The King and the Mango

High in the Himalayas, the Bodhisattva was once born as a noble Monkey King who ruled over eighty thousand monkeys. They lived by the Ganges near a magnificent mango tree that bore fruit of divine sweetness. To stay hidden from humans, the Monkey King instructed his tribe to never let a single mango fall into the river. However, one ripe fruit, hidden by a bird's nest, fell into the water and floated downstream to the city of Varanasi. The King of Varanasi found the fruit, tasted its heavenly flavor, and became obsessed. He led his army up the river until they found the tree. Seeing the monkeys, the human King ordered his archers to surround them so he could have both the fruit and the meat. To save his tribe, the Monkey King leapt across the river, tied a reed to a tree on the far bank and his own waist, and leapt back to bridge the gap. He ordered his tribe to run across his back to safety. The last monkey, a rival, jumped with such force that he broke the Monkey King's heart. Witnessing this incredible sacrifice, the human King lowered his bow and cared for the dying Monkey King, who used his final breaths to teach the ruler that a king's duty is to ensure the welfare of his subjects through love and sacrifice.