King Chuang of Ch`u gave a drinking party to his ministers.
By evening they were tipsy, while the attendants were all drunk.
The lamp in the hall went out and someone tugged at the clothing
of the queen, who, [reaching out in the dark], brushed the person's
cap tassel and broke it off. She called out to the king, "Just
now when the lights went out someone tugged at my clothing,
and I brushed against his [cap] tassel and broke it off. I wish
you would quickly make a light to see who has a broken tassel."
The king said, "Stop!" He immediately issued the order, "I
will not be pleased with those drinking with me who have not
broken tassels."[2]
As a result there were no unbroken cap tassels,
and it was not known who had his cap tassel broken by the queen.
After that the king went on as before, pleasantly drinking with
his ministers.
Later Wu[3]
raised an army and attacked Ch`u. There was one
man constantly in the van.[4]
In five encounters[5]
he five times
overthrew their ranks and put the enemy to flight. Then he took
the leader of the main force [prisoner] and presented him. The
king was astonished and asked, "I have never distinguished you
[particularly]; how is it you are so generous to me?"
He replied, "I was the one in the hall with the broken tassel.
For a long time[6]
I have deserved to have liver and gall smeared
on the earth for [what I did] that day. There has never been an
occasion for fulfilling [my obligation] until today when I was
fortunate enough to be employed as befits a subject and could
then defeat Wu and strengthen Ch`u for Your Majesty."
The Ode says,[7]
Deep looks the pool,
And abundantly grow the rushes[8]
and reeds [about it].
It says the great are not without their marks [of greatness].