How pig earns money

“Hello everyone,” I said when I arrived at the pond.

“Hello,” they said in an unhappy voice.

“What's wrong?” 

They took a loud sigh.

“Who dies?”

“Perhaps all of us die,” they said.

I tried my eyebrows because I didn't understand.

“We heard our masters’ discussion. They said they are having financial problems. If this issue continues longer, they would probably have no ability to raise us.”

All of them sobbed.

“I see.” I wagged my head. “It's about money.”

“If I were a human, I would help my master find money,” cow said.

“Me too,” duck said.

“Us too,” twin piggies said.

“Ha ha…” I laughed. “If you were a human, why wouldn't you find money for yourself?”

“Right.” two piggies nodded.

“Let's imagine for fun,” duck said. “If we could transform to be a human, how could we find money?”

“If we don't have even a penny and we want money, there are two ways we can earn it,” I said.

“What's that?” All of them said.

“First, we go to work for the person who has money. Second, we take from nature.”

“I understand the first point, but the second point…” cow said.

“Nature includes sun, wind, land, water, trees etc. We can benefit from those things. For example, growing vegetables to sell, picking fruits to sell.”

All of them wagged their heads, “I see, I see.”

Pig protects himself

“Pig,” cow said, “I saw a dog house in your yard, but I never saw it. Is it inside?”

“Yes, he is inside,” I said. 

“Why don’t you call him to get out?” 

“I did, but he is shy, he doesn’t like to meet anyone because he is afraid of everyone mocking his body size.” 

“Is he big?” 

I nodded and told, “He isn’t big, he is so big” while my ears noticed a low pitch howling of a wolf from inside the jungle.

Crow needs loyal friend too

Caw, caw.

I opened the door and put a rose apple on a table in my front yard.

The crow flew to stand on the table and ate the fruit while I was laying in a lounge next to the table.

“Since I knew you, you are alone. Don't you have friends?” I said.

“I ever had it but now I don't have it and I don't want to have it,” crow said.

“Why?”

“Because they were my friends but I was not their friends.”

“Can you tell your story?”

The crow took the rose apple a few bites, then she told, “When we went to find food, they always asked me to get it. When I got it, we shared but they took more than half. One day, when I tried to steal food, the food owner saw and threw a stick at me. They didn't care about me, they flew away. I got injured but I tried to take the food and escaped. When we met, I told them I got a wound, they said it was my karma, if I didn't steal, I wouldn't get it. However they took the food that I stole and liked before they took more than half. After that accident, I decided to work alone.”

“I see.” I wagged my head.

Pig knows marketing too

“Duck is coming,” cow yelled. 

“Hello duck, why are you late?” Twin piggies said. 

“I was listening to my master and his daughter's discussion,” duck said. 

“Why are you interested in the matter of humans?” I said. 

“Because it sounded interesting,” duck said. 

“What did they discuss?” Cow asked. 

“His daughter said she and her team distributed the leaflet. However, the people refused to take it and some took it but then threw it into the dustbin,” duck said. 

“Oh pitiful,” cow and twin piggies said. 

“People won't be interested in the leaflet  unless it benefits them,” I said. 

All of them shrank their eyes, “What does it mean?”  

“Humans call it marketing. Giving leaflets is a way to tell the customers about their services. However, nowadays customers don't like to take leaflets, but if the company creates a leaflet which gives benefits to the customers, for example there is a discount coupon on the leaflet, it might be helpful.” 

“Wow pig, you are great,” all of them said. 

“No, I’m not. This idea I heard from my ex master,” I told.

If you want to be safe

 

Caw, caw…

I opened the door and saw the crow was on a tree branch in front of my house.

“Hello crow, how are you doing?” I said.

“Everyday is the same,” the crow said.

“Steal food every day.”

The crow nodded, “Uh huh.”

“Well, can I ask you a question?”

“Yes you can but I can refuse to give an answer as well.”

“Sure.” I smiled. “I just want to know how you manage to live safely after you get the food.”

“This question I can answer but not free.”

“How much?”

“One apple a day and for seven days.”

“I have rose apples.”

“Deal.” She was silent for a few seconds then said, “If you want to live safely, don't let anyone, even people in your family, know what is the thing that makes you die.”

Don’t hope to become a rich

“Hello pig.”

“Hello cow. Come in,” I said and opened the gate for him. “You look not happy.”

“Yes,” he said and took a sigh. “I’m sad when I see my master is sad.”

“What’s wrong with him?”

“Not him, his son.”

“What’s wrong with his son?”

“He is not happy with his life. He graduated from university, but he can’t get a job. Since he studied technology, he tried to build an app. Still no success.”

“Well, he will not be successful though he builds a satellite.”

“Why?”

“Because there were people who built it before him already. In short, in this era, unless you create something which is the newest, you will have a chance to call yourself a successful person or become rich.”

Who is the most unsuccessful leader in the world

This evening, we were meeting at the lake.

“Did you hear our masters chatting?” Duck said.

“Yes, I did,” cow said.

“What did all your masters talk about?” I asked.

“They discussed who is the most unsuccessful leader in the world,” twin piggies said.

“Oh.” I wagged my head.

“And you? Who do you think is the most unsuccessful leader in the world?” Duck said.

“Well, I heard from my ex master. He said the most unsuccessful leader in the world is the Buddha,” I said.

All of them unlocked their eyes, “Why?”

“According to his history, he was a prince and he would be the emperor; but he gave up his throne, he gave up his comfortable life, he gave up his wife and his son, he gave up everything even his fine clothes and went to the forest to seek for way to get off the suffer. He did not only for himself or his family but also for the entire world. However, the human does not follow his instruction but turns to use his finding to gain benefit for themselves more and more.”

“But I think he has a lot of disciples and followers,” cow said.

“Correct,” twin piggies said.

“Well,” I grinned and said, “as an instance, the Buddha said ordinary people should not drink alcohol, but no one stops and turns to drink more and more. They drink and drink till the alcohol producers become millionaires. Talking about his disciples. When the Buddha was living, he didn’t ask for his room to be built with expensive or valuable materials or big. As well, wherever he went, he went on foot. During that time, it already had transportation, cow, horse, horse cart etc. However, he didn’t use any of it even though he went to far away places. But look at his disciples nowaday, they need a big room, their rooms are of special decoration and equipped with modern materials; as well they have luxurious cars. In addition, they run following a high position, they live their lives the same as ordinary people - seeking for money, title or position, and fame.” I took a long sigh. “From my point of view, he is not only an unsuccessful but also pitiful leader in the world.”

All of them carried a sad face after hearing my statement.