The Prince and the Zombie Read Online Free PDF

proud, the musician’s four-footed friends were able to return the ring to the young man as soon as he woke up. His surprise was so great he thought he was dreaming. As a way of thanking his cat friend and the mouse as well, the guitar player played his most beautiful songs. He surpassed himself and played so well that his music not only filled his friends with wonder but also did the same for everyone they met as they continued their journey through the high plateaus of Tibet. Through his talent, the musician quickly earned back as much money and as many gold pieces as he had had before, and he and his three friends were able to lead a good life. One day, the mouse decided to part from the company and go back to his numerous family. The goodbyes were long and sad, but they all promised each other that they would stay in touch.
    At this moment, still beside himself with the thought of the musician’s lapse in awareness, the prince let his own vigilance slip and let the following words escape his lips: “What luck to have gotten the precious ring back with the help of his faithful friends!”
    Immediately, the sack on the prince’s back opened up all by itself and released its prisoner, the zombie Ngödrup Dorje. Gloating hugely, the zombie declared, “Here’s the blow you deserve for talking back!” and he disappeared in a puff of wind.
    Too late, the prince realized his fatal error. He was left all alone with an immense feeling of remorse and failure. “ Nga kugpa! What an idiot I am!” he cried, full of anger toward himself. But neither his anger nor the tears that followed changed the situation in the least. Finally the prince regained his composure, took a firm hold on his courage, and decided to continue with the mission he had been given by the guru Gömpo Ludrup. With the firm resolve to remain more vigilant the next time, the prince went back to India.

7
    Hunting Down the Zombie Again

    S O IT WAS that Prince Dechö Zangpo once again traveled across the whole breadth of the kingdom and at last arrived again at Silwaytsal. He had hardly arrived there when he was surrounded by large numbers of dead beings elbowing each other and all calling out at the same time: “ Halala! ” and “ Hululu! ” “I am the one you are looking for. Take me! Take me!”
    Again, following the teacher’s instructions, he touched the heads of the dead beings with the cone-shaped red object, repeating over and over, “You are not the one. You are not the one.” This caused them to flee immediately.
    Looking around, he saw a dead being who had a very singular appearance. The top of him was gold, the bottom of him was silver, and he had a mane of pure turquoise. As the guru had predicted, this one fled to the top of a sandalwood tree, saying, “I am not the right one! I am not the right one!” Having found the zombie Ngödrup Dorje, “He Who Fulfills All Dreams,” the prince took up the second object the guru had given him, the ax, with which he lightly touched the sandalwood tree. This simple action made the top of the tree tremble, and the prince began to speak to Ngödrup Dorje: “Come down to the ground. If you don’t, I will cut down this sandalwood tree.”
    Very cunning and sure of being invincible, the spirit replied, “Poor prince, you will tire yourself out. Therefore I will be the one to make the effort, and I’ll come down to you.”
    The prince grabbed him and put him in the sack, which immediately adjusted to the size of its captive. Then at once the prince tied the sack up with the magic rope. Because the prince was still carrying the red cone in his hand, the other dead beings did not approach again. Well content, the prince started out on the return journey with the intention of placing his precious burden before the guru as quickly as possible.
    On the ninth day, when the prince was again in the midst of