Hakka Folktales (6)

[CHUNG Yoon-Ngan <chungyn@mozart.joinet.net.au>]

   Hakka Folktales (6)

  The Man Without Money
  
  It is believed that this story is as old as the third big migration of 
the Hakka people i.e at the end of the Song Dynasty (960AD to 1279AD).

  There were two neighbours. One of them was very rich and the other was 
poor without much spare money. The rich couple had so much money that they 
did not known what to do and how to safeguard the money. Day in day out they 
were worrying about the money. They were just sitting around with knitted 
eyebrows and bitter faces, not at all happy. 

  On the contrary, the couple, who were without money but had enough 
income to live from day to day, were very happy because they had nothing 
to worry about. They were so happy that every evening after dinner they 
played music and sang.

  The rich couple wondered why their neighbours, even though they were 
without money, were so happy. They envied them and yet had compassion on 
them. So they gave the poor couple 2,000 tales of silver as a gift. 

   As soon as the poor couple had the 2,000 tales of silver they worried 
the whole day over how they should spend the money and where they should 
hide the silver. They were so worried over the silver that they could not 
play music and sing.

  After a few days the poor couple found out that since they had that 
silver they were not happy but worry. They realized that that silver had 
stopped them for being happy. Quickly, they returned the silver to the 
rich couple. They began to play music and sing again. They were 
happy again although they did not have much money.

CHUNG Yoon-Ngan.

Source: 
Studies in Hakka Folktales
by Wolfram Eberhard
edited by Professor Lou Tsu-k'uang