New Homes for the Tree Spirits
(Wise Advice)
Once upon a time, just like all who
were born had to die one day, the King of the Tree Spirits passed away. So King
Sakka, the ruler of the 33 levels of Heaven appointed a new King to govern and
take charge of all tree spirits. As his first official act, the new king sent
out a decree instructing all tree spirits to select a tree to live in. The
edict also stated that every tree was to be pleased with its resident spirit.
Now, it happened in this story that
there was a very wise tree spirit who was the leader of a large clan during
that time. When he received the decree, he advised his clan members not to live
in freestanding trees, but to live in forest trees near him as it was safer.
The wise ones settled down in the forest trees near their leader.
But, just as there were wise tree
spirits around, there were also some foolish and arrogant ones who refused to
heed the advice of their leader. “Why should we crowd together? Let’s go to the
villages, towns and cities where the humans stay. Tree spirits who live there
receive the best offerings, and they are even worshipped by the superstitious
people living in those places. What a life we will have there!” they laughed to
one other.
And so they travelled to the villages,
towns and cities, and moved into the big, freestanding trees that were looked
after by people. All was fine until one day, a big storm came up. The wind blew
strong and hard. The big, heavy trees with old, stiff branches did not
withstand the storm well. Branches cracked and dropped, trunks broke in two and
collapsed, and some were even uprooted. But the trees in the forest, which were
intertwined with one other, were able to bend and support each other in the
mighty wind. They did not break or fall! The tree-homes of the tree spirits in
the villages, towns and cities were utterly destroyed. Left with no choice,
they gathered their children and returned to the forest.
Back in the forest, they complained
to the wise leader about their misfortune. “This is what happens to arrogant
ones who ignore advice of the wise and go off by themselves,” said the leader
finally when they had finished their stories.
The moral is ✏ Fools are deaf to wise words.
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