Once upon a time, in very ancient times, an orphan, the boy Badma, lived with an old man. Nobody knew who Badma’s parents were, but the old man didn’t care. Badma lived and lived and called the old man uncle.
One day Badma was playing with other guys on the road. They built a city and built it out of sticks and stones so that it could not be walked or driven through. And at this time a cart was driving along the road, and a lama was sitting on the cart. The lama saw that the guys were blocking the road with their buildings, he got angry and began shouting:
- Hey, kids! Why are you playing on the road? Everything was blocked off. Remove it immediately, or I'll rip your ears off!
The children got scared and ran away, but Badma did not run away and was not afraid. Asked the lama:
“Does it happen that a city gives way to a man?” A man travels around the city.
Lama couldn’t find an answer and drove around the children’s building. He drove around, drove on and thought: “How can this be? I, the wise lama, was unable to answer the boy. Now everyone will say: “Our lama is stupider than a child!” Well, wait a minute! Tomorrow I’ll show you how to talk to a lama!” The lama became very angry and the next morning he went to the yurt where Badma lived.
He drove up and saw: the old man and Badma were plowing the land on oxen. The Lama called Badma and asked:
- Hey, boy! How many times have you walked around your plot with a plow?
Badma thought and replied:
– I didn’t count. But no more than your horse took steps from home.
And again the lama could not find what to answer the boy and this made him even more angry. And then, as luck would have it, I saw Badma’s uncle chuckling. The lama became completely angry, drove up to the old man and said:
“Milk the bull this evening and prepare some curdled milk for me.” I'll come tomorrow, give it to me. If you don’t do it, I’ll take the bull.
The old man didn’t know how to tell the lama that he couldn’t milk the bulls, and when he did, the lama had already left. Badma saw that his uncle was sad, came up to him and asked:
- What's wrong with you, uncle?
“The lama told me to milk the bull and make curdled milk from its milk.” If I don’t do it, he’ll take the bull away. What should I do?
- Don't be sad, uncle! - said Badma. – Tomorrow I’ll talk to the lama myself.
In the morning the lama arrived at the old man’s yurt. Badma was sitting at the entrance. The Lama strictly ordered him:
- Call your uncle!
- He can’t do it now, wise lama! – Badma answered.
- How can you not do this when I order?
“We have a bull calving, good lama.” His uncle helps him.
- Stupid boy! There has never been such a thing before when bulls calved. You're lying!
“Holy Lama, but you yourself ordered the bull to be milked and the curdled milk to be made for you.” So uncle is trying for you. As soon as the bull calves, his uncle will milk it and make curdled milk.
And once again the lama could not find an answer to Badma, he became even angrier and ordered the old man to come to him immediately. When he arrived, the lama said:
- I need ash rope. Pluck it from the ashes and bring it to me. I'll give you three rams. If you don't put together a rope, don't bring it to me, I'll take your yurt.
The old man thought for a long time about how to tell the lama that a rope cannot be made from ashes. Finally I thought of it, I wanted to say it, but the lama was no longer at home - he left.
Badma saw that his uncle returned, very saddened by something, and asked him:
- What's wrong with you, uncle?
“The lama told me to make a rope out of ash and bring it to him.” He will give three rams. If I don’t bring it, he’ll take the yurt and all the junk. What should I do?
“Go to bed, uncle,” Badma advised. - And tomorrow you will give the lama the ash rope.
The old man went to bed, and Badma collected straw and twisted it into a long rope. Early in the morning I woke up the old man and told him:
- Take this rope, uncle, and take it to the lama. Spread it near the yurt and set it on fire at both ends. When the straw burns, call the llama to take the rope.
The old man took the rope, went to the lama and did everything as Badma ordered. when the straw was burned, he called the lama and said:
– Wise Lama, I have fulfilled your order. Give me three sheep, please, and take the rope. And if you still need ash ropes, I will weave them at a reasonable price.
The Lama quickly gave the old man three rams and sent him out. And then he prayed for a long time, thanking the gods that he got off so cheaply.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru