe with that either. A few more days elapsed, and the wife herself proposed, "Let's build a little thatched cottage."
The husband was itching to spend all the money they had saved and said, "Since we have so much money in hand, why don't we build a big brick house?"
The wife could not dissuade her husband and reluctantly went along with his idea.
The husband spent the money on bricks, tiles and timber and on hiring carpenters and masons. From that time on, neither of them went into the mountain to cut firewood any more. The day came when their pile of silver was almost exhausted, but the new house was still unfinished. It had long been in the back of the husband's mind to ask the moneybag to produce more silver. So without his wife's knowledge, he opened the bag for a second time that day. Instantly, another lump of snow-white silver rolled jingling out of the bag onto the ground. He opened it a third time and received a third lump.
He thought to himself, "If I go on like this, I can get the house finished in no time!" He quite forgot the old man's warning. But when he opened the bag for the fourth time, it was absolutely empty. This time not a scrap of silver came out of it. It was just an old cloth bag. When he turned to look at his unfinished brick house, that was gone as well. There before him was his old thatched hut.
The woodcutter felt very sad. His wife came over and consoled him, "We can't depend on the magic moneybag from heaven. Let's go back to the mountain to cut firewood as we did before. That's a more dependable way of earning a living."
From that day on, the young couple once again went up to the mountain to cut firewood and led their old, hardworking life.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
The Wooden Horse-4
One of his courtiers made a suggestion, "We have four mighty warriors in our kingdom. Your
Majesty can send them up to stand at the foot of the four walls of the palace. When the man
turns up, they wil1 he sure to catch him." The king thought this an excellent idea. That
evening he personally took the warriors up and showed them where to hide and keep watch.
When everything was set, the king went down to his palace. But, unfortunately for his plans,
the warriors were inveterate sleepy heads and soon fell asleep at their posts. The little
prince came again and stayed with impunity until dawn.
When the king arrived and weighed the princess, he discovered that she had put on weight
again. He was speechless with rage.
He called in another courtier for consultation. The courtier said, "Why not apply a coat of
paint to the bed and chairs of the princess? Then tomorrow we can search the city and
whoever has paint on his clothes is our man." The king followed his advice and had the
princess' bed, chairs and all her other furniture painted. In the evening the little prince
came again. On his way back, he noticed that his clothes were badly stained with paint, so
he took them off and threw them away.
It so happened that in the town there lived a poor old man who got up before dawn every day
and went from door to door waking people to go to mosque. While he was on his rounds that
day, something dropped from the sky. He picked it up and found it to be a set of very fine
clothes. "I have been serving Allah all my life and this must be my reward!" the old man
thought to himself and took the clothes home.
That evening, when the whole town came to the mosque to pray, the king secretly sent his men
to search for the suspect. The old man who was happily wearing his "reward from Allah" soon
got into trouble. In the middle of the service, he was arres
ted and brought to the king. "Why are your clothes stained with paint?" the king questioned
him. The old man answered, "I picked these clothes up off the ground and they were like this
when I found them." The king didn't believe his story and sent him to prison to be
interrogated under torture. Without much trouble, they managed to extract some sort of
confession from him, and he was sentenced to death by hanging.
The whole town was abuzz with this affair, and everyone was curious to know what this man
was like who had succeeded in getting into the palace in the sky. When they saw this old man
being led to the scaffold, no one thought he could possibly have done it. They began to talk
about the case, and all felt that he must have been
Majesty can send them up to stand at the foot of the four walls of the palace. When the man
turns up, they wil1 he sure to catch him." The king thought this an excellent idea. That
evening he personally took the warriors up and showed them where to hide and keep watch.
When everything was set, the king went down to his palace. But, unfortunately for his plans,
the warriors were inveterate sleepy heads and soon fell asleep at their posts. The little
prince came again and stayed with impunity until dawn.
When the king arrived and weighed the princess, he discovered that she had put on weight
again. He was speechless with rage.
