Page:Chinese Fables and Folk Stories.djvu/116

112 asked food; and because he was a gentle boy and pleaded so earnestly, the merchant told his cook to give him food. Wong-Ziang would not eat the food, but took it home to his mother.

Ninety times Wong-Ziang left home at sunrise. He sought work all day, and every night he took food home to his mother and comforted her with, "I soon will find work. Ah Ma. One man says he will want me soon; or, a man told me of yet another place to seek work," and in many other ways he comforted his mother.

When he gave her the food he brought, she would say, "You eat, too." But he would always answer, "I have had mine; you eat first." And when she had finished eating, he would eat of what was left.

One time Wong-Ziang's mother fell sick. He said, "I will go for the doctor." But his mother said, "I have no silver. Wait and you will soon have work. I think I shall be well then."

But Wong-Ziang ran to the city of Nim-Chu and asked the doctor to come to his mother. He said to him as they went to his mother's house:

"My mother did not get up at sunrise. She is weak and sick and can not eat food. She does not want a doctor, as we have no silver, but I believe you will wait and, when I get work, I will pay you." The doctor