Dragonfly Guai#

Fly through the flowers and willows to shoot hidden arrows, flap your wings and ride the crooked wind. It is difficult to achieve good deeds with small wisdom, and twos and threes block the way.

There was a dragonfly guai who loved archery. His mother saw his gift and used her connections for an opportunity to have him training under the Yaoguai King of the land.

To the King, the dragonfly guai seemed like a diligent and talented student. He drilled hard each day and served his master with great respect, always at his master's beck and call. At times, he'd be practicing outside, but at a single command from his teacher, he'd appear at once. The King had doubts, but considering the dragonfly's swift wings, the King dismissed his suspicions.

One day, the King taught him how to imbue his bolts with greater power. "Wait for the arrowhead to glow, then release." The guai swore he'd remember, but when tested that afternoon, he couldn't recall anything. The King assumed he just hadn't grasped the lesson and explained it once more. But the next day, he'd had forgotten it again.

This pattern continued. The Yaoguai King flew into a rage and set to punish the guai. The guai fell to his knees and pleaded. "Mercy, master! I have brothers. Each of us knows only a portion of the lessons. That's why I can't answer." At this, scores of identical dragonfly guais emerged, all kneeling and bowing non-stop. Offended yet tickled by this revelation, the King demoted them all to lowly patrol guards and taught them no more. Alas, while petty schemes might seem perfect at first, earning praise and favor, they also sow the seeds of trouble. When the truth is revealed, one faces ridicule and brings ruin upon themselves.