Lesson Twelve | Shadows of the Heart | audio/open
There was once a man so disturbed by the sight of his own shadow, and so displeased with his own footsteps, that he determined to get rid of them both.
How foolish. Do you think they will understand this lesson, any more than the last?
[Oogway continues, unperturbed.]
The method he chose was to run away- to escape. So, he stoop up and ran, cursing his shadow aloud all the while. However, every time he put his foot down, there was another step, and his shadow kept up with him without the slightest difficulty.
HE attributed his failure to the fact that he was not running quickly enough, so he ran faster and faster, until he could run no more and fell to the ground.
Dead. He dropped dead. Can you not even tell the story correctly?
What he failed to realize... No, that won't work- Stop that, this instant! [There is a sharp click, and a pause.]
...If he had merely stepped into the shade, his shadow would vanish, and if he has sat down and stayed still, there would be no more footsteps.
[Ahhhh...silence.]
Do not listen to the darkness in your own heart. It only knows the pain in life, and none of the joy.
How foolish. Do you think they will understand this lesson, any more than the last?
[Oogway continues, unperturbed.]
The method he chose was to run away- to escape. So, he stoop up and ran, cursing his shadow aloud all the while. However, every time he put his foot down, there was another step, and his shadow kept up with him without the slightest difficulty.
HE attributed his failure to the fact that he was not running quickly enough, so he ran faster and faster, until he could run no more and fell to the ground.
Dead. He dropped dead. Can you not even tell the story correctly?
What he failed to realize... No, that won't work- Stop that, this instant! [There is a sharp click, and a pause.]
...If he had merely stepped into the shade, his shadow would vanish, and if he has sat down and stayed still, there would be no more footsteps.
[Ahhhh...silence.]
Do not listen to the darkness in your own heart. It only knows the pain in life, and none of the joy.