SLOW POISON....

[Guest guest]

A long time ago in China, a girl named Li-Li got married and went to

live with her husband and mother-in-law. In a very short time, Li-Li

found that she couldn't get along with her mother-in-law at all.

 

Their personalities were very different, and Li-Li was angered by many

of her mother-in-law's habits. In addition, she criticized Li-Li

constantly.

 

Days passed days, and weeks passed weeks. Li-Li and her mother-in-law

never stopped arguing and fighting. But what made the situation even

worse was that, according to ancient Chinese tradition, Li-Li had to

bow to her mother-in-law and obey her every wish.

 

All the anger and unhappiness in the house was causing Li-Li's poor

husband great distress.

 

Finally, Li-Li could not stand her mother-in-law's bad temper and

dictatorship any longer, and she decided to do something about it.

 

Li-Li went to see her father's good friend, Mr. Huang, who sold herbs.

She told him the situation and asked if he would give her some poison

so that she could solve the problem once and for all. Mr. Huang

thought for a while, and finally said, Li-Li, I will help you solve

your problem, but you must listen to me and obey what I tell you.

Li-Li said, " Yes, Mr. Huang, I will do whatever you tell me to do. "

 

Mr. Huang went into the back room, and returned in a few minutes with

a package of herbs.

 

He told Li-Li, " You can't use a quick acting poison to get rid of your

mother-in-law, because that would cause people to become suspicious.

Therefore, I have given you a number of herbs that will slowly build

up poison in her body. Every other day prepare some delicious meal and

put a little of these herbs in her serving. Now, in order to make sure

that nobody suspects you when she dies, you must be very careful to

act very friendly towards her. Don't argue with her, obey her every

wish, and treat her like a queen. "

 

Li-Li was so happy. She thanked Mr. Huang and hurried home to start

her plot of murdering her mother-in-law.

 

Weeks went by, and months went by, and every other day, Li-Li served

the specially treated food to her mother-in-law. She remembered what

Mr. Huang had said about avoiding suspicion, so she controlled her

temper, obeyed her mother-in-law, and treated her like her own mother.

After six months had passed, the whole household had changed.

 

Li-Li had practiced controlling her temper so much that she found that

she almost never got mad or upset. She hadn't had an argument with her

mother-in-law in six months because she now seemed much kinder and

easier to get along with.

 

The mother-in-law's attitude toward Li-Li changed, and she began to

love Li-Li like her own daughter. She kept telling friends and

relatives that Li-Li was the best daughter-in-law one could ever find.

Li-Li and her mother-in-law were now treating each other like a real

mother and daughter. Li-Li's husband was very happy to see what was

happening.

 

One day, Li-Li came to see Mr. Huang and asked for his help again. She

said, " Dear Mr. Huang, please help me to keep the poison from killing

my mother-in-law! She's changed into such a nice woman, and I love her

like my own mother. I do not want her to die because of the poison I

gave her. "

 

Mr. Huang smiled and nodded his head. " Li-Li, there's nothing to worry

about. I never gave you any poison. The herbs I gave you were vitamins

to improve her health. The only poison was in your mind and your

attitude toward her, but that has been all washed away by the love

which you gave to her. "