Budhil called to the boys—it was dinnertime. The boys, exhausted from an afternoon of adventure and exploration outside the small cottage, rushed in to get their fill. Budhil held out a serving full of rice and sesame chicken, their favorite of their grandfather’s tasty dishes, but the boys struggled to get their own bowl to the dinner first. As they argued, Andrew held his plate up high, but Jason gave him a shove and Andrew fell down. Andrew began to quietly sob, and Jason saw his grandfather meet him with a questionable look. Jason’s head drooped. Budhil dished their dinners up for them and said, “Come, boys. I have another story I would like to share with you.” Andrew wiped away his tears, and the two boys began to slowly and quietly eat their chicken and rice as Budhil began the story. “This story is about a brave warrior prince named Yudhisthira. He was the oldest with four younger brothers.”

“Four little brothers?” Jason raised his eyebrow. “How annoying!”

Budhil smirked, “I’m sure they were difficult at times, Jason, but he loved them very much!” Budhil winked at Andrew and drew out a large smile from the boy. “Anyways, one day, the five brothers were out hunting a deer, when they found themselves very thirsty.”

“Like that one day when the well went dry?” Andrew asked.

“Almost,” Budhil responded. “But they were actually near death! Fortunately, one of the younger brothers came upon a small lake of crystal clear water, but a voice bellowed out for him to answer a few questions first. What do you think he did, Jason?”

“He was thirsty. I bet he got a drink!”

“You’re absolutely right,” Budhil continued. “He ignored the voice, took a drink, and died instantly!

“Oh my goodness!” Andrew exclaimed. “What happened next?”

“The other three of Yudhisthira’s younger brothers, one after the other, did exactly the same thing.

“Where was Yudhisthira?” Jason asked.

“He found them all dead at the lake later,” Budhil responded. “He had been without water and was even thirstier than his brothers before him.”

“Don’t tell me he drank it too!” Andrew grimaced.

“He probably ran home,” Jason scoffed.

“Not Yudhisthira!” Budhil responded. “He answered all of the questions correctly, and his brothers were revived!”

“I knew it! Yudhisthira would save the day!” Andrew yelled.

“No, you didn’t.” Jason rolled his eyes.

Budhil continued, “You see, boys, Yudhisthira saved himself and his brothers by putting their needs before his own. Only because he cared more for others were their lives spared.”

Jason thought for a moment, “I’m sorry, Andrew. I should have just let you go first. After all, I’m supposed to look out for my little brother.” Andrew smiled and wrapped his arms around his brother.

“I’m glad you boys understand,” Budhil said while the sight brought joy to his heart. “You two are the smartest young boys I know, and someday you will change the world.”

As the boys headed off to bed, Budhil realized that this wasn’t just another summer for him, either. He had usually put others before himself in his old age, but to see the boys look out for each other in their youth brought a satisfaction to Budhil that he would carry for the rest of his years.

    Cover Page
    Introduction
1. Forging the Brotherhood
2. The Right Path
3. Self Sacrifice
4. Role Model

Author’s note :

        I used this story as a means to convey a message taught by my savior, Jesus Christ. The idea goes back to the Golden Rule, or to love your neighbor as yourself. Jesus also said that the greatest act of love was for one man to lay down his life for another. I think that this is particularly important between brothers, because it will lay the foundation for an unbreakable bond. I wanted to use Jason and Andrew to illustrate this point. The brothers in my frame tale are what bring the ancient stories to life to readers. I anticipate that people reading this story will be more likely able to relate to their summer with Budhil than the ancient stories alone. I also used a simplified version of the story, as told to the young boys, to give the reader a smaller truth to digest. I left out other details, like the fact that Yudhisthira was being tested by his father, for example. This should help to transfer the intended meaning of the traditional stories to modern readers. In this way, Jason and Andrew represent my audience. I enjoy telling the story through the persona of Budhil, a man with many years of wisdom. Budhil is a man who is likely to bring truth to difficult situations. He is a man who is grounded firmly in his convictions. Through his many experiences can he communicate to the boys, and, indirectly to the readers.

Bibliography:

Buck, William (1973). Mahabharata.

Narayan, R. K. (1978). The Mahabharata: A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic.