Under the shade of a budding persimmon tree, a young girl looked out to the land before her. In her view, she could see her old reliable father toiling away at the ground, planting the season's new crops. This would be their source of sustenance for the months to come. It was not easy work, but it was honest, and did not taint the humble soul.
"Niu! Ah Niu! It's time to work!"
The farmer called out to a stout bull sitting idle by the famer's side, and crackled his whip, grabbing the bull's attention.
The bull did not resume his respite, and at once set out, toiling just as hard as the old farmer. He had but one humble task before him - to drag the digging apparatus the master had put on him, and he was to drag it day long when the master demanded it. He enjoyed his work, as any respectable bull would, and he would get his square meals at the end of the day's toils.
He had never known to complain. It was just in his nature to work, just as his master did, and all the whip lashings he endured were just the master's instructions for him.
Just, Old Niu very clearly understood the master's instructions, so why would the master continue to torment his body with more whippings? Old Niu did not understand, and it was not in his nature to understand, or question. A humble bull must simply work.
Work he did. At long last the day's end came, and the farmer laid down his tools on the walls of the wooden hut, left some fodder for Niu, and he walked back for the night.
It was another day gone. Niu was content. He had finished his work for the day. Let us rest now, lest we fail to work well the next day.
The bull put his head on the hay underneath and laid to rest. Old Niu, let us meet again tommorow!
...
"Ai, Ah Niu. Go faster, Niu!"
The young girl giggled as she put on her hat to save her fair skin from the yellow monster overhead.
She enjoyed resting under the shade on days she did not have to suffer her mother's berates, her teacher's harsh words, and her sibling's torment. It was simply a day well spent for the young girl, who had been showing signs of growth, from her face to her height.
And above all, she enjoyed seeing Old Niu's reaction to her father's whip, berating the poor thing for being lazy. For her, it was funnier than the plays she had gone to attend with her friends. Those long drawn, elaborate jokes could not compare to Old Niu's simple mooing. She felt like the old bull could hear her at times, but she could never be sure.
Once, she told her teacher that her bull could understand her, but on that day it was instilled into her a lesson in oversharing. From then, the young girl only thought these things to herself, but wouldn't say them out loud.
Old Niu was not getting lazier, in fact. He was the same all this time, but time changes many things, and many things do not remain the same. In other words, Old Niu involuntarily became slower, heavier, more incumbent.
And all this time, the master could not, and would not understand any of this. The master's whips crackled on his sensitive skin, but his steps could not become faster.
Still, Old Niu felt that it was the way it should be. Nevermind, we will try harder, Old Niu!
"Ah Niu! What's gotten into you?"
The master would grumble, but this bull was all he could afford, and it was his bull. From a young little thing, he had relied on Old Niu to build his house, his family, his farm.
Ah well, he would take it slower. The day would be done, and the work would be finished all the same.
The young girl enjoyed this sight, until late at night, when the old farmer had tilled the last plot.
Old Niu tucked in for the night. He felt that his head had become heavier, and it was becoming harder to lift. It was harder to breathe, to walk, to work. But it was all he was good for, so he must simply try harder.
Old Niu was tired. He would be tired tomorrow too. Old Niu had better rest. We will see you tomorrow, Old Niu.
...
"Ah! Ah Niu! Little failure! Shi Bai!"
A girl could be seen giggling delicately under the arms of another man, beneath an aging persimmon tree.
Life moves fast. The young girl of yesteryear had grown up into a beautiful girl, and had even grown so much where she had her own suitors. Life moves fast, but love indeed moves faster.
She remembered delicately the days she had spent under this same place, watching her old father with this old bull.
Of course, things had changed.
The old bull now did not have the strength of the past, and moved half as fast as he did earlier. It was a struggle for Old Niu to get up in the morning, and toil for the day. It was not because he did not want to, but Old Niu simply could not.
And of course, the old farmer also refused to understand. Old Niu had worked so diligently in the past, why would he stop working harder? It was a problem that could be solved with just a few more whips!
The two, like old hands, took longer to do the same work, but at the end of the day, the work was almost done. Well, Old Niu couldn't keep up after all. Give him a break.
It was in this position that the girl bid farewell to Old Niu at his wooden shed and left with the old farmer, who berated him as he had all day.
"Shi Bai! Failure! You must work harder tommorow!"
The old farmer's cursing became less audible, and under the peace of not having a whip cracked on his thick skin, Old Niu went to bed on his bed of hay for the night.
Maybe tommorow he would find it in him to work harder. He knows he wants to, but alas, it gets tougher.
Old Niu sleeps in the still of the night, cold and lonely, as always. Old Niu, we hope to see you tomorrow?
...
Under the withering branches of an old persimmom tree, a grand feast was happening.
It was the pride of the village that the local humble farmer's beautiful daughter could get married to the son of a noble in the neighbouring city. Every family was proud, and had come to attend this spectacle.
Words were exchanged, tears were shed, and the feast marked the beginning of a new life for the woman and the man who were dressed in their best clothes.
It was only yesterday that she was sitting here, under this very tree, looking at her hardworking father and the old bull make a future for their family. It was this place that brought her great respite and enjoyment, away from all her troubles. Now she would not return here anymore, and she could not see the old bull anymore.
Well, a new chapter is always interesting.
As for Old Niu, he was the star of the show. His meat tasted quite like a delicacy from the neighbouring countries, the groom exclaimed. Maybe it was all the hardwork in his bones that gave it more flavour.
Well, every banquet needs food. Old Niu could not work any longer, and the farmer steeled his heart to give his old bull for the sake of his only daughter. It was not an act of treason anyhow, and it was his bull that he raised from childhood.
He would have liked it too, Old Niu. He would be eager to contribute in the face of death, just as he was a good bull during his life. Wasn't he, Old Niu?
There will be no more whippings now. Old Niu, we pray your next life will be a better one!