Vagaries of life

A Tibetan tale that tells you about the dilemmas and difficulties of life.

May 31, 2010 07:26 pm | Updated 07:26 pm IST

nine & a half fingers

nine & a half fingers

IIn a palace faraway in the Himalayas lived a princess who one day wanted to eat apples. The first apples of the season were brought and while the reddest one was being sliced, the maidservant cut the princess' little finger into half. It was for sure an accident but the princess was outraged. She had the maidservant sent to prison and forgot all about her too.

Thus begins the Tibetan tale Nine And a Half Fingers , which takes the reader through some delightfully illustrated pages of colour. The twist to the tale comes when the princess decides to go for a walk in the royal gardens early one morning. Lost in the beauty of every flower, she wanders into the woods. Hungry demons pounce on her to have a meal they have long been waiting for. A human is a good find and they don't want to let go of her. While preparing to take her to the underworld they see her little half finger. Who wants an imperfect meal, they say and let her go. The princess returns to her palace and the first thing she does is set the maidservant free. She even begs for forgiveness when the maidservant tells her that it was good she was imprisoned. Had she been with the princess during her walk, the demons would not have spared her. They both realise how everything in life happens for a purpose.

The story, adapted by Lauren Alderfer, brings out the essence Buddhist teachings are known for. Vandana Bist's miniature painting style combined with Tibetan images showcase the amazing artist that she is, and her specialisation in children's book illustration.

“… from stories children learn about the dilemmas and difficulties that they may face one day. In these ways, stories are a preparation of life,” reads the foreword by The Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje. And the tale does just that.

NINE AND A HALF FINGERS, Paljor Publications Private Ltd, Rs. 395

0 / 0
Sign in to unlock member-only benefits!
  • Access 10 free stories every month
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign-up/manage your newsletter subscriptions with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early access to discounts & offers on our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.

We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of The Hindu and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.