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在很久以前，有一位書生，名叫「人長」。人長忠厚老實，聰明過人。到了科考之年，人長帶了三百兩銀子，揹著書箱，帶一些乾糧前去東京卞梁趕考。
去東京卞梁的路很遠，人長一路曉餐夜宿；走著走著，前面一條大河擋住了去路，人長在岸邊租了一條小船朝對岸划去。船到河中心的時候，天氣劇變，猛然間狂風捲著巨浪向人長的小船打來。這突如其來的驚濤駭浪把人長坐的小船沖向河的下游，人長被暴雨淋得像個落湯雞，全身都濕透了。突然，在風口浪尖上有無數個大團團順水漂過來，人長順手抓住一個黑色的團團仔細一看，原來這黑色的團團竟是千千萬萬個螞蟻團在一起，人長將螞蟻團團放在了船裡面，人長又在巨浪中救出了千千萬萬個螞蟻和蟲子。
「救命啊！救命啊！」唰！一個巨浪劈頭蓋腦朝著人長的小船打來，陡然間有一只手抓住船旁不放。「救命啊！救命啊！」人長順手將那人拉到船上，小船搖晃了一下險些翻了。人長仔細一看，救上來的是一個年輕人。黃昏以後，風雨停了，人長划的船靠岸以後，找一個安全的地方把那些蟲子和螞蟻放生了。
人長救上來的那個人問﹕「你叫什麼名字？要到什麼地方去？」
「我叫人長，要到京城趕考，不巧遇上了這樣的壞天氣。」
那人眼珠一轉說﹕「你叫人長，我叫人短，說不定在五百年前我們是本家。我也是到東京卞梁去，我們一同走吧！我可以幫你揹包挑擔。」
人長沒出過遠門，不知道人心險惡，就說﹕「好吧！我們可以同行。我的身上還有三百兩銀子，節儉一些花吧！」
人短問人長﹕「你今年貴庚了？」
「屬兔的，二十二歲。」
「我屬虎，今年二十三歲。你以後就叫我大哥好了。」
「大哥，我這裡有一些乾糧，等一下找一些水簡單吃一些，明天早一些上路。」
在一棵大樹下，有一眼水井，但上面沒有繩子。人長解開了行李上的繩子拴在腰間，帶上一個大碗到井裡面去打水。
人短在井上面提著繩子，不覺怦然心動，他心裡想﹕「我若把人長丟在井裡，他的三百兩銀子就歸我管了。」人短隨後把繩子扔進了井下，他揹上了人長的銀子逃之夭夭了。
「人短大哥，人短大哥！」人長在井下喊了數聲之後，上面毫無動靜，人長不知道人短已溜之大吉了。
三更天的時候，呼！呼！來了一陣大風，水井上面來了三個神仙，說話的聲音如雷貫耳。
第一個神仙說﹕「在三十年前，這眼水井是我打的。」
第二個神仙說﹕「從這往西三里地有個李家庄，李家庄村中間有一棵老榆樹，老榆樹下有一個泉眼，李家庄的人應該把老榆樹砍掉，在樹下打水井，人就不必去三里之外挑水了。」
第三個神仙說﹕「李員外的女兒得了一種怪病，李員外家後花園的枯井裡面有一條鯉魚精，應該往枯井裡面投一大車白灰。」
三個神仙說完以後又是一陣風走了。拂曉前後，李家庄的人陸陸續續來打水，他們把人長從井裡救了出來。人長上來以後，隨著挑水的人去了李家庄。李員外的大門上掛著一張告示，很多人在圍著觀看。告示上寫著﹕「誰能治好李小姐的病，李小姐好了以後就做他的太太。」
人長伸手揭下了那張告示。門軍一看有人揭下了告示，就把人長請到了房中。李員外告訴廚師做了好吃的飯菜款待人長。吃完飯以後，李員外問人長﹕「你用什麼辦法治我女兒的病呢？」
「你派人去商店裡買一車生石灰，回來倒入枯井裡，你女兒的病自然就會好。」
李員外派人去商店裡買了一大馬車生石灰倒進了枯井裡面，三天以後，李小姐的病完全好了。李員外選了良辰吉日人長和李小姐結為夫妻，從此以後他們兩人相敬如賓、舉案齊眉、恩恩愛愛自不必提。
過了幾天，人長還要去上京趕考。李員外為人長備了一匹好馬，給了人長五百兩銀子。人長騎著馬去了東京卞梁。人長在走前囑咐他的岳父，村中間的大榆樹下可以打水井。
人長騎著馬在卞梁城裡正往前走的時候，一個衣衫襤褸的乞丐拉住了馬頭，前面的人說﹕「人長兄弟！人長兄弟！我想得你好苦哇！」
人長一看，原來這乞丐是人短，人長說﹕「大哥為何這般模樣？」
「一言難盡！上次我在井上，突然來了一隻猛虎，我只好放開井繩子跑了。後來我來到京城在一家旅店裡住著得了一場大病，全身長癩，治好病以後我的手頭分文皆無，所以沿街乞討。」
人長聽人短這樣一說，就把在井裡聽到三個神仙說的話及在李家庄完婚一事，一五一十向人短說了一遍。人長又說﹕「我手頭還有一些銀子，我給你一百兩銀子拿去吃飯用吧！」
人短接過銀子，又找到了李家庄東面的那口水井，他腳登著井旁下到了井裡面，半夜的時候，呼！呼！一陣大風，三位神仙又來了。
第一個神仙說﹕「在三十年前，這眼水井是我打的。」
第二個神仙說﹕「李家庄中間已有了水井，這眼水井裡的水沒有人吃了。」
第三個神仙說﹕「我們用大石塊把這眼水井填上吧！」
三個神仙一起往水井裡扔了很多石頭，不一會兒，這眼水井已變為平地。這個忘恩負義的騙子得到了應得的下場。
人長去了考場應試的時候，答的題目要用蠅頭小楷書寫，人長平時沒有寫過蠅頭小楷。在這緊要關頭，人長在水裡面救上來的那些蟲子、螞蟻都來了，這些蟲子、螞蟻在硯盤裡一滾，隨後又爬上人長的試卷，幾分鐘以後，蟲子、螞蟻為人長答上了很漂亮的蠅頭小楷。
好心的人長中了狀元；而忘恩負義、圖財害命的人短卻去了地獄。正是﹕
善有善報，惡有惡報；
時間一到，一切都報。 |
