University of Virginia Library

1[1]

Mencius as a child was once reciting his lessons when his mother
happened to be spinning. Breaking off suddenly, he stopped in
the middle, then started up again. His mother knew his mind
was wandering, and called out to ask, "Why do you stop in the
middle?"

He replied, "I had forgotten part of it, and then I remembered
it again." His mother took a knife and cut her thread. She did
this as a warning to him. After that Mencius did not let his mind
wander again.

When Mencius was a child, their neighbor on the east killed
a pig. Mencius asked his mother, "What did our neighbor on the
east kill the pig for?"

His mother said, "To feed you." His mother then regretted
[her words] and said,[2] "When I was pregnant with this child I
would not sit on a mat that was not straight,[3] nor would I eat
meat that was not cut properly[4] —this was teaching him in the
womb. To deceive him now when he has grown to have understanding
is to teach him to be distrustful." Whereupon she purchased
some of the pork from the neighbor on the east and fed it
to him to show that she had not been deceiving him. The Ode
says,[5]