Part 6
One day some relatives came to call, and the old lady urged them to stay and eat with them. They refused at first, as they thought they could not provide anything worth eating, but finally, at the old lady’s most earnest request, they consented. Such a feast of good things as she prepared for them; how surprised they were! They exclaimed again and again at the delicate flavour of everything, and the quick time in which she had prepared them. At last one of them asked how she could afford to provide such expensive food, and the old lady in pride of heart brought forth her treasure and told her secret to the guests. They were filled with envy, and later on, one day when the old lady was away from home, one of them went into her room and stole the precious charm. Only the dog was in the room, and though he saw, he did not know how great the loss was. When the mistress came home and went to get her son’s supper, she discovered her loss. She was filled with great sorrow and distress. When her son returned she told him, and together they looked everywhere. The old lady wept most bitterly and refused to be comforted. The cat and dog came and begged for their supper, but she paid no attention to them. After that they had to eat millet and cornmeal again, and hard indeed it was, as they had become used to good food. The cat and dog grew thin and refused the poor food. Finally the dog concluded that the reason was because the bright, pretty ornament their mistress always put in the kettle was no longer used and must be lost, and that was why the mistress cried so much. Then he remembered the neighbour who came and went into the closet, and came out after a while with the treasure in his hand, and how he saw him put it in his pocket. The dog then called the cat and told her all, but said, “Alas! I am but a dog. I cannot get it, but you can, for you are able to get on the roofs of houses and crawl in windows, and you must get it.” When the cat heard where it was, she said, “But the river, how can I get across the river?” to which he replied, “I can swim, and when you come to the bank you get on my back and I will take you across.” So together they went. When they reached the river the cat jumped on the dog’s back and he took her over safely. Then he said, “I will wait here for you while you go to the house for our mistress’ treasure.”
Over the roofs and along fences the cat went till she came to the right house; then she found a window open, and walking in she curled down in a warm place to take note of what was going on and to make her plans. After a time she spied a rathole, and going over to it she waited patiently till a big mouse came out; then she sprang upon it and held it fast. How the poor thing plead for its life! The cat said, “Mouse, I will save your life if you will do me a favour.” The mouse promised gladly, and the cat told of the lost treasure and that it was in the house. The mouse said, “I know about that; every day the family eat good food; let me go and I will get it for you.” “No,” said the cat, “I cannot let you go, for you would not come back. I will hold you closely, but you call your companions and tell them where it is, and when they bring it I will let you go.” Then the mouse called out and all the mice came running, and when told what to do, away they went in search of the gold ornament. After a time they came back with it and the poor mouse was allowed to go, while the cat made her way back to the riverside with the ornament in her mouth.
She found the dog waiting for her, and when he saw the treasure in her mouth he barked and jumped for joy. Before she got on his back he said to her, “We are both very hungry; now, if in going over the river you see a fish or anything good to eat, don’t try to get it, for if you do you will drop the treasure.” This he repeated once and again and they started for the other side. Just before reaching the other side a fish jumped up in the cat’s face, and before she thought, she made a grab for it and so lost the ornament in the river. How the dog did scold and howl then; he was so hungry, and such visions of a good supper had filled his eyes all the way over. The cat was so sorry, and promised she would think of a way to get it if only he would not bark so loudly. Looking around she saw a big frog who looked very friendly, and to her she told all her troubles and said, “I know you like to do good deeds of mercy, so please help me.” The frog agreed and jumped into the river, and after a little returned with the lost charm. Then after thanking the frog, the cat and dog started home; so happy were they they could not get over the ground fast enough. The cat mewed at the door, and when the old lady opened it and saw her with the lost treasure, she caught her up, made a big fuss over her, took her in the house, and shut the door, thus leaving the dog out in the court; as she did not know how much he had helped the cat, she did not pay any attention to him.
