Chinese Version Of An Old Story

A certain man was condemned to the thief s collar, whereapon some of his relaíives seeing him, aakod him how he had brought soch a punishment upon hiinself. He replied: "As I was going along the road I chanced to see on the groond a littlo bit of rope. Thinking it might perhaps prove nseful, I picked it np and proceeded on my way. Sneh is the origin of my present trouble. " "But," replied his relatives, "we cannot believe that the theít of a piece of rope 'would bring yon to this misery. " Said the thief : "It is trae that there was something at the end of the rope. " They inquired wnat it was. "Only," answered he, "two little drancht