Storieo

Tag: fable

  • Gods of Rain

    Gods of Rain

    Chaac and Tlaloc, two gods of rain for two tribes were as similar and as different to each other as they could be.

     

    In the Pre-Colombian Mesoamerican traditional religious beliefs, Chaac and Tlaloc are two important deities associated with rain and fertility. Whereas Chaac is worshipped by the Mayans, Tlaloc is by the Aztecs.

    The Mayans are a group of people who are aboriginal to Mesoamerica. They populate Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador and Honduras. The Aztecs are a group of people of a specific ethnic group of Central Mexico, who mainly spoke the Nahuati language. Though both these gods are portrayed to play the same function in both the societies.

    But they are quite different in other aspects of life like the animals they are associated with. Chaac is said to have the power over the rain and agriculture and fertility.

    He is said to be have four incarnations linked to the four cardinal directions with relation to the colours green, red, white and black respectively.

    Chaac is known to be one of the oldest Mayan deities and is illustrated as a human with animal features, that of an amphibian, i.e. with scales over his body, a long-curly nose and a large, protruding lower lip. He is also said to bear a stone axe which he uses to generate rain and thunder by striking the clouds with it.

    Among the many rituals that were to be done so as to please the rain god, the most intriguing one would be the sacrifice of four boys for the four cardinals, chanting as frogs for rain and better crops. It is believed that since Chaac was helped by four dwarfs in the time of distress, the sacrificial offering of children is preferred. In some traditions, it is presumed that there were demigods, known as Chaacob and to humans, they appeared as dwarfs or giants.

    Chaacs’ alter ego, Tlaloc is said to be the god of rain and fertility and vegetation for the Aztecs. He is considered as the ruler of the 3rd sun and has been portrayed as a human with circles around his eyes and fangs like that of a jaguar, with skin, the colour dirty yellow. Tlaloc is often associated with the mountains and is said to have a group of demigods, known as the Tlaloque.

    Tláloc is also said to have had two wives: first Xochiquetzal, the flower and fertility goddess but she was abducted by Tezcatlipoca. Later, he took a second wife, Matlalcueitl, another rain deity.

    Tlaloc is said to have had both, helpful and harmful aspects. He carried four water jugs: one gave rain, but the others poured disease, frost, and drought onto the world. He is said to create rain by clashing both of his jugs together. Tláloc was also believed to rule the other-worldly paradise of Tlalocán, where the victims of floods, storms and diseases such as leprosy were accepted after death. The deceased bodies were not incinerated but were buried. Just like the other deities,

    Tlaloc also required human sacrifice and priests often offered him the lives of children during the dry season. It was speculated that the tears in the eyes of the children during the sacrifice meant intense rainfall.

  • The Fall and Rise of a Merchant

    The Fall and Rise of a Merchant

    Once there lived a merchant named Vardhamana. He was very rich and prosperous. He was widely known. The king was also aware of his abilities therefore he appointed him as the administrator of the kingdom. Vardhamana have the abilities to keep others happy by his intelligence. He keeps common happy and at the same time he also impressed the king.

    Days passed away and there comes a day when the merchant’s daughter gets married. He arranged a grand reception. He invited king and the queen along with entire royal family. He also invited all the respected people of the kingdom. He arranged all the facilities for their guests and also ensured about it. In respect for their guest for attending the reception party he also gave them return gift.

    After some time a servant of the royal palace come there and sat on the seat reserved for nobles. He was not invited in the party. Seeing the servant the merchant got very angry. He insulted him and thrown him out.

    The servant felt very insulted and want to revenge from the merchant. He thought if he can do such a thing by which the faith of the king from merchant gone away. Thinking in such a way he made a plan.

    After many days the servant got the opportunity. He was sweeping the floor of the king’s room. He knew that the king was still awake so he started mumbling, ‘‘Oh god what happened in this palace. The merchant has now become so carefree that he dared to embrace the queen.” The king got angry after listening it and shouted on the servant. He asked him whatever he said was it true. Have you seen it with your own eyes?

    The servant starts pretending. He fell on the feet of the king and said forgive me my king for whatever i said. I don’t know what I have been mumbling. I was gambling all night so i did not sleep at night. And now i feel very drowsy. The king did not say any words to the servant but he thought that it can be true. The servant knew that he done his job. He sowed the seed of distrust.

    After that day the king did not trust the merchant and filled with jealousy and anger. He ordered the guards not to enter the merchant in the palace.

    One day when the merchant was trying to entering the gate of the palace guards stopped him. The merchant got surprised that suddenly what happened to the king. Why he did so. The servant was present nearby he mockingly shouted on the guards, “Ho Guards! What you did. You did not know he is a powerful person and king’s favourite also. He has the power to people arrested or released. He even thrown out peoples just like he thrown out me of his daughter’s reception.

