Page:Chinese Merry Tales (1909).djvu/45

31] good moonlight." When his father heard this, he was very angry and scolded him thus: "There is only one moon in the world; why is it only bright in Peking?" While he was saying this, he gave his son a blow with his fist. After his son had suffered punishment, he wept and shouted to his father: "What are your fists? You do not know the fists in Peking yet. When one hits, it is still harder."

HERE were two brothers who called together at a friend's house. The younger brother was very dull. When they arrived at their friend's home, and had taken their seats, the servants served tea. There were some dry peaches in the tea. The younger brother did not know what they were and quietly asked his brother about it. The elder brother answered: "Stupid one (蠢才 chune tsai)." (He did not know what it meant.) The elder merely said these two words because his younger brother was slow of understanding and fearing his friends would laugh at him. When the second cup of tea was made with almonds, he again asked his elder brother: "What is that?" His elder brother again said: "Stupid one." After a while, when both had left the house and arrived at home, the younger brother said: "A while ago, the first 'chune tsai,' though a little sour, had still some sweet taste to it, but the second 'chune tsai' was nauseous to the palate; there was not the least sweet taste to it."

HERE was a man who, on account of the New Year, went out to purchase door joss portraits. By mistake he bought the Taoist priest's portrait and pasted it on the door.