Long ago, there were two brothers, Tanyan and Zhoshu. One day, Zhoshu went away to seek his fortune. On the way, he saw a hut and decided to ask for some food. An old woman came out. Zhoshu asked, “Can I get some food?” The woman replied, “Yes, but only if you remove all the stars from my pool!” Zhoshu was puzzled. He thought, ‘It is an impossible task as the stars are just a reflection in the water!’ Having lost the will, he returned home. He told Tanyan everything. Now, a curious Tanyan approached the woman. The old woman gave him the same task. But Tanyan was clever. He took a bucket and emptied the water from the pool. Then, he called out, “I have removed all the stars!” The old woman admired his intelligence and showed him a huge farm. She said, “This farm is yours as a reward!”
Moral: One should never give up.
Removing the Stars