    After hearing this merchant understood the whole matter. He felt very insulted and returned home. He made a plan and invited the servant to his home. He flattened him with gifts and garments and treated him as a respectable person. He apologised for his misbehaviour of that day. He said kindly, “O friend, that day I did not have you thrown out due to anger, but it was due to you to occupy the seat reserved for the royal nobles. They felt very insulted, and out of compulsion I had to throw you out. Please forgive me.”

    The servant got flattened by the merchant and felt very respected. He forgave him. He ensured the merchant that he made the king as before towards him. And the servant went back home.

    Next morning when he sweeping the floor of the palace he waited for the king half awake. After few moments he got the opportunity and he started mumbling again as before, “Our king is crazy, he eats cucumber in the lavatory!”

    After hearing this king got angry and shouted at the servant, “What nonsense do you talk about. Have you ever seen me doing such thing yourself?” Once again the servant fell on his knees and requested the king, “O king, please forgive me if I said something improper. I was gambling all last night and didn’t sleep. I feel drowsy and I don’t know what I have been mumbling.”

    The king thought this servant is a fool. Whatever he mumbled about me is ridiculously false. Then it was sure that whatever he mumbled about the merchant was also false. It is not right to mistreat the trusted merchant. He thought the merchant has done a lot for the kingdom. He control the whole administrative system efficiently and without him it has become diminished.

    Thus the king invited the merchant to the palace and flattened him with gifts, jewels and other precious things. He reappointed him at his post and favoured him as before.

    The wise indeed say:

    One should treat all with respect even the lowest.

     

  • The foolish sage

    The foolish sage

    Once upon a time there lived a sage named Deva Sharma. He lived in a huge temple that was present in the outer area of a town. He was widely known and a respectable person. People often visited him for his blessing. They offer him many things such as gifts, food, money. The sage did not caring the emotions of peoples and sold the things which were not of his use.

    Nobody knew that he did not trust any person. He kept all his money in a bag and carried it with him all time.

    One day a swindler came across the sage and he realised that surely this bag contain a lot of money. He planned for stealing the bag but he did not get a suitable idea for stealing the bag. So he decided to charm the sage by his sweet words and to convince the sage to accept him as his disciple. He thought when he win the confidence of the sage he also get an opportunity to steal the bag.

    After few days the swindler approached the sage with the words Om Namah Shivaya. He fell on the feet of sage and said please guide my Gurudev. I distracted from the right path of the life please help me. I want peace in my life. After listening these words the sage blessed him and assured him to guide him.

    This was the opportunity the swindler was seeking he said to sage that please accept me as your disciple, Guruji. I will do whatever you tell me to do. The sage accepted him as his disciple on one condition that he wanted to spend the night alone without company. As at night he mediate also. So you will not be allowed to enter the temple at night. You will spend his night at the gate of the temple in a hut. The swindler agreed.

    The sage initiated the rituals and took the swindler as his disciple. The swindler proved himself as an obedient disciple. He helped the sage in all the work of the temple along with massaged his hands and feet. The sage very happy with his disciple but the swindler could not get enough success in his aim.

    Days passed away and swindler started getting frustrated and thought that he did not trust him enough to leave the bag with him.

    He thought if he kills the sage he got success in his motive. Suddenly he saw a young boy who visits the sage. He was the son of one of the sage’s disciple. He came to invite the sage for a ritual ceremony at his home. The sage accepted his invitation.

    After some time sage started off for the town with his swindler. On their way they came across a river and the sage want to relieving himself. He hid the bag in his robe and asked the swindler to look after the robe until he came back.

    This was the opportunity for which the swindler was seeking for a long time. As soon as the sage went behind the bushes, the swindler ran away with the bagful of money. After some time when the sage came back he did not find his disciple around. He got shocked and anxious after not finding his bag. He lost his control and fell down and shouted in anger, “where are you rascal. Why you robbed me”.

    The sage started to follow the footsteps of the swindler but he did not succeed. He understands that he will not be able to catch the swindler. He reached the town and stayed the night in the town. Next morning he returned the temple disappointed, full of sorrow.

    The wise indeed say:

    Do not believe in the sweet words of a swindler.

  • The fighting Goats and the Jackal

    The fighting Goats and the Jackal

    One day while a sage was going through a jungle, he saw two golden rams fighting each other. Even though both were wounded heavily and blood oozing out from their heads and bodies but they did not stop fighting.

    After sometime a jackal was passing by there he was very hungry. He saw bloods around there he suddenly started sucking the blood from the ground. He was so hungry and in too much hurry that he did not caring about the fighting goats.

    After seeing this the sage got surprised and thought that this jackal is such a fool he was so in hurry that he did not care his life. The fighting rams might harm him. But still he continued to licking the blood. After sometime the jackal came nearer to the fighting rams and suddenly they got hurt the jackal. They stuck the head of jackal and he fell down. After few moments jackal lost his life due to severe injuries.

    The wise indeed say:

    Do not close your eyes to the approaching danger due to greed.