For decades, Rafe Martin has been investigating, working with, and writing about the ancient, traditional Buddhist teachings expressed in the Jataka Tales, ancient stories of the Buddha's past lives as he perfected wisdom and compassion. In this book, Martin tells of a time long ago when the Buddha came to life as a little gray parrot — a female, to give the story renewed relevance for this generation in which the feminine is reawakening.
When the parrot faces a consuming forest fire from which she could simply fly away, she instead soaks herself in a river, fills a cupped leaf with water, and fights through the flames, releasing drops of water that sizzle and vanish. As she repeats this act again and again, one of the gods descends from his remote cloud palace and tries to stop her from her futile attempts. She tells him that she doesn't need advice; she needs someone to help.
Overcome by new emotions of empathy and concern, the god weeps. His tears not only put out the flames but cause fresh grass, flowers, and trees to burst forth and colorful feathers to grow on the parrot, replacing the ones scorched by flames. These bright feathers are a detail added to the original by Martin to show how courage has a way of transforming not only situations but also those who act bravely, revealing the beauty of their souls.
Illustrations by Demi are enhanced by her having spent time in India, the land of the Buddha. There, she writes, "I found a most extraordinary clarity of light, and clarity of line, whereby even the tiniest details of a distant flower could be clearly seen." She brings this splendid clarity to the pictures in this story, calling them "an expression of joy and love from the heart."
In closing pages, Martin reflects that the story's message "reminds us that if we keep going, keep doing our best, things that logic could never predict or explain not only might, but can, actually happen." He quotes Japanese Zen master Hakuin (1685 - 1768): "Water accumulating cup by cup may one day become a sea." May readers ages five to eight for whom this book is especially written — and all of us — absorb this encouragement to live compassionately in spite of all odds.
