Page:Chinese Merry Tales (1909).djvu/31

17] to him and said: "Paint the likenesses of yourself and wife and hang them outside of the front door; then people will give you orders." The painter did as they advised. His father-in-law happened to call on them on that day. He questioned his son-in-law thus: "What girl's portrait have you at the door?" The son-in-law answered: "It is your daughter's. Do you not recognize her?" The father-in-law said: "If it is my daughter, why does she sit face to face with a strange young man? What has the world come to?"

HERE was a tailor who was cutting clothing for some one, and wished to save a few feet of cloth. He took the piece of cloth and turned it over and over. He lowered his brows, his eyes blinked, and he was much puzzled. Those undecided moments were long before he would start cutting. The apprentice, standing at his side, grew impatient, and asked the tailor: "Master, what is there so difficult to solve?" The tailor replied: "When I have got my share, there is nothing for him. If there is sufficient for him, then there is none left for me."

HERE was a man named Chang, who had a daughter just one year old. Another man named Lee had a son two years old. The latter requested a friend to speak to Chang to ask him to give his daughter to his son as a wife. When Chang heard of this, he grew wrathy and said: "Does he intend to insult me? Our daughter is just a year old and his son is two years old; if our daughter become 10 years old, then his son will be 20 years old. How can I give away my daughter to such an old son-in-law?" His wife then said to her husband: "You