An early version of it appeared on the internet
well before Francis became pope in 2013.
Details
A communications expert and amateur poet
who uses the pen name Gonzalinho da Costa
traced a similar statement to a 2009 post
on a website called
Meditation Relaxation Sans Stress.
"We know that trees do not eat their own fruits
cows do not drink their own milk
rivers dont drink their own water
Let us also learn to serve our sisters brothers
and all objects of nature
To secure our present and humanity's future"
The website linked the words to the Vedas,
ancient Hindu scriptures.
The name Prof Lallan Prasad appeared
under the words.
Snopes.com reached out to a
University of Delhi professor with that same name,
asking if he wrote the words or knows their origin.
No update yet.
A similar quote
A very similar quote appeared in the
2019 role playing game "Days Gone."
A character in the game, Rikki, states:
"Rivers do not drink their own water.
Trees do not eat their own fruit.
And clouds do not swallow their own rain.
What great ones have is always
for the benefit of others."
As of this writing
As of this writing, Snopes.com hasn't found
the original source of the quote.
No evidence it was a statement made by
Pope Francis.
However, and as noted above,
what appears to be an original online version
of the quote was posted four years
before he became pope.
13) Shafts of light at another part of the canyon.
Photo by John Graham
14) Same scene as previous pic.
- Lyndal, John, Tracey
15) Same scene as previous pic.
- Lyndal, John, Tracey
16) Same scene as previous pic.
- Tracey, Helen, Vijay, Paul
Photo by John Graham
Yet another shafts of light
17) At another part of the Canyon.
- 2 in the front: Amy, Paul
- Lady in black at the back: Not our group
Photo by John Graham
18) Same scene as previous pic.
- 2 in the front: Vijay, Tracey
- Lady in white at the back: Not our group
19) Same scene as previous pic.
- Vijay watching ...
- Helen, Tracey ... at the back
20) Same scene as previous pic.
Fantastic shafts of light !
Photo by John Graham
21) Same scene as previous pic.
- Tracey
- Lady in black up on the rock: Not our group
Photo by ???
Walk/swim downstream a bit more,
then another shafts of light
22) We are meeting more bushwalkers now.
They didn't abseil into the canyon;
walked/swam in from where we'll exit the canyon.
- 3 with helmets: Tracey, Helen, Vijay
- Others (without helmet): Not our group
23) Same scene as previous pic.
- Helen, Tracey, Vijay
Photo by John Graham
24) Same scene as previous pic.
- Amy
Photo by John Graham
25) Same scene as previous pic.
- Vijay in the limelight
- Paul, Tracey ... photographing Vijay
Photo by John Graham
26) Same scene as previous pic.
- Tracey, Lyndal
Photo by ???
27) Same scene as previous pic.
- Tracey, Lyndal
Photo by ???
More shafts of light
28) These shafts of light never ends 😀
29) Amy ... the star !
- Behind her is Lyndal.
Photo by John Graham
Swims
There are swimming sections inside the canyon.
You should wear a wetsuit.
There are cases where hikers without wetsuits
suffered hypothermia.
They had to be rescued by helicopters.
30) One of the swimming sections.
- Clockwise from bottom:
Helen, Vijay, Tracey, Lyndal, Amy
