Lu Chi, a lad six years old, who lived in the time of Han and in the
district of Kinkiang, once met the celebrated general Yüan Shu, who
gave him a few oranges. Two of them the lad put in his bosom, and when
turning to thank the giver, they fell out on the ground. When the
general saw this, he said: “Why does my young friend, who is now a
guest, put the fruit away in his bosom?” The youth, bowing, replied:
“My mother is very fond of oranges, and I wished, when I returned home,
to present them to her.” At this answer Yüan was much astonished.
On account of his love for his parent, he would not at first taste the
present of fruit, but put into his sleeve to carry home the fragrant
and luscious gift. I think that when he saw his mother, her pleasant
countenance must have brightened, for the fruit filled his bosom and
delighted all who came near him. Lu, although so young, had the true
heavenly disposition; even in the small matter of an orange he did not
forget his parent’s wishes. Many children are perhaps like this boy,
and those who requite their parents for the care bestowed upon them, we
hope, are not few.
No. XVII
_On hearing the Thunder he wept at the Tomb_
In the country of Wei lived Wang P‘ou, a very dutiful child, whose
mother, when alive, was much afraid of thunder. After her death
her grave was dug in the hilly forest; and whenever it blew and
rained furiously, and Wang heard the sound of the chariot of the
Thunder-goddess rolling along, he hastened immediately to the grave,
and, reverently kneeling, besought her with tears, saying: “I am here,
dear mother; do not be alarmed.” And afterwards, whenever he read
in _The Book of Odes_ this sentence, “Children should have deep and
ardent affection for their parents, who have endured so much anxiety in
nourishing them,” the tears flowed abundantly at the recollection of
his mother.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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