change of heart – almost like a person in an animal’s body – and
quickly thrust its tusks into the middle of that clump of bamboo,
standing very still. Clearly it seemed to be telling us: ‘You little
brothers can come now. Big brother won’t do anything. Big brother
has put away his weapons. Believe me, come along.’ “
Ãcariya Mahã Thong Sak then teased Ãcariya Khao:
“Ãcariya Khao is really amazing, speaking with an animal as
though it was just another human being: ‘Big brother, your little
brothers are frightened and dare not pass. Please make way so that
we can go by without fearing big brother.’ As soon as it received
this bit of flattery, it was so pleased that it immediately prepared
to make way for us. But this little brother was really clumsy. I got
past big brother only to get my umbrella hook caught up in the
bamboo. Try as I might I couldn’t get it free. It was determined to
keep me there with big brother. My heart sank at that moment –
I was afraid that big brother wouldn’t play fair.”
Ãcariya Mun laughed heartily hearing Ãcariya Mahã Thong
Sak teasing Ãcariya Khao about being clever enough to talk to an
elephant. He assured them that he had been paying attention to
the elephant’s mental state.
“Of course I was focusing my attention there. I’ve read the
minds of birds and monkeys with far less reason than this. This
was a matter of life and death, how could I avoid it?”
Ãcariya Mahã Thong Sak wanted to know what the ele-
phant was thinking when Ãcariya Mun focused on it.
“When it first heard us, it was startled – that’s why it turned
around so quickly. It thought only of preparing to fight. But seeing
us dressed in yellow robes, it knew instinctively that we could be
trusted, for it’s quite used to seeing monks. Its owner has long
jacob rumans
(Jacob Rumans)
#1