Sliva v votli murvi

Besedilo

Sliva v votli murvi

Zhang Zhu of Nandun was planting grain in his field when he found a plum stone. He was about to take it away when he noticed a hollow mulberry tree with earth inside it, so he planted the stone there and watered it with the last of his drink. Later, people saw a plum tree growing out of the mulberry and spread the news from one to another. A man with sore eyes rested in its shade and said, “Lord Plum, if you cure my eyes, I will thank you with a piglet.” His eye trouble was a minor ailment and would have healed by itself in any case. Like dogs joining in when one begins to bark, everyone took up the tale: even the blind, they said, had regained their sight. The tree’s fame spread far and wide. Hundreds, even thousands, of carriages and riders were always gathered beneath it, and offerings of wine and meat poured in. A little over a year later, Zhang Zhu returned from a distant journey. Astonished at what he saw, he said, “What spirit is here? This is only the tree I planted!” Then he went up to it and chopped it down.