Page:Chinese Merry Tales (1909).djvu/34

Chinese Merry Tales

WOODGATHERER, while going his way, accidentally struck a doctor with his carrying pole, who at once used his fists, preparing to strike him. The woodgatherer knelt down on his knees and begged the doctor: "Do not by any means use your hands, but kick me a few times if you please." The sightseers standing by were quite surprised and said: "What is the reason of this?" The woodgatherer replied: "None of you know that he is a doctor; if he use his feet to kick me a few times, I may not die, but if he use his hands, then surely I will not survive."

HERE was a man who was in terror of his wife. One night, while in his dreams, he laughed heartily. His wife woke him up and asked him: "Of what happy affair have you been dreaming, being so joyous?" The husband, not daring tell a falsehood, said: "In my dreams I married a pretty concubine; that is why I am so very glad." When his wife heard this, she grew wrathy beyond measure and ordered him to kneel down beside the bed. She looked for a stick and wanted to punish him. The husband said: "Dreams of that kind are always considered delusions and unconscious thoughts. How can you regard them as realities?" His wife replied: "You are allowed to dream of anything but things of that kind; after this you are not permitted to dream." The husband said: "Hereafter I will not dream such dreams." His wife replied: "I do not believe what you say. When you dream in your sleep, it is known only to yourself, but how could I know it?" The husband said: "Commencing from to-day, there are 360 days in a year; every night I will be awake until daylight and will not again go to sleep; that is all."