Sabaidee all, Oy, hi welcome to the pub core. "We're simply the best, better than all the rest..." => jk Also below is another wonderful story the boys would like to share with us. My heart is in tears of happiness so I will not sing the fighting song today. However, please feel free to take out them brass knuckles and start swinging. => Deon Introduction: OUR BUDDHA Sometimes when we are in our mommy's village we like to go for a walk to the fields and watch the men working. Kai is one of our favourite cousins; he and his brothers have several maize fields that use to belong to their father. We like to visit Kai because he always let us do some work and he shows us how to do it properly. One Day when Uncle Lance and Tee had gone fishing we decided to go and visit Kai. He was working in a field we had never been to before so we asked Nana how to get there, she said it was a long way and we must be careful to stay on the path because she didn't want to spend all night looking for us. Nana took us to the right path showing us which direction we had to walk. When we are in the forest we are always good because we know all about Kongkoi the Ghost and we don't want to get him mad at us so we stayed on the path like Nana said. We seemed to walk for miles but still couldn't see any maize; we kept looking around because we were frightened that we had lost our way. Then we saw a funny roof all by itself in the tree's it wasn't far from the pathway so we walked towards the roof. When we were near the little building that held the roof up we saw that it didn't have any walls just four stone columns on a stone floor. There was a statue on the floor so we walked up the seven steps so we could see it. That was the first time we ever saw our Buddha, he is beautiful. He isn't sitting up and fat like most Buddha's, he is laying down on his side with his elbow on the floor and his hand is holding his head up. He has a really beautiful smile and he is very thin; he looks a lot like our brother Tee except our Buddha is all green. We thought he was so beautiful that we forgot to do all the things that we are supposed to do when we go near Buddha, we forgot our manners completely. We didn't go to Kai's maize field that day we stayed with Buddha, we talked to him and we think we went to sleep for a while. We got back to the village really late, we knew it was late because we could hear uncle playing the piano in the house that he and daddy built up on the hill above the village. We went to uncle's house because we knew Nana would be mad at us, Uncle Lance sent Tee to tell Nana we were home but that was ok, Nana would never be mad at us if uncle wasn't, we still got our diner and lots of sticky rice. We told Uncle Lance about our Buddha, we thought we knew something he didn't know but he just smiled and told us he had been there many times and knew all about the shine. We asked him why our Buddha was so far away from the village he said we should ask Grandfather because there was a very special story about that particular Buddha and it involved a pair of twins just like us. So we went to see grandfather the next morning and asked him about our Buddha. Grandfather said he had been meaning to tell us that story and was glad we had reminded him so we went to sit under a big tree near the river, a lot of our cousins came to sit with us and Grandfather told us the story of our Buddha. GRANDFATHERS STORIES The great god and the three brothers. Long, long ago when the world was young a great god who is still worshiped in many lands became bored with all the pomp and ceremony in the many temples where he was worshiped. The god allowed himself to drift away from his great idol in the temple where he lived permitting his gentle sister wind to blow him in any direction she chose. The god drifted for days over great plains and deserts, high mountains and vast oceans. He watched everything he saw with interest but very little is new or exciting to a god who had existed since the world was born. After many days he found himself above a great river which flowed through a land covered with mighty forest. The god was very fond of rivers and he had never seen such a beautiful forest before, so he allowed himself to drift low above the water as he followed the river. Drifting along like a ghost he looked closely at the huge trees and all the life they contained, what a beautiful land he thought. Above the river on a hill he saw a small village full of people very different from the people of his own lands. The god who was use to huge stone buildings and mighty monuments found the tiny village huts enchanting. He was drifting about watching the ordinary lives of the people until he sought the shade of a Banya tree to rest from his travels. In the lands where he was worshiped the god was a being of power and strength, all bowed down to him even the other gods. He was looking for a place to rest from the flattery and groveling of his worshipers. The place the mighty god had chosen to rest afforded him a pleasing view; he could see the quiet activity of the village to his right. In front of him and to his left he could see the beautiful river, which had drawn him here. He watched for hours, the beauty of the people drew him. Groups of little children