Page:Chinese Merry Tales (1909).djvu/25

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NOTHER bachelor of arts, on account of the day of examination drawing near, was day and night afflicted with grief and felt down-hearted. His wife seeing him in such a bad plight, laughingly said to him: "When I see you writing literary essays, why is it so difficult? I suppose it is as hard as we women giving birth to a child." The bachelor of arts then replied: "It is still easier for you women to bear a child." His wife said: "Why do you think so?" B. A. replied: "Your abdomen contains an already formed child; my literary knowledge is not in my abdomen; why is it not then more difficult for me (to write an essay)?"

HERE was a teacher who taught in a school. One day the scholars questioned the teacher: "What is meant by the principles of the Great Learning (大學之道)?" As the teacher could not explain, he immediately pretended to be drunk. "You always ask me questions when I have had too much to drink. How can I explain clearly when I am in that condition?" He dismissed the students and went home. He then repeated to his wife the scholars' questions. His wife replied: "Great Learning is the name of a book. Tze Tao (之道) are the principles or discussions given in the book. What is the difficulty in that?" The next day, when the teacher returned to the school, he said to the scholars: "You all are ignorant. Yesterday when I was drunk, you persisted in questioning me. To-day I have come to my senses again, and you do not question me. What is the reason? What you asked about 'Ta Hsio Tze Tao'