Sari’s Place

Once upon a time, in Southeast Asia, two young wild geese searching for food met a turtle, and by and by they became friends and lived in the same pond.   They enjoyed a peaceful life and hardly fought with each other. 

After few months, the water dried up.  The two geese decided to move and asked the turtle to join them.  The turtle liked the idea because he did not want to be all alone.  But, he could not see how this was possible since he could not fly.  The geese, who were smart, came up with an idea.  Each of them could hold the end of a wooden pole in its beak, and the turtle could hold onto the middle of the pole with his mouth.  Then the three of them could fly to another pond which was full of water.

A few days later they went on their trip.  When they flew through a village, lots of children looked up at them.  They started shouting and laughing, and said “Look, two geese are holding up a turtle so he can fly.”

Upon hearing the children, the turtle became angry and embarrassed.  He wondered why the children were staring and laughing at him.  He got so annoyed and then he shouted, ”Mind your own business.”  As he spoke, he lost his grip on the pole and fell.

From The Short March to Wisdom

Two buckets hanging on a well are relaxing on a sunny afternoon.  They are enjoying the first day of summer.  The spring rains are over.  The flowers are blooming.  The air smells sweet and fresh.  People are bussy carrying water, making tea, watering the flowers, washing clothes and hanging then outside to dry.

The two buckets begin to chat to each other.  One bucket says, “I feel so useless. Every time when stupid people fill me with water, they empty me immediately.  Then I’m left alone.  I’m so isolated that i have nothing to do but stare at the sky, and it looks so gray.  The flowers don’t even thank me for the water I hold.  When the people are drinking tea, they don’t even think of me”‘.

The other bucket replies,” I feel very appreciated.  People handle me with care, admiring my beautiful wood.  Everytime they empty me, they fill me up again immediately.  I’m never alone.  People flock to me  When they water their flowers, they keep coming back to me for more.  Without me, they have no way to get water for their tea.  I’m proud to be indispensable.

From The Short March to Wisdom, by Venerable Yung Dong & Marjorie Jacobs.