§34 送美水喻

(34) to send pure spring water

昔有一聚落，去王城五由旬。村中有好美水，王敕村人，常使日日送其美水。村人疲苦，悉欲移避，远此村去。

once upon a time, there was a village, which was located five yojanas away from the city and supplied pure spring water. the king ordered the water to be sent to him in the palace every day by the villagers. becoming utterly weary of the irksome task, they all wanted to move away to some remote place.

时彼村主，语诸人言：“汝等莫去，我当为汝白王，改五由旬作三由旬，使汝得近，往来不疲。”

to them, the village chief said,"don't go away. i'll talk with the king for you to alter the distance between here and the palace from five yojanas into three yojanas. it would be closer for coming and going without much weariness."

即往白王，王为改之，作三由旬。众人闻已，便大欢喜。有人语言：“此故是本五由旬，更无有异。”虽闻此语，信王语故，终不肯去。

the chief hastened to report to the king who changed the mileage. people were delighted at knowing this. some of them said that there was no difference whatsoever. most still stayed on, because of their newly reassured confidence in the king.

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