Soon a big supper was ready, and once again the mother and son were happy. This time in their gratitude they fed the cat first, all she could eat, but forgot the dog, so absorbed were they in their own supper and in planning a good, safe hiding-place for the most precious charm. After a little the cat went out into the yard, and seeing the poor, hungry dog, she told him with great pride of all the good things she had had to eat, and the nice things the family had promised her. “There is nothing left for you,” said the cat, “and if you are hungry you had better fly around and find a bone.” When the dog heard this he sprang upon her and bit her so she died immediately. Then he went and told all the dogs about it. When they heard the story they were most indignant at such ingratitude, and then and there took a solemn vow of eternal enmity to the cats for all time to come. Thus they have kept their vow, and to this day in all lands the dog is the enemy of the cat.
A DAUGHTER OF THE PRESENT
In Manchuria, not far from Mukden, lived a well-to-do farmer by the name of Lee. For some years the country had been much troubled by mounted banditti who terrorized the people, stealing from them right and left.
Mr. Lee called his neighbours together and after talking over the existing conditions, they bound themselves together to act as watchmen and resist the thieves even to the death.
Mr. Lee then went to the neighbouring villages and helped them to form little companies of volunteers for the same purpose. This, in time, reached the ears of the robbers, and they laid their plans accordingly.
One night in the midst of the autumn harvest, while the farmers were celebrating with wine and music the “harvest festival,” the bandits came upon the village. Mr. Lee called his followers together and a great fight took place in the moonlight. At last the robbers set fire to several houses in the village, and after stealing all they could carry away with them, departed.
Every one was left weeping—grain and clothing gone, and some with their homes in ashes. Every one was so busy with his own losses that it was daylight before it was known that Mr. Lee was missing. After much searching in the fields and at the near villages, they decided that he must have been taken captive and carried to the robbers’ stronghold in the mountains.
Now, Mr. Lee had a little daughter, thirteen years old, called “Jade.” She was devoted to her father, and his constant companion. When, as the day wore on, he did not return she refused to be comforted. She pleaded with her mother and brothers to go with her to the neighbours and get them to form a rescue party, but the neighbours were so full of their own losses and fearful of another visit from the robbers that they refused. They said, “If we go, we shall certainly be captured, and either killed or held for a big ransom.”
Little Jade and her family knew it would do no good to appeal to the magistrate, as such raids were frequent, and nothing was done to prevent or punish; and all the family but the little daughter made up their minds that nothing could be done, and they must await whatever the gods had in store for them.
“Not so,” thought little Jade; “I will either save my father or die with him.” Without saying anything to the other members of the family she learned from questioning the villagers the location of the “Tigers’ Nest,” as the fastness of the thieves was called. She then started off alone and after miles of weary walking she reached the place at nightfall. She made direct for the cave and prostrating herself before the entrance she began to weep and wail for her father. The robbers came and looked fiercely at her. How she pleaded with those hard-hearted men! They offered her food and money to go away; but she only pleaded the harder. They then became angry and tried to drive her away. For two days and nights she knelt in front of the cave; she would neither eat nor sleep. Many of the robbers were fathers and their hearts grew tender toward the little maid as hour after hour her wail fell upon their ears, and they saw her little face swollen and drawn with long weeping and fasting.
At last the robber captain could endure it no longer, and after one final effort to drive her away, he commanded that Mr. Lee be set free, and that he and his little daughter be escorted beyond the hill region by the robber band. At the close of the fourth day they arrived at their home, where there was great rejoicing and much praise for brave little Jade.
When Jade was seventeen the young man she was engaged to marry died and she took the vow of “widowhood,” and also that she would help support the aged father and mother of her betrothed. Although she had never seen any of the family this was considered very meritorious in Jade, and she was held up as a model girl to all others in the region.
She took in sewing and embroidery and the money she thus earned was sent to the old people. She is at present living near Mukden, and it is rumoured that she is to be one of the teachers in a girls’ school to be opened in that city.
