Sunday Parable

The wooden girl

by Prof. Sunanda MAHENDRA

The village carpenter was a highly skilled creator. He would use his instruments to shape any given log of wood into a nice statue. To his credit he had carved statues of kings, queens, gods, goddesses and even ministers and their lackeys. But he was the same old poor man. He also had a few skilled friends who he kept company closely.

The village tailor was one such friend. He was also a skilled person, who could tailor any type of garment quickly. The other one, a jeweller could make ornaments fit for anybody. The other was a Brahmin, a scholar of all ancient charms. They all got together at the carpenter's to discuss something important. "I want to go across the thick jungle to the other side, and make a living there," said the carpenter. "Are you going alone?" asked the tailor. "Unless if you wish to join me," said the carpenter.

"Yes, I should join you." Jeweller and Brahmin scholar asked whether they can join too, and carpenter had no problem. They all knew that the jungle is sometimes full of robber gangs. So they had to be careful about their belongings.

"It will take at least a day to go across the jungle. So we should go in the evening and we can arrive the day after," said the carpenter who knew the way of the jungle. So they kept their belongings with them in tightly clad bags and set on the journey. But the evening turned to dusk too soon.

They decided that they should rest at the night looking after their precious belongings. "Let's take turns to keep vigil. When one is awake, the rest can go to sleep."

Everybody agreed to carpenter's suggestion. Some jungle birds and beasts were asleep while some others like bats and owls were roaming around. The carpenter took the first turn to keep awake, but he wanted something to be occupied with. Luckily he saw a tree with some tough branches spreading down.

He cut out a branch and sat down to make a statue to pass time.

Gradually while chiselling the branch into shape the carpenter could make a wooden maid out of it. He did not feel the lapse of time and put the wooden maid on the floor to wake up the tailor. To his amazement, the tailor saw a beautiful naked wooden statue of a young maiden.

"I must not keep her in this condition. She really needs a good costume. I must make one for her." He opened his bag, pulled out a silken cloth. Then he cut it neatly into a beautiful suit, and dressed with care. "Oh, she looks so pretty, just like a young princess." After awhile the tailor felt the time is up for the jeweller.

"Get up, friend, please. It's your turn now." The jeweller saw the beautiful wooden statues, and was naturally amazed. "This maiden needs some good ornaments. I must adorn her with rich jewellery, for she will look better in it." He made some special ornaments to give her a better look. The tailor woke up the Brahmin after time was up. The scholar Brhamin got up chanting some Veda mantras, normally recited by him when he wakes up. He was used to this to keep awake.

Then he saw the pretty wooden statue of the maid, and had a close look at it. "I know what has happened. I think I should give her life. Then she can be our companion." The Brahmin chanted several life-giving stanzas and just before the sunrise, the wooden maiden came to life. "I wish I can make her my life's companion, because she belongs to me."

He said to the others who woke up to see the surprise moment of bliss. "She does not belong to you. She belongs to me," said the carpenter, "because I am the one who formed her with just a log of wood." "But," the tailor said. "I dressed her properly. So naturally..." "No, no you are wrong." the jeweller cut in, "she belongs to me, as it was I who adorned her with the most fitting ornaments." They were all having a verbal dispute which was about to turn into a physical conflict. The Brahmin suggested that they should meet a wise old Judge on their way to the village.

The wise old judge, they met on the way, understood their complaint and then passed a verdict: "The scholarly Brahmin must have given life to the young maid. But you are too old to have her as companion. You are old enough to be her father. The jeweller must have adorned her with the best ornaments.

But a woman doesn't mean ornaments. So you can be her elder brother or uncle. Then we go to the case of the tailor. It is true that you have donned her properly.

But it is not the mere clothes that matter in the life of a woman. So you can be her elder brother or uncle too. Now we come to the very first and the last case. True enough, you have carved a wooden statue. You have proved to be a good creator. Creators are not necessarily the owners of their creations.

And besides, you are too young too. I pronounce that you all shall protect the maid or leave her alone." The four friends were at a loss. "In that case, why won't I get her back to wooden status?" So quipped the Brahmin.