The Hundred Journeys of Lai-Xeng

1. The Hundred Journeys of Lai-Xeng

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   Lai-Xeng and the Ambitious Tradesman
   One day, a tradesman driving a cart to town came upon a river, and this tradesman spied Lai-Xeng upon the bank of this river, deep in thought. The tradesman had heard of Lai-Xeng’s wisdom and fame, and decided he would put a question to the young sage, for this tradesman wished above all to be famous himself. And thus the tradesman approached Lai-Xeng, and asked him plainly:
   “O Lai-Xeng, O motionless Sage, how is it that you are so famous without accomplishing anything? Is it not true that a man’s actions alone will win him all the renown he desires?”
   And Lai-Xeng rose, and plucked a small stone from the riverbank, and cast it into the lazily flowing river. And both men marked the ripples it caused, and Lai-Xeng said:
   “I, Lai-Xeng, have cast the stone that caused these ripples. And this alone is all the renown I desire.”
   And the tradesman bowed his head, and gathered up his reins, and left Lai-Xeng feeling wiser than before.
   
   Lai-Xeng and the Jhen-tse’s Conceited Daughter
   One night, Lai-Xeng was sitting in the garden of a jhen-tse* with whom he was staying the night, and he was observing the white lilies by the light of the moon. And the jhen-tse’s daughter, who had espied the handsome sage and grown enamoured of him, visited him in her father’s garden. And when she saw that Lai-Xeng observed the lilies and gave little thought to her, she cast aside her garment and stood before him, and asked him angrily:
   “O Lai-Xeng, O cold Sage, how is it that you perceive the lily’s smallest petal, yet give no heed to me? Is not the beauty of a lovely woman greater than the beauty of a mere plant?”
   And Lai-Xeng rose, and looked upon the flower and the woman, and not once did his eyes falter. And the woman marked the impartiality of his gaze, and Lai-Xeng said:
   “The beauty of each is great, yet the lily gives no heed to its own beauty. And for this I esteem the plant more than the woman.”
   And the jhen-tse’s daughter bowed her head, and clothed herself, and left Lai-Xeng feeling wiser than before.
   
   Lai-Xeng and the Fierce Robbers
   One day, Lai-Xeng was riding through a forest upon his mare when he came upon a band of robbers lying in ambush for rich tradesmen’s carts. And the robbers spied the sage, and knew him to be the famed Lai-Xeng, and surrounded him and debated whether or not to kill him, for he had no possessions of value. And the leader of the bandits remarked Lai-Xeng indifference, and asked him in surprise:
   “ O Lai-Xeng, O silent Sage, how is it that you do not plead for your life? Is it not true that we are armed and desperate men, safe here from prying eyes, and may slit your throat without hesitation?”
   And Lai-Xeng dismounted, and regarded the men and their weapons, and looked around him. And the robbers marked the many trees in the forest, and Lai-Xeng said:
   “No man will see the deed, yet the trees shall take note of it and remind you forever. And because of this you shall not slit my throat.”
   And the robbers bowed their heads, and cast aside their weapons, and left Lai-Xeng feeling wiser than before.
   
   Lai-Xeng and the Prosperous Pilgrims
   One day, Lai-Xeng was walking in the mountains, and he was met with a lavish caravan of pilgrims, on their way to the holy city to pray. And the pilgrims perceived Lai-Xeng to be in their way, and perceiving who he was, they called to him rudely and ridiculed him and rode their mules towards him so that he fell into the mud by the side of the path. And the pilgrims’ guide approached Lai-Xeng, and asked him in scorn:
   “O Lai-Xeng, O foolish Sage, how is it that you are content to spend your days in the harsh wilds, while we have brought all manner of splendid traveling gear? Is it not true that sleeping mats stuffed with goose down are softer than mud to sleep on?”
   And Lai-Xeng sat down in the mud, and lay back with his eyes closed, and was silent for a while. And the pilgrims marked how tranquil he seemed, and Lai-Xeng said:
   “My cushion is the soil, my roof the sky, and my lullaby the trills of nightingales. And this is why I find the mud to be soft as any dead bird’s feathers.”
   And the pilgrims bowed their heads, and helped the sage out of the mud, and left Lai-Xeng feeling wiser than before.
   
   Lai-Xeng and the Weeping Widow
   One morning, Lai-Xeng was washing his face in a stream when he noticed an old widow by the side of the water, weeping in such a way that her tears fell upon the surface of the water and scattered her reflection. And the woman spied Lai-Xeng, and knew him for the sage he was. And the unhappy widow told Lai-Xeng of how she was struck with a sudden fear of dying, and asked him in sorrow:
   “O Lai-Xeng, O passive Sage, how is it that you give so little thought to death? Is it not true that we are cursed with but one short life to spend in this world?”
   And Lai-Xeng drew forth water from the stream with his hands, and let it pour back slowly. And the woman marked the flow of the water, and Lai-Xeng said:
   “Every drop of this life can be spent in sadness or happiness, but it cannot be retrieved. And this is why I look not towards my death, but towards my life.”
   And the widow bowed her head, and dried her tears, and left Lai-Xeng feeling wiser than before.
   
   *Jhen-tse: In the Jutan Kingdoms, every village in a city-state is overseen by a local magistrate, called a jhen-tse in Jutanese.

   
   
   I plan on making a whole bunch of these, just for fun... If anybody else wants to write up some of the enlightening escapades of Lai-Xeng - or anyone else, for that matter - feel free, just so long as the basic structure stays similar... :D
   
   ...And of course, comments and criticism and whatnot are welcome.

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