The law of karma and reincarnation
There was a small, inconspicuous house in the middle of the forest. A girl in a thick cloak glanced around and quickly slipped inside.
"Hello, uninvited guest. What do you need?"
The elderly woman was busy at the stove and didn't even look at the newcomer. But she bowed and hurriedly said:
"Give me some poisonous herbs, please! Give me a lot of them!"
"What's wrong, Diana? Are you infested with rats? I have these rodents in my cellar myself. But I won't poison them. You know those who stole grain in a past life are born as rats. This is a law of Karma."
"I have other things to worry about! I need to get rid of this romance wrecker!"
The witch put her pot aside, sat down at the table, and glared sternly at her guest. Diana sat down opposite her and spoke more quietly:
“Do you remember Greg? I know that I'm a simple peasant, but his father is rich. But I've always liked him. I think he even looked at me with interest. But then six months ago, this Ruby, a beautiful city girl, came to stay with the neighbors. Now Greg can't take his eyes off her. If he proposes, all will be lost!”
"So what do you want from me? I don't brew love potions, I don't cast love spells. All I can do is help a person heal. And even then, not always I oculd help. After all, healing requires a person to understand some karmic lessons..."
"I'm not going to bewitch Greg!" Diana protested indignantly. "I'm asking for poison to get rid of Ruby! He'll grieve first, and then he'll seek consolation with me."
"My dear, tell me honestly, you're joking, right? I don't engage in such sinful activities! And I don't advise you to either! You'd better go to the temple and pray to the Lord to help you come to your senses."
Diana realized the sorceress was relentless and burst into tears. The witch tried to calm her, reminding her of the law of karma and reincarnation. But the girl wouldn't listen. Passion clouded her judgment; she didn't think about the next life, about retribution for her sins. She wanted to be happy here and now. Like most sinners, she didn't think about what would happen in the next life.
Diana wandered through the forest, wiping away tears. The forest witch was her last hope.
"You'll never be his wife," Diana muttered. "I won't give you Greg! Let the witch say what she wants. Who knows what will happen in the next life. But in this life, I want to get married and have children."
The girl wandered through the forest for a long time and had almost given up hope, but in a clearing, she found what she was looking for. A faded mushroom seemed to beckon her. Diana took out her handkerchief and reached for the mushroom to pick it. Her mother had once told her that there was no poison in the forest more terrible than this. A few drops of the concoction were enough to send anyone to the next life. Even touching the mushroom's whitish surface was dangerous.
The grass rustled. Diana saw a rat, its eyes shining, looking at her. The witch's words immediately came to mind: "Those who stole grain in a past life are born as rats."
So what would she be born as if she poisoned a person?
"Thank you, little creature, you helped me come to my senses!" Diana bowed her head to the rat and ran back to the village.
From that day on, the girl went to the temple every day and prayed to the Lord. Although she hadn't committed a sin, her intentions were dark and terrible. The prayers helped, because they purified her heart. A week later, she nodded affably when meeting Ruby or Greg on the street.
Two weeks later, Ruby returned to the city. Greg became sad, went out less often, and stopped smiling. Then Diana baked a delicious pie and went to visit him. Six months passed, and the village celebrated the wedding of the rich merchant's son, Greg, and the peasant's daughter, Diana, in a lavish manner. The girl found happiness without sinful deeds, and her conscience was clear and unclouded. But in memory of the past, she regularly prayed in the temple, asking the Lord to bless all rats and grant them the best births.
"Hello, uninvited guest. What do you need?"
The elderly woman was busy at the stove and didn't even look at the newcomer. But she bowed and hurriedly said:
"Give me some poisonous herbs, please! Give me a lot of them!"
"What's wrong, Diana? Are you infested with rats? I have these rodents in my cellar myself. But I won't poison them. You know those who stole grain in a past life are born as rats. This is a law of Karma."
"I have other things to worry about! I need to get rid of this romance wrecker!"
The witch put her pot aside, sat down at the table, and glared sternly at her guest. Diana sat down opposite her and spoke more quietly:
“Do you remember Greg? I know that I'm a simple peasant, but his father is rich. But I've always liked him. I think he even looked at me with interest. But then six months ago, this Ruby, a beautiful city girl, came to stay with the neighbors. Now Greg can't take his eyes off her. If he proposes, all will be lost!”
"So what do you want from me? I don't brew love potions, I don't cast love spells. All I can do is help a person heal. And even then, not always I oculd help. After all, healing requires a person to understand some karmic lessons..."
"I'm not going to bewitch Greg!" Diana protested indignantly. "I'm asking for poison to get rid of Ruby! He'll grieve first, and then he'll seek consolation with me."
"My dear, tell me honestly, you're joking, right? I don't engage in such sinful activities! And I don't advise you to either! You'd better go to the temple and pray to the Lord to help you come to your senses."
Diana realized the sorceress was relentless and burst into tears. The witch tried to calm her, reminding her of the law of karma and reincarnation. But the girl wouldn't listen. Passion clouded her judgment; she didn't think about the next life, about retribution for her sins. She wanted to be happy here and now. Like most sinners, she didn't think about what would happen in the next life.
Diana wandered through the forest, wiping away tears. The forest witch was her last hope.
"You'll never be his wife," Diana muttered. "I won't give you Greg! Let the witch say what she wants. Who knows what will happen in the next life. But in this life, I want to get married and have children."
The girl wandered through the forest for a long time and had almost given up hope, but in a clearing, she found what she was looking for. A faded mushroom seemed to beckon her. Diana took out her handkerchief and reached for the mushroom to pick it. Her mother had once told her that there was no poison in the forest more terrible than this. A few drops of the concoction were enough to send anyone to the next life. Even touching the mushroom's whitish surface was dangerous.
The grass rustled. Diana saw a rat, its eyes shining, looking at her. The witch's words immediately came to mind: "Those who stole grain in a past life are born as rats."
So what would she be born as if she poisoned a person?
"Thank you, little creature, you helped me come to my senses!" Diana bowed her head to the rat and ran back to the village.
From that day on, the girl went to the temple every day and prayed to the Lord. Although she hadn't committed a sin, her intentions were dark and terrible. The prayers helped, because they purified her heart. A week later, she nodded affably when meeting Ruby or Greg on the street.
Two weeks later, Ruby returned to the city. Greg became sad, went out less often, and stopped smiling. Then Diana baked a delicious pie and went to visit him. Six months passed, and the village celebrated the wedding of the rich merchant's son, Greg, and the peasant's daughter, Diana, in a lavish manner. The girl found happiness without sinful deeds, and her conscience was clear and unclouded. But in memory of the past, she regularly prayed in the temple, asking the Lord to bless all rats and grant them the best births.