Story · Ajahn Brahm
The live eel in the birthday box
Content note: prank on a parent (harmless, but involves a live animal)
The story — as told by Ajahn Brahm (verbatim captions)
But but anyway, so you know what naughty Satan A Brah did as a kid, 8-year-old? I just went got some pocket money and I bought an eel. A live one cuz live one I could buy a live one. They didn't ask me what I wanted it for. So, I already had the little shoe box and some wrapping paper, and I put this heel in a shoe box, and I wrapped it up really carefully, as best as an 8-year-old kid could do. Just make sure it's really nicely folded. A nice little tape. And even have the bow to tie it up with a nice bow and a little gift card in a happy birthday to mommy on your birthday with love from your son Peter. That's my name. XXX. And when I haded it to my mother as a surprise. Oh, she was just her heart was almost just exploding with with pride. That's my little kid. And he did it all by himself. And the amazing thing was I actually could pull it off, you know, that without sort of laughing and giving the game away, what was inside. And I remember my mother was almost cry with pride and joy. And if you get a nice present from a a young little kid, 8-year-old, and said, "A I wonder what's inside." when she opened it up and I was looking at her. Ah, what's inside? Oh, surprise, mommy. She was surprised cuz this little eel. As soon as she opened the box, the eel came up right and she screamed so loud. That was where I understood what like an exit strategy was. I'd already planned out where I was going to run and hide for 2 hours.
▶ Watch Ajahn Brahm tell it from 37:33 (to 39:37)
A reflection (in the spirit of Ajahn Brahm's talk)
Eight-year-old Peter wrapped a live eel as his mother's birthday present, with a card, a bow and a planned escape route. She was so proud, then screamed. Monks were once mischievous children too. Remember that everyone grew up imperfect. Kindness embraces people; harsh judgment pushes them out.
In brief (our summary)
Growing up in Acton, West London, when jellied eels and mash were a craze, eight-year-old Peter (Ajahn Brahm) spent his pocket money on a live eel, put it in a shoe box, wrapped it carefully with tape, a bow and a card — 'Happy birthday to mummy... with love from your son Peter, XXX'. His mother almost cried with pride that he'd done it all himself. When she opened it the eel reared up and she screamed; he had already planned where to run and hide for two hours.
Teaching point
Monks and nuns were ordinary, mischievous children too; kindness means not judging people as if they were born perfect.
When this story may help
- idealising teachers
- family memories
Themes
Source & credit
Told by Ajahn Brahm in Learn to be Silent | Ajahn Brahm | 13 April 2018 · 2018-04-13 · ▶ watch from 37:33 to 39:37 · Buddhist Society of Western Australia
1 other telling of this story
- Getting Along with Difficult Family Members | Ajahn Brahm | 18 June 2021 · 2021-06-18 · ▶ watch from 1:11:07 to 1:13:18 · Buddhist Society of Western AustraliaJun 2021 telling: full eel-in-shoebox gag; wrapped with 'I love my mommy'; she melts then screams; eel raises its head; he hides two hours.
Caption notes: YouTube auto-captions with machine-added punctuation; words left exactly as captioned. 'Satan A Brah' probably = 'little Ajahn Brahm' (as captioned).
The narrative is Ajahn Brahm's own telling, quoted from the talk captions. The summary and reflection are Being Mindful Stories's editorial notes. Please credit the teacher and link the original talk. Markdown version