Sacred Books of the East Vol. 40 - Taoism Vol. 2

8. The king of Wû, floating about on the Kiang, (landed and) ascended the Hill of monkeys, which all, when they saw him, scampered off in terror, and hid themselves among the thick hazels. There was one, however, which, in an unconcerned way, swung about on the branches, displaying its cleverness to the king, who thereon discharged an arrow at it. With a nimble motion it caught the swift arrow, and the king ordered his attendants to hurry forward and shoot it; and thus the monkey was seized and killed. The king then, looking round, said to his friend Yen {fn. 1. For a long time a great officer of Khî, but he died in the same year as Kwan Kung himself.} {p. 103} {cont}Pû-î{fr. 1}, 'This monkey made a display of its artfulness, and trusted in its agility, to show me its arrogance;--this it was which brought it to this fate. Take warning from it. Ah! do not by your looks give yourself haughty airs!' Yen Pû-î{fr. 1}, when he returned home, put himself under the teaching of Tung Wû{fr. 1}, to root up{fr. 2} his pride. He put away what he delighted in and abjured distinction. In three years the people of the kingdom spoke of him with admiration. 9. Nan-po Dze-khî{fr. 3} was seated, leaning forward on his stool, and sighing gently as he looked up to heaven. (just then) Yen Khäng-dze{fr. 3} came in, and said, when he saw him, 'Master, you surpass all others. Is it right to make your body thus like a mass of withered bones, and your mind like so much slaked lime?' The other said, 'I formerly lived in a grotto on a hill. At that time Thien Ho{fr. 4} once came to see me, and all the multitudes of Khî congratulated him thrice (on his having found the proper man). I must first have shown myself, and so it was that he knew me; I must first have been selling (what I had), and so it was that he came to buy. If I had not shown what I possessed, how should he have known it; if I had not been selling (myself), how should he have come to buy me? I pity