| In which an introductory...: |
The next morning his mother took him to the Qin family next door. Old Qin gave them some breakfast, and when they had finished he led out a water buffalo and made it over to Wang Mian.
「Two bow shots from my gate is the lake,」 he said, pointing outside. 「And by the lake is a belt of green where all the buffaloes of the village browse. There are a few dozen big willows there too, so that it is quiet, shady and cool; and if the buffalo is thirsty it can drink at the water's edge. You can play there, son; but don't wander off. I shall see that you get rice and vegetables twice a day; and each morning I shall give you a few coppers to buy a snack to eat while you're out. Only you must work well. I hope you'll find this satisfactory.」
Wang Mian's mother thanked Old Qin and turned to go home. Her son saw her to the gate, and there she straightened his clothes for him.
「Mind now, don't give them any reason to find fault with you,」 she charged him. 「Go out early and come back at dusk. I don't want to have to worry about you.」
Wang Mian nodded assent. Then, with tears in her eyes, she left him. |
