The Chick Stars
Long ago a poor old man and his wife live in a house near the forest. One day a monk came to stay nearby.
The old man and his wife wanted to make a merit.
“How can we make a merit ? We have nothing to offer the monk ,” said old man.
“ Look ! we have a hen. That is for the curry tomorrow ,” said the wife.
“ That ’s a good idea,” the old man agreed.
The hen heard the old man and his wife talking. So she said to her seven chicks,
“ I ’m going to die very soon.”
“ No, no, no,” cried the chicks.
“ Yes, children,” said the hen.
“ Now listen to me. The old man and his wife have been very good to us.”
“Now I must repay them.”
“I want you to be good children when I ’m gone. Don’t fight and peck with each other.”
The old man lit a fire and came for the hen.
When the seven chicks saw that their mother was dead, they cried,
“ Mother, we can’t live without you.” And then they threw themselves into the fire.
The seven chicks’ hearts were full of great love. They then were reborn as stars. The Chick Stars can be seen in the night sky even now.