The Woman Who Never Had Enough
By Leigh
Long, long ago, there lived a woman named
Chi Won Li who worked as an acupuncturist. She worked hard and made enough
money for all the things that she needed. Although she was not rich, she
was never hungry, and she was happy.
One day, the emperor became very sick. He sent out many soldiers to find
an acupuncturist who would heal him. It wasn't long before the emperor heard
of her and a soldier went to fetch her.
"Chi Won Li," the soldier shouted, "Come, the emperor is
sick, and I have come to fetch you to heal him."
Chi Won Li was surprised. "I will come right away!" she called
and went to pack the few things that she had.
By that night, they had reached the emperor's large abode. She performed
acupuncture on the emperor, and he began to get well. Every one was surprised
and the emperor paid her with gold and jewels.
Chi Won Li was so surprised and happy that she ran right back to her humble
house and sold the gold and jewels. She bought the largest house that she
could find. She made a big sign and in the largest calligraphy she could
draw, she wrote, Chi Won Li's Acupuncture. Saved the Emperor. At first people
did not believe a word of it, but the emperor confirmed her story and made
sure every one knew who had saved her.
People were curious about Chi Won Li, and so many people came to let her
heal them. Soon word of her talent spread. Chi Won Li was soon very popular
and so she raised prices. Every day, another person would walk into her
work place with money in hand, and every day Chi Won Li raised the prices
higher. She now had more money than she knew what to do with, so she spent
it on overpriced, unneeded things. She kept her expensive fineries in her
closet where they sat and collected dust.
The days and weeks flew by and prices soared. Chi Won Li knew that she had
enough money to live the rest of her life comfortably, but every time she
turned around, there was another gadget or piece of expensive jewelry that
she had to have. Rumor had it that Chi Won Li actually had more money than
the emperor.
One day while relaxing in her house, there was a knock at Chi Won Li's door.
To her surprise, it was the same soldier that had knocked on her door just
a few years before.
"Chi Won Li," the soldier shouted, "the emperor is sick again.
He requested that you be the one to heal him."
"Okay, when is he available? I'm free Tuesday next week and Friday
the week after that." Chi Won Li replied looking through her book of
days.
"You don't understand!" the soldier pleaded,"the emperor
is very sick! You must come at once!"
Chi Won Li looked up in surprise, " You must understand, sir, I am
very busy. Go back to the emperor and tell him I can be there next Tuesday."
The soldier was surprised and left quickly. Of course, the emperor was outraged."How
dare she do this! Go immediately and take away her home and all her things!"
A whole army was sent to do this task, and on their way to her house, they
spread the word of her refusing to heal the emperor. Chi Won Li was forced
to move out onto the street. With all of her customers gone, she had no
way to buy food. The very next day, she left that part of China. She traveled
far until she reached a place where no one had heard of her.
Once there, she began to work again. She did not earn very much money, but
she could buy herself a small house and enough food so that she was not
hungry. One day a rich man offered her a lot of money if she would heal
him. She thought on this for many days. Then she decided that she would
not take the money. The man asked her why and she calmly replied, "I
have seen money and what it does. I will heal you, but you will pay no more
than anybody else." To this day, the woman lives happily in her home.
She knows that she has enough.
THE END