humble　station。　If　you　do　not　remove　him；　he　will　do　you　harm。〃

〃I　must　obey　my　mother's　mand。〃

〃People　say　your　brother　simply　talks　in　literature。　I　do　not　believe　it　myself；　but　he　might　be　put　to　the　test。　If　he　bears　a　false　reputation；　you　can　slay　him；　if　what　they　say　is　true；　then　degrade　him；　lest　the　scholars　of　the　land　should　babble。〃

Soon　Cao　Zhi　came；　and　in　a　state　of　great　trepidation　bowed　low　before　his　elder　brother；　confessing　his　fault。

The　Prince　addressed　him；　saying；　〃Though　we　are　brothers；　yet　the　proper　relation　between　us　of　prince　and　minister　must　not　be　overlooked。　Why　then　did　you　behave　indecorously？　While　the　late　Prince　lived；　you　made　a　boast　of　your　literary　powers；　but　I　am　disposed　to　think　you　may　have　made　use　of　another's　pen。　Now　I　require　you　to　pose　a　poem　within　the　time　taken　to　walk　seven　paces；　and　I　will　spare　your　life　if　you　succeed。　If　you　fail；　then　I　shall　punish　you　with　rigor。〃

〃Will　you　suggest　a　theme？〃　asked　Cao　Zhi。

Now　there　was　hanging　in　the　hall　a　black　and　white　sketch　of　two　bulls　that　had　been　fighting　at　the　foot　of　a　wall；　and　one　of　them　had　just　fallen　dead　into　a　well。　Cao　Pi　pointed　to　the　sketch　and　said；　〃Take　that　as　the　subject。　But　you　are　forbidden　to　use　the　words　'two　bulls；　one　bull；　fighting；　wall's　foot；　falling；　well；　and　dead'。〃

Cao　Zhi　took　seven　paces　and　then　recited　this　poem：

〃Two　butcher's　victims　lowing　walked　along；

Each　head　bore　curving　bones；　a　sturdy　pair；

They　met　just　by　a　hillock；　both　were　strong；

Each　would　avoid　a　pit　newly　dug　there。

They　fought　unequal　battle；　for　at　length

One　lay　below　a　gory　mass；　inert。

It　was　not　that　they　were　of　unequal　strength

Though　w