Page:Chinese Merry Tales (1909).djvu/55

41], you need not count these trifling expenses; instead you just give me 12 taels, being the cost of my burial and burning paper money to me; then I will go." When the old man heard this, he became furious and created an uproar, and called for the neighbors to come together to discuss the matter. They decided to give one-half to show that there was no ill feeling between them, so 6 taels were given him. As soon as the man received the money, he wanted to get away. The old man uttered a soliloquy: "Who would think one would meet such an ungrateful man?" The man said: "You should say that you are ungrateful yourself instead of calling me ungrateful." The old man replied: "Why do you say that I am ungrateful?" The other answered: "If you call yourself grateful, you should not be so miserly. I stayed here three nights altogether; you have deducted from me 2 taels a night; do you call that grateful?"

HE God of Hell sent a death-snatching devil to this world to arrest some one. The death -snatching devil returned empty-handed. The God of Hell asked him : " Why do you not snatch a certain person for me?" The devil replied: "Master, that man has at present two very beautiful girls attending him every day. They are more effective than I am. I know in a few days' time he will come himself; what is the use of fetching him?"

HERE was a man who owed people money, and for a long time he had not paid his debts. One day he happened to meet a creditor on his way. The latter stopped him and