The White Elephant

فیل سفید

Once upon a time, there lived a herd of eighty thousand elephants at the bottom of the majestic Himalayas. Their leader was a magnificent and rare white elephant who was an extremely kind-hearten soul. He greatly loved his mother who had grown blind and feeble and could not look out for herself.

روزی روزگاری، گله ای از هشتاد هزار فیل در انتهای هیمالیا با شکوه زندگی می کردند. رهبر آنها یک فیل سفید با شکوه و کمیاب بود که روحی بسیار مهربان بود. او مادرش را که نابینا و ضعیف شده بود و نمی توانست مراقب خودش باشد بسیار دوست داشت.

Each day this white elephant would go deep into the forest in search of food. He would look for the best of wild fruit to send to his mother. But alas, his mother never received any. This was because his messengers would always eat them up themselves. Each night, when he returned home he would be surprised to hear that his mother had been starving all day. He was absolutely disgusted with his herd.

هر روز این فیل سفید برای جستجوی غذا به اعماق جنگل می رفت. او به دنبال بهترین میوه های وحشی می گشت تا برای مادرش بفرستد. اما افسوس که مادرش هرگز دریافت نکرد. دلیلش این بود که رسولان او همیشه خودشان آنها را می خوردند. هر شب، وقتی به خانه برمی گشت از شنیدن این که مادرش تمام روز از گرسنگی گرسنه بود، شگفت زده می شد. او کاملاً از گله خود منزجر شده بود.

Then one day, he decided to leave them all behind and disappeared in the middle of the night along with his dear mother. He took her to Mount Candorana to live in a cave beside a beautiful lake that was covered by gorgeous pink lotuses.

سپس یک روز تصمیم گرفت همه آنها را پشت سر بگذارد و نیمه شب به همراه مادر عزیزش ناپدید شد. او را به کوه کاندورانا برد تا در غاری در کنار دریاچه ای زیبا زندگی کند که توسط نیلوفرهای صورتی زیبا پوشیده شده بود.

It so happened that one day, when the white elephant was feeding he heard loud cries. A forester from Benaras had lost his way in the forest and was absolutely terrified. He had come to the area to visit relatives and could not find his way out.

اتفاقی افتاد که یک روز وقتی فیل سفید در حال غذا دادن بود صدای گریه های بلندی شنید. یک جنگلبان از بنارس راه خود را در جنگل گم کرده بود و کاملاً ترسیده بود. او برای دیدار با اقوام به منطقه آمده بود و نتوانست راهی برای خروج پیدا کند.

On seeing this big white elephant he was even more terrified and ran as fast as he could. The elephant followed him and told him not to be afraid, as all he wanted to do was to help him. He asked the forester why he was crying so bitterly. The forester replied that he was crying because he had been roaming the forest for the past seven days and could not find his way out.

با دیدن این فیل سفید بزرگ وحشت کرد و تا آنجا که می توانست دوید. فیل به دنبال او رفت و به او گفت که نترس، زیرا تنها کاری که او می‌خواست این بود که به او کمک کند. از جنگلبان پرسید چرا اینقدر تلخ گریه می کنی؟ جنگلبان پاسخ داد که او گریه می کند زیرا در هفت روز گذشته در جنگل پرسه می زد و نمی توانست راه خود را پیدا کند.

The elephant told him not to worry as he knew every inch of this forest and could take him to safety. He then lifted him on to his back and carried him to the edge of the forest from where the forester went on his merry way back to Benaras.

فیل به او گفت که نگران نباشد زیرا او هر وجب از این جنگل را می شناسد و می تواند او را به مکان امنی برساند. سپس او را به پشت بلند کرد و به لبه جنگل برد، جایی که جنگلبان در راه بازگشت به بنارس رفت.

On reaching the city, he heard that King Brahmadutta’s personal elephant had just died and the King was looking for a new elephant. His heralds were roaming the city, announcing that any man who had seen or heard of an elephant fit for a King should come forward with the information.

با رسیدن به شهر، او شنید که فیل شخصی پادشاه برهمادوتا به تازگی مرده است و پادشاه به دنبال یک فیل جدید است. منادیان او در شهر پرسه می زدند و اعلام می کردند که هر مردی که فیل مناسب یک پادشاه را دیده یا شنیده است باید با این اطلاعات بیاید.

The forester was very excited and immediately went up to the King and told him about the white elephant that he had seen on Mount Candorana. He told him that he had marked the way and would require the help of the elephant trainers in order to catch this fantastic elephant.

جنگلبان بسیار هیجان زده شد و بلافاصله نزد پادشاه رفت و در مورد فیل سفیدی که در کوه کاندورانا دیده بود به او گفت. او به او گفت که راه را مشخص کرده است و برای گرفتن این فیل خارق العاده به کمک مربیان فیل نیاز دارد.

The King was quite pleased with the information and immediately dispatched a number of soldiers and elephant trainers along with the forester. After travelling for many days, the group reached the lake besides which the elephants resided. They slowly moved down to the edge of the lake and hid behind the bushes. The white elephant was collecting lotus shoots for his mother’s meal and could sense the presence of humans. When he looked up, he spotted the forester and realized that it was he who had led the King’s men to him. He was very upset at the ingratitude but decided that if he put up a struggle many of the men would be killed. And he was just too kind to hurt anyone. So he decided to go along with them to Benaras and then request the benevolent King to be set free.

پادشاه از این اطلاعات کاملاً خرسند بود و بلافاصله تعدادی سرباز و مربی فیل را به همراه جنگلبان اعزام کرد. پس از چند روز سفر، گروه به دریاچه ای رسیدند که فیل ها در کنار آن ساکن بودند. آنها به آرامی به سمت لبه دریاچه حرکت کردند و پشت بوته ها پنهان شدند. فیل سفید در حال جمع آوری شاخه های نیلوفر آبی برای غذای مادرش بود و می توانست حضور انسان ها را حس کند. وقتی به بالا نگاه کرد، جنگلبان را دید و متوجه شد که او بود که مردان پادشاه را به سمت او هدایت کرده بود. او از این ناسپاسی بسیار ناراحت شد، اما تصمیم گرفت که اگر مبارزه کند، بسیاری از مردان کشته خواهند شد. و خیلی مهربان بود که به کسی صدمه بزند. بنابراین او تصمیم گرفت همراه آنها به بنارس برود و سپس از پادشاه خیرخواه درخواست کند که آزاد شود.

That night when the white elephant did not return home, his mother was very worried. She had heard all the commotion outside and had guessed that the King’s men had taken away her son. She was scared that the King would ride him in to battle and her son would definitely be killed. She was also worried that there would be no one to look after her or even feed her, as she could not see. She just lay down and cried bitterly.

آن شب که فیل سفید به خانه برنگشت، مادرش بسیار نگران بود. او همه هیاهوهای بیرون را شنیده بود و حدس زده بود که مردان پادشاه پسرش را برده اند. او می ترسید که پادشاه او را به نبرد سوار کند و پسرش قطعاً کشته شود. او همچنین نگران بود که کسی نباشد که از او مراقبت کند یا حتی به او غذا بدهد، زیرا او نمی توانست ببیند. او فقط دراز کشید و به شدت گریه کرد.

Meanwhile her son was led in to the beautiful city of Benaras where he was given a grand reception. The whole city was decorated and his own stable was gaily painted and covered with garlands of fragrant flowers. The trainers laid out a feast for their new state elephant who refused to touch a morsel. He did not respond to any kind of stimuli, be it the fragrant flowers or the beautiful and comfortable stable. He just sat there looking completely despondent.

در همین حین پسرش به شهر زیبای بنارس هدایت شد و در آنجا پذیرایی بزرگی از او شد. تمام شهر تزیین شده بود و اصطبل خودش را با گلهایی از گلهای معطر نقاشی کرده بودند. مربیان برای فیل ایالتی جدید خود که از دست زدن به لقمه امتناع می کرد ضیافتی ترتیب دادند. او به هیچ نوع محرکی پاسخ نمی داد، چه گل های معطر و چه اصطبل زیبا و راحت. او فقط آنجا نشسته بود و کاملاً مأیوس به نظر می رسید.

The worried trainers went straight to report the situation to their King, as they were scared that the elephant would just waste away without any food or water. The King was extremely concerned when he heard what they had to say and went to the stable himself. He offered the elephant food from the royal table and asked him why he grieved in this manner. He thought that the elephant should be proud and honored that he was chosen as the state elephant and would get the opportunity to serve his King.

