Page:Chinese Fables and Folk Stories.djvu/206

202 I grow all the leaves, stems, and flowers I want, and so I stand here forever. The north wind comes and I bow my head to the south. Then the south wind comes and opens my beautiful flowers. I am the rose tree, and in my own strength I stand."

The following new Ee-Sze has been added to this old story:

(Meaning): China and her people should be as the rose tree. We must rely upon ourselves. We are better students than warriors; once, when we found ourselves in trouble, we leaned on Japan. Then, when we had trouble with her, Russia told us she would help. But she was much worse and wished to take our land and to make us a people without a country.