Page 53 - Martial Science Magazine Aug/2016 #16

are all wet and muddy and that without saving even a single middle of the wilderness, the
you have lotuses and water cupful of water, and ordered yakkha appeared on the path
lilies. Did it rain while you were the men to drive on quickly. just as before. The merchant
on the road? Did you come Of course, they did not find noticed his red eyes and
across pools with lotuses and any water, and they were soon fearless manner and suspected
water lilies?” exhausted from thirst. At sunset something strange. “I know
they drew their carts into a circle there is no water in this desert,”
“What do you mean?” the and tethered the oxen to the he said to himself. “Furthermore,
yakkha exclaimed. “Over there wheels, but there was no water this stranger casts no shadow.
is the dark-green streak of a for the weary animals. Without He must be a yakkha. He
jungle. Beyond that there is water, the men could not cook probably tricked the foolish
plenty of water. It is always any rice either. They sank to the merchant, but he doesn’t realize
raining there, and there are ground and fell asleep. As soon how clever I am.”
many lakes with lotuses and as night came, the yakkhas
water lilies.” Then, pretending to attacked, killing every single “Get out of here!” he shouted
be interested in the merchant’s man and beast. The fiends at the yakkha. “We are men of
business, he asked, “What do devoured the flesh, leaving business. We do not throw away
you have in these carts?” only the bones, and departed. our water before we see where
Skeletons were strewn in every more is to come from!”
“Expensive merchandise,” direction, but the five hundred
answered the merchant. carts stood with their loads Without saying any more, the
“What is in this cart which seems untouched. Thus the heedless yakkha rode away.
so heavily laden?” the yakkha young merchant was the sole
asked as the last cart rolled by. cause of the destruction of the As soon as the yakkhas had left,
entire caravan. the merchant’s men approached
“That’s full of water.” their leader and said, “Sir, those
Allowing six weeks to pass men were wearing lotuses and
“You were wise to carry water after the foolish trader had water lilies on their heads. Their
with you this far, but there is no left, the Bodhisatta set out clothes and hair were wringing
need for it now, since water is with his five hundred carts. wet. They told us that up ahead
so abundant ahead. You could When he reached the edge there is a thick forest where it
travel much faster and lighter of the wilderness, he filled his is always raining. Let us throw
without those heavy jars. You’d water jars. Then he assembled away our water so that we can
be better off breaking them and his men and announced, “Let proceed quicker with lightened
throwing the water away. Well, not so much as a handful of carts.”
good day,” he said suddenly, as water be used without my
he turned his carriage. “We must permission. Furthermore, there The merchant ordered a halt
be on our way. We have stopped are poisonous plants in this and summoned all his men.
too long already.” He rode away wilderness. Do not eat any leaf, “Has any man among you ever
quickly with his men. As soon as flower, or fruit which you have heard before today,” he asked,
they were out of sight, he turned never eaten before, without “that there was a lake or a pool
and made his way back to his showing it to me first.” Having in this wilderness?”
own city. thus carefully warned his men,
he led the caravan into the “No, sir,” they answered. “It’s
The merchant was so foolish wilderness. known as the ‘Waterless Desert.’
that he followed the yakkha’s “
advice. He broke all the jars, When they had reached the

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