He called in another courtier for consultation. The courtier said, "Why not apply a coat of
paint to the bed and chairs of the princess? Then tomorrow we can search the city and
whoever has paint on his clothes is our man." The king followed his advice and had the
princess' bed, chairs and all her other furniture painted. In the evening the little prince
came again. On his way back, he noticed that his clothes were badly stained with paint, so
he took them off and threw them away.
It so happened that in the town there lived a poor old man who got up before dawn every day
and went from door to door waking people to go to mosque. While he was on his rounds that
day, something dropped from the sky. He picked it up and found it to be a set of very fine
clothes. "I have been serving Allah all my life and this must be my reward!" the old man
thought to himself and took the clothes home.
That evening, when the whole town came to the mosque to pray, the king secretly sent his men
to search for the suspect. The old man who was happily wearing his "reward from Allah" soon
got into trouble. In the middle of the service, he was arres
ted and brought to the king. "Why are your clothes stained with paint?" the king questioned
him. The old man answered, "I picked these clothes up off the ground and they were like this
when I found them." The king didn't believe his story and sent him to prison to be
interrogated under torture. Without much trouble, they managed to extract some sort of
confession from him, and he was sentenced to death by hanging.
The whole town was abuzz with this affair, and everyone was curious to know what this man
was like who had succeeded in getting into the palace in the sky. When they saw this old man
being led to the scaffold, no one thought he could possibly have done it. They began to talk
about the case, and all felt that he must have been
Friday, November 21, 2008
The Wooden Horse-1
A carpenter and a blacksmith had an argument. Each of them insisted that he was more skilful than the other. Who was actually the more skilful of the two? They disputed this question for a long time without reaching any conclusion. Finally they aGREed, "Let's go to the king and ask him to be the judge."
So they came to the king who asked them, "What have you come for?"
"I am a carpenter," said the one. "And my handiwork is more ingenious than the handiwork of any other carpenter in the world. But he said that I cannot match him in skill."
The blacksmith said, "Whoever sees my work praises it. But he insists that my skill is inferior to his."
"We want Your Majesty to be our judge and tell us whose skill is truly superior," the two pleaded. This put the king in a difficult position. "How can I form a judgement without seeing a single thing you have made?" said he. "I'll give you ten days. In that time you must each make a sample of your work and bring it here."
The two went home and each set his hand to his task. Ten days later, they came to the king again. The blacksmith brought with him a huge iron fish. "What can this do?" asked the king.
The blacksmith told him, "This iron fish of mine can float in the sea loaded with a hundred thousand sacks of grain."
These words made the king laugh inwardly. "This fellow is bound to come out the loser," he said to himself. "Such heavy iron will definitely sink when put in the water. How can it possibly float? But anyway, they may as well put a hundred thousand sacks of grain into the thing and see what happens." On his orders, the iron fish was launched. Strangely enough, it moved through the water with speed and without the least trace of clumsiness. It caused quite a sensation among the spectators. The king was most impressed and even promised the blacksmith an official post. Later he actually made him beadle of one of his districts.
So they came to the king who asked them, "What have you come for?"
"I am a carpenter," said the one. "And my handiwork is more ingenious than the handiwork of any other carpenter in the world. But he said that I cannot match him in skill."
The blacksmith said, "Whoever sees my work praises it. But he insists that my skill is inferior to his."
"We want Your Majesty to be our judge and tell us whose skill is truly superior," the two pleaded. This put the king in a difficult position. "How can I form a judgement without seeing a single thing you have made?" said he. "I'll give you ten days. In that time you must each make a sample of your work and bring it here."
The two went home and each set his hand to his task. Ten days later, they came to the king again. The blacksmith brought with him a huge iron fish. "What can this do?" asked the king.
The blacksmith told him, "This iron fish of mine can float in the sea loaded with a hundred thousand sacks of grain."
These words made the king laugh inwardly. "This fellow is bound to come out the loser," he said to himself. "Such heavy iron will definitely sink when put in the water. How can it possibly float? But anyway, they may as well put a hundred thousand sacks of grain into the thing and see what happens." On his orders, the iron fish was launched. Strangely enough, it moved through the water with speed and without the least trace of clumsiness. It caused quite a sensation among the spectators. The king was most impressed and even promised the blacksmith an official post. Later he actually made him beadle of one of his districts.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Aniz the Shepherd-3
It made the landlord very angry to watch his three sons lose three thousand strings of cash like this, without so much as a piece of fluff to show for it.
