Page 118 - Gan's Family History

116 | P a g e
"Are you afraid to talk to her?"
Confucius read their minds. "I have
said there is a taboo between men
and women. I have also said 'listen
not to what is contrary to propriety;
speak not what is contrary to
propriety; make no movement which
is contrary to propriety. But as for
collecting folk songs, studying
customs and investigating
educational and state affairs, that is
another story. Even in ancient times
special officials were appointed to do
that. That's how the odes, the folk
songs have been passed down to us.
Don't worry. Go ahead and talk to
her.
Yan Hui volunteered. When he
went down to the river, the woman,
absorbed in washing her dress did
not noticed him. How shall I start,
he wondered. If I just go ahead and
ask directly she may think
Confucius's disciples lack literary
grace. But the comb in her hair gave
him an inspiration. He moved up
and greeted her politely.
The young woman looked back
and saw a scholarly looking young
man behind her. He must be a
traveller from the way he looks. What
does he want? Is he asking the way
or has he run into some trouble?
"I have a travelling mountain,"
Yan Hui began, "with a forest of trees
on top; the trees, teeming with beasts
are all branches without leaves. May
I ask to borrow your weapon and
drive them all away?"
"Are you joking, that you wish
to borrow weapons from a woman?"
the woman thought. "What trick are
you playing on me? You don't look
like a frivolous man. Are you out of
your mind?" There was a brilliant
intelligence in his eyes. When she
moved her eyes up to his tousled and
dusty hair, she suddenly understood
what he meant. Oh, I see. He's trying
to test me. He wants to find out if I
am an idiot. She took the comb from
her hair and handed it to him.
"Why are you giving me your
comb?" Yan Hui asked.
"This is the weapon you want,"
replied the young woman.
"How do you know?"
"A travelling mountain 'is your
head'; 'trees...all branches without
leaves' are your hair; 'beast' teeming
in the trees are lice in your hair; the
'weapon' to drive the beast away is
the comb to comb your lice out.
Since you have been out on the road
and exposed to the weather, to have
a few lice in your hair is nothing to
be ashamed of."
"Very well interpreted," Yan
Hui nodded admiringly. He took the
comb from her, untied his hair and
began to comb it against the breeze.
His head had been feeling itchy these
days and he wondered if he really
had got lice. He ran the comb
through his hair and there were, in
fact, a few tiny whitish insects. He
crushed them between his
fingernails and they made small,
explosive sounds, leaving behind
little red dots. Yan Hui flushed.
Fortunately, the woman had turned
to wash and had not noticed.
After combing his hair for a
while, Yan Hui felt much better. He
tied up his hair, put on his hat,
cleaned the comb with his
handkerchief and returned it to her
with thanks.