In ancient times, there was a poor beggar who roamed the streets and collected what people gave him. At the end of the day, he went to his hut to place what he had collected all day. But every day he found that what he had placed had decreased. One day he waited in the hut to see who was taking his food. He found a mouse coming and eating from the food, leaving him only eight things. He asked it, “Why do you eat my food every day?” The mouse said to him, “This is your lot! You’ll only get eight things every day.”
The beggar was amazed by the mouse’s words and asked him why. The mouse said to him, “I don’t know. Ask the monk, perhaps he knows.” The beggar decided to go to the monk to ask him. He took his little food and started his journey. After a while, the food ran out. The beggar felt tired. He found a house in front of him. He knocked on the door. The owner of the house opened it. The beggar told him that he was a traveler and needed some rest.
The owner of the house brought him in, prepared the best food for him, and sat with him at the table. He asked him about the place he wanted to go to. He said to him that he was going to the monk to ask him a question. The man’s wife was present. She said to the beggar, “Can you ask him another question for me?” He said to her, “Of course.”
She said to him, “I have an only daughter who has grown up and hasn’t spoken all her life. Can you ask him how to make her speak?” When the beggar rested, he thanked the owners of the house and left to complete his journey. He walked for a long time until he reached highlands and rough mountain chains. He stood looking at what he could do to cross those mountains.
While he was waiting, a magician passed by him and asked him why he was standing like this in this desolate place. He said to him that he wanted to cross these mountains to reach the monk because he wanted to ask him a question. The magician said to him, “I’ll carry you on my magic staff and transport you across the mountains. But can you convey a question to ask the monk when you see him?” The beggar said, “Of course.”
The magician said to him, “I’ve been trying to fly to reach the sky for a thousand years, but I haven’t succeeded so far. Can you ask him the reason?” The beggar reached the end of the mountain, thanked the magician, and continued on his way until he reached a deep river. He sat looking at the river, thinking how he would cross this deep river without a boat, and he didn’t know how to swim.
Suddenly, a huge turtle came swimming in the river and asked him, “Why do you sit like this on the river looking sad?” He said to her that he wanted to cross the river to reach the monk because he wanted to ask him a question, but the river was deep, and he couldn’t swim. The turtle said to him that she would carry him on her back and transport him to the other bank of the river, but she wanted him to ask the monk a question. She had been trying to become a dragon for five thousand years but hadn’t succeeded and wanted to know the reason.
When the beggar reached the shore, he thanked the turtle and continued on his way until he reached the monk’s home. When he entered, the monk asked him the reason he had come. He said to him that he had traveled a long distance because he wanted to ask him several questions. The monk said to him that he would only answer three questions. The beggar thought a little. He wanted to ask four questions, but he found his companions’ questions more important than his question. In the end, he got food, even if little, so he decided to present their questions to him only.
He asked him about the turtle. The monk said to him that the turtle must remove her shell to turn into a dragon. As for the magician, he constantly carries his staff and doesn’t leave it. He plants it in the ground, and to fly and reach the sky, he must leave his staff. As for the girl, she will speak when she sees her future husband.
The beggar returned and told the turtle the monk’s words. She removed her shell and immediately turned into a dragon. The shell was full of pearls. She gave them to the beggar because she no longer needed them. The beggar carried the pearls and walked until he reached the magician. He told him the monk’s words. He acted on the advice and found himself flying. He gave his magic staff to the beggar because he no longer needed it. The beggar rejoiced because he now owned wealth and power and no longer needed anything else.
Then he completed his journey until he reached the home of the people who had hosted him to tell them what the monk had said. When he entered, he said to them, “Your daughter will speak when she sees her future husband.” At that moment, the daughter came out of her room. When she saw the beggar, she spoke and said, “Who is this young man?” Her parents rejoiced greatly and knew that the beggar was their daughter’s future husband. He married her. Thus, the beggar realized that when he helped others, he got everything in the end.
Translated from: Buddha and the Beggar