I am working on another entry and it is taking a bit of time…
Here are some gems that I have been gifted with (Thank You Dale!), others that jumped forward almost yelling Pick Me, Pick Me! Well, how can you refuse?
I have a soft spot for Folk Tales, Myths Stories. In their interiors lurk pure gold. We have just to look.
Off to a customers…
Hope you enjoy this entry.
Gwyllm
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On The Menu
The Links
Ainu Tales: How a Man got the better of two Foxes
Koans
Poetry: Dale Pendell – 2 New Poems
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The Links:
Super kids: Indigo kids debate
Strange story of the king and hypnotist doctor
Racer Recovers From Severed Head
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Ainu Tales: How a Man got the better of two Foxes
A man went into the mountains to get bark to make rope with, and found a hole. To this hole there came a fox, who spoke as follows, though he was a fox, in human language: “I know of something from which great profit may be derived. Let us go to the place to-morrow!” To which the fox inside the hole replied as follows: “What profitable thing do you allude to? After hearing about it, I will go with you if it sounds likely to be profitable; and if not, not.” The fox outside spoke thus: “The profitable thing to be done is this. I will come here to-morrow about the time of the mid-day meal. You must be waiting for me then, and we will go off together. If you take the shape of a horse, and we go off together, I taking the shape of a man and riding on your back, we can go down to the shore, where dwell human beings possessed of plenty of food and all sorts of other things. As there is sure to be among the people some one who wants a horse, I will sell you to him who thus wants a horse. I can then buy a quantity of precious things and of food. Then I shall run away; and you, having the appearance of a horse, will be led out to eat grass, and be tied up somewhere on the hillside. Then, if I come and help you to escape, and we divide the food and the precious things equally between us, it will be profitable for both of us.” Thus spoke the fox outside the hole; and the fox inside the hole was very glad, and said: “Come and fetch me early to-morrow, and we will go off together.”
The man was hidden in the shade of the tree, and had been listening. Then the fox who had been standing outside went away, and the man, too, went home for the night. But he came back next day to the mouth of the hole, and spoke thus, imitating the voice of the fox whom he had heard speaking outside the hole the day before: “Here I am. Come out at once! If you will turn into a horse, we will go down to the shore.” The fox came out. It was a big fox. The man said: “I have come already turned into a man. If you turn into a horse, it will not matter even if we are seen by other people.” The fox shook itself, and became a large chestnut [lit. red] horse. Then the two went off together, and came to a very rich village, plentifully provided with everything. The man said: “I will sell this horse to anybody who wants one.” As the horse was a very fine one, every one wanted to buy it. So the man bartered it for a quantity of food and precious things, and then went away.
Now the horse was such a peculiarly fine one that its new owner did not like to leave it out-of-doors, but always kept it in the house. He shut the door, and he shut the window, and cut grass to feed it with. But though he fed it, it could not (being really a fox) eat grass at all. All it wanted to eat was fish. After about four days it was like to die. At last it made its escape through the window and ran home; and, arriving at the place where the other fox lived, wanted to kill it. But it discovered that the trick had been played, not by its companion fox, but by the man. So both the foxes were very angry, and consulted about going to find the man and kill him.
But though the two foxes had decided thus, the man came and made humble excuses, saying: “I came the other day, because I had overheard you two foxes plotting; and then I cheated you. For this I humbly beg your pardon. Even if you do kill me, it will do no good. So henceforward I will brew rice-beer for you, and set up the divine symbols for you, and worship you,worship you for ever. In this way you will derive greater profit than you would derive from killing me. Fish, too, whenever I make a good catch, I will offer to you as an act of worship. This being so, the creatures called men shall worship you for ever.”
The foxes, hearing this, said: “That is capital, we think. That will do very well.” Thus spake the foxes. Thus does it come about that all men, both Japanese and Aino, worship the fox. So it is said.(Translated literally. Told by Ishanashte, 15th July, 1886.)
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Koans…
If You Love, Love Openly
Twenty monks and one nun, who was named Eshun, were practicing meditation with a certain Zen master.
Eshun was very pretty even though her head was shaved and her dress plain. Several monks secretly fell in love with her. One of them wrote her a love letter, insisting upon a private meeting.
Eshun did not reply. The following day the master gave a lecture to the group, and when it was over, Eshun arose. Addressing the one who had written to her, she said: “If you really love me so much, come and embrace me now.”
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The Last Rap
Tangen had studied with Sengai since childhood. When he was twenty he wanted to leave his teacher and visit others for comparitive study, but Sengai would not permit this. Every time Tangen suggested it, Sengai would give him a rap on the head.
Finally Tangen asked an elder brother to coax permission from Sengai. This the brother did and then reported to Tangen: “It is arranged. I have fixed it for you to start on your pilgrimage at once.”
Tangen went to Sengai to thank him for his permission. The master answered by giving him another rap.
When Tangen related this to his elder brother the other said: “What is the matter? Sengai has no business giving premission and then changing his mind. I will tell him so.” And off he went to see the teacher.
“I did not cancel my permission,” said Sengai. “I just wished to give him one last smack over the head, for when he returns he will be enlightened and I will not be able to reprimand him again.”
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2 New Poems From Dale Pendell
This Day Like Any Other
–for Utah Phillips
I refuse to obey. I refuse the medal, the bullets, I
Countermand, I will not fire, I will not pay, I refuse,
I, we, together, we refuse, we won’t, we’ll sit,
We’ll stand, we won’t work. Sir, I refuse
To obey, great God, I refuse, I won’t, again, anymore,
This day, a jaguar day, this rattling of winds day,
This bread in the trampled landfill day, this,
Wounded and clawing, we won’t, I won’t, I refuse
To obey, Sir, it’s important, this fine day,
This turning and terrible day, this day the books
Litter the streets like washing, this day
The wall wails from rebuilding, this day the angels
Shudder in hiding, this day when the dead
Are too many, this day I refuse, Sir, to obey.
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The Ballad of the Hungry Ghosts
They have no breath, nor bones, nor blood;
They appear, and then dissolve.
Their only drive is for more and more
Until they own it all.
They have no children or family,
Neighbors, or sense of shame;
Their birth is a limited charter
Solely conceived for gain.
They’re called a corporate body
And given the rights of men:
Denizens of a nether world
To whom all flesh must bend.
