"I was born," replied the old man, "upon dry land, and accommodated myself to dry land. That was my original condition. Growing up on the water, I accommodated myself to the water. That was what I meant by nature. Habit is second nature. And doing as I did without being conscious of any effort so to do, that was what I meant by destiny." Objective existences cannot injure him who puts his trust in God. [This episode occurs _twice_, with textual differences, in the works of Lieh Tzŭ, chs. ii. and viii.] * * * * * Ch'ing, the chief carpenter, Of the Lu State. was carving wood into a stand for hanging musical instruments. When finished, the work appeared to those who saw it as though of supernatural execution. And the prince of Lu asked him, saying, "What mystery is there in your art?" "No mystery, your Highness," replied Ch'ing; "and yet there is something. "When I am about to make such a stand, I guard against any diminution of my vital power. I first reduce my mind to absolute quiescence. Three days in this condition, and I become oblivious of any reward to be gained. Five days, and I become oblivious of any fame to be acquired. Seven days, and I become unconscious of my four limbs and my physical frame. Then, with no thought of the Court present to my mind, my skill becomes concentrated, and all disturbing elements from without are gone. I enter some mountain forest. I search for a suitable tree. It contains the form required, which is afterwards elaborated. I see the stand in my mind's eye, and then set to work. Otherwise, there is nothing. I bring my own natural capacity into relation with that of the wood. What was suspected to be of supernatural execution in my work was due solely to this." To obliteration of self in the infinite causality of God. Tung Yeh Chi exhibited his charioteering skill before Duke Chuang. "Of Lu," says one commentator. But another points out that Yen Ho (_infra_) is mentioned in chapter iv. as tutor to the son of Duke Ling of Wei, which would involve an anachronism. Backwards and forwards he drove in lines which might have been ruled, sweeping round at each end in curves which might have been described by compasses. The Duke, however, said that this was nothing more than weaving; and bidding him drive round and round a hundred times, returned home. Yen Ho came upon him, and then went in and said to the Duke, "Chi's horses are on the point of breaking down." The Duke remained silent, making no reply; and in a short time it was announced that the horses had actually broken down, and that Chi had gone away. "How could you tell this?" said the Duke to Yen Ho. "Because," replied the latter, "Chi was trying to make his horses perform a task to which they were unequal. Therefore I said they would break down." Illustrating the strain which mortality daily puts upon the bodies and minds of all men. * * * * *