2022-09-17

A long time ago, there was a Bo Luo Nai City in the State of Jia Shi. Outside the city was a large forest, where 500 macaques lived.

One night the 500 macaques wandered around and came to a ni ju lu (bodhi) tree. Under the tree was a deep ancient well. The water in the well was very clean and reflected the full moon in the sky.

The leading macaque bent1 over the well and watched carefully for a while. Then it jumped onto the edge of the well and said to the others: "Alas2! Today the moon has died and fallen into this well. Let us scoop3 it up together; otherwise the nights will be dark forever."

All the macaques tweaked their ears and scratched their cheeks, saying:"The well is so deep. How can we scoop up the moon?"

The leading macaque had a sudden brainwave and said: "I have it! I will climb up the tree and grasp a branch, then another one grasps my tail. In this way, one following another in succession4, can't we hang down into the well?"

When the other macaques heard this