BABA TELLS MEHERU TO RUN BESIDE THE HORSES

 
In June 1943 Baba had three horses kept in a stable in the women's compound on Meherabad Hill. They were cared for by Irene Billo, the young woman from Switzerland who loved horses. She had helped with the cooking when Baba and a large group of Eastern and Western disciples were in Cannes, France in 1937, and in 1938 came with Countess Nadine Tolstoy to be with Baba and the women mandali at Meherabad. She stayed with them through the war years, traveling on the Blue Bus tours to many other places, and eventually returned to Switzerland in 1946 after the war.

During the time of this story Irene used to groom and feed the horses, looking after them well. Mehera and Mani rode on the hillside in the morning, and Baba told Meheru she was to keep watch over them both by running along beside them. She didn't stop to think whether she could or could not do this but just said, 'Yes, Baba.' So she went on running, although naturally she couldn't keep pace with them.

Before long Mani's horse decided to go towards the village where it had come from, but Mehera continued to ride on the hill, so Meheru, after running a short way with Mani, chose to stay alongside Mehera as best she could. Later when Baba came to hear of Mani's horse going village-wards, He asked why Meheru was not with Mani. She replied she had turned towards Mehera.

'Were you tired?' He asked.

'No,' said Meheru, forgetting how tired and breathless she had been and not realising the impossibility of the task of keeping up with not only one horse but two! She did not realise that Baba was testing her obedience, and teaching her that His orders should be strictly carried out.