The following story is from ‘Gossips from the Micro-reading Hall’.
There was an old village tutor held his classes at a deserted temple during the day. The temple was located near a graveyard. At night, it was normal to see wild ghosts moving around or hear them talking. The old tutor was quite brave and not afraid. His young servant was also quite used to it and not afraid of the ghosts.
One night there was a voice outside the wall saying, ‘we have been neighbours for a long time, and I know that you are not afraid of us. I have also heard you reciting poems, so you must have the collections of poetry of Wen Tingjun on your table. Can you do me a favour by copying his poem the Damo tune and burn it for me?’
Then he lowered his voice and continued, ‘But please can you change the word “connect” into “stick” in the last verse of his poem for me? We are having drinks and I have a bet with my friends over this particular word.’
The old tutor happened to have Wen’s collection and therefore copied the poem unaltered and burned it outside the wall accordingly. A short while later, the wind outside the window was howling wildly and the branches of the tress rattled violently. Sand and dust also rained on the window.
The old tutor laughed and shouted, ‘Don’t be rude, I am old enough. I know when two parties bet, one is bound to lose and the loser is bound to make noise, which is normal. If I were to alter the word, when the loser blames me, I would be in the wrong. If I copied it correctly, the loser would have no basis to complain. In this case, you are just being cunning. I do not feel guilty at all.’
All was quiet after that.
.
有老儒授徒野寺，寺外多荒塚，暮夜或見鬼形，或聞鬼語。老儒有膽殊不怖，其僮僕習慣，亦不怖也。
一夕，隔牆語曰：「鄰君已久，知先生不訝。嘗聞吟詠，案上當有溫庭筠詩，乞錄其《達摩支曲》一首焚之。」
又小語曰：「末句『鄴城風雨連天草』，祈寫連為黏，則感極矣。頃爭此一字，與人賭小酒食也。」
老儒適有溫集，遂舉投牆外。約一食頃，忽木葉亂飛，旋飈怒卷，泥沙灑窗戶如急雨。
老儒笑且叱曰：「爾輩勿劣相，我籌之已熟。兩相角賭，必有一負﹔負者必怨，事理之常。然因改字以招怨，則吾詞曲﹔因其本書以招怨，則吾詞直。聽爾輩狡獪，吾不愧也。」
There was an old village tutor held his classes at a deserted temple during the day. The temple was located near a graveyard. At night, it was normal to see wild ghosts moving around or hear them talking. The old tutor was quite brave and not afraid. His young servant was also quite used to it and not afraid of the ghosts.
One night there was a voice outside the wall saying, ‘we have been neighbours for a long time, and I know that you are not afraid of us. I have also heard you reciting poems, so you must have the collections of poetry of Wen Tingjun on your table. Can you do me a favour by copying his poem the Damo tune and burn it for me?’
Then he lowered his voice and continued, ‘But please can you change the word “connect” into “stick” in the last verse of his poem for me? We are having drinks and I have a bet with my friends over this particular word.’
The old tutor happened to have Wen’s collection and therefore copied the poem unaltered and burned it outside the wall accordingly. A short while later, the wind outside the window was howling wildly and the branches of the tress rattled violently. Sand and dust also rained on the window.
The old tutor laughed and shouted, ‘Don’t be rude, I am old enough. I know when two parties bet, one is bound to lose and the loser is bound to make noise, which is normal. If I were to alter the word, when the loser blames me, I would be in the wrong. If I copied it correctly, the loser would have no basis to complain. In this case, you are just being cunning. I do not feel guilty at all.’
All was quiet after that.
.
有老儒授徒野寺，寺外多荒塚，暮夜或見鬼形，或聞鬼語。老儒有膽殊不怖，其僮僕習慣，亦不怖也。
一夕，隔牆語曰：「鄰君已久，知先生不訝。嘗聞吟詠，案上當有溫庭筠詩，乞錄其《達摩支曲》一首焚之。」
又小語曰：「末句『鄴城風雨連天草』，祈寫連為黏，則感極矣。頃爭此一字，與人賭小酒食也。」
老儒適有溫集，遂舉投牆外。約一食頃，忽木葉亂飛，旋飈怒卷，泥沙灑窗戶如急雨。
老儒笑且叱曰：「爾輩勿劣相，我籌之已熟。兩相角賭，必有一負﹔負者必怨，事理之常。然因改字以招怨，則吾詞曲﹔因其本書以招怨，則吾詞直。聽爾輩狡獪，吾不愧也。」
語訖而風止。
No comments:
Post a Comment