Namaste, Welcome to SAM-VAD (Together In Conversation), today we will share this tale from the book Kalila Wa Dimna by Ramsay Wood, where he brings some of the ancient and timeless tales to life once again.
Also as we begin today ‘let us remember this about ‘Attention’. Our life experience would ultimately amount to whatever we had paid attention to. Attention: is important and most of the times we are so indifferent to it. It is as fundamental as food; and we go blundering about, seeking ways to assuage the craving, instead of learning how to provide ourselves with what we need, sensibly and calmly. We feed the hunger blindly. Once the mechanism is brought to our attention and we begin to study it, it is as if a veil has been stripped off ordinary life, and we become freer in our action and choices.
ROUGH STUFF AND THE NUN
‘A rather serious and exacting pot-bellied ogre named Rough Stuff once lived in a forest, hidden among the leafy branches of the trees. One day a demure Nun wandered dreamily by, deep in meditation, when Rough Stuff leaped onto her shoulders, terrifying the holy lady half out of her wits. She thrashed about, and screamed, but it did her no good. She couldn’t throw him off.
“You’re mine, darling,” growled the fiend, squeezing her neck between his thighs, “so get a move on, horse-girl – follow the road straight ahead.” Rough Stuff was no featherweight, and the poor lady staggered forward with what felt like a boulder upon her back.
Although she couldn’t see his face, she was sure it must be hideous if the ugly feet that dangled over her shoulder were anything to go by. His toes were terribly twisted (it would be too disgusting to mention their gnarled nails, or, for that matter, their cheesy smell), but what our struggling yet observant nun further noticed was the unexpectedly clean and pale skin surrounding these revolting appendages. It looked as soft as a lily petal, which seemed most unusual for an ogre.
Though short of breath, she diplomatically sought to engage him in conversation as they trotted erratically along: “Why are your feet so beautifully tender?” she asked.
“Because,” he answered gruffly, “I have taken a solemn vow never to sully them upon our wretched earth. Which is why I need you, my dear, for transport. I may be an ugly cuss, but I also possess ethereal qualities, you know – non-demonic sensitivities.” He paused, careful not to boast away the very subject of his pride.
The burdened nun struggled on, racking her brains for a way to escape. She felt sure that blind obedience to Rough Stuff’s every whim would meet an unpleasant end – and soon.
Before long, they came to a lake, and Rough Stuff commanded her to enter carefully into the shallows. When the water reached her ankles, the ogre leaped off with a splash.
“Look here. Missy,” he said shaking a fore-finger in her horrified face, “I’m having a swim and performing my ablutions in honour of my twin gods Wellbeing and Lifestyle. You wait here till I finish, and then we’ll be on our way.”
“Yes, sir,” said the nun, for she understood the value of instant obedience under such circumstances. But while Rough Stuff splashed about in the distance enjoying himself, she thought again:
“Why on earth must I stand here like a ninny waiting for a pot-bellied ogre to jump back on my back? If his feet can’t touch the ground, why should I worry?”
Without further hesitation, this nun hoisted her habit, scrambled out of the shallows and fled, leaving the foiled ogre behind her, shouting in vain for her to come back.
Excerpt from Doctor’s orders:
I must emphasize this last point: my stories require, at this stage, no extra commentary, wretched imaginings, or vapid guesswork by you, me, or anyone else. The very worst would be that of moralizing away the effective substance. Thus the urge to tag tidy little rationalizations, persuasive formulas, intellectual summaries, symbolical labels, or any other convenient pigeon-holing device, must be steadfastly resisted. Mental encapsulation perverts the medicine, rendering it impotent. It amounts to a bypass around the story’s true destination; to explain away is to forget. Thus, let the stories which you can remember do their own work by their very diversity. Familiarize yourself with them.
Kalila Wa Dimna; Vol.2 – Ramsay Wood
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