The joss in the temple hated the big tree and the bines and vines clinging to it, which had occupied the vastly space in front of the joss house, because he thought they had usurped¹ its role, and ha has always wanted to get rid of them.

 

One day, the joss said to the bines and wines, "As the saying goes 'There are no nice grasses under big trees,' Now the perimeter² of the big tree trunk became so long that it takes several persons to embrace, but your bines and wines are less than one inch thick, and all this is because of the big tree, whose branches and leaves have blocked your sunlight." The bines and wines, which had been envying the big tree all along, could not restrain their anger any more at these words.

 

That night, they appeared in the dreams of nearby people, telling them that, "It was not the joss but the bog³ tree in front of the temple that brought you the misfortune." The villagers were convinced, and cut down the big tree the next day. The bines and wines lost their habitat, and withered⁴ day by day, and both died soon.

 

寺庙里的神像对占据庙前广大空间的大树及攀附大树生存的茑藤和松萝十分记恨，认为它们喧宾夺主，一直想把它们除掉。

 

一天，神像对茑萝说：“俗话说‘大树下面无美草’，如今大树的身躯有几抱粗，而你们的藤蔓却还不到一寸，这完全是由于大树的枝叶挡住了你们的采光。”茑萝原本就嫉妒大树，听了这话，更是难抑怒火。

 

当晚，它们就托梦给附近的百姓说：“给你们带来灾祸的不是神像，而是庙前的大树。”乡亲们相信了这一说法，第二天就把大树砍掉了。茑藤和松萝失去了攀附物，也一天天枯萎下来，很快便双双死去。

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