Directory_and_Chronicle_1845 — Page 820

50

was thus absent, many guests came to his house, towards whom his mother was at a loss how to act. She, while expecting her son, who de- layed his return, began to gnaw her finger. Tsăng suddently felt a pain in his heart, and took up his bundle of faggots in order to return home; and when he saw his mother, he kneeled and begged to know what was the cause of her anxiety. She replied; 'There have been some guests here, who came from a great distance, and I hit my finger in ̈ order to arouse you to return to me.'

Clad in a single Garment he was obedient to his Mother. DURING the Chau dynasty lived Min Sun (afterwards known as Tsze Hien), who in early life lost his mother. His father subsequent- ly married another wife, who bore him two children, but disliked Min., In winter she clothed him in garments made of rushes, while her own, two children wore cotton clothes. Min was employed in driving his father's chariot, and his body was so cold that the reins dropped from his hands, for which carelessness his father chastised him; yet he did not vindicate himself [but bore the injury in silence]. When his father knew the circumstances, he determined to divorce his second wife; but Sun said, 'Whilst mother remains, one son is cold; if mother departs, three sons will be destitute.' The father desisted from his purpose; and after this, the mother was led to repentance, and became a good and virtuous parent.

He carried Rice for his Parents.

In the Chau dynasty lived Chung Yu, named also Tszeloo, who, because his family was poor, usually atè herbs and coarse pulse; and he also went more than a hundred le to procure rice for his parents. Afterwards, when they were dead, he went south to the country of T800, where he was made commander of a hundred companies of chariots; there he became rich, storing up grain in myriads of meas- ures, reclining upon cushions, and eating food served to him in nu- merous dishes; but sighing, he said, ' Although I should now desire to eat coarse herbs and bring rice for my parents, it cannot be!'

With sports and embroidered Garments he amused his Parents. In the Chau dynasty there flourished the venerable Lai, who was very obedient and reverential towards his parents, manifesting his dutifulness by exerting himself to provide them with every delicacy. Although upwards of seventy years of age, he declared that he was not yet old; and usually dressed himself in party-colored embroidered