Indian Tales of The Great Ones/The Way of Friendship

by Cornelia Sorabji

The Way of Friendship

Simple is the way of friendship.

Make a fire of two sticks, or twenty, or two hundred—any number will do: and if you walk round the fire sun-wise, with that one whom you would have for a friend, the gods themselves will not take back the gift.

And this was the lesson which Drona tried to teach King Drupada. Drona was the Master-Archer as we know, and Drupada was King of the Panchalas. Now Drupada was not worthy of friendship, for he did not believe that two sticks would do for the lighting of the Fire of Friendship.

"They must be two hundred," said Drupada, "and of the most costly wood."

And Drona was sad: for he was a poor man, and two sticks gathered in a wood were all that he could bring to the lighting.

"And you will bring one of the two," he had said to Drupada; "for all that matters is that we should bring the same."

But Drupada shook his head.

And Drona journeyed to a far country, and for many years the River of Time flowed between him and the man whom he wanted for friend.

And at last they were once again on the same bank of the river. And Drona's pupils, Arjun and his brother princes, took Drupada captive and brought him to Drona.

And Drona said: "I will teach Drupada the way of friendship. Since my two sticks, to one of which he is welcome, will not do for the lighting of the fire, he shall give me half his two hundred sticks of the costliest wood."

And of all Drupada's riches—treasure of gold and emeralds and diamonds and pearls, strings of camels and horses

Drona and the Fire of Friendship

and elephants, chariots of war and houses and slaves—he made two equal parts; and one part he gave to Drupada and one part he kept for himself, that he might begin the teaching of the way of friendship to the man who was not worthy to learn the way.