Kati Short writes

ONE WAY TO HANDLE A DROUGHT

Now that we’re in the throes of

a drought of historical magnitude

I’ve remembered a tale of long, long ago.

In the olden days in China, every region

had it’s own god and often a statue representing

that god sat on the altar in the local temple.  The

people prayed to the god for their wants and needs.

When crops were planted the people prayed for good harvest.

When the rains came the people thanked their god for the rain.

If the rains didn’t come the people prayed for rain.

If the rains still didn’t come the people prayed harder for rain.

If the rains still didn’t come the people prayed even harder for rain.

If the rains still didn’t come the people put the statue of their

god on a palanquin and took it out to the fields to view the damage of little rain.

If the rains still didn’t come the people again put the statue of their

god on a palanquin and took it out to the fields to view the damage of little rain

and prayed that the god would have mercy and bring them rain.

If the rains still didn’t come the people yet again put the statue of their

god on a palanquin and took it out to the fields to view the damage of little rain

and prayed the god would have mercy on them and bring them rain, then the people

left the god in the fields in the sun.  If the rains still did not come the god was left in

the fields in the sun until the rains finally came.  Then the people brought the god

back into the temple and gave thanks for the rain.