"You fools!" he cried. "You worthless pack of fools! Tomorrow I shall go and catch it myself!"
So the following day the landlord went into the forest. When Aniz spotted him, his eyes blazed with hatred. Before the landlord could open his mouth, Aniz took out his flute and began playing. All the beasts of the forest -- rabbits, bears, snakes, wolves, foxes and many different
sorts of birds -- came and encircled the landlord. Terror drove the last drop of color from his cheeks. He fell to his knees in despair and entreated Aniz, "My lord, save me ! Save me!"
"Landlord! Do you remember Aniz? At one sound from my flute, these animals will eat you alive!"
"Alas... Ah! My lord! Don't treat me as once I treated you!" He lay prostrate at Aniz' feet and sobbed, "I promise to give you anything you want. Don't let them... I'm so scared...."
"Very well. I will spare your wretched life this once. But you must never bully poor folk again! If you don't turn over a new leaf, I won't be so easy on you next time. And when you get home, you must give half of all your worldly goods to the poor villagers. Is that clear?"
"Yes! Yes!" The landlord rose to his feet and fled in abject terror. He followed Aniz' instructions and distributed half of his estate to the poor. That made Aniz more popular than ever.
"You fools!" he cried. "You worthless pack of fools! Tomorrow I shall go and catch it myself!"
So the following day the landlord went into the forest. When Aniz spotted him, his eyes blazed with hatred. Before the landlord could open his mouth, Aniz took out his flute and began playing. All the beasts of the forest -- rabbits, bears, snakes, wolves, foxes and many different
sorts of birds -- came and encircled the landlord. Terror drove the last drop of color from his cheeks. He fell to his knees in despair and entreated Aniz, "My lord, save me ! Save me!"
"Landlord! Do you remember Aniz? At one sound from my flute, these animals will eat you alive!"
"Alas... Ah! My lord! Don't treat me as once I treated you!" He lay prostrate at Aniz' feet and sobbed, "I promise to give you anything you want. Don't let them... I'm so scared...."
"Very well. I will spare your wretched life this once. But you must never bully poor folk again! If you don't turn over a new leaf, I won't be so easy on you next time. And when you get home, you must give half of all your worldly goods to the poor villagers. Is that clear?"
"Yes! Yes!" The landlord rose to his feet and fled in abject terror. He followed Aniz' instructions and distributed half of his estate to the poor. That made Aniz more popular than ever.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Aniz the Shepherd-2
The eldest son reckoned gleefully, "Compared with the property I am going to inherit, a thousand strings of cash are nothing!" In the evening he returned to the forest with the money and found Aniz sitting on a tree stump, playing his flute. All the little animals were squatting round him entranced, pricking up their ears to listen to the music. The eldest son saw the white rabbit among them at once. It really did have had a tiny black spot on the top of its head.
Aniz saw the rabbit too. He put down his flute, stretched out his hand, took hold of it by its long ears and handed it to the eldest son. "Here you are. Hold it tightly! If it escapes, it's none of my business."
The eldest son paid the money, thanked Aniz profusely and set off home with the little white rabbit. He was about to leave the forest when he heard Aniz playing the flute again. As soon as the rabbit heard the music, it burst from his hand and ran for all it was worth. The eldest son searched for it for a long time but could not find any trace of it. In the end he gave up and went to see Aniz again.
"The white rabbit has run away. What can I do?" he asked.
Aniz answered, "There is nothing I can do about it. Didn't I warn you a moment ago to hold it tightly? It's no use blaming me."
The eldest son had no alternative but to go home empty-handed and tell his story to the landlord.
The second son said, "Father, don't worry. I'll go and catch it tomorrow." Next day, the second son went to try his luck and met the same fate as his elder brother -- time wasted and another thousand strings of cash down the drain. On the third day, the youngest son went, but he fared no better.
