Ta Cheng was a kind of person who had never felt charitable and generous to anyone. When he was young, he made his living by slaughtering cow. When he got older, he liked drinking wine and gambling. He cursed his wife and children and kicked them out of home.
Hence, his wife and children left him to live far away with his relatives. When he got elderly, he fell seriously sick and none of his relatives visited him or took care of him. During his sickness, he often gave a shout of pain like a lowing cow. The scream could be heard throughout the day and night, making his neighbors unable to sleep.
Near his house lived a couple. Hearing the scream of Ta Cheng with pain, they always brought food for him everyday. Somehow, although he had eaten food, he still let out a scream of pain, insisting on drinking wine. Seeing his situation, another neighbor brought some wine for him and therefore, he stopped screaming. Since then, he needed to drink wine every time after meal.
Ta Cheng was very fond of his neighboring spouses. "Grandchildren, I am very grateful to you for taking care of me. With your food offered to me, may you be saved from starvation in every life!" blessed Ta Cheng with tears. The spouses received the blessing and then returned home.
Several days later, Ta Cheng passed away. The two spouses held his funeral in accordance with the tradition. The corpse was cremated at a rice field dike near the village.
Later, there was heavy rain filling puddles with water. The husband carried his cage to hunt frogs for food. As usual, many frogs were found while it was raining, but on that day he caught up only two frogs. He moved on until he reached the dike where the corpse of Ta Cheng was cremated. Suddenly, he saw a big frog jumping toward him. Cheerfully, the man caught the frog, put it in his cage and returned home.
Next morning, his wife killed the frogs for food. As soon as the big frog saw the woman, it jumped up and down without stopping. However, the woman cooked the three frogs for food, taking no notice.
That night, she dreamed that Ta Cheng stood crying in front of her house. In that dream, she asked Ta Cheng, "Grandpa! Why are you crying so loudly?" Ta Cheng then cried even more loudly and told her, "Granddaughter! I love both of you as much as I do to my eyes. When I found the grandson at my place, I tried to leap toward him with yearning because I hoped to see you and live by your side, but you've already slaughtered me."
The woman was awoken from the dream and briskly woke up her husband. “Where did you find the biggest frog, my dear?” she asked. Her husband said, “I caught it where the corpse of Ta Cheng was cremated.” “You know, my dear!” his wife said. “The frog is the soul of Ta Cheng; he’s just told me in my dream.”
Hearing what his wife told, the husband startled to discover that Ta Cheng had been born as a frog. He was greatly shocked and felt pity for Ta Cheng. His wife got so nervous for eating the frog. She could neither vomit nor cry though she wanted to. Her chest was tightened with fear, causing her health to get worse.
Later, the husband took his wife to consult with the monk for the late Ta Cheng. "Make a ritual to dedicate to his soul," advised the monk.
The couple returned home and started to celebrate the ritual by inviting relatives and friends from far and near to attend. Also, they invited the monks to dedicate the food to the soul of Ta Cheng who had passed away so that his soul might go to the peaceful heaven.
- THE END –
Hence, his wife and children left him to live far away with his relatives. When he got elderly, he fell seriously sick and none of his relatives visited him or took care of him. During his sickness, he often gave a shout of pain like a lowing cow. The scream could be heard throughout the day and night, making his neighbors unable to sleep.
Near his house lived a couple. Hearing the scream of Ta Cheng with pain, they always brought food for him everyday. Somehow, although he had eaten food, he still let out a scream of pain, insisting on drinking wine. Seeing his situation, another neighbor brought some wine for him and therefore, he stopped screaming. Since then, he needed to drink wine every time after meal.
Ta Cheng was very fond of his neighboring spouses. "Grandchildren, I am very grateful to you for taking care of me. With your food offered to me, may you be saved from starvation in every life!" blessed Ta Cheng with tears. The spouses received the blessing and then returned home.
Several days later, Ta Cheng passed away. The two spouses held his funeral in accordance with the tradition. The corpse was cremated at a rice field dike near the village.
Later, there was heavy rain filling puddles with water. The husband carried his cage to hunt frogs for food. As usual, many frogs were found while it was raining, but on that day he caught up only two frogs. He moved on until he reached the dike where the corpse of Ta Cheng was cremated. Suddenly, he saw a big frog jumping toward him. Cheerfully, the man caught the frog, put it in his cage and returned home.
Next morning, his wife killed the frogs for food. As soon as the big frog saw the woman, it jumped up and down without stopping. However, the woman cooked the three frogs for food, taking no notice.
That night, she dreamed that Ta Cheng stood crying in front of her house. In that dream, she asked Ta Cheng, "Grandpa! Why are you crying so loudly?" Ta Cheng then cried even more loudly and told her, "Granddaughter! I love both of you as much as I do to my eyes. When I found the grandson at my place, I tried to leap toward him with yearning because I hoped to see you and live by your side, but you've already slaughtered me."
The woman was awoken from the dream and briskly woke up her husband. “Where did you find the biggest frog, my dear?” she asked. Her husband said, “I caught it where the corpse of Ta Cheng was cremated.” “You know, my dear!” his wife said. “The frog is the soul of Ta Cheng; he’s just told me in my dream.”
Hearing what his wife told, the husband startled to discover that Ta Cheng had been born as a frog. He was greatly shocked and felt pity for Ta Cheng. His wife got so nervous for eating the frog. She could neither vomit nor cry though she wanted to. Her chest was tightened with fear, causing her health to get worse.
Later, the husband took his wife to consult with the monk for the late Ta Cheng. "Make a ritual to dedicate to his soul," advised the monk.
The couple returned home and started to celebrate the ritual by inviting relatives and friends from far and near to attend. Also, they invited the monks to dedicate the food to the soul of Ta Cheng who had passed away so that his soul might go to the peaceful heaven.
- THE END –
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