It was the beginning of the 7th month of the Chinese lunar calendar and the "Hungry Ghost Festival" had just begun. Many devotees came to the temple's columbarium to offer prayers to their departed loved ones. This time of the year always gives me the creeps. At night, I would curl up in my basket with my blanket over my head and pray that I don't see a ghost running around the kitchen! Things get even scarier when the temple dog starts to bay late at night and I would get goose pimples running up and down my spine!
One evening as I was dozing off, I heard a noise in the kitchen. It seemed to come from the stove. I cautiously opened one eye and then another - and to my relief I didn't see any long haired ghost in white. I went back to sleep, but then again I heard the noise. I got up and crept slowly to the stove, it must be a rat, I told myself. Then I saw it - it was a rat. Aha, a late night intruder!
!
I jumped onto the stove, growling fiercely at it. It looked at me, stunned, and for a few seconds we both stared at each other. Then to my amazement, it cried out, "Vege Cat, please don't eat me!"
The rat knew my name! I was shocked.
"Who ... who are you?" I stammered.
"I am the one whom the nuns call "Aunty Ah Hong!" Do you remember me? I have been reborn as a rat. I used to spend many days at the temple praying, so I had the good fortune of being born here. Unfortunately because of my bad deeds, I could not secure a human birth again and so became a rat." With that, it burst into tears.
I was flabbergasted. I do remember one elderly lady by the name of Ah Hong whom the nuns said had passed away recently. She had been rather gossipy and almost always picked an argument with the nuns. Once or twice, she even kicked me when I got in her way. To meet her in her reincarnated form now was, to say the least, unbelievable!
"I ... I think I remember you," I said nervously. "I am sorry that you have been reincarnated as a rat ..." My voice trailed away, I was still in a daze.
"Vege Cat," she said in a trembling voice. "I want you to help my husband. He drinks and gambles everyday and is very bad tempered. He hasn't helped anyone or been kind to anyone - tell him to do good and be good, otherwise he will end up like me."
"But I don't know your husband and what makes you think he'll believe me?" I gasped.
"He will be coming to the temple to pray tomorrow. Ask Head Nun to help you. Please, you must try and do me this favour. I shall be forever grateful to you."
Just then one of the nuns came in and switched on the lights of the kitchen. Aunty Ah Hong scurried away before I could stop her. I had not promised her anything but I knew it would be on my conscience all the time if I didn't try to save her husband's soul.
The next morning, I searched for Head Nun. She was already in the prayer hall, chanting the morning prayers with the other nuns. I saw that a group of people had also gathered there, some elderly men and women and a few children. I looked at the faces of the men and wondered which one was Aunty Ah Hong's husband.
When the prayers at last ended, I drew Head Nun aside and told her the whole story. As usual, Head Nun, bless her, didn't ask any questions and led me straight to Aunty Ah Hong's husband. He was a small thin man and had a surly face which would make anyone dislike him on the spot. She told him of my encounter with his reincarnated wife and I was sure he was going to accuse me of telling tall tales and punch me in the nose. To our surprise, he fell to the ground and knelt at Head Nun's feet, tears streaming down his face. In a quivering voice, he said that after his wife died, he had been hounded by horrible dreams of being sent to hell and severely punished. Since then he had vowed to mend his ways and be a kinder and more charitable person.
I didn't know what to make of that. I looked at Head Nun. Her face was full of compassion as she helped the man to his feet. It was a strange coincidence that he should be having such disturbing dreams - or maybe his own conscience had got the better of him. Then again maybe the Lord Buddha had been merciful and given him a chance to redeem himself.
I didn't meet Aunty Ah Hong again after that incident. I hoped she had at last found some peace and that her next reincarnation would be as a human again.
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