Aniz saw the rabbit too. He put down his flute, stretched out his hand, took hold of it by its long ears and handed it to the eldest son. "Here you are. Hold it tightly! If it escapes, it's none of my business."
The eldest son paid the money, thanked Aniz profusely and set off home with the little white rabbit. He was about to leave the forest when he heard Aniz playing the flute again. As soon as the rabbit heard the music, it burst from his hand and ran for all it was worth. The eldest son searched for it for a long time but could not find any trace of it. In the end he gave up and went to see Aniz again.
"The white rabbit has run away. What can I do?" he asked.
Aniz answered, "There is nothing I can do about it. Didn't I warn you a moment ago to hold it tightly? It's no use blaming me."
The eldest son had no alternative but to go home empty-handed and tell his story to the landlord.
The second son said, "Father, don't worry. I'll go and catch it tomorrow." Next day, the second son went to try his luck and met the same fate as his elder brother -- time wasted and another thousand strings of cash down the drain. On the third day, the youngest son went, but he fared no better.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Aniz the Shepherd-2
One day the landlord summoned his sons and said, "Last night I dreamt of a beautiful rabbit, white as snow, with a black spot on the top of its head. I liked the look of it very much. You must try your best to catch it for me in the forest."
"Father, we have never even heard of such a rabbit!" his sons replied. "Where can we go to catch it for you?"
"You hopeless creatures! Didn't you hear what I said just now?" cried the landlord in a temper. "Go and look for it. Whoever finds it will inherit all I have when I die."
The eldest son thought to himself, "I am the eldest. I should inherit father's property anyway, whether I catch the rabbit or not. But supposing they..." He stepped forward and said, "Brothers, let me go! I fear no danger, if only I can make father happy!"
He set off on his way loo
king around him carefully, and after a while an old man came towards him and asked, "Young man, where are you going?" The eldest son told him why he had come.
"Go to the forest then," said the old man, "and look for the rabbit! Aniz is tending my cattle there. Tell him what you want and he'll help you."
The eldest son went into the forest, found Aniz and asked him for his help. "Of course!" Aniz smiled, "I can help you to find the strange rabbit. Come and get it this evening. But you must bring with you a thousand strings of cash to pay for it."
"Father, we have never even heard of such a rabbit!" his sons replied. "Where can we go to catch it for you?"
"You hopeless creatures! Didn't you hear what I said just now?" cried the landlord in a temper. "Go and look for it. Whoever finds it will inherit all I have when I die."
The eldest son thought to himself, "I am the eldest. I should inherit father's property anyway, whether I catch the rabbit or not. But supposing they..." He stepped forward and said, "Brothers, let me go! I fear no danger, if only I can make father happy!"
He set off on his way loo
king around him carefully, and after a while an old man came towards him and asked, "Young man, where are you going?" The eldest son told him why he had come.
"Go to the forest then," said the old man, "and look for the rabbit! Aniz is tending my cattle there. Tell him what you want and he'll help you."
The eldest son went into the forest, found Aniz and asked him for his help. "Of course!" Aniz smiled, "I can help you to find the strange rabbit. Come and get it this evening. But you must bring with you a thousand strings of cash to pay for it."
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Aniz the Shepherd-1
Once upon a time a landlord hired a shepherd boy whose name was Aniz. He was very well liked. What people liked most of all was to listen to him playing the flute. His flute looked very simple, no more than a length of bamboo; but in his hands it became a wonderful instrument. Whenever they were free, people would sit around Aniz and entertain themselves by listening to him play. The landlord was heartily sick of both the boy and his flute. He was constantly finding fault with him and scolding him, "You little wretch! Do I pay you to sit there playing the flute?" In point of fact, Aniz' flute-playing did not interfere with his work in the slightest.
One day the landlord found some slight pretext to give Aniz a terrible beating. That was not enough; he was not content until he had driven him out and trampled his flute into little pieces. "Good! I should like to see you play the flute now!"
