TWO LAZYBONES

Once upon a time there were two lazy men called Babün Delek and Tögambar. There is no way to express how lazy those two men were. Everyday hey enjoyed life warming themselves in the sun at the foot of a wall, never wanting to do a stitch of work and depending on their parents for all their food and clothes.

When a long time had passed thus, their parents all became fed up with them and had no choice but to kick them out of the house. So they lived by wandering around begging. For a few days they did not get as much as a piece of bread, and they got very hungry.

One day they stayed next to the stove and discussed what they should do to make a living from then on. Babün Delek said, “At best, it would be good if we could go to a place where we could have delicious food and soft clothes without having to work. But I don’t know whether there is a place like that.”

Tögambar said, “Who knows? It’s impossible for there to be such a place in this world. According to what I’ve heard it’s said that the land of the sky gods is very pleasant.”

Babün Delek said, “Well, we can go to the land of the gods. What’s the sense of staying here where we surely have to endeavor at work and suffer the low regard of other people?”

Again Tögambar said, “That way is certainly the best.” He asked, “How do we go? Can we find a ladder that long?”

Babün Delek confidently replied, “If there isn’t a ladder that long, we can still go.”

Tögambar was astonished and asked, “Is there a way to go?”

Babün Delek said, “In the upper part of the valley there’s a huge garuda. When I was small, I followed my father and I’ve seen it. If we could catch it, it could carry us to the land of the gods.”

At that Tögambar said, “Good. It’s really a good way. Let’s do it,” and so the two friends decided.

Early in the next day the two friends, filled with joy, went to the top of the mountain. Emerging into a valley they found the garuda’s nest, and hid themselves nearby. Around sunset, the garuda came flying, and as soon as it descended to the nest, Babün Delek grabbed it firmly and quickly told his friend Tögambar, “Hold onto my legs!”

The garuda really took fright and flew straight to the sky.

Then Tögambar asked in a threatening way, “Hey! Are we there yet? My hands can’t take it.”

Through a break in the clouds, Babün Delek saw the look of the sky and said, “It’s not far now. I’ve seen the hole that goes to the land of the gods.”

Tögambar was glad to hear that and asked, “How big is the hole? Can we fit into it?”

“It’s this big.” While answering, Babün Delek showed the size of the hole with his hands—what an incomprehensible thing to do! When he released his hands both the friends were separated from the garuda, tumbled from the sky, fell to the ground and were flattened.

—Bu bzhi, Qinghai Folk Literature 2, 1985