Page 10 - TEARS OF SUFFERING

TEARS OF SUFFERING

well. His decent talk exhibited a refined character. He
swore Zangmo he would treat Ugyen like his own.
Zangmo could see nothing but only the light of truth in
his eyes when he blinked at her, and there was no room
for doubt. So, she tied the knot with him, hoping that he
would look after them well, that her son would have a
better life. But the poor widow didn’t fathom that a bee
that had honey in its mouth had a sting in its tail.

Aku owned a palatial house and acres of land to feed
people forever, but nobody dwelled with him. Strange.
His ex-wife abandoned him for being a dipsomaniac. He
often abused her inebriated state. She could stand it no
more.

Zangmo and her son experienced a great deal of delight
until he showed his true colors. He shouted his lungs out
and slapped the boy out of sheer hatred. Pugnacious Aku
often thrashed his mother if she intervened.

“Ouch, you’re hurting me!” cried the twelve-year-old
boy. His hands shivered in excruciating pain. He kneeled
on his knees, pleading for mercy. “Please don’t beat me,
Aku!”

Aku showed no mercy. “What did you say?” He bolted
the door so the boy didn’t escape. A half-filled bottle of
locally-brewed liquor in his left hand, he unleashed his
herculean strength on the hapless boy. “You rascal!
Spoiled brat!” Dissatisfied, he flew into a fury; he put the

10