Poor Aniz left the landlord's house and, with tears trickling down his face, wandered through the streets.
He chanced to meet an old man. "Hello! What's the trouble, young fellow? Who are your parents? Why are you out here all on your own, crying?" the old man asked, stroking Aniz's head.
"Grandpa! I am a shepherd. My name is Aniz. The landlord beat me, drove me out and trampled my lovely flute to pieces..." Aniz began crying again.
"Don't cry, Aniz," said the old man kindly. "Come along and stay with me! I shall show you a way to avenge yourself." He took Aniz to his home. There he used a length of bamboo to make him a new flute which was much better than his old one. He taught him how to play it, and after his lessons with the old man, Aniz could play more beautifully than ever. This time it was not just people who enjoyed his playing; even the various animals in the forest came and sat round him, listening to him quietly and never wanting to leave. As time passed, Aniz and the animals became close friends.
One day the landlord found some slight pretext to give Aniz a terrible beating. That was not enough; he was not content until he had driven him out and trampled his flute into little pieces. "Good! I should like to see you play the flute now!"
Poor Aniz left the landlord's house and, with tears trickling down his face, wandered through the streets.
He chanced to meet an old man. "Hello! What's the trouble, young fellow? Who are your parents? Why are you out here all on your own, crying?" the old man asked, stroking Aniz's head.
"Grandpa! I am a shepherd. My name is Aniz. The landlord beat me, drove me out and trampled my lovely flute to pieces..." Aniz began crying again.
"Don't cry, Aniz," said the old man kindly. "Come along and stay with me! I shall show you a way to avenge yourself." He took Aniz to his home. There he used a length of bamboo to make him a new flute which was much better than his old one. He taught him how to play it, and after his lessons with the old man, Aniz could play more beautifully than ever. This time it was not just people who enjoyed his playing; even the various animals in the forest came and sat round him, listening to him quietly and never wanting to leave. As time passed, Aniz and the animals became close friends.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
The Wooden Horse-2
The carpenter came with a wooden horse slung over his shoulder. When he saw it, the king
pulled a long face, "Surely this is a child's toy? How can it compare with the iron fish?"
"Oh, it's even better than the iron fish," said the carpenter. "It has twenty-six screws on
it. When you loosen the first screw, the wooden horse will fly into the sky; when you loosen
the second screw, it will accelerate. If you loosen all the twenty-six screws, it will fly
more quickly than any bird and take you around the world."
The young prince happened to be present while they were talking about this. His curiosity
was GREatly aroused when he heard that the wooden horse could fly. How he wished he could
fly up into the sky and have a look at the world! He turned to the king and asked him to let
him have a ride. The king said, "No, it's out of the question. Are you even sure that it can
really fly? What if it rises into the sky and then falls to the ground?"
"Don't worry," said the carpenter. "There is no chance of that ever happening."
The little prince kept pestering his father. Since the king doted on him and had never
refused him anything, he got his way in the end. "But you can only try it out," said the
king. "You must fly slowly and only loosen the first screw." AGREeing to this, the little
prince mounted the horse. He loosened the first screw, and sure enough, the wooden horse
rose into the air. He looked down and saw everything beneath him moving further away: the
mountains, the rivers, the trees, the towns, the crowds of people. He was so delighted that
he loosened one screw after another. The wooden horse flew faster and faster and soon
crowds, trees, towns were all out of sight. As he flew, the little prince became hungry. He
looked down and saw another city beneath him. He tightened the screws one by one. The wooden
horse slowed down and gradually landed. The little prince had a meal and put up for the
night at an inn. What fun! To arrive like this, in the twinkling of an eye, in a new town, a
town he had never seen before!
The next day the little prince went sight-seeing. Having strolled along several streets, he
found himself in a square filled with people gazing up into the sky. "There must be
something fascinating up there in the sky," he thought. He elbowed his way into the crowd
and looked up, but there was nothing to be seen.
pulled a long face, "Surely this is a child's toy? How can it compare with the iron fish?"