A long time ago, there was a young man who was a student. His name was Ren Chang. He was a man of integrity and intelligence. When he was eligible to sit for his examination, he packed his books and, along with $300, started out for Dongjing Bian Liang.
It was a long distance way to Dongjing Bian Liang and Ren Chang walked day and night to get to his examination on time.
Ren Chang walked and walked until he came to a wide river. The river blocked his path. In order to cross the river, he hired a rowboat. Halfway across the river there was a sudden change in the weather. Ren Chang was rowing into a strong headwind.
Ren Chang and his boat were blown to the lower course of the river. He was saturated by the rain.
Suddenly he saw a large black shape floating beside the boat. When he reached out and grabbed it, he discovered that the black shape was actually millions and millions of ants sticking together. Ren Chang put what he had grabbed in the boat and continued to rescue the rest of the ants and insects.
“Help! Help!” came a cry. A big wave crashed onto Ren Chang's boat. Suddenly a hand gripped the side of Ren Chang's boat.
Ren Chang heard the cry for help again. Ren Chang reached out and hauled the man into his boat. The boat nearly overturned because it was unbalanced.
Ren Chang looked carefully at the person he had hauled from the sea. He was a young man.
In the evening, the storm stopped. Ren Chang's boat reached the shore safely. He put all the insects and ants into a safe place.
The guy who was rescued by Ren Chang asked him what his name was and where he was going. Ren Chang answered, “My name is Ren Chang. I am attending an examination in the capital. Unfortunately I encountered inclement weather.”
That guy said, “Your name is Ren Chang, my name is Ren Duan. Who knows we may be from the same family five hundred years ago. I am also going to the same place as you. Let's keep each other company on the trip. I can help carry your luggage.”
Ren Chang had never been far away from home and he was not aware of the dangers of the outside world. He agreed at once with Ren Duan. Ren Chang said, “Good! We can keep each other company. I have $300 with me. We can spend it carefully together.”
Ren Duan asked Ren Chang how old he was. Ren Chang said, “I was born in the year of the Rabbit. I am 22 years old.”
