Mr. Dong Guo and Wolf - unabridged translation - Part III

Part I - http://tpaullee.blogspot.com/2015/11/mr-dong-guo-and-wolf-unabridged.html
Part II - http://tpaullee.blogspot.com/2015/12/mr-dong-guo-and-wolf-unabridged.html

Part III - final

After they walked for a while, there were no pedestrians in sight. The wolf was very hungry, and he saw an old tree on the side of the road.  He said to Mr. Dong Guo, "You can ask this old tree." Mr. Dong Guo said, "Trees and plants are ignorant of things, what’s the use of asking them?" Said the wolf, "Just ask it, it will have something to say."

Mr. Dong Guo reluctantly bowed and asked this old tree. After giving the details of his account, he asked, "So, should the wolf eat me or not?" The old tree roared and said, "I am an apricot tree. The old farmer planted me with just a small seed in a nut. I started to flower in one year, and the next year I had my first fruit. In three years my trunk grew thick enough to be held with two palms. After 10 years, one had to encircle me with both arms. Today, I have lived more than 20 years.

“The farmer ate my fruit, his wife and children ate my fruit, his guests, even the servants, ate my fruit. They sold my fruit in the market to make money. I did great things for this old farmer. Now I am too old to flower and bear fruit, and the old farmer is angry with me. He is cutting my branches and pruning the leaves, and he is going to sell me to the carpenter for money. Sigh! I grew to become deadwood.  In my old age, I am not exempt from being chopped down for furniture. What have you done to the wolf to avoid your destiny? In this case you should be his meal."

Hearing this, the wolf opened his mouth with claws waving and was ready to devour Mr. Dong Guo. Mr. Dong Guo said, "Wolf, don’t forget our agreement to ask three old wise men.  We have only encountered one old apricot tree. Don’t be so fast!" And then both of them moved along together.

Now the wolf became anxious. He and Mr. Dong Guo saw an old cow sunbathing behind the broken walls of a farm house. The wolf told Mr. Dong Guo, "You can ask this cow." Mr. Dong Guo said, "That apricot tree was so ignorant that his nonsense almost cost me my life. This cow is a beast. What could she know and offer? " The wolf said, “Just ask her. If you don’t, I’ll eat you."

Mr. Dong Guo reluctantly bowed to the old cow and told his story again. The old cow frowned and stared at Mr. Dong Guo with her mouth wide open while licking her nose, and said, "The old apricot tree said it quite right. My old farmer sold his knife in exchange for me when my horns were the size of a chestnut and a silkworm cocoon, when I was a young but sturdy calf. He let me follow other cattle to work in the fields. When I grew up and became stronger, I took care of everything as the herd of cattle became old and weak. I took him to places on short notice. I carried the load of the farming work. I chose the short routes to get to places quickly. When my farmer would personally cultivate new fields, I would take off my yoke and work on the open fields to remove thorns and bushes for him.

“My farmer treated me like his right-hand man. He relied on me for food and clothing.  He relied on me to provide expenses for the marriages of his children.  He relied on me to work to pay the taxes. He relied on me to keep his barns and grain houses fully stocked. I was confident that I would be able to get a nice shelter like the horses and dogs in the household.

“There was not much wheat and grain surplus at all from year to year, so now the harvest I brought in had to be saved. Nobody in town ever noticed my farmer when he was poor. Now he raised  his head high walking through the village. In previous years, his drinking cups and wine jars were collecting dusts. His cups were never filled with wine, and he never tasted the wine then. Today he drinks the wine made from the grains with his spoiled wives and concubines. In previous years, he could only wear simple and coarse clothes. He was only able to have the rocks and trees as company. His rough hands could not hold much in them. He was not considered as a refined person at all.

“Now, he is carrying books, wearing a hat with a nice leather belt around his waist. His clothing is fit, refined, and flowing. I should be given credit for those tiny cotton threads and those small millet grains. Now that I am old and frail, I am sent to the countryside. The cold cutting wind is hurting my eyes. The sun is casting shadow on my thin and bony figure on this cold winter day. My tears can not stop flowing, and I am not able to stop my drooping, either. My foot cramps so badly that I cannot lift it, and I am so hungry. I am losing my fur fast, and my sores and wounds will not heal.

“The farmer's wife is jealous and brutal, she always mumbled and said, ‘Nothing from a cow goes to waste. Her meat can be made into jerky, her skin can be made into leather, her bones and horns can be made into useful utensils.’ Pointing to her oldest son, she said, ‘You have been an apprentice chef for a long time now. Why not grind your good butcher knife to get ready for it?’ It is very unfavorable for me. I do not know when and where I will die. Although the farmer and his family are indebted to me, I soon will suffer and meet my fate. What have you done to the wolf to escape from your destiny?”

