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"If the enemy comes, we'll fire at their legs, or someplace where it won't kill them, of course," was the reply.
"If we do that, the enemy will kill us," Sayadaw-to-be said. I wasn't brave enough to say anything so I just kept silent. None of the monks who were senior to the Sayadaw-to-be dared to speak either, so the plan was dropped. When we got back to our rooms, Sayadaw's cousin U Obasa said to him, "Why did you say that?" Sayadaw isn't afraid. If he has something to say, he's brave enough to talk back."
"What was Sayadaw like when he was a child? Was he brave like that, Bhante?"
"One time, when the two of us were at the meal table, at the Yangon Shwe Taung Gon Sâsana Yeiktha, I told Sayadaw that I was often afraid. Sayadaw said, "What for? I haven't been afraid since I was a small child." He told me of an incident that took place when he was a boy of five. A group of adult men ganged up on him and were teasing him. They teased him a lot, so he said, "Gentlemen…don't tease me, please. If I have to say this one more time, I'm going to go to the Village Headman and report you." The men enjoyed hearing this and teased him all the more. "All right, I'm going to the Village Headman to report you," he said, and started walking away. Only with great difficulty did the men manage to get hold of him and restrain him. Actually, he didn't have any idea where the Village Headman's house was. But he had heard someone once talk about going to the Village Headman to make a report, so he said that."
"Where did this happen, Bhante? In Sayadaw's father's birthplace, Kocheh Village, near Kyauktan Village? Or in Sayadaw's birthplace, Tadagahlay Village in Yangon?"
"In Tadagahlay."
"No-one has to sharpen the thorns in the forest, they come out by themselves, isn't it so, Bhante? One can see Sayadaw's bravery from an early age in this story. I'm very glad to have got to hear it. Sayadaw, please take a rest, now that you have finished your meal."
"Yes. Yes."
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