In the land of Tao-chou <br />Many of the people are dwarfs; <br />The tallest of them never grow to more than three feet. <br />They were sold in the market as dwarf slaves and yearly sent to Court; <br />Described as “an offering of natural products from the land of Tao-chou.” <br />A strange “offering of natural products “; I never heard of one yet <br />That parted men from those they loved, never to meet again! <br />Old men—weeping for their grandsons; mothers for their children! <br />One day—Yang Ch’ëng came to govern the land; <br />He refused to send up dwarf slaves in spite of incessant mandates. <br />He replied to the Emperor “Your servant finds in the Six Canonical Books <br />‘In offering products, one must offer what is there, and not what isn’t there’ <br />On the waters and lands of Tao-chou, among all the things that live <br />I only find dwarfish people; no dwarfish slaves.” <br />The Emperor’s heart was deeply moved and he sealed and sent a scroll <br />“The yearly tribute of dwarfish slaves is henceforth annulled.’’ <br /> <br />The people of Tao-chou, <br />Old ones and young ones, how great their joy! <br />Father with son and brother with brother henceforward kept together; <br />From that day for ever more they lived as free men. <br />The people of Tao-chou <br />Still enjoy this gift. <br />And even now when they speak of the Governor <br />Tears start to their eyes. <br />And lest their children and their children’s children should forget the Governor’s name, <br />When boys are born the syllable “Yang” is often used in their forename.<br /><br />Po Chu-I<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-dwarfs-of-tao-chou/
