A Single Shard Sayings

Tree-ear is an orphan who lives under a bridge in a village of pottery called Ch’ulp’o with Crane-man, a man who was born with only one leg took Tree-ear when he was a small child. Although Crane-man is physically disabled, he always gives Tree-ear some advises which are useful and meaningful. Crane-man exhort Tree-ear do not to steal. “‘Work gives a man dignity, stealing takes it away.’ Crane-man said.” He told Tree-ear that you could gain respect by working, but lose dignity from stealing, and several honorable ways to garner a meal such as foraging in the woods, rubbish heaps, and gathering grain-heads in the autumn are way better than stealing, and stealing makes a man no better than a dog. This sentence keeps Tree-ear away from stealing by telling him to steal is ashamed. Also, Crane-man tells him do not to steal other’s ideas. Tree-ear heard Kang’s idea in a wine shop, he knew that Min’s work is far superior from Kang’s and the royal emissary is assigning a pottery for the palace. Tree-ear wanted to tell Min the idea so Min’s skill will be improved, but he still asked Crane-man. “If a man is keeping an idea to himself, and that idea is taken by stealth or trickery－I say it is stealing. But once a man has revealed his idea to others, it is no longer his alone. It belongs to the world.” Crane-man said. Crane-man keeps Tree-ear from telling the method to Min, thus it’s fair for potters in the village who wants to be commissioned for the palace. Last, Crane-man teaches Tree-ear to not give up easily. When Tree-ear asks Min if he could one day be teaching Tree-ear how to make a pot, then Min replied him with a refusal because of Tree-ear is not his son and his son has already gone. On the way to the bridge, Tree-ear realized that all the other apprentices were indeed sons of the potters, but he still feels disappointed and unfair about potter Min’s behavior. After hearing what happened Crane-man tells him: “My friend, the same wind that blows one door shut often blows another open.” That tells Tree-ear there are several different ways of doing one thing, if you failed, then just try another way, there will always be a way that works for you. Tree-ear is guided by Crane-man do not to steal, give up, and more. Tree-ear will be grown as a man who has tenacity and dignity. And I believe that advises are told by Crane-man will always guide Tree-ears and benefits his whole life.