"Oh, it's even better than the iron fish," said the carpenter. "It has twenty-six screws on
it. When you loosen the first screw, the wooden horse will fly into the sky; when you loosen
the second screw, it will accelerate. If you loosen all the twenty-six screws, it will fly
more quickly than any bird and take you around the world."
The young prince happened to be present while they were talking about this. His curiosity
was GREatly aroused when he heard that the wooden horse could fly. How he wished he could
fly up into the sky and have a look at the world! He turned to the king and asked him to let
him have a ride. The king said, "No, it's out of the question. Are you even sure that it can
really fly? What if it rises into the sky and then falls to the ground?"
"Don't worry," said the carpenter. "There is no chance of that ever happening."
The little prince kept pestering his father. Since the king doted on him and had never
refused him anything, he got his way in the end. "But you can only try it out," said the
king. "You must fly slowly and only loosen the first screw." AGREeing to this, the little
prince mounted the horse. He loosened the first screw, and sure enough, the wooden horse
rose into the air. He looked down and saw everything beneath him moving further away: the
mountains, the rivers, the trees, the towns, the crowds of people. He was so delighted that
he loosened one screw after another. The wooden horse flew faster and faster and soon
crowds, trees, towns were all out of sight. As he flew, the little prince became hungry. He
looked down and saw another city beneath him. He tightened the screws one by one. The wooden
horse slowed down and gradually landed. The little prince had a meal and put up for the
night at an inn. What fun! To arrive like this, in the twinkling of an eye, in a new town, a
town he had never seen before!
The next day the little prince went sight-seeing. Having strolled along several streets, he
found himself in a square filled with people gazing up into the sky. "There must be
something fascinating up there in the sky," he thought. He elbowed his way into the crowd
and looked up, but there was nothing to be seen.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
The Magic Moneybag
Long, long ago there was a young couple who lived in a small thatched hut in a gully. They were so poor that every day they had to cut two bundles of firewood and carry them to market on their backs.
One day, the young couple came back from the mountain carrying the firewood. They put one bundle in the courtyard and planned to sell it at the market the next day to buy rice. The other bundle they kept in the kitchen for their own use. When they woke up the following morning, the bundle in the courtyard had mysteriously disappeared. There was nothing to do but to sell the bundle which they had kept for themselves.
That same day, they cut another two bundles of firewood as usual. They put one bundle in the courtyard for market and kept the other bundle for their own use. But the following morning, the bundle in the courtyard had vanished again. The same thing happened on the third and fourth day as well, and the husband began to think there was something strange going on.
On the fifth day, he made a hollow in the bundle of firewood in the courtyard and hid himself inside it. From the outside it looked just the same as before. At midnight an enormous rope descended from the sky, attached itself to the bundle and lifted it up into the sky, with the woodcutter still inside it.
On his arrival in heaven, he saw a kindly looking, white-haired old man coming in his direction. The old man untied the bundle and when he found the man inside it, he asked, "Other people only cut one bundle of firewood a day. Why do you cut two?"
The woodcutter made a bow and replied, "We are penniless. That's why my wife and I cut two bundles of firewood a day. One bundle is for our own use and the other we carry to the market. With it we can buy rice to make porridge."
One day, the young couple came back from the mountain carrying the firewood. They put one bundle in the courtyard and planned to sell it at the market the next day to buy rice. The other bundle they kept in the kitchen for their own use. When they woke up the following morning, the bundle in the courtyard had mysteriously disappeared. There was nothing to do but to sell the bundle which they had kept for themselves.
That same day, they cut another two bundles of firewood as usual. They put one bundle in the courtyard for market and kept the other bundle for their own use. But the following morning, the bundle in the courtyard had vanished again. The same thing happened on the third and fourth day as well, and the husband began to think there was something strange going on.
On the fifth day, he made a hollow in the bundle of firewood in the courtyard and hid himself inside it. From the outside it looked just the same as before. At midnight an enormous rope descended from the sky, attached itself to the bundle and lifted it up into the sky, with the woodcutter still inside it.
