ThreeMovesbyMencius’Mother

MenciuswasagreatphilosopherduringtheWarringStatesperiod.HisfatherdiedwhenMen-ciuswasalittleboy.Sohismotherbroughthimupbyherself.Menciuswasquitenaughtywhenhewasachild.Andhismotherhadtobepatientwhenshetaughthim.Theyusedtolivenearthecemeterywherepeopleoftenheldfunerals.Menciusandhislttlefriendsfounditsointer-estingthattheybegantoimitatethefuneral.Theykneeleddowntoworshipthedeadandcriedloudlyasiftheywereadults.Otherwise,theyevenbuiltgravesoutofclayandplayedgamesaroundthegrave.WhenMencius'mothersawit,shefrownedandworriedaboutit.Shethoughtthatitwouldbeworseandcouldnotgoon,soshewouldnotlethersongrowupinsuchanenvironment.ThenshemovedawaywithMenciusandmovedtothesideofthemarket.Thewholemarketwassolivelythathundredsofpeoplecameandwenthereeveryday.Astimepassed,Menciusalsofellinlovewiththisnoisymarketandimitateddoingbusinesswithothers.Menciuspickedupsomestonesandputthemonthesideoftheroad,pretendedtobesellingvegetables.Whenheshoutedandbargainedwiththeguests,Menciuslookedlikearealbusinessman.Assoonashismotherknewit,sheshookherheadandsaid,“Wecannolongerlivehere.”Thentheymovedtothelocationclosetoslaugh-terhouse.Therewasnodoubtthatthebutchersalwayskilledpigsandsheephere.Menciussawiteverydayandintendedtocopy.

Hepickedupapieceofwood,

andcutitashardasabutcher.Mencius'mothersighed."Alas!Itissillnotgoodformyboy."SoshepackedupagainandleftherewithMencius.SoshepackedupagainandleftherewithMencius.Menciuslearnedmannerslikeotherstudents.Hebecamepoliteandinorder,aswellaslikedreading.Finally,Mencius'mothernoddedandwassatisfiedwithit.Shesaid,"Thisiswhereweshouldlive."Inthisway,theysettleddownhereatlast.Menciusstudiedhardundertheinfluenceoftheenvironment.SoMenciusbecameafamousphilosophereventually.CaochongweighedanElephantIntheperiodoftheThreeKinodoms.SunQuanoftheWuKingdomoncegaveCaoCaoanelephantas

a

present.Onhearingthis,CaoCaoandhistopofficialsweresohappythattheyallwentoutsidetolookat

it.AyoungboyfollowedCaoCaoclosely.HewasCaoChong,CaoCao'sson.Wow！Theelephantwassohuge！Thefourlegsasalonewereasthickasthepillarsofapalace,Despiteitssize,theelephantwasquitetame.Wantingtoseehowbigtheelephantwas,CaoChonggotveryclosetoit,onlytofindthathecoudbarelyreachuptotheelephant'sbelly.Onseeingthis,CaoCaosaidtoeveryone,"I

wonderhowmuchthishugeelephantweighsDoesanyonehave

anyideahowtoweighit?""Howcanweweigh

athingthisbig?"Allthecivilandmilitaryofficialstartedtotalktoeachother,searching

for

anidea.Someonesaid,"Wecanonlyweighitifwebuildahugesetofscales."Butimaginehowbigthatsetofscaleswouldhavetobe!Andevenwithsuchscales,itwouldbeimpossibletoweighalivingelephantonthem!Ageneralspokeinagruffvoice,"Thisiseasy!Weonlyhavetokillit,cutitup,andthenweighthepiecesonebyone."Onhearingthis,everyoneburstintolaughter.Whywouldanyonekillanelephantjusttohaveitweighed!Nooneelsecouldfigureoutabetteridea.Thecivilandmilitaryofficialsallhungtheirheadsinshameandstoppedtalking.Justthen,CaoChongwalkedinfrontofeverybodyandsaid,"Ihaveasolutiontoweightheelephantproperly.”SeeingthatitwashisbelovedsonCaoChong,CaoCaopretendedtobeangry,andsaid,"Nooneinmycourtcanfigureouthowtoweighanelephant.Sohowcanyou,amerechild,solvethisproblem?"CaoChongthenwhisperedsomethingintoCaoCao'searsthatmadeCaoCaosmile.CaoCaoimmediatelytoldeveryone,"Followme!Let'sgototheriversideandwatchthiselephantbeingweighed!"AbigboatwasmooredintheriverCaoChongaskedsomeonetoleadtheelephantontotheboat.Theelephantwassoheavy!Themomentitgotontotheboat,theboatwentdownalot.Whentheboatstoppedrocking,CaoChongcutamarkalongthewaterlineonthesideoftheboatwithasmalldagger.Thenheaskedsomeonetoleadtheelephantbackontothebank.Everybodywatchedwiththeireyeswideopen,butnobodyhadtheslightestcluewhatwasgoingon.Afterthat,CaoChongaskedpeopletoaetalotofrocksandslowlyloadthemontotheboat.Themorerocksthatwereloaded,thedeepertheboatsank.Assoonastheboatsanktothelevelwherethewaterlinemetthemarkonthesideoftheboat,CaoChongshouted,"Stop!"Atlast,everbodyrealizedwhatwasgoingon."Hooray!Hooray!"Peoplestartedcheerinqandclapping,marvelingatthiscleveridea.Nowtheonlythingthathadtobedonewastoweighalltherocksandthenaddupthetotaltoknowtheexactweightoftheelephant.Whentheweighingofalltherockswasfinished,thesoldierinchargewasjustabouttoreportthefinalnumber.CaoChongstoppedhim,"Holdon!WhenImadethemark,Iwasalsoonboardwiththeelephant,somyweightshouldbesubtractedfromth