Chinese Literature

a

labour of those few days. And Heaven remained as hard-hearted as ever! The water churned up each day was enough only to keep the seedlings from dying on that particular day. Li-chiu was the strongest of them all. He was not tormented by the aches and sores that bothered his father and brother. But he continued to be indolent and unwilling to exert his strength, as if such labour as the turning of the water-wheels and the working of the fields was not the kind of thing he preferred doing. He was often away from home. When his father wanted him for something, it was necessary to look all around for him. Uncle Yun-pu was therefore doubly vexed with him: “He is a lazy-bones, a rebellious, unfilial good-for-nothing !”’

The moon emerged from behind the tree leaves and scattered its sheaves of silvery light. It was no jonger as hot as during the day; a gentle breeze whispered in the fields. Besides some women and children, there were a few people sitting leisurely around to get a breath of air.

Taking advantage of the cool moonlit night, people were doing a double amount of work. The sound of water-wheels splashing mixed with melodious singing could be distinctly heard. To the peasants, summer nights were marvellous for field work; no heat, hubbub or confusion as during the day.

Uncle Yun-pu, again unable to find Li-chiu, was as mad as a bull which had seen red. At dinner he had told Li-chiu that since it was a fine evening they must plan to put in some night work. He hoped Li-chiu would not go gadding about again. Who would have thought that the lad would again disappear in the twinkling of an eye and leave Uncle Yun-pu mad enough to burst! Recently, several people had come to Uncle Yun-pu to tell him that his son, Li-chiu, had gone bad, and that they didn’t know what he did every night running around with Big Lai and his kind. They all advised Yun-pu to use a strong hand with his son before something serious happened. Uncle Yun-pu had listened; several times he had become so enraged he could have bit his tongue off. The more he thought about it now, the angrier he got. He went up and down the village calling for Li-chiu but there was no answer. He failed to catch even the slightest glimpse of the boy. Then he told Shao-pu to go along ahead, and wait for them at the water-wheel. Even if he couldn’t find

' Li-chiu, the two of them together would have to get to work and pump

some water into the fields. Gritting his teeth with rage he went out again to look for that unfilial son of his.

He made a few more rounds, but there was still no trace of Li-chiu. He turned back in disgust. Then suddenly, from the distance he heard

_ their water-wheel turning. Rushing back, he saw that Li-chiu and Shao-

pu were already busily working the wheels. Choking with rage, he was at first unable to utter a word. But after a pause he shouted furiously:

_ “You worthless wretch, where have you been keeping yourself!”

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