Roaring Bulls With No Fight (Chapter 2.)
King Brahmadatta knelt down before the holy man and then sat next to him. He asked, "Your reverence, can you tell me the meanings of my 16 dreams
"
"Of course I can," said the forest monk. "Tell them to me, beginning with the first eight."
The king replied, ”These were the first eight dreams:
roaring bulls with no fight, midget trees bearing fruit, cows sucking milk from calves, calves pulling carts with bulls trailing behind, a horse eating with two mouths, a jackal urinating in a golden bowl, a she-jackal eating a rope maker”s rope, one overflowing pot with all the rest empty."
”Tell me more about your first dream," said the monk.
"Your reverence, I saw four pure black bulls who came from the four directions to fight in the palace courtyard. People came from miles around to see the bulls fight. But they only pretended to fight, roared at each other, and went back where they came from."
"Oh king," said the holy man, "this dream tells of things that will not happen in your lifetime or in mine. In the far-off future, kings will be unwholesome and stingy. The people too will be unwholesome. Goodness will be decreasing while evil increases. The seasons will be out of whack, with sunstroke on winter days and snow storms on summer days. The skies will be dry, with poor clouds and little water. Harvests will be small and people will starve. Then dark clouds will come from the four directions, but even after much thunder and lightning, they will depart without letting rain fall - just like the roaring bulls who leave without fighting.
"But have no fear, there will be no harm to the people of today. The priests say this dream requires sacrifice, only because that is how they earn their money. Now tell me your second dream."
"Your reverence. I had a dream where tiny midget plants grew no more than one foot tall, and then flowered and gave fruit."
"Oh king," said the holy man, the soil will be poor for growing crops, and humans will live short lives. The young will have strong desires, and even young girls will have babies - just like midget trees bearing fruit.
"But this will not happen until the distant future when the world is declining. What was your third dream, oh king
"
"Your reverence. I saw cows sucking milk from their own calves. born the same day," said the king, shuddering with fear.
"Be calm," said the monk, "this too will not happen in our lifetimes. But someday people will no longer respect their mothers, fathers, mothers-in-law and fathers-in-law. People will give everything to their own children, taking over the savings of their elder parents and in-laws. Then, by whim alone, they may or may not feed and clothe their elders. So the elderly will be at the mercy of their own children - just like cows sucking milk from their day-old calves.
"But clearly it is not like that today, oh king, so you have nothing to fear. Now tell me your fourth dream."
Somewhat relieved, the king continued, "Your reverence, I dreamed I saw big strong full-grown bulls following behind bullock carts. They were being pulled by frail awkward calves. The calves stopped and stood still, unable to pull the heavily loaded carts. Caravans could no longer travel and goods could not be taken to market."
"There will be a time," said the holy man, "when unwholesome stingy kings will no longer respect wise experienced judges. Instead they will appoint young foolish judges, granting them the highest privileges. But they will not be able to make difficult decisions. They will become judges in name only, doing no real work - just like the calves who can”t pull the carts. Meanwhile, the older wiser ones will offer no help, thinking it is no longer their concern - just like the bulls trailing behind.
"Again …
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