tThree Koi in a pond.in Japan,
(written with you in mind dear Chris)
Thursday, March 31, 2011 at 1:02am
Three Red Carp.

                             The three red carp floating in the rain, mists of autumn on the hills of Nishi-Katamura and the chill of winter in the air, a long hard winter on its way, even the bracken was brittle and bare. Mount Fuji had long been covered in snow, the meagre harvest far too long gathered,the peasants wandered the woods  in search of nuts, berries or even a rabbit to lazy to run or flee, but nothing, just nothing could they find to soulage their misery, and their belts grew tighter at the passing of each day.
                    Three starving farmers armed with nothing more than a bamboo rod, a hook, 6 feet of line and a very old knife hidden in the folds of a waistband came upon the tiny lake, half covered with autumn leaves  where three magnificent Koi (carp) lazily circled in the pond, their red scales shining, their whiskers showing them to be of a venerable age, Glee and joy shone on the peasants faces.
             "Adachi, see; see , we may eat yet", said Hayashi," Look how fat they are" shouted Tachibana!
The air had become still in the forest glade,a strange wind circled and the last crow took flight; The water in the pond shivered as if it too had taken fright; the three farmers stared.at the water as if transfixed as the first Koi stood and addressed the farmers
                  " No life should be taken you fools have those priests in the temple taught you nothing, don't you know of the Buddha's way said the first carp, addressing the three farmers like an angry schoolmaster scolding children,but if you must eat -then let it be me, I've lived a good long life and your sufferring saddens me. Im tough to chew thats for sure but if you will ? And he bowed to the water, his scales red yellow and black.
         Adachi, Hayashi and Tachibana were now on their knees, kowtowing to the noble carp, but hunger still remained in their eyes, so long since they'd eaten, you could almost hear the rattling of theit knees!
   The second koi rose too from the pond, his scales now almost brown and stood on his great tail fins, and addressed the farmers three.
          " Eat me you might he said but like you I still have children three, tis my Dharma to raise them, then for all I care you can have me for tea,, know you of compassion or is your hunger still so strong you can't see?"Im a tasty old fish, i've eaten well but it's not now you'll have me for tea!
    The farmers eyes were almost sticking out of their sockets by now, they hardly knew where to look, at the fish, at the sky, or somewhere between their sandalled feet.
          The the third Koi jumped from the water, golden scales abounded,  and he started to change in front of their eyes, his body longer, eyes aflame, a dragon he became, fire from his mouth, his body filled the woodland glade,
  " Eat me , devour me there is nothing really here, I'm just what you think I am, an illusion in the air"
The splendour of the dragon had but blinded the hunters eyes and when they dared look up to their suprise stood a ragged beggar, clad in robes of black, an old wooden stick and a begging bowl. His eyes as gentle as the geese that fly W
est every winter, his smile  so subtle but always there , a tired emaciated body that  gave the air of a thousand samurai and looking with eyes of a dove he   addrressed the farmers  three.
      " Follow me and we will surely eat at least food for the soul, listen to my few words, take up a begging bowl, and should I loose this cranky mortal frame
 Fear not farmers, for in Nirvana we"ll find our gain.