THE TWO MOUNTAINS
兩大山
The Kwung-Lun Mountain is very high—ten thousand feet or more. Most of the time his head is covered with the clouds and, since he was born, no man has ever found the way to climb where he might look in the face [[160]]of the great Kwung-Lun. And the eagles and the San-Chi[1] birds live always with him.
One day Kwung-Lun spoke to the Tai-San Mountain who lived near, and said, “I am the highest mountain in the world. I am the steepest and most honorable of all the mountains here. The farmers come to me; from the morning until the evening sun they come and cut the great rocks from my base. And from the earliest light, until the darkness gathers about my head, the birds sing for me. I have the San-Chi birds. They wear the most beautiful feather in the world. It shines in the sun and has a different glory for the moon. Man gives more gold for this than for any other feather that is on the earth. The San-Chi is mine. I feed him and he lives always with me.
“Yesterday, a teacher and his scholars came here and I heard him tell them this story about Confucius:—
“ ‘One day, Confucius was talking to the young King Loa-Bai, and he asked the king, “Have you ever been to the Kwung-Lun Mountain?” And the [[161]]king answered, “No.” Then Confucius showed him a beautiful fan made of feathers from the San-Chi birds. “Did you ever see feathers like these?” he asked.
“ ‘ “I am a king and I have seen many things,” said the young king, “but never have I beheld colors of such wondrous beauty. I will give you one thousand pieces of silver if you will bring me a fan like this one.”
“ ‘And Confucius answered, “If I can persuade you to do one thing that I desire greatly I will give you the fan, for I should not like to sell it. I could not well take silver in exchange for it, as it was given to my honored ancestor, my great-great-grandfather. But as I have said, if you will take my advice concerning a certain matter, you shall have the fan.”
“ ‘ “I will be advised by you,” said the young king. “What do you wish me to do?”