The Old Dog Zaporozhian Cossacks – Ukraine There was once a man who had a dog. While the dog was young he was made much of, but when he grew old he was driven out of doors. So he went and lay outside the fence, and a wolf came up to him and said:…
Fire on the Mountain Ethiopia During his adolescence Amadi had heard his father say many times: ‘Have no master or boss, always try to work for yourself, for few are just men who treat those under their command well’. Yes, he had many times heard those words from his father, but he had never…
Red River and Tengtiao River Hani People – China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam Grandfather Sun rose above the horizon to behold the proud ridges and forests of Mount Ailao, between the Yungui Plateau and the Hengduan Mountains. But he was disappointed to find that many of the forests and valleys were shrouded in…
No Brains Maghreb Sufism – Tunisia and Algeria One day Ŷḥā saw a group of neighbours pass by, all dressed in colourful clothes, carrying banners, and armed to the teeth. ‘Where are you going dressed like this?’ asked Ŷḥā, in amazement. ‘We’re going to war!’ answered one of them. ‘A neighbouring emir is offending…
The King and the Fear Taoism – China A king famed for his courage and equanimity lost almost his entire kingdom and every last one of his soldiers as a result of the violent attacks and plundering of barbarian hordes. He had only two servants left, and his castle was the last bastion that…