Week 12 Story: Oh, Where Did You Go Friend?

The world is filled with noise. You try to focus on what is important in life, but you can't help it and get lost in all the other things happening in the world. And you don't realize what you have lost until it is too late. My friends today I will tell you about a time when I had almost lost a close friend.

There was a horse [me] and newborn pup who lived on the same farm. The pup would come to visit me everyday ever since it was able to walk. Day after day the pup would come and play with me and soon we ate almost every meal together. We shared our stories of the day and sometimes were able to roam the fields together. We played together and sometimes were even taken on the same trips. Our farmer was a soft-hearted man with a lovely wife who made pies that made our mouths water. They cared and loved as if we were their children.

Humans are funny people. They tend to tell us all of their feeling and daily goings and give us hugs when they need a buddy. I can't say I don't love my people, because they pamper me with many new items. My humans say that I am their most prized possession and if I will the regional showcase we will be able to go to nationals. That apparently means more money for the farm. I overheard them say we were running low on funds and they'd have to soon sell off some of the other farm animals.

Nationals were around the corner and I was so caught up in trying to win. I paid no attention to my surroundings or the fact that I was ignoring my friend also. The day before I was scheduled to leave for nationals I searched high and low for pup, but could not find him anywhere on the farm. I asked the other farm animals if they saw him...everyone just said "no." I couldn't eat that night, we always had dinner together no matter what. That was one of the longest nights I had ever gone.

The next day on the long ride to the national showcase I heard my humans say that the extra money from the recent dog sale would be able to pay a bill or two. I could not believe what I was hearing pup was gone! GONE! SOLD!

Everything went wrong at nationals, I just could not focus my mind kept going back to pup. My humans say they're worried since I am not eating nor sleeping. I just want to see pup, I need to talk to him, see if he has eaten, and ask why he never said he was leaving. I hear from the stable boy that the humans are trying to figure out why I am so miserable. They continuously bring in people to try to solve the "mystery." One day after an old man had come to see me I heard the bark of pup. I could see him running across the field, oh I was so happy to see pup! We took baths, ate, played, and talked about everything. Night passed and dawn came too soon, but my best friend was with me and now nobody could separate us. Next year's national championship was were I won first place and pup was in the stands cheering for me!


Bibliography: The Faithful Friend from the Eastern Stories and Legends by Marie Shedlock.

Me and my best friend

Reading Notes 12.1 Jataka Tales, Part A

Part D of the Jatakas

Bibliography: Jataka Tales from the Eastern Stories and Legends by Marie Shedlock

The Crow That Thought It Knew

• Brahma-datta reigned as king in Benares, the Bodhisatta became a marsh crow (Viraka)
• famine in Kasi, no food to feed the crows...they are flying away into the woods
• Savitthaka, who lived at Benares, took with him his lady crow and went to the place where Viraka lived, making his abode beside the same pool
• Viraka let Savitthaka serve him and gave him some of the fish he caught
• Savitthaka let his pride come in the way and said he would catch future fish on his own...Viraka warned that it wasn't for him, but still Savitthaka dove into the water and got caught in the weeds and could not breathe
• Lady crow returns to Benares after learning that her mate has perished

The Judas Tree

• Charioteer takes the 4 sons of the King to show them Judas Tree
• he showed them each separately, thus each had a different version
• "All four of you have seen the tree. Only when the charioteer showed you the tree, you did not ask him, 'What is the tree like at such a time?' or 'at such another time?' You made no distinctions, and that is the reason for your mistake."

River-Fish and the Monkey

• Brahmadatta was king of Benares, the Bodhisatta was born in the family of a landed proprietor
• younger brother is a thief wanted to keep the money for himself so made a box similar to the one his brother had put the money into and filled is with gravel thinking he wold trick his brother...
• brother fed left overs to river fishes pleasing the river goddess
• she would return the favor and she did that by having a fish swallow the money containing box thrown overboard by the younger brother
• younger brother thought it had been the gravel containing box that was thrown over and so his heart shriveled when he discovered that what he brought home was the gravel box
• fishermen catch the fish, market price is 1000 + 7 annas, for the Bodhisatta on 7 annas
• The Bodhisatta understands the message..goddess says do not give to younger brother, but he still send 500 pieces to his brother

The Dreamer in the Wood

• Sakka comes to woods to test Buddha's will
• Divine being asked to be free of three things: malice, hatred and greed
• Sakka tells him to ask for another boon
• Buddha, "Grant that in the woods where I live alone, no disease may mar my peace, or break my ecstasy."
• boon granted

The Rice Measure

• King was covetous
• wanted a new valuer thinking he would be soon drained of his riches if the current practice continued
• peasant appointed as new valuer
• valued 500 horses as a measure of rice
• bribed by the horse man and now appraised all of Benares as a measure of rice
• laughed at by the people of the court and Bodisat appointed as valuer

The Poisonous Trees

• Brahmadatta was reigning in Benares, the Bodhisatta was born a merchant
• mangoes resembled poisonous trees
• some who had previously journeyed through had died, on this caravan trip leader prevents some from eating and some who have ate he reverses the effects via emetic and 4 fruits

The Well-Trained Elephant

• King Magadha was ruling in Rajagaha in Magadha, the Bodhisatta was born an elephant
• made state elephant because of his beauty
• was white all over
• elephant passed all the tests that the king had wanted to try.. stand on three legs, two fore, two hind, and fly
• all passes the mahout treated elephant like son
• he divided his kingdom into three portions, and made over one to the Bodhisatta, one to the mahout, and one he kept himself

The Wise Physician

• Kisagotami married only son of a wealthy man 
• a son who died when he was able to run alone
• goes house to house for a potential medicine - no luck
• The Teacher tells he to get him  mustard seeds from a place where no son, husband, parent, or slave has died
• she discovers many have died, few are alive
• she became a disciple and entered the first Path

The White Elephant