T’ANG SUNG’S JOURNEY TO GET THE BUDDHIST CLASSICS
In the year 629 A.D., a very devout monk, T’ang Sung, hoping to achieve merit by which he might avoid death and that he might become one of the Eternal Holy Ones, accepted the proposal of his Emperor that he should go to the west in search of the famous Buddhist Classics.
Alone he set out on his journey to the Yellow River where the caravans to India were wont to form. On his way he met a wonderful monkey. The monkey asked the priest where he was going, and on being told, decided that he would go along with the good priest! “But what can you do? Why should you go?” asked the monk.
The monkey replied, “I am a famous jumper. With one jump I can touch the heavens; I can walk on water and on the air; I can change myself into seventy-two different shapes.” After some more conversation the monk consented to the company of the monkey, and giving him the name Sun Hou, he fastened a string to his neck and started on his way. The monkey was very changeful in his disposition and the monk had a hard time making him mind. After going a few miles he met a holy man who said, “If he does not mind you I will tell you something to say to him which will make his head ache, and he will go quietly with you.” Going along a few more miles they met a pig, and on hearing from the monkey where they were going, said he also would go and help find the books.
“What can you do to help?” asked T’ang Sung.
“I can catch thieves and have power to do many strange things,” was the reply; “and the only trouble with me is that I walk slowly.” The monk considered the question, and as he did not like to be unkind to a pig said he could go. Afterward on the road they met a very stupid simple priest, and he plead so hard to be allowed to join the party that the monk also consented; thus the four travelled slowly along until they met a white horse. He asked the errand of the strange company, and after hearing the story, said he also would go and T’ang Sung might ride him. The foolish priest carried the baggage, the pig carried the gun, and the monkey was sent on ahead to make all the arrangements.
On the road to India they had to pass seventy-two caves, where demons lived, who were ever on the watch for travellers.
One day they travelled till night; all day they had been without food, and as darkness came on and no village was in sight the monkey said, “I will jump and see where a village is.” He gave a great jump and saw they were not far from a village; he heard a great noise which frightened him; he gave another jump and saw the village was on the bank of a great river eight hundred yards wide. The monkey returned and got his companions and led them to the home of the rich man of the village.
He struck the bell the priest carried, and the servants, on opening the gate and seeing the queer procession, were very much frightened. Sun Hou said, “Don’t be afraid. We are from the Emperor, and going to India to get the sacred books of the great Buddha. We want something to eat and a place to sleep, as we are very weary.”
The owner of the place replied, “I am able to give what you ask, but not to-night as I am in great trouble.”
“What is it? Perhaps I can help you,” said the monkey.
Then said the rich man, “For long years a terrible demon has lived in the river and every year we have to prepare a young boy and a young girl as an offering for him or he will destroy the village by causing the river to overflow. To-night is the yearly sacrifice and it falls on me. I am a large householder, but I have only one little boy and one little girl, and my heart is breaking with my grief, but I must give them up to save the lives of the many in the village.” Sun Hou said, after a moment’s thought, “Don’t be anxious. I have a plan. Get us something to eat.”
After eating, Sun Hou commanded that the children should be brought into the room. After looking at them Sun Hou said to the pig, “You impersonate the girl and I will the boy;” the pig shook himself three times, and the father said, “Well done.” Soon after the procession, which had been forming in the village, came for them, with drums beating and banners flying. They carried the supposed children to the temple on the river bank. Cooked chicken was placed on the table, the incense lighted, then all went out and the door was locked.
Then when all was quiet Sun Hou said to the pig, “You take one side and I will the other and don’t be afraid.” About midnight there was the sound of a great wind, and then Sun Hou said, “Be careful, the demon, Yao Ching, is coming.” Immediately the door opened and a great fishlike being came into the temple. They heard him say, “In the past I have taken the boy first, but to-night I shall eat the girl first.” With that he seized the girl, who immediately struck him, and then, with the help of the boy, fought a terrible battle and injured him so that he fled, leaving two great fins on the floor.