played around and under the buildings laughing and running sticking their noses into everything, making a nuisance of themselves to the adults. The adults responded to the children's mischief with a firm gentleness, sometimes with a light smack on bare backsides. This usually caused the children to run off laughing, looking for new victims for their naughtiness. The mighty god who commanded nations, armies and kings was falling in love with these simple gentle people. As the sun began to set over the river giving a gift of beauty to this enchanted land two little boys ran towards where the god rested. He had noticed these two many times as he watched the villagers. They were little rogues; always it was these two causing the most trouble. They never walked, running everywhere giggling and laughing as they thought up new mischief and pranks to annoy their elders. The boys were twins, identical in every way, two halves of a whole. In his own lands twins were sacred to the god they held a special place in his heart. The boys ran to the riverbank gathering up big handfuls of sloppy mud they hid behind a nearby tree. Smiling to himself the god watched wondering who their victim would be. He noticed the perfection of these sturdy little bodies, the beauty of their smiling happy faces, their determination as they planned the prank. Surly a god could be happy in this beautiful place. He decided to adopt these people as his own, not to rule but to guide and love. Concentrating on the two boys the god felt the presence of another; another child was approaching, the victim the god was sure. Obviously an elder brother from the similarity in appearance to the twin bandits behind the tree. As the god watched the boy approach the ambush he sucked in his breath, the perfect beauty of the elder child stunned the mighty being. Drawing level with the twins the older boy was pelted from head to toe with sloppy yellow mud. "No you little rascals, I'll skin you alive." The victim called. "Now you really need a bath." The twins replied. They ran towards the river, straight into the water they fled the victim in hot pursuit. As the boys wrestled in the water laughing and slashing the god watched, never had he known such beauty, such joy in simplicity. Exhausted the boys left the water and began to walk towards the village. Suddenly they stopped all three staring directly at the god. Why are they looking here the god thought they can't possibly see me. "Oh yes we can." The twins answered his thoughts in unison. "Who are you stranger?" The elder boy asked respectfully. Shocked that these beautiful children could see him the mighty god answered in a gentle voice. "I am a simple traveler, exhausted by my journey, seeking shelter for the night." "Then come to our home, it is the custom of our village to welcome strangers who come with peaceful intent." "Thank you, I shall be honored." "There is a condition to our hospitality, a story is expected from those who visit." "A story you shall have of wonderful places, mighty armies and a great king." "Then it is well." Into the simple hut the children led the mighty god who took pains to allow all the family to see him. They provided him with food and wine, rejoicing in his companionship, laughing at his jokes, listening in awe to his story. As he was given his food the god noticed that each of the family were given a little less so he might have a full bowl. Each man drank moderately of the wine so the visitor might have his fill. Such generosity made him love these people more. The elder son sat quietly while his little brothers fidgeted looking around for mischief, after the meal when the god told his story the twins listened with rapt attention. All three boys asked several questions about the wonderful land and the great king in the story. The twins were especially interested in the king's great chariot, drawn by two wonderful beasts called horses, they had never heard of horses so the god drew them a picture. Then entire family enjoyed the story and looked with amazement at the wonderful drawing the god produced with such ease. After the children were asleep and the women had completed their duties, the opium pipes were lit and the adults relaxed from their labors. The great god sat on the floor, not missing the golden throne that was his right. He drank from a bamboo cup, not regretting his golden chalice. He listened to the simple stories of his host feeling no sadness that it was not the dishonest flattery of priest. Resting that night on a woven mat as all the family slept around him he wondered how he could reward these simple people for their generosity. He had looked into their hearts finding them pure and honest, desiring nothing of wealth, they were happy. It will be a sad day when the world finds these children of the forest he thought. He gave the twins a wonderful dream of the mighty king and his wonderful chariot, the boys saw themselves standing beside the king in his chariot, the two beautiful horses pulling them along at great speed between a mighty river and a land covered in sand. The god smiled at the looks of wonder and joy that chased each other across the sleeping faces of the twins, he knew they would always remember their wonderful dream. The elder boy also dreamed