The Fable of Hag Ga Min

[96981339r@polyu.edu.hk (cflau)]

Dear friends,

I am tell you a fable: 

About 70 years ago a young farmer, A Min, lived with his wife in a poor
mountainous village. Although they were very dilligent, they always did not
get enough to eat. However, the couple were very happy because they loved
each other very much.

It was New Year day, but the couples were wearing old colthes. A Min was a
bit sorry, because he thought that he could not buy new clothes and other
presents for his wife. He decided to go to work in the town in the new year. 

He told the plan to his wife, Min Sau, and they decided to go together. Once
they were in the town, they worked very hard at first and in quite a short
time they opened a laundry shop. Their service was they best of the town and
they expanded and hired more people from their home village. They became
rich rich in matter of a few years. A Min then got involved in other
business and was famous in the town. He was named "Hag Ga Min" because he
spoke Hakka.

At first A Min treated his wife well and bought her new clothes and jewels,
but as he became richer, he found his wife too stupid and unmodern. He told
his wife that he still love here very much, but for his social position, he
wanted a Se-po(second wife). With the consent of Min Sau, he got a young and
beautiful Cantonese town girl as his "Se-po".

After A Min got the second wife, the first wife, Min Sau, was almost
forgotten. He only brought the second wife to parties and dinners. He came
home late. Later he moved into a new house and left Min Sau alone. Min Sau
was very sad and she remembered the good old days when they were poor and
happy. A few months later she became sick, very sick.

The brother of Min Sau, A San, came to the town when he got the news. He
rushed to his sister but he could not see his brother-in-law.  He was very
angry. Finally he found A Min living in another part of the town and he scolded:

"Do you know that my sister is dying, why don't you try to spend some time
with her? Do you still love her?"

"Oh, I love her very much. She is my first wife. I brought her new cloths
and jewels. I gave her a new house and the servants. I am hiring the best
doctor in the doctor to cure her. When she dies, I will arrange a big
funeral and build her the most beautiful tomb in our home village, and
honour her as my 'First Lady'. But I am sorry that I am too busy to have
even a minute with her."

Dear fellow Hakkas, Min Sau is dying in the next few days, is she pitiful?
Would you change your mind if you were A Min? Can you understand the message
of this fable?


Yours sincerely

Zinfad