The Girl by the Stream and the Shattered Fairy

A soldier loved a village girl as if she were a fairy, but after they married, he discovered her selfish nature.

On a dusty march, the soldier paused by a small stream in a peaceful village. The water flowed gently, and wildflowers perfumed the breeze. A village girl with loose hair sat under the shade of bamboo, carrying a pole to wash clothes. Her shy smile and clear eyes made him feel he had met a fairy amidst the mortal world.

"When you go to your unit, I will wait for you at home. When we are older, I will await your return."

She bowed her head, speaking softly:

"I will wait. You go to protect our country; I will keep our village safe."

He continued his journey, carrying the image of this celestial being in his heart. Years passed, the war ended, and he returned to marry her. At first, everything was harmonious. But soon, his difficult mother caused friction, and she began to frown.

"Why is your mother so hard to please? I cannot bear it!"

He spoke gently:

"Please be patient for a moment. Mother is old; let us indulge her."

She snapped back:

"Indulge her forever? You earn money, and I squeeze every penny out of it. Can’t you manage anything?"

Gradually, the image of the fairy vanished. She became busy calculating every coin, flirtatious with neighbors, greedy, and unfilial. He was shocked to realize that the woman he once thought was a fairy was now a sentient being full of afflictions (kleshas), who had never entered the stream of the Sotapanna path.

He felt sorrowful but understood clearly: sentient beings loving each other only invite suffering (dukkha). Later, he advised his wife to visit the temple and learn spiritual practice, but she remained trapped in her old karma. The story closes with this insight: worldly love is fragile; only noble ones deserve one’s whole heart.

The Meaning of the Story

Sentient beings who have not attained noble fruit possess natures of greed, anger, and instability. Love given with all one’s heart should be reserved for those who have reached the stage of Sotapanna or higher. Meeting in the human realm, we must practice to transcend sorrow and past karma.

Compiled from a dharma talk by Venerable Thich Chan Quang