The Sandal by the Well

The night had grown late, and the countryside was submerged in silent darkness. Only the chorus of frogs from the fields and the whisper of wind through the bamboo groves remained. In the pitch-black courtyard, a young woman stood silently, gazing toward the head of the village, where the old well was located. Her hands trembled, and her heart was torn.

Her love affair with the young man from the neighboring village had lasted for three years. They met during a trip to the district market and fell in love through secret encounters. The young man was poor but had a sweet tongue, making countless promises. They had sworn eternal vows, declaring that if they could not marry, they would die together. However, the girl's parents discovered the relationship and opposed it fiercely, believing the young man had no future and was merely idle.

"If you marry him, don't ever come back to this house!" her father shouted, his face flushed red. The girl wept and pleaded, but could not change her parents' minds. In despair, she sought out the young man. They sat by the field's edge, tears streaming. "Perhaps we should just die; what is the point of living?" the young man said, his voice choked. The girl nodded, and they agreed to meet that night by the village well to jump and fulfill their eternal bond.

At the appointed time, the girl arrived first. The night was black as ink, and the cold wind cut to the bone. She stood by the well's edge, looking down at the dark, fathomless water. Her heart pounded, and her legs trembled. She thought of her parents, her young siblings, and what would happen after she died. The fear of death enveloped her. Then she noticed a pair of sandals beside the well's rim. They were his—the sandals of her beloved, who had already jumped. Panicked, she looked around and saw no one. She bent down, picked up the sandals, and thought, "Well, I have nothing left; keeping these sandals is something." Then she clutched them and ran home, leaving the dark well behind.

Just as she reached her gate, she was startled when the young man emerged from the bushes, his face pale and his voice tense: "Hey, give me back my sandals!" She was stunned. It turned out he too was afraid of death. He had simply placed his sandals there and hidden in the bushes to see if she would dare jump. She felt relieved he was alive, yet furious at his cowardice and deception. She threw the sandals in his face and turned away. Their relationship ended that very night, without a word of farewell.

Years later, she married and lived her own life. When the young man, by chance, visited her old home, he learned the truth: she had been diagnosed with cancer. Fearing she would burden him, she deliberately ended their relationship and spoke cruel words to make him hate her and forget. She had passed away a year later. He stood silently before her altar, tears rolling down his face, consumed with regret for not having understood the girl who had once sworn an eternal bond with him.

**The Meaning of the Story**

This tale reminds us of the impetuosity of youth, of rash vows, and the price paid for cowardice and lack of understanding. Regret is a painful emotion, yet it can also be a catalyst for self-reflection, urging us to live with greater sincerity and empathy. We must not let anger and misunderstanding cloud our reason, lest we carry the burden of remorse for a lifetime.

Compiled from a dharma talk by Venerable Thích Chân Quang