| My 4 year old son was very excited. I had
| |
| | sugar candies! Thank you friends"Just as
|
| promised him
| |
| | the young man was wondering what he should
|
| to tell a wonderful story tonight.As
| |
| | do
|
| usual, I got engrossed in my work till
| |
| | next... a potter came by and stopped his
|
| late evening
| |
| | cart."Is that heap of firewood for
|
| when I suddenly remembered about my
| |
| | sale?...""Yes of course...""Here are
|
| promise.I hurriedly searched my personal
| |
| | sixteen coins. Please help me load my
|
| library to find a suitable
| |
| | cart.
|
| story for my loved one.But, what I found
| |
| | Now I have all the wood I need to fire
|
| astonished me...I'd never read that book
| |
| | the pots specially
|
| before. I might have bought it
| |
| | ordered by the King"The young man then
|
| a couple of years ago but never managed
| |
| | went with the potter to the market."Have
|
| to read.This was a collection of short
| |
| | you heard? The horse dealer will be
|
| stories called
| |
| | coming tomorrow"
|
| "The Jataka Tales"One of the stories was
| |
| | the young man overheard a conversation in
|
| so good and full of great stuff,
| |
| | the market."Yes, yes, I hear he will be
|
| I wanted to share it with all of you.--
| |
| | bringing five hundred
|
| Sidebar--
| |
| | horses to sell"The young man thought for
|
| The Jataka Tales are based on the
| |
| | a minute..."Aha! that's useful
|
| folklore,
| |
| | information..."Hurriedly he went to the
|
| legends and ballads of ancient India.
| |
| | grass-cutters and said "Friends, I
|
| Although no definite
| |
| | seek a favor from you""At last! tell us
|
| date cannot be assigned to the tales,
| |
| | what we should do" replied the
|
| taking into account
| |
| | grass-cutters."I want a bundle of grass
|
| the archeological and literary evidence,
| |
| | from each of you"
|
| it appears
| |
| | told the young man."We are five hundred
|
| they were compiled between 3rd century
| |
| | in all. So, as many bundles
|
| B.C. and 5th
| |
| | of grass will be delivered to you
|
| century A.D.
| |
| | tonight"
|
| --Sidebar--Here goes the story...In the
| |
| | the grass-cutters happily agreed.The
|
| city of Varanasi, a young man was once on
| |
| | young man continued..."And I want you to
|
| the lookout for a suitable job.It so
| |
| | promise that till tomorrow afternoon
|
| happened that the King's Treasurer,
| |
| | you will not sell anyone any grass at
|
| accompanied by
| |
| | all"The grass-cutters replied, "You are
|
| a friend, passed by."The King values your
| |
| | our friend.
|
| work. The treasury is overflowing
| |
| | You have given us sweet, flavored water
|
| with riches. What is the secret of your
| |
| | when we
|
| success?"
| |
| | were thirsty without getting anything in
|
| asked the treasurer's friend."Initiative
| |
| | return.
|
| & Enterprise. I'll explain what I
| |
| | We will do what you ask without
|
| mean..."
| |
| | question"The next morning the horse dealer
|
| replied the wise treasurer and continued,
| |
| | arrived with five
|
| pointing to a
| |
| | hundred horses at the outskirts of the
|
| dead mouse on the street..."Do you see
| |
| | city."Strange! no one has come yet to sell
|
| that dead mouse?... Yes?... Even without
| |
| | me grass
|
| any money, anyone with initiative could
| |
| | for my horses"He went to the market."No
|
| just pick up
| |
| | grass in a city like Varanasi?""Where have
|
| that mouse and start a business""A dead
| |
| | all the grass-cutters gone?"Just then the
|
| mouse as capital?!!!... Ha..Ha..Ha.."
| |
| | horse dealer came across the young man's
|
| laughed the treasurer's friend and the
| |
| | house and saw a big heap of grass
|
| duo went away.The young man stopped and
| |
| | bundles."Grass! At last! Young man, will
|
| gazed at the dead mouse."It sounds like an
| |
| | you sell all
|
| absurd idea... But the treasurer must
| |
| | this grass to me? I'll pay you well for
|
| surely know what he is talking about!"
