Stories about elephant calf Lanchenkar. Ayusha Erdyneev

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      Lanchengen

      “Dad, tell me a tale,” Lanchenkar asked his father Lanchenpo, the King of Hindustan’s elephants.

      “Listen. Once upon a time there lived an elephant named Lanchengen. He was very curious. When he was still a child, he asked his father:

      “What will be tomorrow?”

      “You’ll be one day older,” his father replied.

      “After one year?”, asked Lanchenkar

      “You will be one year older’, answered his father

      “And eighty years later?”

      “I’ll be gone.”

      “And mom?”

      “She’ll be gone too.”

      “What about me? Who will play with me, who will put me to bed, who will tell me bedtime stories?” asked the offended Lanchengen.

      “There are no eternal parents and friends. Parting is inevitable when we grow old and die,” his father reassured him.

      “I don’t like it,” said Lanchengen.

      ***

      Lanchengen pondered over his father’s words. He decided to leave his home and find himself eternal friends. He put his mother’s pie in his knapsack, got his parents’ blessing5 and set out for a journey.

      One day Lanchengen saw a Mountain. It was so high that its peak was invisible. Lanchengen came closer.

      he asked hopefully.

      said the Mountain, emerging from clouds.

      The indefatigable Lanchengen continued his way. Finally, he came to the edge of the earth where the boundless Ocean noisily played with blue waves.

      “Blue-eyed Brother Ocean, cheers!

      “Dire necessity brings me here.

      “Tell me in so many words:

      “Are you immortal in this world?”

      asked Lanchengen.

      “I am so sorry to say

      “I am not immortal, nay!

      “Go to my Brother Wind,

      “I have heard he has that gift,”

      answered the gray Ocean.

      Lanchengen continued his way. He met the Wind.

      “Brother Wind,

      “You are strong and full of zeal,

      “Tell me in so many words:

      “Are you immortal in this world?”

      “I am so sorry to say,

      “I am not immortal, nay!

      “If I were, it would be fun.

      “Go ask my brother Sun,”

      replied the Wind.

      “Brother Sun, O Brother Sun,

      “That sends golden rays down,

      “Tell me in so many words,

      “Are you immortal in this world?”

      Lanchengen asked the Sun shining on tree tops.

      “I am so sorry to say

      “I am not immortal, nay!

      “To my Father Heaven go,

      “He may be immortal, you know,”

      the Sun replied.

      Lanchengen continued his quests. He had trodden the Earth, the Mountains and the Clouds until he met Heaven.

      “Heaven, the Father of ages,

      “The most exalted of all sages,

      “Tell me in so many words:

      “Are you immortal in this world?”

      asked Lanchengen. By now, he almost lost hope of finding immortal friends.

      “Rejoice, O Wanderer, immortal I am!

      “I do have all Time on my hands.

      “I know not a cycle of births and deaths.

      “All transformations I do, yes!”

      Heaven replied.

      “I am glad you are the one

      “I looked for tirelessly,

      “I want to be your friend

      “And live on gloriously,”

      said the inspired Elephant and heard this:

      “What’s required is self-denial,

      “No property of any kind.

      “You’ll be a loadstar for lost souls

      “And will acquire a peace of mind.

      “Your faithful guides

      “Will be love and compassion.

      “They’ll lead you to infinity.

      “And you will rise as a shining star,

      “Your reward will be Eternity.”

      Lanchengen fancied his future life on the Earth and realized that the Heaven had offered him the most rewarding way.

      ***

      Lanchengen’s parents waited and waited for their son. His mother cried her eyes out. When one night she saw a bright star in the sky, she knew that her son had achieved the desired goal.

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