مربیان نگران مستقیماً رفتند تا وضعیت را به پادشاه خود گزارش دهند، زیرا می‌ترسیدند که فیل بدون آب یا غذا هدر برود. پادشاه وقتی حرف آنها را شنید به شدت نگران شد و خودش به اصطبل رفت. او غذای فیل را از روی میز سلطنتی عرضه کرد و از او پرسید که چرا اینطور غمگین است؟ او فکر می کرد که فیل باید افتخار کند و افتخار کند که به عنوان فیل دولتی انتخاب شده و فرصت خدمت به پادشاه خود را پیدا می کند.

But the white elephant replied that he would not eat a thing until he met his mother. So the King asked him where his mother was. The elephant replied that she was back home on Mount Candorana and must be worried and hungry as she was blind and had no one to feed her and take care of her. He was afraid that she would die.

اما فیل سفید پاسخ داد تا زمانی که مادرش را نبیند چیزی نمی خورد. پس پادشاه از او پرسید مادرش کجاست؟ فیل پاسخ داد که در کوه کاندورانا به خانه بازگشته است و باید نگران و گرسنه باشد زیرا کور است و کسی را ندارد که به او غذا بدهد و از او مراقبت کند. او می ترسید که او بمیرد.

The compassionate King was touched by the elephant’s story and asked him to return to his blind, old mother and take care of her as he had been doing all along. He set him free in love and kindness. The happy elephant went running home as fast as he could. And he was relieved to find that his mother was still alive. He filled his trunk with water and poured it over his sick mother who thought that it was raining. Then she cried out as she thought that some evil spirit had come to harm her and wished and prayed that her son was there to save her.

پادشاه دلسوز از داستان فیل متاثر شد و از او خواست که نزد مادر نابینا و پیرش برگردد و از او مراقبت کند، همانطور که در تمام طول این مدت انجام می‌داد. او را در عشق و مهربانی آزاد کرد. فیل خوشحال با سرعت هر چه تمامتر به خانه رفت. و وقتی فهمید که مادرش هنوز زنده است خیالش راحت شد. تنه‌اش را پر از آب کرد و روی مادر بیمارش که فکر می‌کرد باران می‌بارد، ریخت. سپس در حالی که فکر می کرد روح شیطانی به او آسیب رسانده است فریاد زد و آرزو کرد و دعا کرد که پسرش برای نجات او آنجا باشد.

The white elephant gently bent over his blind mother and stroked her lovingly. She immediately recognized his touch and was overjoyed. Her son lifted her up and told her that the kind and compassionate King of Benaras had set him free and he was here to love and look after his mother forever.

فیل سفید به آرامی روی مادر نابینا خم شد و او را با محبت نوازش کرد. او بلافاصله لمس او را تشخیص داد و بسیار خوشحال شد. پسرش او را بلند کرد و به او گفت که پادشاه مهربان و دلسوز بنارس او را آزاد کرده است و او اینجاست تا برای همیشه مادرش را دوست داشته باشد و از او مراقبت کند.

His mother was absolutely thrilled and blessed the kind King with peace, prosperity and joy till the end of his days. She was so thankful to him for sending her son back home. The white elephant was able to take good care of his mother till the day she died. And when he died himself, the King erected a statue of him by the side of the lake and held an annual elephant festival there in memory of such a caring and noble soul.

مادرش کاملاً هیجان‌زده بود و تا پایان روزگارش به پادشاه مهربان آرامش، رفاه و شادی بخشید. او بسیار از او سپاسگزار بود که پسرش را به خانه بازگرداند. فیل سفید توانست تا روز مرگ مادرش به خوبی از او مراقبت کند. و هنگامی که خود مرد، پادشاه مجسمه ای از او در کنار دریاچه برپا کرد و جشن سالانه فیل را در آنجا به یاد چنین روح دلسوز و شریفی برگزار کرد.

Moral: Always give affection and care to our dear ones. Always respect other’s feelings.

اخلاق: همیشه به عزیزانمان محبت و عنایت داشته باشیم. همیشه به احساسات دیگران احترام بگذارید.