The Enchanted Fountain

Ning finally came back from his wanderings with his friends and filled me with stories of their exploits here and there.  They had gone to places beyond our village and discovered many new sights which had been unheard or seen before.

"Da, there's this place with a most beautiful fountain!  You've got to see it - it's like a secret garden with lovely flowers and trees.  So much peace and quietness, perfect for your meditation."

"Really?" I asked, my curiosity stirred up.

"You want me to take you there?" he asked.  "We can go right now if you like."

Since Head Nun had gone to town and I had some time to spare, I thought why not.  So off we went. The paths through the forest that Ning took were of course different from our usual routes, I had in fact not known they existed.  After walking for about half an hour, we came to a dense part of the forest with big trees that had billowing branches making them look like huge umbrellas.  

"We're almost there," said Ning.  "The garden is just behind these trees."

We made our way through the trees and there it was - a lovely garden just like Ning said with a gushing fountain in the middle.  The design of the fountain itself was most unusual - it had two stone mermaids sitting on top while sparkling fresh water flowed through the mouth of a big stone fish.

"Oh, it's lovely, Ning," I said excitedly.  "Why didn't we discover this place before?"

Ning smiled, then said, "Glad you like it.  Look, I'm rather thirsty after that long walk.  Let's help ourselves to the fountain water."

Before we could go near it, we suddenly heard a voice screaming, "Stop!  Stop!  Don't drink the water!"

We looked round and saw a woman with a scarf on her head running towards us.  She didn't look like any of our village women and we were surprised that someone could be living here in the middle of nowhere.

"Don't drink the water," she repeated urgently.

"Madam," asked Ning.  "Why shouldn't we drink the water?"

"The fountain's cursed!" she replied.

Ning and I looked at each other, not sure whether we should believe her or not.  

The woman went up to the fountain and said, "See that fish?  She's my poor little daughter, Angel, she drank the water and turned into a fish and she has been like that for over a month."

Then she burst into tears and turning to me pleaded, "I know you don't believe me but I'm telling the truth.  You've got to save my daughter!" 

Before I could say anything, she gabbled on, "A few nights ago, I had a vision that someone was coming to save her, someone with three colours on his back.  When I saw you, I knew you're the one!"  

What she said stunned me.  I had often wondered whether my tri-coloured body was a blessing or an unfortunate mishap.  Ning used to tease me that I was meant to be a leopard but something went wrong along the way and I became a cat with brown and black spots on white! 

But how could we tell if the woman was speaking the truth and not making it all up? She could be deranged and out of her mind.

Finally I spoke up.  "Madam," I protested,  "I am just an ordinary cat, I don't have any special powers, I can't turn your daughter back into a human being, you must be mistaken..."

But she insisted that I had been sent to save her daughter and begged me to stay and help her.  She was so desperate that I took pity on her and agreed to stay for a while.  

I drew Ning aside and told him to return to the temple and let Head Nun know my whereabouts.  Ning nodded and said he would come back to get me later.

Meantime the woman said she would prepare some food for me and went back to her hut.  I sat down beside the fountain and watched the little fish swim around.  It could not talk but it would swim right up to me and look at me pleadingly.

"O little fish, are you really Angel? If you are, I wish I could help you,"  I whispered.  I was at a loss as to what to do.

Suddenly I heard what appeared to be screams for help coming a short distance away.  I jumped up and sped in the direction of the cries.

I saw to my surprise a small white rabbit and it was crying out in pain. One of its legs had got caught in the great big roots of an umbrella tree and it was struggling to set itself free.  I quickly prised some of the roots apart and managed to free it.

"Thank you so much, my friend," said the rabbit.  "I don't know how long I would have been trapped here if you hadn't come along.  Nobody comes to these parts, you know.  Look, how can I repay you for your kindness?"

I shook my head and said, "No repayment is necessary.  I am glad I was of help."

The rabbit looked at me intently and said, "I haven't seen you here before.  Tell me, why do you look so crestfallen?"

I sighed and related the story of the woman and her daughter who had been turned into a fish but I hastily added I couldn't be sure the woman was telling the truth.

"Take me to the fountain," it said after hearing my story.

When we reached the fountain, the rabbit walked around it and spoke softly and lovingly to the little fish who seemed to understand him. It then turned to me and said, "It's true.  This little fish just told me that after drinking the fountain water, she changed from a little girl to a fish.  The fountain is enchanted, the work of a crazy old witch who doesn't like little girls."

Even as the rabbit spoke, there came a sudden flash of lightning and there appeared before us an ugly old witch with bloodshot eyes and long sharp fangs. 

She glared at us and shrieked, "How dare you two come here and try to take away my little fish!  For this I shall change you two into fish!". 

Of course I was terrified but the rabbit remained calm, then right before my astonished eyes, it changed into a handsome, young man.  He had a flute in his hand and there was a bluish glow to his skin.  On his head was a jewel studded crown with a peacock feather and his clothes were of luxurious silk with fine embroidery. 

As I stood there gaping at him, he started playing his flute.  I had never heard anything so sweet and melodious.  Even the trees and flowers started swaying to his music. 

Then to my amazement, the old witch became mesmerized by the flute, she started dancing to its tune and danced and danced until she fell into the fountain.  There came a big explosion and Angel was thrown out of the fountain and landed at my feet.  As for the fountain, it completely disappeared into thin air, witch and all.

I was so glad to see that Angel had changed back into a little girl and she was crying and calling out for her mother.  

"Hush, it's alright, Angel, you're safe now.  I shall take you back to your mother," I said.

I turned round to thank the stranger but he had disappeared.  I searched for him everywhere but with no luck.

Angel's mother was of course overjoyed and thanked me profusely though I told her that I really didn't do anything and that Angel was saved by a magical flute player. Ning then arrived to take me back, we said our goodbyes and on the way back to the temple, I told him the whole story.

"Hmmm...a rabbit that turned into a flute player and you don't know who he is?" he asked.

I shook my head.  "Whoever he was, he certainly isn't of this world," I said.

A few days later I was helping Head Nun to clean out her desk drawer when a small photo fell out.  I picked it up and what I saw sent shivers of excitement up my spine.

"Head Nun," I gasped.  "Who is this?"

"Oh, that's Lord Krishna, a widely revered god in Hinduism.  Why do you ask?"

"Head Nun, he's the flute player who destroyed the witch and saved the girl Angel!" I cried. I had of course told Head Nun about the enchanted fountain.

Head Nun smiled and said, "You're sure?  From what I have read, he used to frolic in the forests with his devotees and they would listen in ecstasy to his beautiful music."

I am not so familiar with Hindu gods and goddesses but the flute player resembled Lord Krishna in the photo and there could be no doubt that it had been Lord Krishna who had rescued Angel.  It was all his divine play - he had taken the form of a rabbit and given me the opportunity to save him and earn some merit, and at the same time also save Angel. 

I went to bed that night with one regret, that I didn't have a chance to spend more time with him and listen to his divine music.