He
He was born. Everyone was born once. So He was born too. He was born during the night of a full moon. It was cold and the snow covered the valley between the mountains that they lived in. They named him He and moved up and down the valley between the cold and the colder season.
The sheep and the yak needed to graze the grass, not to mention horses that his family had. "This is the Wakhan corridor, only the toughest men live here. You lived five winters and survived, you are going to be a strong man." his father said once and the boy was proud.
But that narrow valley between mountains that touched the sky suddenly became very interesting to some kings that lived really really far away. Soldiers came and claimed the valley. Then the winter came and the soldiers left, but the locals had less sheep and yak.
Other soldiers came the next season and then the winter came and they left. But then some wild tribes came and drove them away. They had to leave, they barely saved half of their yaks and sheep while they loaded their horses and left their valley.
They went towards the side of the world where the sun was rising in the morning. Because those tribes came from the side where the sun was setting in the evening. They were lucky that they managed to salvage any of their possessions.
At least they were able to find some green pastures in the wide valley they descended into. The area was slightly warmer and wide and wild. Well, at least as wild as the valley where they used to live. But they had to move, because they were used to moving the whole time.
He was named simply He. He had an older brother and a sister. He also had one younger sister. They told him more were born over the years, but they did not live for long. He remembered just one, little brother that was born in the winter before they had to leave.
They told him that it was normal to lose babies like that. But he was sad anyway. He wanted to have a little brother. He did not want to be the little brother his whole life. Because his older brother was big and strong too.
He learned how to ride a horse while they still lived in the valley. He was riding on the horse in front of his brother or his father ever since he learned how to walk, or even sooner, they told him. But one day he was riding on a horse that was led by his father.
When He was strong enough they let him steer a horse. It was an old mare that would probably do the same even if He did no pull the strings. But he did and the horse did what was expected so it was concluded that He knew how to ride a horse.
They moved form place to place. They raised sheep and yak and a few goats. They used their milk to make food and they sold them on markets to purchase other food. Sometimes it was hard and they barely had enough food to eat, but there was always some.
His mother waved wool and knitted warm clothes, but sometimes they sold a piece or two at the market, just to get something else they needed. That was the way they lived, you always had to give up on something to get something else.
Markets were fantastic places. He was able to see many wonders there. More often than not, He would get lost between other wagons and cattle and people. There were all sorts of miracles to see there. His older brother would always find him.
Sometimes it was hard to find a decent area for their cattle to graze. Sometimes they would move away because someone would warn them that one or another army was about to pass. And that was bad, because armies eat and took the food from them.
So they moved further and further away from the valley where He was born. His father told him it was okay, that the pastures there were better than in the valley that they had left. But there were vast areas without water and cattle needed water.
His mother gave birth to another boy. He was happy, he was going to be an older brother. And this baby lived. He had to work a lot more, to help his mother, to take care of the cattle, to collect milk from the yak, and the sheep and the goats.
It was a bad year, they said. They had to find green pastures somewhere else. There were green pastures somewhere far. And those green pastures were not already taken. Not too many people wanted to go there, it was a strange place, his father was told.
There were all sorts of monsters and magical beings that roamed the plains. Sometimes there were storms that appeared out of nowhere, which was not strange for the mountains, but in the high plains you were able to see from where it was coming from.
A man on a fair was telling a tale so full of magic and mystery that nobody believed it was the truth. The story was about magical beings and monsters who fought epic battles between them and could cause mountains and rivers to move.
But amidst of it all enchanted area, the legend said, there was an enchanted temple that the magical beings never ventured in. It was a safe place with monks so old and wise that they could cure diseases and make grass grow.
There were other story tellers at the fair. Some played with dolls while they were telling a story, but few of them were reading from objects they called books. Those objects contained pages and pages covered in mysterious symbols that they could read.
He asked his father if he could learn to read. "You are not forbidden my son, but neither me nor your mother can teach you. You need to find a place of wisdom where wise men would teach you how to read and make those symbols." His father said.
So they ventured, over land so deserted that nobody was there, and nothing. Not a human, nor goat, nor sheep, nor a horse, no grass and no water for that matter. Only sand and stone. But his father was told how and where to go and after a whole day of walking they found water in the evening.
The next day they followed the stream and found a small patch of green where their cattle could graze. It was not enough to sustain them for a long period, but they could stay for a day or two to recover. Then they continued to walk and follow the stream.
The journey lasted almost as all stages of the moon, but finally they reached part of the high plains that was green as far as the eyes could see. Or at least to the white snow covered peaks in the distance. That was it, they found the place.
