书城传记聆听史诗丛书-格萨尔王传:英文
15925200000061

第61章 The Lion King and His...(2)

The seven sisters paled with shock at the news. It was the queen’s body that endangered the people of Gyayo! The demon’s body must be destroyed. The seven sisters and Princess Ngagungco discussed if they should invite King Gesar of Ling for help. But the problem was how to inform him? The seven sisters advised the princess to ask her father if she could leave on a journey. She could tell him she was going to Wutaishan Mountain to pray and fast for her mother. In this way, she could manage to send the information to King Gesar.

King Garlha Kengung was very pleased with his daughter’s filial piety and granted her request. The only problem was that the princess must be back within 21 days.

The princess and the seven sisters went to Wutaishan Mountain. They put offerings before the Statue of Wisdom Buddha and prayed. Late at night, Princess Ngagungco finished a letter and sewed it on black satin with gold thread. Then she summoned the pigeons, which symbolize longevity, to deliver the letter to the Ling area.

Looking at the pigeons flying towards the State of Ling, Princess Ngagungco and the seven sisters started back for Gyayo happy and secure.

At this particular period of time, King Gesar was cultivating himself alone. When twilight glowed, a white light shone through the window. Gesar gazed at it and saw Aunt Norman Garmo riding on a white lion. She revealed a prophecy to Gesar:

“Queen Nyima Trichi of Gyayo has been dead for a long time and her body is putting the common people into peril. If she revives, she will become the enemy of all flesh. Her body must be burnt this year or you will lose the chance forever and she will be back. The pigeons and the wind will bring you a message from Gyayo.”

In the middle of the day when all the officials were present, the Lion King, sitting on his throne, spoke about his aunt’s prophecy.

“My aunt Norman Garmo ordered us to go on an expedition in her prophecy. The people of Gyayo have been plunged into an abyss of misery. The King of Gyayo is sadly guarding his demon wife’s body all day every day and I should go there to free him from his meaningless sorrow. All of you need to garrison each road to watch the pigeons and wind right now. The one who finds the letter from Gyayo must send it to me without any delay.”

Dainma and Zhaotoin were ordered to patrol the Shashan Mountains standing at the border between Gyayo and Ling. Some eight days had passed by before they saw three pigeons flying from the white cloud road. It was at noon of the 8th day. The pigeons flew away in a rush after they left the golden letter. Zhaotoin picked up the letter quickly and opened it behind Dainma’s back. After he took out a string of pearls and a silk hada scarf enclosed in the letter, he returned to Ling to give it to Gesar.

When King Gesar had taken the letter from Zhaotoin, he praised him for his loyal service. Then suddenly he frowned. Why? Because he couldn’t read the words in the letter and could not understand what it was in it. None of the officials present could read it. The Lion King was so anxious about this that he announced that anyone who could read the letter would be well rewarded.

Zhaotoin replied to him at once:

“Your Majesty, please excuse me for speaking out. I know that if I don’t say it I will be out of order, but at the same time if I tell the truth I’m afraid I’ll go against the Queen’s wishes. The letter is from Gyayo and is for you. But the only one who can read it is Queen Cholmo because she is the reincarnation of the White Tara.”

Cholmo’s beautiful face was clouded over. She thought to herself: “Zhaotoin is a big mouth. If I don’t read the letter the King will be angry, but if I do, he will leave Ling.”

Cholmo took the letter hesitantly and said:

“Every one has two ears. How to understand it depends on yourself.”

And with that she started to read the letter.

….

King Gesar and his officials learned that the demon’s body was doing great damage to the people in Gyayo. They needed the State of Ling to help them clear away the demon. However, the things used for subduing the demon were weird. They included pigtails made of green, white, red, yellow and black turquoise, 18 coral cassocks, 30 pairs of rainbow boots, an eruptive bag that could be tied and untied and a stone pot that could boil water. In addition, there was the need to have a bowl of crane’s blood when they fought with each other; a bowl of tears of the cranes when they sobbed; the bone of a louse which had to be from the wrist to the elbow in length; a cup of nosebleed of ants.… And the very necessary one was a three-section paw made from bamboo, which was essential for them to beat the enemy and subdue the demon….

After Cholmo finished the letter, everyone was stunned. They had never heard of these things before. Where were these things? Cholmo was very happy with King Gesar’s uneasiness. She thought he would stay in the Ling area.

Cholmo, on seeing the Lion King stumped by these requirements, wore a complacent smile. Surprisingly, Chin’en said that these items were available in the Moya State but Moya was an enemy of Ling. “Your Majesty should tell us how to get there and take these things.”

Mesa said she could get the three-section bamboo paw with her other six sisters. Gesar was delighted. He told them to be careful.

They nodded. The seven sisters then turned into seven golden eagles and flew towards Moya.

Mesa found the three-section bamboo paw very soon after they came to Moya. So, the seven sisters flew back happily. When they arrived at the foot of the Gungri Anchin Snow Mountain, they landed on Datan close to Tanchin, to take a rest. Cholmo and the other sisters were thrilled with joy. They had never thought they could find and get the paw so quickly and so easily. Then they forgot Mesa’s warning that they couldn’t show their true figures, and turned back into themselves and began dancing happily on Datan.

It was too late for Mesa to stop them. A guard, purple in the face, riding on a roc, with a huge stone in his hand, swooped down upon Mesa. He was King Ganggyi Trigyi who guarded the gate to Moya. Mesa, panic-stricken, came up with an idea: