A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.
But at least, dear Juliet, the rose has one.
We had just washed down her far too salty vegetables with my far too sweet brownies and settled in for a lengthy conversation. By conversation, I mean her rendition of a Tibetan fairy tale, which she clarified as history, happening in India a long time ago... a story that would last over thirty minutes without the slightest peep from me. But stories are what I love and listening is my thing and I couldn't have been happier with such an indulgence.
Once upon a time there was a prince. He was very generous, so generous in fact that he had the strange perchance of giving away anything anyone asked for. Anything at all. One day he asked his father, the king, if he could invite all the beggars to the palace and give them anything they asked for. The king realized that his son had a generous heart and agreed. Except this one very valuable diamond, everything in our house you are free to give away- said the king to the prince. But if you give that diamond away- warned the king- you will be punished.
So the big day came, the palace was full of beggars and anything they asked for they received from the prince. The pantry was cleaned out in minutes, the royal dressing rooms had scarce a piece of cloth left in them, the walls were bare... in short there was not one thing left that anyone wanted. The prince was so pleased that he had been able to give people everything they asked for. Then, just as sun was setting, a old grisly man appeared at the palace door. The generous prince, never being able to turn anyone away, asked him what he wanted. The man grinned slyly, knowing the prince's weakness, and said: I want the diamond.
The prince thought and thought. All things he gave away but not this one. It didn't seem right to the prince, so he went upstairs and gave the very valuable diamond to the wily beggar and wished him luck.
The prince slept well that night, but the next morning when the king found out his son had given away the one thing he specifically asked him not to, he was furious. In haste and anger, he banished his son to exile in a remote and fearsome place for twelve years. The prince, understanding the price of his generosity for the first time, packed up his belongings to set out. His wife and three children also prepared to come with him. At first the prince refused to take them. However, when he saw their earnest desire to accompany him in his punishment he gave them this ultimatum. If you come with me- said the prince to his wife- you have to understand that if someone asks me for anything I will give it away. Even if they ask for you or the children. The devoted wife readily agreed and off they went.
On their journey the met many beggars and it wasn't long before everything they carried had been given away. The children's feet were blistered, they hadn't eaten in days when three beggars crossed the generous family's path. What do you need? asked the prince to the beggars. Really, we need three servants to help us carry our things because we are old and tired- replied the beggars. The prince looked at his three small children, up at his teary wife, and gave the children away. He had never refused anyone, and he never would.
The prince and his wife carried on. But, though he didn't know, the extremity of his generosity had come up before the gods. The gods wanted to see just how generous he was willing to be. So they transformed into beggars and went to the prince. What do you need? asked the prince when he saw the three false beggars in his path. Your wife- they answered shortly. He squeezed his wife's hand and agreed. And he carried on his way.
The gods were so impressed by this that they allowed his wife to return to him, though he had nothing they provided for him as he made his home in the cave in the remote and fearsome place. For twelve years, he and his wife always had enough to eat, they were never attacked by animals, and their clothes never wore out. When the twelve years was finished the prince and his wife returned to their home, on the way they found their children, now all grown, again. The king had long forgiven his son and there was much rejoicing throughout the land. Even the sly beggar who had caused all the trouble by asking for the valuable diamond in the first place showed up to give the diamond back.
So the big day came, the palace was full of beggars and anything they asked for they received from the prince. The pantry was cleaned out in minutes, the royal dressing rooms had scarce a piece of cloth left in them, the walls were bare... in short there was not one thing left that anyone wanted. The prince was so pleased that he had been able to give people everything they asked for. Then, just as sun was setting, a old grisly man appeared at the palace door. The generous prince, never being able to turn anyone away, asked him what he wanted. The man grinned slyly, knowing the prince's weakness, and said: I want the diamond.
The prince thought and thought. All things he gave away but not this one. It didn't seem right to the prince, so he went upstairs and gave the very valuable diamond to the wily beggar and wished him luck.
The prince slept well that night, but the next morning when the king found out his son had given away the one thing he specifically asked him not to, he was furious. In haste and anger, he banished his son to exile in a remote and fearsome place for twelve years. The prince, understanding the price of his generosity for the first time, packed up his belongings to set out. His wife and three children also prepared to come with him. At first the prince refused to take them. However, when he saw their earnest desire to accompany him in his punishment he gave them this ultimatum. If you come with me- said the prince to his wife- you have to understand that if someone asks me for anything I will give it away. Even if they ask for you or the children. The devoted wife readily agreed and off they went.
On their journey the met many beggars and it wasn't long before everything they carried had been given away. The children's feet were blistered, they hadn't eaten in days when three beggars crossed the generous family's path. What do you need? asked the prince to the beggars. Really, we need three servants to help us carry our things because we are old and tired- replied the beggars. The prince looked at his three small children, up at his teary wife, and gave the children away. He had never refused anyone, and he never would.
The prince and his wife carried on. But, though he didn't know, the extremity of his generosity had come up before the gods. The gods wanted to see just how generous he was willing to be. So they transformed into beggars and went to the prince. What do you need? asked the prince when he saw the three false beggars in his path. Your wife- they answered shortly. He squeezed his wife's hand and agreed. And he carried on his way.
The gods were so impressed by this that they allowed his wife to return to him, though he had nothing they provided for him as he made his home in the cave in the remote and fearsome place. For twelve years, he and his wife always had enough to eat, they were never attacked by animals, and their clothes never wore out. When the twelve years was finished the prince and his wife returned to their home, on the way they found their children, now all grown, again. The king had long forgiven his son and there was much rejoicing throughout the land. Even the sly beggar who had caused all the trouble by asking for the valuable diamond in the first place showed up to give the diamond back.
The light was dim by the time the story finished. Storm clouds promising snowy mountain tops in the morning rolled through and concealed the sky. I stretched. She said: what do you think of this story Ms. Kelly.
I: In the story, there are three gods. What are their names?
She: Names? They don't have names Ms. Kelly.
I: Then how do you know they're real?
She: Names? They don't have names Ms. Kelly.
I: Then how do you know they're real?
