THE SHE KING; OR, THE BOOK OF ANCIENT POETRY

184 THE BOOK OF POETEY. [PAET I.
We have an account of the composition of this piece in the Book of
History, V. vi. 15. Two of the duke of Chow's brothers, who had been
associated with Woo kang, the son of the dethroned king of Shang, in
the charge of the territory which had been left to him by king Woo,
joined him in rebellion, having first spread a rumour impeaching the
fidelity of the duke to his nephew, the young king Ch'ing. He took the
field against them, put to death Woo-kang and one of his own brothers,
dealing also with" the other according to the measure of his guilt. It is
supposed that some suspicions of him still remained in the mind of the
king, and he therefore made this ode to show how he had loved his
brothers, notwithstanding he had punished them, and that his course was
in consequence of his solicitude for the consolidation of the dynasty of
his family.
1 Owl, 0 Owl, hear my request,
And do not, owl, destroy my nest.
You have taken my young,
Though I over them hung,
With the nursing of love and of care.
Pity me, pity me ! Hear my prayer.
2 Ere the clouds the sky had obscured,
The mulberry roots I secured.
Door and window around,
Them so firmly I bound,
That I said, casting downward my eyes,
" Dare any of you my house despise ? "
3 I tugged with my claws and I tore,
And my mouth and my clawa were sore.
So the rushes I sought,
And all other things brought;
For to perfect the house I was bent,
And I grudged no toil with this intent.
4 My wings are deplorably torn,
And my tail is much injured and worn.
Tossed about by the wind,
While the rain beats unkind,
Oh! my house is in peril of harm,
And this note I scream out in alarm.
III.
The Timg shan; narrative. THE DUKE OF CHOW TELLS OP THE
TOILS OF HIS SOLDIERS IN THEIE EXPEDITION TO THE EAST AND OF
THEIE RETURN, AND THEIE JOY AT THE LAST.
XV. III.] THE BOOK OF POETEY. 185
The piece nowhere says that it was made by the duke of Chow ; but,
with Choo and the critics generally, I think it likely that it was made
by him,—in compliment to his men.
1 To the hills of the east we went,
And long had we there to remain.
When the word of recall was sent,
Thick and fast came the drizzling rain.
When told our return we should take,
Our hearts in the west were and sore ;
But there did they clothes for us make :—
They knew our hard service was o'er.
On the mulberry grounds in oar sight
The large caterpillars were creeping ;
Lonely and still we passed the night,
All under our carriages sleeping.
2 To the hills of the east we went,
And long had we there to remain.
When the word of recall was sent,
Thick and fast came the drizzling rain.
The heavenly gourds rise to the eye,
With their fruit hanging under the eave.
In our chambers the sowbug we spy;
Their webs on our doors spiders weave.
Our paddocks seem crowded with deer,
With the glow-worm's light all about.
Such thoughts, while they filled us with fear,
We tried, but in vain, to keep out.
3 To the hills of the east we went,
And long had we there to remain.
When the word of recall was sent.
Thick and fast came the drizzling rain.
On ant-hills screamed cranes with delight;
In their rooms were our wives sighing sors.
Our homes they had swept and made tight:—
All at once we arrived at the door.
The bitter gourds hanging are seen,
From branches of chestnut trees high.
Three years of toil away we had been,
Since such a sight greeted the eye.