Did you enjoy the story, The Boy who Drew Cats'? If you were the young boy, how would you
tell the story?
Answers
Once upon a time, there lived a poor farmer and his wife, who had many children. The children helped in the fields, but the youngest son, Kai, never paid attention. Kai was witty and wise, but he was forever daydreaming.
His parents took him to the local priest and asked the priest to take Kai as an acolyte. "He's a dreamy boy, but he will follow your instruction," his father said.
When the priest realized how wise the boy was, he agreed to take him on, and so for many months and years, the priest taught the boy. He taught him all he knew about Shinto and Buddhism, Christianity and Islam and Judaism and Taoism and Jainism and Hinduism. And Kai was a fine student but for one fault.
During the hours when he was meant to be studying, he often closed his books and opened his drawing pad. He drew cats. He could not help it -- he dreamed of cats and saw cats everywhere. Whenever he had a pen in hand, he drew cats of the world around him and of his imagination.
Kai's desire to draw cats became stronger every week. Whenever he was alone, he drew on canvas and paper, and then on the walls of the temple, on pillars, on shojis. The priest scolded him, of course, but Kai could not stop.
One day when he had just finished drawing a golden cat, the old priest said, "Kai, I'm afraid I must ask you to leave. You will never be a priest, but you may become a fine artist. Go into the world and make art."
Kai was grateful. "You have been good to me," he said. "Thank you for understanding."
"Some parting advice," the priest said as they were saying goodbye. "Avoid going into large places at night. And always keep to the small."
Kai had no idea what the priest meant, but he did not wish to insult the old man. He was terribly sad. He liked the priest, and the temple was his home after all those years. Still, he departed at dawn the next morning.
Kai had no idea where to go. He could not return to his family's home because he knew his parents would send him to the fields again. He thought perhaps he could find another temple to take him in.
He had heard stories of a temple many miles from where he began, and Kai decided to go there. He walked and walked, and at long last, he saw the great temple in the distance.
Kai did not know that this temple was closed because of a goblin that had taken possession of the place and frightened away all the priests. Warriors had come to kill this creature, but no one who walked into that temple ever walked out alive.
When Kai reached the temple that night, it was dark inside, but it didn't concern him. He knocked on the door.
No one answered.
He knocked again. Still nobody.
Kai was just about to turn away when he leaned on the door and, much to his surprise, it opened.
"Hello?" he called, but no one answered.
He could see a lamp burning inside, so he walked in and once again called out, "Hello!"
There was still no answer.
Kai found a comfortable chair. "I'll just wait for the priests," he said, but as he looked around he saw that everything was coated with dust, and cobwebs filled every corner and crevice.
"They'll need an acolyte to dust," Kai said aloud. So he stayed, hoping to convince the priests to take him in.
After a while, he noticed a shoji at the far end of the room. He stared at it, thinking how nice the door would look with some cats. He took out his drawing box, and before he knew it, he was drawing cats on the shoji's screen.
He drew many cats, but as the hours passed he began to feel sleepy. Just as he was closing his eyes, he heard the old priest's warning: Avoid large places. Keep to the small.