The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-11-23
FABLES OF THE CHINESE.
Convey High Moral Truths and Are
Not without Humor.


New York Evening Post.
There is pleasing humor In most Chi
nese fables which renders them highly read
able, and, In the application, serves as a
sugar coating to the pill. This humor crops
out in the very first fable of which the
Chinese have any record. II Is to be found
in the Histories Of the Contending States"
where certain prince uses it as an illus
tration of the need of a wholesome unity
among those who, though entertaining in
ternecine feuds, have cause to combine
against a common foe. "A mussel was
basking on the bank of river" so says
this fable, when a big bittern came by.
Seeing II move, the fowl put its head on
one side and watched IL. Then 1t drew near
and pecked at the mussel; but that willy
shellfish clapped its jaws together like
trap and held the birds beak fast Then
said the bittern: IF you don't open to-day,
and IL you don't turn me loose tomorrow,
some one will find dead mussel lying
about here" To which the mussel made
reply: IF / don't open to-day and If l
don't release you tomorrow, they will see
a dead bittern holding up his toes on the
beach" At this point a fisherman came by
and seized the pair of them.
Most Chinese fables point a wholesome
moral, nor is it difficult to see the applica-
ton of the foregoing. Another quaint little
story illustrates the similarity of the Chi
nese mind to that of more enlightened
races, for 1t plays the part of a satire on
the pernicious habit of borrowing trouble.
Where we talk Of two old women mingling
their tears on the bank of a deep pool in
inconsolable grief at whal might have hap
pened If little Freddy had fallen in there
and been drowned. the Chinese have the
following: certain rich old man of the
Chi state gave his annual party to COM
memorate his birthday, and invited all his
sons and grandsons to grace the occasion.
In the midst of the Publications, however.
he was observed sitting apart with
preston of woe upon his face. Being asked
what was the matter, he replied, Il was
only thinking what trouble l. should have
in inviting all my guests when my 2oOth
birthday came round"
The fable which is least likely to rust
| for want Of handling in China is one which
| gives in a clear fashion the advice: Never
| put faith in a renegade. In all countries
| renegades should be handled with pair of
tongs; but 1t seems In China there is es-
| advice, for in duping and being duped the
great pure empire has no equal.
The crows and the owls having their re-
spectfve colonies adjoining, were so near
| and dear to each other that there was no
love lost on the boundary line. They hated
| each other with hate passing that of
| neighbors. BY day, when he owls slept
the crows tormented them. and by night.
| when the crows slept, the owls were not
found irresponsible In the neighborly solic-
| itude The slaughter among the crows was
great, and one morning. after counting the
slain, a many-wintered crow shook his
head and said that the only way to pre-
/ serve their peace was to exterminate the
owls. He then directed his friends to peck
! him and pull most of his feathers out They
| did so, and II was most badly-handled
| looking crow that put his head on one side
and winked his eye and strutted off to play
| his game upon the owls.
| Arrived at their dwelling, he asked them
to take pity on him: as he CIV, was In sorry RI,
| for ever having set up as crow-a de-
| graded creature that attacks one of his own
kind, pecks ii almost to death and then
| turns 1t out. They heard his tale and
pitied him Very soon he was comfortably
| lodged in the owls domicile, where he lay
| low till his feathers were grown again
| Then one morning, as the winter was COM
| ing on, he set to work and piled great
| heaps of brushwood before the mouth of
| the owls dwelling, saying that he foresaw
a heavy snowstorm and wished to protect
| them When everything was complete the
| willy crow. watching his opportunity when
the owls were within. snatched burning
| neral pyre in blaze. Then, as they flew
| out and were scorched, he stood with his
! legs apart. holding his sides with laughter
| at their dying struggles This fable, how
| ever. although very much used by the Chi
| nese. was probably derived from an Indian
| source.
! Another, which is purely chinese, is re-
| markable for its subtlety. tiger was
making preparations to devour fox, when
| the sly one claimed some consideration
| from the fact that he was superior TO all
| other animals Of the forest. And If you
| want proof of the fact" he continued.
| come with me and will show you" They
| then walked together through the forest.
| and all the other animals fed before them.
| The tiger. seeing this. glanced at his COM
| panion, and was struck with the lordly
| manner In which he waved the other ami
Il ari1x he ca 10
| ling of beasts" and, being too stupid 10
| see that he himself was the object OF ter
| ror and respect, he decided not TO attack
| the fox.