The Story of the Two Neighbours

A tale from Lhasa

The sky was an intense blue, and the sun beat down strongly on the field. A villager was digging carefully in the earth, looking for potatoes for his pot of stew, when a little sparrow perched upon a rock. The bird looked expectantly at the upturned earth, hoping for a quick snack or two.

“Hello, my friend,” said the villager kindly, “time for a break.” …