Just then, the wolf opened his mouth and stretched out his claws again at Mr. Dong Guo. Mr. Dong Guo said,."Don’t be in such a hurry! "

Far away there was an elderly man with a wooden cane approaching. He had white eyebrows and beard, and was dressed elegantly. He was very much a gentleman. Mr. Dong Guo was quite pleased yet very nervous, leaving the wolf to meet this elderly man. He knelt down, crying, and said, "I beg you to have one good word to save my life!" The old man asked for the reason, and he replied, "This wolf was hunted down and asked me to save him. After I saved him, he wanted to eat me. My begging did not work, I would have had to die by his hands. I delayed this fate when the wolf agreed to decide the matter with three old wise men.

“First we encountered an old apricot tree. The wolf, forced me to ask it for advice.  This ignorant tree almost got me killed. Then we ran into an old cow. Again the wolf forced me to ask her. This ignorant beast almost got me killed as well. Now I see my hope in you, sir. The world has to have some grace and sensibility left to save my life! Your one word can save my life." Mr. Dong Guo was kowtowing unceasingly to the old man’s cane, and bent down to listen what the old man had to say.

The old man listened and sighed repeatedly. He used his cane to poke the wolf and said, "You're wrong to betray those who helped you. There is nothing worse than this. Confucius said, ‘A man who could not betray those who had helped him is for sure a filial son.’ It is also said that  even a tiger or a wolf knows that the son would return favor to his parents. Now you have betrayed so much to someone who saved you. This is a complete disgrace on your part that you don’t understand to be thankful." He snapped with anger and said to the wolf, "You get out of here right now. Otherwise, I will beat you to death with this cane! "

The wolf said, "Sir, you only know one part of the story, let me explain the whole thing to you. I hope that you have the patience to listen to my side of the story. Mr. Dong Guo saved me all right.  He tied my feet and put me in the bag. He piled his books on me that I could barely breathe. He was taking his time mumbling with Jianzi. I think he meant to let me die in the bag so that he could benefit from it afterwards. Why should I not eat this kind of disgusting person?”

The old man then looked at Mr. Dong Guo and said, "Sure enough, if this is indeed the case, you are guilty too and you deserve this.” Mr. Dong Guo thought that this was not fair at all and tried to explain his pity towards the wolf and the reason for hiding him in the bag. The wolf also argued unceasingly to convince the old man. The old man finally said, "I am not convinced either way. Why don’t we try to re-enact what happened, with you, wolf, going back into the bag again. It would give me the opportunity to assess the situation to see if the wolf was really in distress." The wolf was happy to comply, and he offered his feet to Mr. Dong Guo. Mr. Dong Guo tied him up to put him into the bag, and then threw the bag over donkey’s back. The wolf did not notice anything unusual.

The old man moved closer to Mr. Dong Guo and whispered in his ear and said, "You have a dagger?" Mr. Dong Guo replied, "Yes, I do." Then, he took out a dagger. The old man signaled Mr. Dong Guo to kill the wolf. Mr. Dong Guo said, "Isn’t this going to harm the wolf?" The old man laughed and said, "This betraying beast! You are still unwilling to kill him? You are indeed benevolent, although you are truly foolish and stupid. It would be truly altruistic of you if you were willing to jump into a well to save a person and willing to take off your coat to save a friend. But that is the equivalent of putting your own life in danger! Are you this type of benevolent but stupid person? Any gentleman would disapprove of this behavior." The old man laughed wildly and raised his hands so that he and Mr. Dong Guo could kill the wolf together.  They discarded the body and walked away.

[References]

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wolf_of_Zhongshan  A simple introduction with some background.

[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9Mf6YUu1Do  A cartoon with Chinese narrative.

[3] https://jasonkim29.wordpress.com/2012/10/16/the-wolf-of-zhongshan/   A very much abreviated story in English.

[4] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIb8aPvOzDY   A Chinese shadow puppetry show (with Spanish subtitle).

[5] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFtyRdVEmd4  A modern day storytelling of “Mr. Dong Guo and Wolf” in English.

[6] http://www.slkj.org/wenyan/24650.html Among many other collections. “Mr. Dong Guo and Wolf” in original Classical Chinese and the translated modern day vernacular Chinese.

[7] http://tpaullee.blogspot.com/2016/02/mr-dong-guo-and-wolf-chinese.html  Kept in this same blog space for archival and conveniences. “Mr. Dong Guo and Wolf” in original Classical Chinese and the translated modern day vernacular Chinese.