The river-demon sought out the king of the demons and told him the story. He said, “You call up a great cold wind, bring snow and ice and freeze over the river, then when they get half-way over the river, you call your friends to help you and put your strength together and cause the ice to give way and precipitate them all into the river.”
The demon was pleased with the plan and in three days the ice was so thick that farmers could cross in their carts. All this time the four strange companions were living in great comfort with the rich man of the house, who gave them many rich presents and much food. On the fourth day they started on, and when they got to the middle of the river the ice broke and all went into the water except the monkey, who gave a great jump and landed on the top of a high mountain. The others were taken captive, and put in a deep cave by the river-demon to wait until they had caught Sun Hou, when all should be eaten together. Day after day, Sun Hou went down on the river bank and reviled them. Many were the fierce battles they fought but neither could get the victory. At last one day Sun Hou took a mighty jump and arrived at the home of the Goddess of Mercy, who was in her palace in the Southern Sea.
“Ah!” said she; “I knew you were coming. I have waited for you.” She was making a fish-basket of bamboo. When she heard his troubles she said, “Wait. I am making this great fish-basket to catch him in. He used to live in my sea, and is my special food fish, but he rebelled and ran away and for many years has lived in the great river. You go back and call him and fight again, and I will come and get him in my basket.” In the terrible battle which followed the Goddess of Mercy let from Heaven a basket and took him in and up to Heaven.
Then Sun Hou called some of the Heavenly Soldiers to his aid, and they went with him and found his companions in a cave, but alas! the men could not swim. While Sun Hou was pondering, a big turtle came along and said, “I knock my head to you. You are my preserver. Many years ago this cave was mine, but the river-demons took it, and now, to show my thanks, if you will all get on my back I will carry you over the river.” This they did, and on the way the turtle said, “You are going to India to find out how one can live forever? Will you ask the merciful Buddha what my after-life is to be like?” Sun Hou promised, and as they would need help in crossing on their return he was to look out for them.
As they travelled on they came to the country of Pú Táo. The king asked them where they were going and also demanded a proof of their Imperial mission. Now, this king had three famous ministers called Fox, Deer, and Sheep. They said these persons must first prove their strength before they could go on their way. To the question as to whether their contest was to be of military skill or a contest of mind, the monkey chose the latter. A platform thirty feet high was built. Then Minister Fox said to T’ang Sung, “We two will go up there and see which can sit without moving an eyelash for the longest time; the one who moves first is to be killed.” While thus sitting the sheep changed himself into a worm and crawled up on the bald head of the priest, and bit his head in many places. T’ang Sung was most uncomfortable and his face showed it.
Now, Sun Hou saw the look and so changed himself into a bird, flew up over the monk, and seeing the worm, flew down and in picking it up saw that it was the “Minister Sheep,” to whom he said, “If this is the trick I will show you what I can do,” and changed himself into a centipede, and crawled upon Minister Fox. He entered his nose, got into his ear, and up into his head, and so distracted did the minister become that he could not endure the pain, and threw himself from the platform and thus died. When the “Minister Deer” saw the calamity he said, “Our great elder brother is dead, I will see what I can do,” so he said, “Let us see who can cut his head off, throw it away, get it again and grow it on.” Sun Hou said, “That is good. It is not the monk’s turn; this is my turn.”
Minister Deer asked, “Who will try first, you or I?”
Sun Hou replied, “I can cut my head off and grow it on again ten times.” The Deer replied, “I can only once.” So Sun Hou said, “I will try first,” and immediately cut off his head, upon which Minister Deer said, “I can only cut mine off once and I won’t do it now.”
“If you don’t, we will fight,” said Sun Hou.
Thus driven, he cut his head off, and the monkey, changing to a dog, ran away with it and was gone two hours,—so long that the man died also.
Then said Minister Sheep, “You must conquer me or I shall kill you.”
“Well,” said Sun Hou, “what shall we do? You decide.”
“Well,” said the Sheep, “we will build a fire, put on a big kettle of oil, and when it boils we will take turns in getting in and staying two hours. The one who can do it will be the victor.”