The Invisible Hunters Miskito People – Nicaragua / Honduras What I am going to tell you was narrated by my grandmother, but her grandmother told it to her and she … well, you know! The people of the river and the people of the beach from the Miskito culture have this in common: that…
The Deer King of the Banyan Indian Buddhism In one of his previous incarnations, the Buddha incarnated in the form of a deer in a forest near Kashi, which later received the name of Varanasi or Benares. Over the years, he grew into a beautiful, golden stag. His eyes shone like two stars, his…
The Sufi and the Sultan Persian Sufism – Iran A darwish, who had taken a vow of loneliness and had cut himself off from the world was living in a desert when the caravan of the sultan passed by. The darwish was, at that moment, submerged in deep contemplation, so he did not notice…
The People Who Hugged the Trees Bishnoi (Hinduism) A long time ago, in a village in northern India, in Rajasthan, lived a young woman named Amrita Devi, who loved trees. Her village was on the borders of the Tar desert, but it was protected from the harshness of the desert by a small forest…
The Elephant and the Hummingbird China Once upon a time, an elephant was walking with weary steps down a road in a great jungle in south-eastern China when, suddenly, he shaw a tiny hummingbirg in the middle of the road. The bright little bird was absolutely motionless, belly up, with her legs stretched skyward.…
The Heaviest Burden Batak People – Indonesia ‘Everybody has her burden, but the heaviest burden is for the small and the low.’ On the island of Sumatra there was a majestic mango tree. It had heavy branches that rose like arms to the sky and thick foliage from which hung large and fleshy…
Lot’s Dilemma Palestine Before dying, Abraham had taken three saplings from the tamarisks that he had planted near his well in Beersheba to his nephew Lot. He had asked Lot to plant these saplings in Jerusalem, and to take care of them, so that the living work of his hands could survive in the…
It is Not Our Problem Myanmar, Thailand, Iran, Armenia The king and his prime minister were looking at the city from a palace window. It was the beginning of summer and the prosperous city, envy of the neighbouring kingdoms, looked majestic from the height of the palace. Both leaders observed the life in the…
Love for All the Creatures Christianity When he [Francis of Assisi] washed his hands, he chose a place where the water of these ablutions should not be trodden by his feet. When he had to walk on stones, his step was gentle and respectful for the love of the one who is called stone.…
The Ten Thousand Creatures of the Universe Taoism Mr. T’ien, of the Ch’i State, was holding an ancestral banquet in his hall, to which a thousand guests were bidden. As he sat in their midst, many came up to him with presents of fish and game. Eyeing them approvingly, he exclaimed with unction: ‘How…