They settled easily, there was plenty of grass for their cattle and they gave plenty of milk. But they needed to find other people, they needed to trade and get other supplies. And going back to the market where they came from only to trade was too far and treacherous.
He and his brother ventured away to try and find some signs of other people or a settlement. They set on their horses and rode up to a top of a hill to get a better view. He was still young, so he had to decide where to go and tell his father before he left.
Far in the distance he saw a small peak. It was oddly shaped peak and distinguished itself from its surroundings. Without giving it further consideration, He pointed to his father that he was going in that direction.
"Good, if you are not back by the night fall I will send your sister for you as soon as the light is back." His father told him and squeezed his hand to greet him. "Be brave my boy and find what we all need you to find." And then his father pushed his horse to go.
His brother went in the opposite direction. His father stayed with his mother and a baby brother and two sisters. Someone had to stay with the cattle and his father did not want to send his daughters away on their own.
The sun was already quite high when He recognized that the peak he wanted to reach was in fact a temple. Or that was what he thought it was. The only temples he saw before were rather obscure and small, and this one was really large.
He was so focused on reaching the temple that he entirely forgot to look around and check if there are other human settlements around. His horse was tired and the sun was already descending for some time when he finally reached the steps below the temple.
He found a source of water and steps that lead up the cliff. He and his horse drank the water and then the boy ascended the steps while the horse was left to graze the grass below. Excited to finally see the temple, the boy ran up the steps and lost his breath in the process.
There, at the door to the temple, He met an old man. The man smiled at the boy gently and greeted him with a raised hand. The boy stopped and raised his hand in a similar manner. Suddenly, He was aware that he had no idea what he wanted to say.
"What have you come here for, my boy." The man asked. He stroked his beard and observed the boy with his eyes that seamed to pierce into the very soul of any creature he looked at. The boy stared back for a while before he remembered what his business was.
"My father sent me to find other people on this plain. We have cattle and cheese to sell and we need to buy grains for food." The boy panted and recited what he was instructed to say. But deep inside he knew that that was not what he really wanted.
"Good, we can purchase cheese from you, but we have little grains to sell, we have to get them ourselves. But there is a small settlement in that direction where you could trade some more." The old man spoke and observed the boy carefully.
"But first, tell me something about yourself." The old man ordered. So the man and the boy were brought some tea and they sat on a rock and the boy talked and talked about his dreams and wishes, reading and writing, tales and legends about magical creatures.
The boy was invited to spend the night inside the temple. It was just one miracle after another, it was built of stone, it had wide hallways and large halls. He ate his dinner with other children who were dressed as monks and talked with them.
After dinner, He was brought to another large hall where under the lights of a fire, they asked him further questions about what he thought was right thing to do in different circumstances. Then they checked his strength by different tests and dares.
"You are strong and brave boy." The old man praised him. "And your soul is bright and clear." The man continued. "You wish for knowledge that your family can not give you and you dream of creatures and deeds that require more that many would give."
He listened carefully because it was clear something important was going to happen. But nothing happened. He was given pillows and blankets to sleep and promised that someone will accompany him back to his family.
That same old man and two young monks joined him the next morning. They found his sister when they reached about half of his way. They reached his family in the evening. His parents were worried, but happy that he at least found a temple and slept well.
Then the old man spoke to his parents. His mother cried, his father was serious, but they both agreed. In the meantime, they traded cheese and milk for a bag of rice. It was fair trade. The monks have said they do not have much to spare. Then they explained where to find a small town.
They all slept in the tent that night. His mother was crying and begging him not to forget her, but he was not going that far, they could visit him in the temple, even the old monk confirmed it was perfectly fine if the boy wanted to spend a few days with his family from time to time.
The next morning they started before the dawn. The walked without the horse. They carried the goods they brought from his family. It was heavy and hard to carry over difficult terrain and without a horse. He was never without a horse.
"You might be given a horse one day, but a different one that you are used to, my boy." The old man spoke while he stroked his beard and observed the boy. "Your father said you were born seven winters ago." The old monk continued.
"I might be only seven winters old, but I was riding many different horses in my life, I'm sure I will be able to ride the horse you give me." The boy replied and adjusted the weight of the milk he carried in a leather sack.
"Oh, I have no doubt at all, my boy." The man replied with a glint in his eyes. One of the young monks that accompanied them told the old monk that the boy surely must have a name. The boy was ready to tell them his name.
"Call me Tenzin. You can continue to use the name your parents have given you whenever you are with them or if you decide to leave the temple." The old monk cut in. "But while you are with us and as long as you will be in training, you will be known as Dorje."