The Tale of Catfish

Once upon a time, a young monk had led a religious life for 3 years he knew all Buddhist scriptures and was good preacher but he had never become a Buddha. Therefore, he decided go to “Tay Truc” where Buddhas lived to ask them how to become a Buddha.

The way from where he lived to where Buddhas lived was very dangerous, distant and each more step as more dangerous but he did give up, still went up to Tay Truc. The journey had taken 50 day, he had been lost may times, been fevered few times but he had been always given help. He went up whenever he had been cured.

One day, when he had just landed his feet in forest, the sun had set. He tried to find a place to rest. Fortunately, he found out a home in middle of forest. Knock on the door, he saw an old woman appear. He planned to request for rest but she waved her hand and said: “Go away! Go away! If my son come, you will be killed.”

“I have been exhausted and can move any more. If you don’t let me come in, I only can lie at front of your home” he said

“God, my son is half-evil. He will eat you if he saw you so you have to move, moving” she said

The monk threw his luggage on the ground and lay. The woman did know what to do but pulling him into a tunnel inside the house and requested to keep silent then she covered him by wood. Hours later, her half evil son came home with a deer on a hand and a knife on the other. He snorted and said “I smell meat”

“It is on your hand, yet” she said

“Not it, I smell human-meat” he said

He threw the deer and found around. Minutes later, he found out the monk. He pulled the monk out of the tunnel.He roared at the monk “Where do you go”

The monk replied”I am going to Tay Truc to meet Buddha”, replied the monk

“What for” said the half-evil.

The monk said them about his journey; how long and how far had he gone; how many difficult things he had passed and showed you how much he want to meet Buddhas. When they had heard, they were completely moving. They cried and felt sorry to what they had done. The monk added that they would become better if they changed. His knife dropped on ground, and his venomous face had relived.

The next morning, before the monk left, they gave him many food and water, went with him cross a mountain. At last the half-evil said:”What should I dedicate to Buddha?”

“Your heart is enough” said the monk

Misunderstand, the half-evil grabbed his knife, cut his stomach and took out his heart, gave to the monk and said: “please, give it to Buddhas”

The monk was confused but he couldn’t refuse. At last, he received the heart, bowed his head then he walked up. Few days later, the monk went out the forest cross a large swamp. Although the swamp very beautiful but he felt unhappy because of the spoiled heart’s smell. He thought if he brought the heart, no restaurant let him get in so he threw the spoiled down the swamp on the next day.

At last, he had arrived Tay Truc, he kneeled front entrance of chancel and asked to Buddhas who was sitting upon the chancel. From chancel, a voice echoed down that he lacked one gift for becoming a Buddha. He looked up and saw two people as the half-evil and his mother. He realized that he had lacked of honesty, thoroughness so he couldn’t be a Buddha. Feeling ashamed, he came to where he had thrown the heart and tried to find it in the water. Only found out it and gift to Buddha he must not feel ashamed front the mother of half-evil. He had been swimming until he became a catfish. Do you realise its head like the bald head of the monk?

THE END

"Translated by Hung Nguyen"

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