# Watch out for falling rocks

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Joke
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-joke-falling-rocks
- Themes: humour
- Life situations: needing a laugh

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

A dying Comanche chief sends Geronimo and Fallen Rocks to hunt buffalo for 30 days; Geronimo returns with many skins; Fallen Rocks never does — and road signs still say 'Watch out for falling rocks.'

## The story, as told by Ajahn Brahm (verbatim captions)

One was the famous Geronimo. The other one was called Fallen Rocks. And he asked the two of them, he said, "You are both great warriors and you are smart. You're both more than capable of being chief of the Comanche tribe. And the only way to decide who will succeed me is giving you a test. I want you to go out for 30 days and capture as many buffaloos as you can. And the one who comes back with the most buffalo skins will be the leader, the chief of the great Comanche tribe. So Gono and Falling Rocks, they go out in different directions. After 30 days, Girono comes back with many, many buffalo skins. Fallen rocks. 30 days, 31 days, 35 days. He still hasn't returned. And according to their tribal customs, they send out search parties for their missing, brave fallen rocks. They search everywhere and they keep on searching and indeed even today they're still searching for him because if you go to that part of United States you'll see many signs along the side of the road. Watch out for falling rocks

## Teaching point

Told as a joke tested on kids first; laugh at mistakes.

## Reflection (in the spirit of Ajahn Brahm's talk)

Two braves go hunting; one never returns, and they're still searching, judging by all those 'Watch out for falling rocks' signs. Ajahn Brahm admits his jokes have got worse, not better. Mistakes give life character. Laugh at them, learn from them, and you grow.

## Source

- [How to deal with mistakes | Ajahn Brahm | 10-10-2014](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avEojw6wMSs) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 15:56 to 17:22: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avEojw6wMSs&t=956s