| |
| | it"
|
| thought the young
| |
| | enquired the horse dealer.The young man
|
| man and hesitantly picked up the dead
| |
| | said, "The grass is yours, Sir""Good! then
|
| mouse."But what can I do with it? Who
| |
| | help my man load the cart""Here you are
|
| would want to buy
| |
| | Sir, five hundred bundles of grass""And
|
| a dead mouse?""Hey, pussy cat, come back!
| |
| | here's your payment--one thousand
|
| Ah! Now I know what has
| |
| | coins"The young man was excited."One
|
| attracted him" yelled a man who was
| |
| | thousand coins! I can put these to good
|
| passing by with
| |
| | use"A day later..."Why is it so quiet here
|
| his pet cat.The cat, attracted by the
| |
| | today? Is anything the matter?"
|
| dead mouse, had jumped out
| |
| | enquired the young man, while strolling
|
| of it's owner's arms."My friend, will you
| |
| | in the city market."Everyone is away
|
| sell your mouse to me?
| |
| | making preparations to receive the boats
|
| I'll pay you one coin for it." asked the
| |
| | that will be arriving tomorrow" replied a
|
| cat owner."The mouse is yours!""The first
| |
| | passer by."Boats... arriving tomorrow?"An
|
| coin I've earned!" the young man was
| |
| | idea flashed like lightning. He bought
|
| excited."But what can I do with this small
| |
| | new clothes
|
| coin?... The wise
| |
| | and then went to hire a carriage."Send
|
| treasurer has said one must have
| |
| | the carriage to my house early tomorrow
|
| enterprise...Hmm""Oh! I've got it. I
| |
| | morning.
|
| must find out if there is a
| |
| | Here's some money as advance"Very early
|
| demand for something and then arrange to
| |
| | the next morning, the young man rode in
|
| supply it!"
| |
| | style
|
| thought the young man and went into a
| |
| | to the river harbor with his two friends
|
| grocery shop..."Give me one coin's worth
| |
| | and waited
|
| of jaggery (sugar) please..."The next
| |
| | to receive the visiting merchant.He was,
|
| morning, the young man filled a pot with
| |
| | naturally, the first to greet the visiting
|
| drinking
| |
| | merchant."Welcome to Varanasi""I'm happy
|
| water mixed with jaggery and went to the
| |
| | to meet you, Sir"The young man continued,
|
| outskirts
| |
| | "I want to buy all the merchandise
|
| of the city."I'll wait here for the
| |
| | you have brought""Right. It's a pleasure
|
| flower-gatherers to
| |
| | to do business with you"
|
| return from work"In the forest, workers
| |
| | replied the merchant.The merchant quoted
|
| were busy collecting flowers.
| |
| | a price to which the young man readily
|
| It was late in the afternoon when they
| |
| | agreed and said, "I need time to arrange
|
| finished their work
| |
| | the payment.
|
| and began returning to the city."It's so
| |
| | Meanwhile, here's my signet ring as a
|
| hot! and I'm so thirsty! There won't be
| |
| | token of
|
| any water
| |
| | advance and security"Then the young man
|
| to drink till we reach the city", the
| |
| | set up a small tent and said to
|
| workers felt."Ah! here they come!..."
| |
| | his friends, "When the city merchants
|
| stood up the young man."Brothers, you must
| |
| | come, bring them
|
| be tired. Have some sweet-water...""Thank
| |
| | in with due courtesy"At day break, a
|
| you, friend... May you live long... All we
| |
| | hundred city merchants came to the harbor
|
| can
| |
| | and met the visiting merchant."My friend,
|
| give you is this bunch of flowers from
| |
| | we have come to do business with you!""I'm
|
| each one of us.
| |
| | sorry, Sir. I've already sold everything"
|
| How refreshed we feel after drinking that
| |
| | said the visiting merchant.The city
|
| water!
| |
| | merchants were taken aback, "When?? To
|
| May these flowers also make you
| |
| | whom??""To that young merchant over there"
|
| happy..."Each of the workers gulped some
| |
| | came back the reply.The city merchants
|
| water and gave him a
| |
| | were shocked..."He's not one of us! We
|
| bunch of flowers in return. "Bring us
| |
| | can't let any new persons into
|
| water tomorrow as
| |
| | our trade or we'll be ruined! We'll lose
|
| well, my friend"--the workers left.The
| |
| | our precious
|
| young man took the flowers to the temple
| |
| | customers! let's buy him out! We'll make
|
| in the city.
