Page:Chinese Fables and Folk Stories.djvu/115

Rh many millions who have kept record over four thousand years, only twenty-four men have been found worthy of the great honor of being called Hsao-Tsze.

Twelve hundred years ago, in Che-Kiong Province, there lived a poor widow and her son, Wong Ziang. The father had died when Wong-Ziang was a baby, and the time came when they had only their little home left and not even one piece of silver to buy food with.

So the mother went to many places daily and asked food for herself and child. For seven long years, every day in the cold rain or in the sunshine, this poor widow begged food and kept herself and child from starving.

She was a good woman and never complained even to the heavens, and in her heart she said many times, "No mother should be sorrowful when she has a good son. My boy is true without being taught. Many mothers have sons, but they are not as this one."

When Wong-Ziang was fourteen years old, he said to his mother, "Ah Ma, I will seek work and we will have food. You must rest now."

In the morning early he went to the market place and asked work of many people. At midday, when the laborers left the market place, they said, "You are too young to work here."

As he was hungry, he went to a merchant's house and