The Four Harmonious Friends: A Tale of Respect and Unity

 

In the quiet corners of Himalayan monasteries — where prayer wheels spin and the wind carry the sound of distant chants — you will often see beautiful murals of these four animals stacked on top of each other. The mural tells a story that’s older than time. A story once told by Lord Buddha himself, about the power of harmony, respect, and working together.

During my travels through Ladakh and Bhutan, I noticed that nearly every monastery had this beautiful mural painted near its entrance. Our guide narrated the story behind it with such charm and animation that not just the kids — even we adults were completely captivated.

The version we heard during our travels went like this:

The Four Harmonious Friends

"Long ago, in a forest near the mountains, there lived four animals — a strong elephant, a playful monkey, a gentle rabbit, and a small bird."

All of them lived near a beautiful tree with sweet fruits. One day, they began to argue — who among them had the first right to the fruits?

The elephant said, “I saw this tree when it was just a young tree.”

The monkey said, “I remember it when it was a bush.”

The rabbit said, “I saw the first sprout push through the soil.”

And the bird said quietly, “I dropped the seed that became this tree.”

The animals fell silent. They looked at the little bird with new eyes. 

“Then you came first,” said the elephant, bowing respectfully.

And so, when they discovered that it was the little bird who had first brought the seed, their hearts filled with respect. They understood a deeper truth — that every great thing begins with a small act of kindness, and those who come before us lay the foundation for what we enjoy today.

From that moment on, the four animals became the best of friends. The elephant let the others climb onto his back, and together they reached the highest fruits and shared them. Not one animal tried to lead — they worked as one.

The elephant offered his strength, the monkey his cleverness, the rabbit his gentleness, and the bird her wisdom. They no longer saw themselves as separate, but as one — each with something special to give.