Fable (7)

1 Yangzijie planed to travel to Pei while Laotse was going to travel north to Qin. In the suburb of Liang, they meet each other by chance.

2 Since then, they went together for a while.

3 During the period of walking together, Laotse was disappointed at Yangzijie’s manner in treating others. Looking up to the sky, he said to Yangzijie, “Zijie! I thought that you are eligible to be my disciple. Now I know that you are not.”

4 Without answer, in silence, he led Laotse to a teahouse. Having entered, Yangzijie presented towel and water to Laotse for cleaning feet and laid his shoe tidily outside the room. Then Yangzijie’s attitude is fairly reverent.

5 All are ready. Kneeing to Laotse on the mat, he crawled up to him and whisper. “On the way, I can’t jump at a chance to ask you. Additionally, I dare not ask since you are angry. Now we settle down, and suppose you feel relaxed. I take a liberty to ask you what my error is and why I make you angry.

6 Laotse detected Yangzijie’s sincerity to learn. Hence, he said. “Your countenance is fraught with arrogance. You wear a proud and scorning look. Who would like to stay with you?

7 A man should not be complacent. A bottle filled with water can’t hold a drop of water any more. Purely white thing looks flowed. A man of perfect practice is common, amiable, humble and courteous. When Confucius entered the royal temple, he asked everything as if he were ignorant. He actually was an expert on convenance.”

8 Yangzijie immediately changed his countenance and whispered. “Thank you my master for your instruction.”

9 Since then, Yangzijie’s attitude changed totally. In the past, when Yangzijie was ready to go, his family members lined up at the gate to see him off, an old housekeeper paved mat on the ground to send him to the carriage, his wife tidied him up with comb and towel at last moment. All members went out to see him off without exception, including the chef in kitchen.

10 But after he learnt the amiableness from Laotse, not only his family member no longer line up to see him off, but also they scrambled with him for space on the mat to have a rest.