Page:A history of Chinese literature - Giles.djvu/358

 346 CHINESE LITERATURE

humour in it. A certain man, named Wang (anglicl Smith), decided to study Tao in other words, the black art at a temple of the Taoist persuasion. The priest, who seems to have had a touch of Squeers in his com- position, warned Wang that he would probably not be able to stand the training ; but on the latter insisting, the priest allowed him to join the other novices, and then sent him to chop wood. He was kept at this task so long that, although he managed to witness several extraordinary feats of magical skill performed by the priest, he scarcely felt that he was making progress himself.

" After a time he could not stand it any longer ; and as the priest taught him no magical arts, he determined not to wait, but went to him and said, ' Sir, I travelled many long miles for the benefit of your instruction. If you will not teach me the secret of immortality, let me, at any rate, learn some trifling trick, and thus soothe my cravings for a knowledge of your art. I have now been here two or three months, doing nothing but chop fire- wood, out in the morning and back at night, work to which I was never accustomed in my own home.' ' Did I not tell you,' replied the priest, ' that you would never support the fatigue ? To-morrow I will start you on your way home.' ' Sir,' said Wang, ' I have worked for you a long time. Teach me some small art, that my coming here may not have been wholly in vain.' ' What art ? ' asked the priest. ' Well,' answered Wang, ' I have noticed that whenever you walk about anywhere, walls and so on are no obstacle to you. Teach me this, and I'll be satisfied.' The priest laughingly assented, and taught Wang a formula which he bade him recite. When he had done so he told him to walk

�� �