Three Clever Friends
Once upon a time in a quiet hamlet, there were three great friends. They lived in little houses of their own a furlong away from one another. Every weekend as the sun dipped over the western hills and the sky turned a tender rose, they gathered under their favorite cherry tree. The sweet twittering of the birds flying homewards, the gurgle of the brook merrily wending its way, and the occasional thunderclaps always filled them with delight. In fact, they derived more pleasure from the sounds of Nature than from the beautiful landscape all around. For alas, all the three companions had extremely bad sight. They loved hot tea and chatted on till the moon shone bright and clear. Often their conversation came round to their eyesight. "Do you know," proudly declared Master Zhang, "lately my vision has improved so much that the other day, at noon, I could easily make out some stars twinkling in the sky." "Is it so?" exclaimed Master Zhung. "But Brother, can you now locate the wee nest of Robin Redbreast high up on that tall tall tree? Look! How lovingly the mother bird is feeding her chicks with those tiny yellow seeds." "Ha, ha, ha," laughed Master Zhing. "Stop bragging, both of you. Brother Zhang, have you forgotten so soon how once you called someone deaf in the Park for not answering to your question, whereas it was a statue? And when a crow which had alighted on its head flew off, you triumphantly chuckled, "Now your hat has blown off, but I'll not tell you." Remember?"
"And now brother Zhung," he continued, "don't you remember bumping several times into a buffalo? I wonder how you both can claim to see stars on the treetop. Should we have a wager to find out who amongst us has the sharpest vision?" "That's not a bad idea! But what is the nature of the bet?" asked his two friends. "Tomorrow, at the crack of dawn, the priest will install an important tablet at the temple entrance. Whosoever amongst us can see it most distinctly will be treated by the others to sumptuous meals," proposed Master Zhing, who always considered himself the wisest of the three. Midnight struck. A chill wind blew over the quiet village. But Master Zhang could not get a wink of sleep. "What if I'm unable to see the tablet clearly? I can't let my friends know that my eyesight is that poor," thought he. Quietly sneaking out of the house he made his way towards the temple. Tap, tap, tap, thrice he knocked on the heavy wooden door.
The priest who was up for his midnight prayers opened it and recognized the face, raising his lantern high. "Master Zhang, what brings you here at this unearthly hour?" he asked, rather surprised. "I hear you're putting up a tablet tomorrow at dawn. Would you mind telling me what is inscribed on it?" said the oldest of the friends, almost running out of breath. "Yes, the tablet is donated by one of our blind patrons and the inscription runs thus, "O Eyes, see what thou ought to, O Sightless, do not despair." "Thank you, thank you very much," said Master Zhang excitedly. He hurried down the steps and disappeared before the priest could tell him the whole inscription. The second friend, Master Zhung could not sleep either. He was afraid he wouldn't be able to read the inscription and others would make fun of him. He turned around the alley to the temple as Master Zhang shuffled past him on his way home. Neither saw the other, that's how good their eyesight was. The priest who had just got under his warm quilt heard someone calling, "Reverend! Reverend!" "Please do come in Master Zhung and take your seat," said the priest, opening the door.
"It's indeed kind of you. I shan't take much of your precious time. All I would like to know is what's written on the table you're going to put up tomorrow," he said, ears cocked up. "O Eyes see what thou ought to, O sightless do not despair, Hearken the doves sweetly coo, Look within and find Me there." said the priest wondering what was going on. But the second friend was more cautious than the first one. "The table is of what color?" he asked. "The characters are of gold on a dark blue background," replied the priest patiently. "Accept my sincere salutations. See you tomorrow," bowing, Master Zhung left as the Priest looked on puzzled. The poor guardian of the temple had just fallen asleep when there was yet another knock on the door. It was the third friend, Master Zhing. No sooner had the visitor put his question than the priest blurted out the whole inscription including the color of the tablet and that of the characters. But Master Zhing being the youngest of the three was smarter. "Anything more written above or below?" he asked. "Well, above is engraved a flying white dove with beautiful beady eyes and below is written "The voice of the God of Vision. That is all," replied the priest feeling more and more bewildered. The next day, well before the first crowing of the cocks, while the dew was still fresh on the leaves, the three great friends, hand in hand, paced their way to the temple.
All of a sudden Master Zhang stopped and said, "Let's not advance any further, for the tablet will be as clear as day to everybody!" In fact, they were still quite some distance away from the temple. "What a lovely piece of workmanship!" the first friend continued, "O Eyes, see what thou ought to, O sightless, do not despair." "Brother Zhang, you've certainly improved your eyesight. Perhaps the next two lines are written in smaller characters. That is why you're unable to see them. Listen while I read them, "Hearken the doves sweetly coo, Look within and find me there." The characters are of gold on a dark blue background. The first friend was floored. "It was really stupid of me not to ask the priest any further," he silently scolded himself. The third friend who was quiet all this while said in a confident tone, "There is no doubt that Brother Zhung has a far better vision than Brother Zhang. Till now both of you have indeed seen very accurately. But would you mind describing what is there above and below the inscription?" There followed a total silence, for the first two friends had not cared to inquire about these details. "Well, above is engraved a white dove with widespread wings and below is written in letters of gold, 'The voice of the God of Vision.' I've won the bet for I can see most distinctly. Who is going to treat me first?" asked Master Zhing jubilantly. Soon there was a quarrel, Master Zhang claimed that since he was the first to read the inscription his sight is better than the others.
The second friend, Master Zhung, at once bellowed back saying that he was the one to distinguish the details of the colors besides reading the second part of the verse. The third claimed that he had been able to see and read what others could not. "What's the matter, gentlemen?" It was the priest. The three wrangling friends at once rushed to him. They requested him to decide who had won the bet. The priest gave an amused smile. The mystery of his nocturnal visitors became clear to him. "I'm sorry to inform you, gentlemen, that all of you have lost. I'm the one who should be now treated to sumptuous meals." "How?" demanded the three friends. "You all came a bit too early. I'm just going to put up the tablet now," revealed the priest pointing at a big rectangular thing under his arm. The three great friends silently walked back home. During their tea sessions under the Cherry tree, they never again discussed their eyesight. The inscription on the tablet had made them wiser. As the moonlight streaked in through the leaves they recited the four lines to one another. "O Eyes, see what thou ought to, O sightless do not despair, Hearken the doves sweetly coo, Look within and find me there."
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