Week 7 Story: Ascent to Heaven

Once upon a time, the great King of the vast mountainous lands fell ill and suddenly passed away. As was the tradition, the throne went to his eldest son. This son was just as benevolent a ruler as his father and was loved by all his subjects. He often paid respects to his father in the form of various rituals.

In the King's court, there worked a chef and a jester who were famed for their skills but had been rivals for what seemed like an eternity. They constantly plotted each other's downfall but all their plans thus far had failed. In the late King's death, the chef saw a golden opportunity.

"Finally," he thought, "this time I will get rid of that pesky jester once and for all."

One day, he approached the King and bowed before him. "Oh great King, I have important news to deliver. Your father, the late King, appeared to me in my dreams last night. He told me of the great fortune he has accumulated in heaven. However, he often finds himself bored because he does not have much company. He told me to request that you send the best jester in the land to entertain him in heaven."

"Then so it shall be," decreed the King, "Bring before me that great jester, famed in the land for the laughter he brings to the masses."

When the jester came before him, the King told him of the task he must accomplish. "My father has come to the chef in his dreams and has asked me for a wish, which as a loyal son, I must fulfill. Therefore, you are to go to heaven and amuse my father with your wit."

The jester knew then that this was all part of the chef's plot to be rid of him. "Surely, great King, I will perform this duty with pride. But how will I travel to heaven?"

Here, the chef spoke with pride, thinking he had finally trapped the jester: "You must gather whatever belongings you wish to take with you to heaven and allow members of the court to build a pyre around you. When the flames rise into the sky, you will be able to travel up with them."

The quick-witted jester replied, "Of course! That is a brilliant plan. I only request that I be burned on my own land as that is the tradition of all the men in my family."

The King agreed to the jester's terms and granted him seven days to prepare for his departure. The jester hurried home and upon finding his wife, explained his current situation. He then described his plan: "You must help me dig a tunnel from the site of the burning to the storage room in our house." His wife agreed and together, they managed to construct the tunnel in one week.

On the day of the burning, the jester looked on with a calm smile as the members of the court piled bundles of wood around him. As the first lick of the flames upon the wood, the jester slipped into the tunnel and escaped. When the pyre burned to the ground, the chef declared, "The late King will be satisfied, for the jester has ascended to heaven."

Meanwhile, the jester bided his time slowly. He had ornate jewelry and expensive clothing made for himself and decided to come out of hiding after six months had passed. Upon his return, the King exclaimed in joy, "Jester, you have returned! Tell me, how was your journey to heaven and how is my father?"

"Great King, your father is doing exceedingly well. I have entertained him thoroughly and he was so pleased with me that he granted me permission to return to earth and serve you. However, your father has but one remaining request. These past few months of continuous laughter have caused him to grow tired and frail. He asks that you send to heaven your best chef so that he may eat the decadent food he had in life and restore his energy."

The King replied, "For serving my father, I will grant you all the riches of your heart's desire. I also wish to ensure that my father remains content in heaven. The chef will be sent to him in same manner as you."

The chef saw the jester's intricate jewelry and flamboyant outfit and began to believe that he really did ascend to heaven. Furthermore, he had returned safely and was to be awarded immense wealth. Seeing as there was nothing to lose, the chef agreed to the King's demand.

On the day of his burning, the chef stood in the middle of the pyre with his belongings. As the flames began to lick the sides of the pyre, he grew uncomfortably hot. By the time he realized that he had been duped, the roar of the fire was so loud that it drowned out the sounds of his screams.

The jester looked on with a sly smile. As the flames fizzled down around the chef's ashes, the jester announced: "The chef has ascended to heaven as he so desired."

Author's Note: 

The original Tibetan folk tale that this story is based on revolved around the rivalry between a painter and carpenter. The late King had supposedly requested that a carpenter be sent to him so that he could build a temple to the gods in heaven. The carpenter then manages to outwit everyone and once he comes out of hiding, he claims that the late King requested a painter be sent to him to paint the temple. In my notes for this tale I mentioned that in my childhood I had read an altered version of the same story with a minister and a barber. This gave me the idea to retell the story with a different rivalry.

Picture: Burning pyre; source: Pixabay.
Bibliography. Tibetan Folk Tales by A.L. Shelton with illustrations by Mildred Bryant (1925).