Page:Sacred Books of the East - Volume 3.djvu/69

 Mountains, destructive in their overflow are the waters of the inundation. In their vast extent they embrace the hills and overtop the great heights, threatening the heavens with their floods, so that the lower people groan and murmur! Is there a capable man to whom I can assign the correction (of this calamity)?' All (in the court) said, 'Ah! is there not Khwǎn ?' The  said, 'Alas! how perverse is he! He is disobedient to orders, and tries to injure his peers.' (The President of) the Mountains said, 'Well but—. Try if he can (accomplish the work).' (Khwǎn) was employed accordingly. The  said (to him), 'Go; and be reverent!' For nine years he laboured, but the work was unaccomplished.

The  said, 'Ho! (President of) the Four Mountains, I have been on the throne seventy years. You can carry out my commands; I will resign my place to you.' The Chief said, 'I have not the virtue;—I should disgrace your place.' (The ) said, 'Show me some one among the illustrious, or set forth one from among the poor and mean.' All (then) said to the   'There is an unmarried man among the lower people, called Shun of Yü .' The

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