On his arrival in heaven, he saw a kindly looking, white-haired old man coming in his direction. The old man untied the bundle and when he found the man inside it, he asked, "Other people only cut one bundle of firewood a day. Why do you cut two?"
The woodcutter made a bow and replied, "We are penniless. That's why my wife and I cut two bundles of firewood a day. One bundle is for our own use and the other we carry to the market. With it we can buy rice to make porridge."
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Care your dream
My dream ended when I was born. Although I never knew it then, I just held on to something that would never come to pass. Dreams really do exist. But in the morning when you wake up, they are remembered just as a dream. That is what happened to me.
I always have the dream to dance like a beautiful ballerina twirling around and around and hearing people applaud for me. When I was young, I would twirling around and around in the fields of wildflowers that GREw in my backyard. For hours I would dance as if people were watching me. I would dance so fast that I would forget where I was, until I would hear sounds that reminded me of where I really was. I thought that if I twirled faster everything would disappear and I would wake up in a new place. Reality woke me up when I heard a voice saying, "I don't know why you bother trying to dance. Ballerinas are pretty, slender little girls. Besides, you don't have the talent to even be a ballerina." I remember how those words paralyzed every feeling in my body. I feel to the ground and wept for hours.
We lived in the country by a nearby lake and I would sometimes go there to hide. My parents were never home anyway and I did not like to be at home where I could hear the walls talking of pain. When they were home, my mother just yelled and criticized because nothing was ever perfect in her life. She dreamed of a different life but ended up living in a country far away from the city where she believed her dreams would have come true.
I enjoyed hanging out by the water. I would sit there for hours and stare at my reflection. There I was, looked nothing like a pretty ballerina dancer. Reflections don't lie. Once the waves would come, my reflection was gone. Washed away just like my dream to dance. I sat there staring at the water, hoping that my reflection would reappear and be different.
As I GREw older, I began to realize that the reason my dream was even born in the first place, was because it was something that was inside of me. The dream I had was never nurtured and cared for, so it slowly died. It's not that I wanted it to die, but I allowed it to die the day I started listening to the words, "You can't do it." When I finally woke up from many years of dreaming, I realized that you can't settle for dancing in the wildflowers, you have to move on to the platform. I still go to the lake sometimes and sit there. Looking at my reflection is different now too. When I was young, I looked at how others saw me, now that I am older and wiser; I look at how God sees me.
I always have the dream to dance like a beautiful ballerina twirling around and around and hearing people applaud for me. When I was young, I would twirling around and around in the fields of wildflowers that GREw in my backyard. For hours I would dance as if people were watching me. I would dance so fast that I would forget where I was, until I would hear sounds that reminded me of where I really was. I thought that if I twirled faster everything would disappear and I would wake up in a new place. Reality woke me up when I heard a voice saying, "I don't know why you bother trying to dance. Ballerinas are pretty, slender little girls. Besides, you don't have the talent to even be a ballerina." I remember how those words paralyzed every feeling in my body. I feel to the ground and wept for hours.
We lived in the country by a nearby lake and I would sometimes go there to hide. My parents were never home anyway and I did not like to be at home where I could hear the walls talking of pain. When they were home, my mother just yelled and criticized because nothing was ever perfect in her life. She dreamed of a different life but ended up living in a country far away from the city where she believed her dreams would have come true.
I enjoyed hanging out by the water. I would sit there for hours and stare at my reflection. There I was, looked nothing like a pretty ballerina dancer. Reflections don't lie. Once the waves would come, my reflection was gone. Washed away just like my dream to dance. I sat there staring at the water, hoping that my reflection would reappear and be different.
As I GREw older, I began to realize that the reason my dream was even born in the first place, was because it was something that was inside of me. The dream I had was never nurtured and cared for, so it slowly died. It's not that I wanted it to die, but I allowed it to die the day I started listening to the words, "You can't do it." When I finally woke up from many years of dreaming, I realized that you can't settle for dancing in the wildflowers, you have to move on to the platform. I still go to the lake sometimes and sit there. Looking at my reflection is different now too. When I was young, I looked at how others saw me, now that I am older and wiser; I look at how God sees me.
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