Moshi's Hand
Moshi was living in a temple in the province of Chiba. One of his pupils complained that his wife was too thrifty.
Moshi visited the pupil's wife and showed her his clenched fist before her face.
"What do you mean by that?" asked the woman, taken aback.
"Suppose my fist were always clenched like this. What would you call that?" he asked.
"a deformity," replied the woman.
Then he opened his hand and lay it flat and limp in front of her: "Suppose it were always like this. What then would you call it??"
"Another kind of deformity," said the wife.
"As you understand that much," finished Moshi, "you are a good wife." Then he left.
After his visit, this wife helped her husband to spend as well as to save.
dcj commentary: Goldilocks thought Papa Bear's porridge was too hot and Mama Bear's porridge was too cold, however, Baby Bear's porridge was just right!