click here to go back


A long time ago in China, a girl named Li-Li got married and
went to live with her husband and mother-in-law. In a very short time,
Li-Li found that she couldn't get along with her mother-in-law at all.

Their personalities were very different, and Li-Li was angered
by many of her mother-in-law's habits. In addition, she criticized Li-Li
constantly.

Days passed days, and weeks passed weeks. Li-Li and her
mother-in-law never stopped arguing and fighting. But what made the
situation even worse was that, according to ancient Chinese tradition,
Li-Li had to bow to her mother-in-law and obey her every wish. All the
anger and unhappiness in the house was causing Li-Li's poor husband great
distress.

Finally, Li-Li could not stand her mother-in-law's bad temper
and dictatorship any longer, and she decided to do something about
it.

Li-Li went to see her father's good friend, Mr. Huang, who
sold herbs. She told him the situation and asked if he would give her some
poison so that she could solve the problem once and for all. Mr. Huang
thought for a while, and finally said, Li-Li, I will help you solve your problem,
but you must listen to me and obey what I tell you. Li-Li said, "Yes, Mr.
Huang, I will do whatever you tell me to do."
 
Mr. Huang went into the back room, and returned in a few
minutes with a package of herbs. He told Li-Li, "You can't use a
quick-acting poison to get rid of your mother-in-law, because that would
cause people to become suspicious. Therefore, I have given you a number of
herbs that will slowly build up poison in her body. Every other day prepare
some delicious meal and put a little of these herbs in her serving. Now, in
order to make sure that nobody suspects you when she dies, you must be very
careful to act very friendly towards her. Don't argue with her, obey her
every wish, and treat her like a queen."
 
Li-Li was so happy. She thanked Mr. Huang and hurried home to
start her plot of murdering her mother-in-law.
 
Weeks went by, and months went by, and every other day, Li-Li
served the specially treated food to her mother-in-law. She remembered what
Mr. Huang had said about avoiding suspicion, so she controlled her temper,
obeyed her mother-in-law, and treated her like her own mother. After six
months had passed, the whole household had changed.
 
Li-Li had practiced controlling her temper so much that she found that
she almost never got mad or upset. She hadn't had an argument with her
mother-in-law in six months because she now seemed much kinder and easier
to get along with.
 
The mother-in-law's attitude toward Li-Li changed, and she
began to love Li-Li like her own daughter. She kept telling friends and
relatives that Li-Li was the best daughter-in-law one could ever find.
Li-Li and her mother-in-law were now treating each other like a real mother
and daughter. Li-Li's husband was very happy to see what was happening.
 
One day, Li-Li came to see Mr. Huang and asked for his help
again. She said, "Dear Mr. Huang, please help me to keep the poison from
killing my mother-in-law! She's changed into such a nice woman, and I love
her like my own mother. I do not want her to die because of the poison I
gave her."
 
Mr. Huang smiled and nodded his head. "Li-Li, there's nothing
to worry about. I never gave you any poison. The herbs I gave you were
vitamins to improve her health. The only poison was in your mind and your
attitude toward her, but that has been all washed away by the love which
you gave to her."