Lisle
2/19/98
Wisdom is Better than Weapons of War
Yuoshi was the young daughter of Yuohi, the leader of the Yuan people. She
had just gotten married and was to have a baby soon. Yuoshi's husband was
a great warrior. He was off fighting against the Han people, for the land
called Pingnan. The Yuan and the Han fought for this land because it had
many apple trees. There were not many apple trees where Yuoshi lived and
not many in the land of the Han. Yuoshi knew that this fighting could not
go on forever. She tried to talk to her father but he said that war would
solve the problem.
Yuoshi had her son when her husband died during war. Yuoshi named her son Yuohai. Yuohai grew up to be very brave and smart. Yuoshi was very pleased with her son. As days went by, Yuohi got very sick and died. Since it was the custom for the next man in the family to become the emperor, that would make Yuohai the next emperor. This made Yuohai very happy and Yuoshi was very proud of her son.
The war was still going on, Yuoshi spoke with
her son about signing a treaty with the Han. Yuohai agreed to do something
about the war because he was always trying to please his mother.
Yuohai grew old enough and wise enough to travel to the land of the Han.
Yuohai put great thought into what he was going to say to Ha Le-Lei, the
ruler of the Han people. Ha Le-Lei was also known for his wisdom.
The night before Yuohai set out for his long journey, he had a dream. In his dream he saw Ha Le-Lei and himself together in an apple orchard. He realized from his dream, that not as many people would die in the war and not as many would get sick from not having the right food to eat, if the two empires joined together. They could share the land of Pingnan.
The Yuan people had always been good at growing things and keeping them alive throughout the year. The Han people were good at making things after the food was grown; for instance, storing the apples as applesauce. The applesauce had the nutrients that the people needed to survive. The two groups would be able to survive much better together than separately.
When Yuohai woke up, he told his mother about his dream. Yuoshi thought deeply about her son's dream. She told him that she didn't think that Ha Le-Lei would agree to sharing Pingnan.Yuohai didn't listen to his mother's words and still thought he would be capable of speaking to Ha Le-Lei. Yuoshi did not want her son to go, she told him to send some of his men. Although Yuohai always tried to please his mother, he also tried to do what he thought was right. Yuohai thought it would be best if he went along with his men.
That day he set off by horse to go to the land
of the Han.
It would take Yuohai many days and many nights to reach the land of the
Han people, Kuan Xi.
When he finally reached his destination, he
was shown into the palace to speak with Ha Le-Lei. Yuohai told Ha Le-Lei
about his dream. Yuohai also told Ha Le-Lei that many of his people were
getting sick from not having the right food. When it was Ha Le-Lei's turn
to speak, he told Yuohai that his people were also getting sick. Ha Le-Lei
told Yuohai that he thought very wisely. Ha Le-Lei agreed happily that the
two empires should share Pingnan.
Yuohai was so happy that on his way back to his own land, he stopped in Pingnan to gather up as many apples as he could to bring back home with him. He returned to his mother and told her about his journey to the land of the Han people. Now Yuoshi was even more proud of her son than ever before, and so were his people. That night Yuohai spoke to his people when they had a large feast - including apples!
The End