The Animals' Peace Party

The ancient books say that the pig is a very unclean animal and of no great use to the world or man, and one of them contains this story:

Once upon a time the horses and cattle gave a party. Although the pigs were very greedy, the horses said, "Let us invite them, and it may be we can settle our quarrels in this way and become better friends. We will call this a Peace Party."

"Generations and generations of pigs have broken through our fence, taken our food, drunk our water, and rooted up our clean green grass; but it is also true that the cattle children have hurt many young pigs.

"All this trouble and fighting is not right, and we know the Master wishes we should live at peace with one another. Do you not think it a good plan to give a Peace Party and settle this trouble?"

The cattle said, "Who will be the leader of our party and do the inviting? We should have a leader, both gentle and kind, to go to the pigs' home and invite them."

The next day a small and very gentle cow was sent to invite the pigs. As she went across to the pigs' yard, all the young ones jumped up and grunted, "What are you coming here for? Do you want to fight?"

"No, I do not want to fight," said the cow. "I was sent here to invite you to our party. I should like to know if you will come, so that I may tell our leader."

The young pigs and the old ones talked together and the old ones said, "The New Year feast will soon be here. Maybe they will have some good things for us to eat at the party. I think we should go."

Then the old pigs found the best talker in all the family, and sent word by him that they would attend the party.

The day came, and the pigs all went to the party. There were about three hundred all together.

When they arrived they saw that the leader of the cows was the most beautiful of all the herd and very kind and gentle to her guests.

After a while the leader spoke to them in a gentle voice and said to the oldest pig, "We think it would be a good and pleasant thing if there were no more quarrels in this pasture.

"Will you tell your people not to break down the fences and spoil the place and eat our food? We will then agree that the oxen and horses shall not hurt your children and all the old troubles shall be forgotten from this day."

Then one young pig stood up to talk. "All this big pasture belongs to the Master, and not to you," he said. "We can not go to other places for food.

"The Master sends a servant to feed us, and sometimes he sends us to your yard to eat the corn and potatoes.

"The servants clean our pen every day. When summer comes, they fill the ponds with fresh water for us to bathe in.

"Now, friends, can you not see that this place and this food all belongs to the Master? We eat the food and go wherever we like. We take your food only after you have finished. It would spoil on the ground if we did not do this.

"Answer this question—Do our people ever hurt your people? No; even though every year some of our children are killed by bad oxen and cows.

"What is your food? It is nothing; but our lives are worth much to us.

"Our Master never sends our people to work as he does the horses and oxen. He sends us food and allows us to play a year and a year the same, because he likes us best.

"You see the horses and oxen are always at work. Some pull wagons, others plow land for rice; and they must work—sick or well.

"Our people never work. Every day at happy time we play; and do you see how fat we are?

"You never see our bones. Look at the old horses and the old oxen. Twenty years' work and no rest!

"I tell you the Master does not honor the horses and oxen as he does the pigs.

"Friends, that is all I have to say. Have you any questions to ask? Is what I have said not the truth?"

The old cow said, "Moo, Moo," and shook her head sadly. The tired old horses groaned, "Huh, Huh," and never spoke a word.

The leader said, "My friends, it is best not to worry about things we can not know. We do not seem to understand our Master.

"It will soon be time for the New Year feast day; so, good night. And may the pig people live in the world as long and happily as the horses and the oxen, although our Peace Party did not succeed."

On their way home the little pigs made a big noise, and every one said, "We, we! We win, we win!"

Then the old horses and oxen talked among themselves. "We are stronger, wiser, and more useful than the pigs," they said. "Why does the Master treat us so?"

Ee-Sze (Meaning): Why have some more power than others? Only one knows. Why have some longer life than others? Only one knows. Why do some try and not succeed; while others do not try and yet they do succeed? Only one knows.

THE WIDOW AND HER SON [1]

A STORY OF THE FAMINE IN SHANG-TONG PROVINCE

能孝能弟

A widow had two sons, Yao-Pao, a lad yet in school, and Yao-Moi who tilled the soil.

Yao-Moi, the elder, was a good man; he had worked hard for thirty years, but he had not gained riches. He sent Yao-Pao to school and served his mother well.

One year there were great rains. The grain all died in the ground and the people of that country had nothing to eat. Yao-Moi had debts which he could not pay, and when his harvest failed he became poorer than ever before.

Then there came a great famine and twenty thousand people died in that land. Yao-Moi killed his oxen to keep his mother and brother from starving. Last of all he killed the horses and mules, for it was yet six months before the time of harvest. Each time when he would kill for meat, the neighbors would come and beg food, and because he was sorry for them, he could not refuse.

One widow came many times until she was ashamed to beg longer from the little that he had. Finally she brought a girl child to him and said, "We are again starving. I will give you this girl for some meat. She is strong and can serve your mother," But Yao-Moi said, "No, I will give you the meat. I can not take your girl from you."

So he gave her meat once more, and she took the meat home to her son. But when it was gone and they were weak and fierce again with the death hunger, the widow said, "We shall all die, unless one dies to save the others. My son can not longer walk. I will kill the girl child and save his life. He can then eat." Her son said, "No, do not kill the girl, trade her to Yao-Moi for meat." And the mother said, "Yao-Moi will soon starve, too, and then he will kill her. It is better that I do it;" and she took the big sharp knife to make it sharper.

She laid the girl child down on a bench and prepared to kill; but Yao-Moi passed by the house just then, and hearing the moans and screams he stopped to ask the reason. And the widow said, "We are starving. We will have a funeral to-day. We will now kill and eat each other that the last one may live until the time of the harvest." But Yao-Moi said, "Oh, no, do not kill the girl, I will take her home with me, and you can have meat in exchange for her;" and he took her to his home and gave the widow many pounds of meat for herself and her dying son.

Four months passed by. Yao-Moi had nothing in his own house to eat, and they were all starving—Yao-Moi, his mother, his little brother, and the girl.

When the death hunger came, and the mother saw that her sons must die, she said, "I will kill the girl." But Yao-Moi said, "No, I think we shall not die. Let us sleep to-night and see. I think something surely will come. Better kill me than the girl child."

So they went to bed that night. It was winter and the house was cold and dark. There was no wood, no light, no food; and they were starving.

Now, as the house grew more cold and dark, there came to them the quiet of a great despair and they all slept.

And Yao-Moi had a dream, and he saw an old man in flowing white garments, with a belt of gold around his waist. His hair was long and white, and his face was gentle and kind. And he called, "Yao-Moi! Yao-Moi! Yao-Moi! Hearken unto my words. Do you know how many people are dead in this land?"

Yao-Moi answered, "No, but I do know they are many, for only three among a hundred of all that were are now left."

And the old man said, "In every house but yours some have died, but those of your household are all alive: you have also saved the girl child. I know you are a good man. You have plowed the soil for thirty years, and have never complained about the heaven or the earth. The thunder and waters come, the winds blow and the earth quakes, and still you are patient and kind. You are good to your mother. You support your brother, send him to school, and are as a father to him. You have a kind heart for your neighbors' troubles. You live a good life and, because of this, you shall not starve. To-morrow morning you must arise early and go to the East Mountain by the wilderness. There you will find many meats and nuts and seeds. Bring them home to your family. I am a spirit sent from the Greatest One to earth."

After saying these things the man went out and Yao-Moi arose with great joy and told his family.

Then he went to the East Mountain by the wilderness, where he found corn and peanuts and the meat of two hundred foxes already prepared to eat.

And he was very glad, and brought home much food and saved many lives.

Ee-Sze (Meaning): If people do good they will have reward.