| |
| | him an offer
|
| There he sold sold them for eight
| |
| | he can't refuse!" discussed the city
|
| coins.With the money he earned, the young
| |
| | merchants."All right, let's go to him"
|
| man bought a bigger
| |
| | they decided."Welcome gentlemen! Welcome!
|
| pot and larger quantity of jaggery
| |
| | Well, gentlemen, have you
|
| (sugar).The next day he went back to the
| |
| | a proposal to offer?" the young man asked
|
| forest to give drinking
| |
| | courteously."Sir, we would like to buy a
|
| water to flower-gatherers and even
| |
| | share each of the
|
| further away,
| |
| | total merchandise. We'll pay you
|
| to the fields where grass-cutters were
| |
| | handsomely... thousand
|
| working."Is anybody thirsty?""You won't
| |
| | gold coins each... That will make it a
|
| find anyone here who is not thirsty.
| |
| | hundred thousand
|
| Give me some water, son..." the
| |
| | gold pieces since there are hundred
|
| grass-cutters gracefully
| |
| | merchants here.
|
| drank the sweet-water."Brother, you are
| |
| | But we need all the merchandise--all of
|
| kind to us. What can we do for
| |
| | it"Having agreed to the deal, the young
|
| you in return?""Nothing at present"
| |
| | man returned home.
|
| replied the young man."But... don't
| |
| | "I still have a big amount left after
|
| hesitate to ask us when you need our
| |
| | paying
|
| help"A month passed by.One evening, the
| |
| | the visiting merchant. And I owe it all
|
| young man was returning home when a
| |
| | to
|
| storm broke out.Everywhere the wind blew
| |
| | the treasurer's wisdom!"To express his
|
| down leaves and dry branches."If there's
| |
| | gratitude, the young man went to call
|
| money in a dead mouse, there should be
| |
| | on the treasurer, taking half of his
|
| money
| |
| | profits with him."Sir, permit me to
|
| in these leaves and branches, too!"The
| |
| | present you with these coins as my
|
| next morning he went to the palace garden
| |
| | humble tuition fee for the lesson I
|
| and spoke
| |
| | learned from you""But, I haven't seen you
|
| to the gardener."You look worried, uncle.
| |
| | before! Haven't taught
|
| Can I help you?""How can you? The garden
| |
| | you anything!" said the surprised
|
| is littered with branches...
| |
| | treasurer."Yes, you have! I came by all
|
| And the King is expected any moment
| |
| | my wealth in four
|
| now... I don't know
| |
| | short months, simply by following your
|
| how to clean the mess before he comes"
| |
| | teachings"
|
| wailed the gardener."I'll help you if I
| |
| | said the young man.Then he narrated the
|
| can keep the fallen branches"
| |
| | treasurer the whole story,
|
| offered the young man."Take them, son...
| |
| | starting with the dead mouse.The wise
|
| Only take them away soon""I'll be back in
| |
| | treasurer listened carefully and thought,
|
| a minute" the young man left
| |
| | "This young man is extraordinarily
|
| the messy garden.He didn't have to go far
| |
| | clever.
|
| to find a group of playing kids."Would you
| |
| | Just the person I'd choose for my lovely
|
| like to have some sugar candies?""Candies?
| |
| | daughter"So, he married the young man to
|
| Oh, certainly!" the kids shouted."Then
| |
| | his daughter and
|
| come on, boys. I'll give you some.
| |
| | gave him all his family estates and
|
| Everyone will
| |
| | happily said,
|
| get his share... "The little kids were
| |
| | "The goddess of success smiles on those
|
| happy."Would you like to have some more?
| |
| | who show
|
| But you must earn it""Tell us what we
| |
| | INITIATIVE and ENTERPRISE. May you
|
| should do! We are ready!"
| |
| | always be
|
| shouted the excited kids."Then come with
| |
| | so fortunate, my
|
| me. You must collect all the fallen
| |
| | son!"=====================================
|
| branches in the garden and heap them
| |
| | ============******************************
|
| outside.
| |
| | ********************
|
| That's easy! and fun too!"Quickly they
| |
| | Copyright (C) 2004 Raam Anand With Raam's
|
| gathered up the fallen branches and heaped
| |
| | Joint
|
| them outside the garden. The garden now
| |
| | Venture Manager, you could make 10.. 20..
|
| looked
| |
| | even
|
| clean and fresh."Ah! you have finished!
| |
| | 30-times more money!
|
| here's your reward, delicious
| |
| |
|