Ren Duan told Ren Chang that he was born in the year of the Tiger and that he was 23 years old. Ren Duan said, “You can call me Big Brother then.”
Ren Chang said, “Big Brother, I have some dried food here. Later on we can get some water and have a simple meal. Then we continue our trip early morning tomorrow.”
They came to a well under a big tree but no rope was attached. Ren Chang untied the rope from his luggage and tied it around his waist. He took a big bowl to fetch water from the well.
Ren Duan was holding the rope and thought, “If I leave him in the well, I can have his $300.” Ren Duan threw the rope into the well and fled with the money.
“Big Brother Ren Duan! Big Brother Ren Duan!” Ren Chang kept shouting but there was no response. Ren Chang did not know that Ren Duan had run away.
In the middle of the night, a gust of wind blew. Three deities appeared above the well and spoke with deep resonant voice.
The first deity said, “I built this well 30 years ago.”
The second deity said, “Three miles heading west from here is Lee Village. An old elm tree stands in the middle of the village. Under the tree there is a source of water. The villagers should cut the old elm tree down and build a well there. If they did this, they would not have to travel three miles to collect their water.”
The third deity said, “Officer Lee's daughter is suffering a strange illness. There is a carp spirit inside the dried-up well in his backyard. They should pour a huge load of lime into the well.
The three deities left after the conversation. At dawn, people from Lee Village came to get water. They saved Ren Chang from the well. He followed the people to Lee Village. He saw a notice on Officer Lee's door saying, “My daughter, Miss Lee, will marry whoever cures her illness.” Ren Chang took the notice off the door. The guard took Ren Chang to see Officer Lee. Officer Lee entertained Ren Chang with the best food. After the meal, Officer Lee asked Ren Chang how he thought he could cure his daughter.
Ren Chang said, “Please send someone to buy a large truckload of lime and pour it into the dried-up well; then your daughter will recover,” said Ren Chang.
Officer Lee did exactly as he was told. Three days later, Miss Lee was fully recovered. Officer Lee selected the best day for his daughter to marry Ren Chang. Ren Chang and Ms. Lee loved each other, respected each other, and enjoyed doing things together.
A few days after their wedding, Ren Chang continued his journey to attend the examination. Officer Lee prepared a horse and gave $500 to Ren Chang. Ren Chang rode to the capital on the horse. Before Ren Chang left, he told Officer Lee that a well could be built under the old elm tree.”
When Ren Chang arrived in the city, a shabby beggar pulled at the reins of the horse and said to Ren Chang, “Brother Ren Chang, I miss you very much.”
Ren Chang looked at the beggar and saw it was Ren Duan. Ren Chang asked, “How did you become like this?”
Ren Duan said, “The last time I was at the well a tiger suddenly appeared from nowhere. I had no choice but to run for my life. Finally I arrived in the capital and I lived in a motel. I got sick with a rash that appeared all over my body. I spent all my money on medication. After I recovered, I was penniless. I now have to beg on the streets.”
After Ren Chang had listened to Ren Duan's story, he told Ren Duan what had happened at the well and his marriage to Miss Lee. He said to Ren Duan, “I have money. Here, take $100 to buy yourself something to eat.”
Ren Duan took the money and went off to the well. He maneuvered himself into the well. In the middle of the night, a gust of wind brought the three deities.
The first one said, “This well was built by me 30 years ago.”
The second one said, “There is already a well built in the middle of Lee Village. No one will come here to get water anymore.”
The third one said, “Let us fill this well up with the rocks then.”
The three deities threw many rocks into the well. Soon the well was filled. The devious and ungrateful Ren Duan got what he deserved.
Ren Chang reached the capital to take the examination. The examination had to be written in Chinese calligraphy.
Ren Chang had not learned the art of Chinese calligraphy. At that very moment the ants and insects that Ren Chang had saved from the river came and dipped themselves into his ink well and then crawled onto his examination answer sheet. A few minutes later the insects and ants had formed the required calligraphy.
The kindhearted Ren Chang placed first in the examination whereas the devious and ungrateful Ren Duan went to hell. This story illustrates the saying:
Good acts reap good results; evil acts reap bad results.
When the time comes, everything reaps its own reward.
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