One day not so long ago there lived a very angry little boy. Everything in life and everything about life made him angry. The more angry he became the more frustrated he became and the more frustrated he became well that just made him more angry.
He began to hurt the people around him who loved him the most. With each new insult and angry outburst he was hurting those that cared. He wasn’t seeing the consequences of his anger. He couldn’t understand that his actions were causing others pain and hurt, he was too consumed by his own rage to even notice.
After a particularly bad outburst his mother had sent him to walk in the woods and think about things until he had calmed down. It was on this day, walking in the woods, that he met a witch that was about to change his life for the better.
The witch was out collecting her herbs and spices for potions and magical spells when she heard the little boy. He was cursing and kicking stones, making an awful racket as he went.
The little boy cursing and kicking sticks as he went, was so engrossed with his emotion of anger he didn’t see the witch until he was standing right in front of her.
“Who are you!” He angrily muttered “your in my way!”
“I’m a witch capable of turning you into a frog or making your tongue talk like a parrot, maybe I turn you into a mouse or something worse. so I would drop the attitude” replied the wise witch
“Well your in my way!” Barked the angry boy “and you smell”
“Your an angry little man” replied the witch “I think you might need to be taught a lesson”
“Oh shut up and get out my way” angrily demanded the little boy
“I did warn you”
And with a great flash of light and a kinda whooshing sound the witch threw one of her most powerful spells she had for years, it seemed this angrily little boy was about to be taught a lesson.
“There, it is done! You have been cursed, now every time you find yourself angry and about to hurl insults and abuse you will blow fire like a dragon”
And with this the Wise witch walked away leaving the little boy feeling a little dazed and slightly confused.
When the boy finally arrived back home his mood of anger had passed and he was feeling a lot more calmer. He’d forgotten about the witch and the curse and was feeling happier.
It was around the evening dinner table that he started to loose his temper. Just as his father had poised on his fork a particularly nice looking potato ready to pop in his mouth the little boy burst into anger. As the little boy opened his mouth ready to curse, suddenly, just as the witch had said, a burst of flames as impressive as any dragon came raging out of his mouth instantly turning the potato on his father’s fork to crumbly dust.
Shocked and surprised the boy quickly put his hands over his mouth to spare anymore carnage. His anger had now been replaced by horror and surprise as to the damage he had just caused.
That evening as the little boy was told it was bed time, anger reared it’s ugly head once more. Once again the instant the little boy opened his mouth to vent his rage a massive burst of flames came shooting out. The walls were scorched black and the television taking a direct hit was left melted and deformed.
Our little boy went to bed that evening thinking for the first time in his life, how his anger was having a direct effect on those around him.
Over the course of the next few weeks, little by little our boy started to see first hand how ever time he was angry or had an angry outburst the flames raged from his mouth burning everything to a crisp as it went, hurting and harming those around him.
The other town folk were now becoming afraid of the little boy who was now famous for blowing flames every time he was angry and as so would try to avoid any direct contact with him.
Our poor little boy was becoming very sad and lonely indeed.
However this curse the wise witch and bestowed upon our little angry boy was turning out to be a very clever curse indeed.
As more time passed the little boy was slowly beginning to control his angry outbursts.
Gradually over time his anger became less and less. At first he managed to control his anger for a day, then he could managed two days in a row, then three, and four then an entire week went by without the little boy becoming angry in the slightest way.
And as our little boy began to control his anger a fantastic transformation was also unfolding. He was also beginning to become calmer and happier person. The other town folk could also see the wonderful new change in our little boy and so they had started to include him once again. This was just the encouragement the little boy need to finally rid himself of the old wise witches curse.
With a massive concerted effort and intense control our little boy expelled the last remaining flakes of anger left in his body, he had truly conquered his curse of blowing fire and in doing so had also mastered his anger.
His curse was lifted!
Our little boy decided to leave some of the destruction and scorch marks his anger had created. A reminder as how a quick small outburst of anger can cause far longer lasting damage.
Words we say in anger can cause deep emotional scars that may take many years to heal or be covered over.
Author: Dhamma Tāpasā
