One day Tsen-Tsze's father beat him with a long Kia-Tsa (stick).[1] When he got up from the floor he came and took his father's hand and asked, "Father, did I do wrong? Tell me what it was." But his father's face was red with anger, and he would not explain.
Tsen-Tsze went out to the schoolroom and took his music box and came again before his father's face, and sat down on the floor and played and sang to him. He sang,
"Every father loves his son,
Of this all men are sure.
Each child will need the stick sometimes,
To keep his nature pure."
And he said, "I read in history about many famous men who were great because they were gentle. I hope I shall be like them. History says their fathers gave them the stick when young." But the anger had not all left his father's face, and he brought him a cup of tea and said, "Father, are you thirsty?"
Then he took his father's hand and went to the gar-
- ↑ In some parts of China this story is told the children to teach them not to resent punishment from parents. They are taught that whatever a parent does is for their good, and they must believe it unquestionably. When told this story they are asked, "Do you think you could feel that way toward your father after a whipping—or would you feel angry or sorry for yourself?"