that night but his dream was very different for the one his brothers enjoyed so much. He was by nature a quiet studious person with a deeply religious soul he liked to work hard because it satisfied something that was missing in his life. The gods and spirits his people worshiped did not satisfy his spiritual needs. In his dream he found himself in a great temple, priest with shaved heads worshiped a wonderful golden idol while beautiful people in magnificent robes watched. In his dream the lad walked towards the idol, which came to life as he approached. The living god who looked so much like their guest took him into a large room; they sat talking for hours about things, which interested the boy but no one else in his village. Everything the god told him made perfect sense, here was a god he could believe in a god he could worship with heart. He never forgot a word the god said to him; he based his whole life on the teachings of that magnificent dream. The morning was beautiful as all things seem to be in this magic land as the god prepared for his departure the oldest man of the family thanked him for his companionship and the wonderful story he had told. The god was shamed by the old mans words, he felt grief at the deception he had practiced on these simple folk. I apologize father, I have deceived you, I am not a simple man as I allowed you to believe. I am a mighty god of great power yet I ate your food without refilling your bowls as I could have. I drank your wine to excess while you drank moderately yet I neglected to refill your flask. Worst of all I stole your trust when I allowed you to believe that I am other than my true self. I am shame that I have acted this way towards those who have treated me so well." The old man smiled. "Grieve not for there was no deception, my lord, a question not asked demands no answer. A lie not told deserves no rebuke. We invited you into our home; you repaid us with the generosity of your friendship. Travel far but come back often for friendship is the most precious of treasures." The god rejoiced in the old mans kind words. "How can I reward such kindness, how can I reward you my friend?" "Friendship is it's own reward my lord. I see you now, as you truly are a great and powerful god. We ask nothing of you, go in peace, leaving a little of the happiness you gave us with your company, return often allowing us your friendship, this is all the reward we ask." "Thank you my friend." The god said as he disappeared, travelling high into the air, but he couldn't leave yet. All that day he waited, watching the villagers at their tasks, he concentrated on the three brothers. The eldest elder boy worked hard all day as he thought about the things he had learned in his dream. The twins were mischievous and funny bringing laughter into the hearts of all, as children sometimes do. When they took the noon meal to the men of the family out in the fields the boys told their elders of the wonderful dream they had dreamt of the mighty king in his wonderful chariot. Everyone listened to the story of the dream, when the boys had finished their grandfather told them the true nature of the visitor. "So you see you didn't dream at all it was a vision given to you by a great and powerful god. Gods never do anything without reason so one day your vision may come true." The twins thought this was wonderful, they spent the entire afternoon pestering their grandfather about when he thought their vision would come true. Their brother said nothing of his dream, when he had returned to his work and was all alone he fell to his knee's sending a prayer of gratitude and praise to the god who had given him wisdom. As the sun went to his rest that day the god watched the eldest boy go to the river for his bath, entering the water he was pelted with mud by his brothers. Their laughter and joy in each other touched the god as the boys wrestled in the water. The joy of companionship and the love the children shared spoke to the god of his own loneliness. He knew he could not return for they showed to him his pain at forever being alone, so the great god spoke delivering onto those three children his blessing and his curse. "Live your lives in happiness, live your lives in peace. Grow old together in friendship as only brothers can. Upon your deaths I shall return a great and powerful god, to gather you to my heart in companionship." In the river the elder brother stopped wrestling, he looked into the sky above him. His brothers stood stock still something no one had ever seen before. Several villagers saw them, there were many questions that night from the elders, why had the boys been standing so still for so long why were they looking into the sky, what had they seen? But the boys wouldn't answer; their god had forbidden them to tell. Only the boys had heard the gods promise to return for them and only they had heard what he had said next. "Shaya mighty queen of the dragons I command you and your race to make your home upon the mountain above this village. Care for these children of the forest for they are now my children. Make their land fertile and their animals multiply. Make their children healthy and straight of limb, give them the dragons luck. Farewell my friends." From that moment the village