Page:Chinese Merry Tales (1909).djvu/52

Chinese Merry Tales The soldier then said to the monk : " If your income is short, let me have your subscription book so that I may give a donation." When the monk heard this, he was very happy. He immediately served tea and treated him with extra politeness. Hastily he brought a subscription book and opened it. The soldier wrote on the first line : " The Viceroy's yam^n " (four characters). The monk thought he must be a high mandarin, who had come to do charity. He was agitated, and hastily knelt down. The soldier added below the words : " Viceroy's yamSn" "A private of the left wing." When the monk saw the word private he became very angry ; immediately he stood up and did not kneel. He again saw him write " 34. " The monk thought it must be 34 Taels; again he became happy, again he knelt down. The man added below the 34 the word " cash." The monk seeing that the soldier was subscribing so small a sum, again stood up and gave his body a turn; instantly his gladness turned into wrath. The soldier did not show his injured feelings and went his way.

Chapter LXXII.— Brotherly Cultivation of Fields. ^ T one time two brothers together cultivated a field. O When it was autumn, the younger brother wished to share the millet with the elder brother, who said: "We are brothers of the same blood ; why should we divide our property thus ; it is really disagreeable. It is better that I should collect the upper millet grains this year and you the lower straw. When next year comes I will receive the lower and you the upper portion. Each year we collect in turns. Is that not fair?" The younger brother said : "All right; let it be thus." When spring of the next year came, the younger said : " It is now time to plant the young rice." The elder brother replied : " You need not. hurry. I hear people say that there