Take It From An Old Man

*This is an adaptation of a story from my 3rd year high school text book.

A long time ago, a troubled woman approached a famous wise man.

Woman: Please help me.

Wise man: What is your problem?

Woman: My husband has just returned from war but I am still sad. All he does is eat and sleep. He is not what he used to be before the war. He does not even bother to talk to me anymore. It is as if I do not exist even though I'm right in front of his eyes. What am I supposed to do?

Wise man: Your problem is difficult. Nonetheless, do not lose faith. Bring to me a whisker from the fiercest of tigers in its den in the nearby mountains. Only then shall I tell you what to do.

The woman left uneasy and doubting but she felt she had no choice. One night, when the woman's husband was asleep, she went to the tiger's den in the mountains, bringing along some fresh meat. As soon as she arrived in front of the cave, she felt the tiger's eyes piercing her from the darkness. Afraid, she left the meat and ran away.

She did not give up, though. She came back every night and offered the tiger some meat. It took some time before the tiger had let her into the den without posing any threat. Six months passed from the first night and she was able to touch and caress the tiger's head. Thinking that it was finally time, she took a whisker from the beast and left as if nothing happened.

The next day, she returned to the wise man.

Woman: Here is the whisker you have asked me to bring. What do you intend to do with it?

Wise man: That is yours. Now that you have tamed the fiercest of the beasts in this land, tame the beast that resides in your home. Do the same as what you did with the tiger.

The woman left very confident and sure of what she will do. Just like the wise man said, she successfully tamed the heart of her husband gone fierce.

The wise man was Confucius.