Chinese Æsop:

There was one old farmer of Sung who never wore anything else than coarse hempen clothes; even for the winter he had no others. In spring, when cultivating the land, he warmed himself in the sunshine. He did not know that there were such things as large mansions and winter apartments, brocade and silk, furs of fox and badger in the world. Turning one day to his wife he said : "People do not know how pleasant it is to have warm sunshine on the back. I shall communicate this to our prince, and I am sure to get a rich present." A rich man of the village said to him : "Once there was a man fond of big beans, hemp-stalks, cress and duckweed. He told the village elder of them. The village elder tasted them, and they burnt his mouth and gave him pains in his stomach. Everybody laughed, and was angry with the man, who felt much ashamed. Such a man do you resemble."

The neighbour of Yang Chu once lost a sheep. He began to search for it with all his kinsfolk, and asked assistance also from the servants of Yang Chu, who in astonishment said: "Oh, oh! why do you require such a large number of persons to seek for a single lost sheep?" The neighbour replied: "There are many crossways to pursue and search out." On his return he was asked if he had found his sheep, and replied that he had given up the search. Yang Chu asked him why he had given up the search. The neighbour answered: "Among the crossways there were a great many small diverging tracts. Not knowing which to follow I gave up the search and returned." Yang Chu became pensive and wrapped in thought. For a whole day he neither smiled nor spoke. His disciples, astonished at his attitude, asked him the reason, saying: "A sheep is an animal of little value; furthermore this one did not belong to you, Master. Why does its loss disturb your usual amiable hu...