prospered, soon the people became aware of the mighty beasts that had made their home high atop the mountain above the village. There was a lot of talk about moving the village to another site, people are naturally frightened of dragons but the dragons soon made it clear that they meant no harm the two races settled down and even became friendly. The brothers would often go into the forest and sit watching the dragons as they flew about their mountain; occasionally they would see the mighty queen flying high above the others. She was huge and the color of polished jade, the boys would send her their thanks for all she had done for their people. Shaya would always answer them, she was always friendly because she had come to love these special boys just as her master the god loved them. After leaving the village the god had returned to the lands he ruled, as he guided the fates of many nations, leading them to glory he kept an eye on the three children he loved. He knew all the secrets of their lives but found no fault with them. They grew to manhood and married, they were good husbands and fathers. They worked hard so their families never went without. The god was pleased, the elder brother had taught the twins what he had learned in his dream and they had all taught their own sons. The village lived by the rules of life taught to the elder boy by the great god in a dream so long ago. All three brothers loved each other deeply but a special bond existed between the twins. When they were old men with grandchildren one of the twins fell from a great height and died. His identical twin was so distraught and torn by grief that the god ordered the fates to cut his lifeline, granting him the peace of death so that he could share it with his brother as they had shared everything in life. The elder brother grieved deeply for the lost twins, he placed their ashes in a little shrine he built for them under the Banya tree where they had met a god so long ago. Each day as he went to the river for his bath he would pray for the souls of the twins. He had no idea that they heard his prayers and grieved for his pain as much as he grieved for their loss. Finally a day came when the elder brother could stand his pain no more. He walked into the river he loved so much but didn't stop to bath; he walked until the mother of waters consumed him. Within her gentle embrace the life left him freeing him to eternity, death giving his spirit it's childish beauty just as she had return their gentle childish beauty to his brothers. An old and crooked man had walked into the river, a beautiful shining youth returned from her loving embrace. Under the Banya tree the spirits of his brothers joined him. They embraced knowing now that their love was eternal. The villagers searched all night for the wise old man they loved so much. At dawn the children of his grandchildren found him on the river bank one arms length from the shrine he had built for his brothers under the Banya tree. The people mourned the loss of the old man deeply but they knew he was happy now he had been returned to his brothers. After the funeral when his ashes had joined those of his brothers, the three spirits stood around the little shrine under the Banya tree. "What now?" One of the twins asked. "We could annoy that silly old monk, he would never catch us now." His twin replied. Both twins laughed at the thought of such mischief but their brother shook his head. "We have a duty as you well know, say goodbye to our home, now is our time to leave." Agreeing the twins sent farewells into the dreams of those they loved as their brother did. Taking his brothers hands in his the eldest lifted his face to the heavens and called. "We are ready lord." The villagers all awoke to the mighty roar of thunder and dragons. In wonder they watched those mighty beast flying above the Banya tree. Lightening hewed the sky and a great light shone from the river; the great god was coming in all his majesty to claim his due. The villagers rushed to the river where a golden glow shone from the mother of waters. All saw the chariot as it descended from the heavens drawn by two beautiful horses. The charioteer was a tall handsome man in a pure white kilt and a tall blue crown, beside him stood the great god in all his golden magnificence. The chariot descended to the beach and stopped under the ancient Banya tree. The spirits of the brothers became visible as they mounted the chariot; the god lovingly embraced each. As the chariot began to rise, escorted by the dragons the spirits turned sending farewells to their homes and families. Many of the older villagers fell to their knee's singing songs of praise, they knew those three spirits as their childhood friends and would remember them always in happiness. Go down to the river boys don't sit there with your mouths hanging open, you 'll catch flies. Take some flowers like you usually do, have a good look at your Buddha as you call him. He is the great god who came for your ancestors so long ago. Tonight have a look at the sky over the river above your Buddha 's shrine; you'll see four stars grouped together, apart from all the rest. They are the god and his three companions sitting above the river they love. They can only be seen from here.