r　chief。　Sima　Yi　opened　the　box　and　saw　the　deer　hide　dress。　Then　he　opened　the　letter；　which　read　something　like　this：

〃Friend　Sima　Yi；　although　you　are　a　mander…in…Chief　and　lead　the　armies　of　the　Middle　Land；　you　seem　but　little　disposed　to　display　the　firmness　and　valor　that　would　render　a　contest　decisive。　Instead；　you　have　prepared　a　fortable　lair　where　you　are　safe　from　the　keen　edge　of　the　sword。　Are　you　not　very　like　a　deer？　Wherefore　I　send　the　bearer　with　a　suitable　gift；　and　you　will　humbly　accept　it　and　the　humiliation；　unless；　indeed；　you　finally　decide　to　e　out　and　fight　like　a　warrior。　If　you　are　not　entirely　indifferent　to　shame；　if　you　retain　any　of　the　feelings　of　a　tiger；　you　will　send　this　back　to　me　and　e　out　and　give　battle。〃

Sima　Yi；　although　inwardly　raging；　pretended　to　take　it　all　as　a　joke　and　smiled。

〃So　he　regards　me　as　a　deer；〃　said　he。

He　accepted　the　gift　and　treated　the　messenger　well。　Before　the　messenger　left；　Sima　Yi　asked　him　a　few　questions　about　his　master's　eating　and　sleeping　and　hours　of　labor。

〃The　Prime　Minister　works　very　hard；〃　said　the　messenger。　〃He　rises　early　and　retires　to　bed　late。　He　attends　personally　to　all　cases　requiring　punishment　of　over　twenty　of　strokes。　As　for　food；　he　does　not　eat　more　than　a　few　pints　of　grain　daily。〃

〃Indeed；　Zhuge　Liang　eats　little　and　works　much；〃　remarked　Sima　Yi　to　his　generals。　〃Can　he　last　long？〃

The　messenger　returned　to　his　own　side　and　reported　to　Zhuge　Liang；　saying；　〃Sima　Yi　took　the　whole　episode　in　good　part　and　shown　no　sign　of　anger。　He　only　asked　about　the　Prime　Minister's　hours　of　rest；　and　food；　and　such　things。　He　said　no　word　about　military　matters。　I　told　him　that　you　ate　little　and　worked　long　hours；　and　then　he　said；