STORYTIME: THE WIND AND THE MOON

STORYTIME: THE WIND AND THE MOON

Kristin Lisenby Kristin Lisenby
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The Wind And the Moon

Many, many moons ago, a lion and tiger lived beneath the shade of a great rock.

They were unlikely friends, but friends they were. When other animals taunted their friendship and insisted it would end in heartbreak, they tossed their worries to the wind. The lion and tiger had been friends since childhood. They were content living side-by-side beneath the great rock, and as far as they were concerned, that’s all that mattered.

And perhaps that unwanted attention was born from envy. The lion and tiger were best friends, nearly inseparable. They spent their days smiling and engrossed in conversations that went nowhere and everywhere at once. The tiger would speak about ideas, choices, consequences, and what the point of life might be. The lion would listen and share theories about purpose, dreams, and what could lie beyond.

It goes without saying that the lion and tiger were philosophical creatures, perhaps in part, because the shady rock housed a third roommate – a monk.

The monk was human, of course, a hermit who said very little. He preferred to listen and contemplate the words of others instead of interjecting to solicit advice. But even though he didn’t say much, the lion and tiger knew he was the wisest of the three.

So when the best friends got into a disagreement (which was rare but did happen every so often), they turned to the monk.

On one such occasion, the lion spoke with the tiger about the moon. He said, “Everyone knows that the cold comes when the moon wanes from full to new.”

The lion chuckled and said, “Oh no, you’re mistaken. It’s quite the opposite – the cold comes when the moon waxes from new to full.”

This debate went round and round until the lion and tiger grew hostile and began insulting the others’ intelligence. The neighboring animals gathered to watch the argument, snickering and choosing sides. They believed that they were finally going to prove themselves right – a tiger and a lion cannot be friends.

With the argument escalating and no compromise in sight, the lion and tiger turned to the one who had yet to interject: their roommate, the monk.

When they explained to the monk about the moon, the cold, and who believed what, the man didn’t say anything for a while. He sat and contemplated their question, looking back and forth between the two friends, then up to the sky and back down towards the earth.

Finally, the hermit spoke:

“The cold can come at any phase of the moon, be it dark, full, or new. It’s the wind that brings the cold, whether from west or north or east. Therefore, both of you are right and neither is wrong. Because of this, no one is defeated by the other.”

The lion and tiger were silent, both embarrassed by the harsh words they’d hurled at one another only moments before.

The monk continued, “You two have been friends for ages, so when you disagree about things (which will happen from time to time), instead of focusing on separation, consider how conflict unites us. Notice your differences, but don’t feel compelled to force the other to agree with you.”

The lion was overcome with emotion and embraced his friend. The pair returned to their home beneath the great rock and soon, they were smiling and laughing as if nothing had happened. That evening, as they sat watching the night sky, they pondered how the weather, like the moon, is always changing – but the love we have for one another is everlasting.

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This retelling was inspired by and adapted from the Jataka Tale, The Wind and the Moon.

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