蔡順的故事也被選用在《二十四孝》中,不過有兩點很有意思:一,我們會發(fā)覺,其中“嚙指心痛”的細節(jié)和《二十四孝》中的曾子敘述是一個模式。這說明孝子的行為的背后潛伏著一種約定俗成的行為模式的表述,因此會出現(xiàn)重復(fù)的情況。二,《二十四孝》的作者為了避免重復(fù),曾子用了“嚙指心痛”的內(nèi)容,而寫蔡順則繞過了這一歷史故事,用“拾椹供親”的故事,而在《后漢書》中沒有這一記載。三是,蔡順怕死后的母親害怕打雷,因此常在雷雨天繞墓哭泣。這一情節(jié),與《二十四孝》的孝子王裒《聞雷泣墓》又有類似了。雖然今人去讀這些歷史上的孝子孝行,會產(chǎn)生種種想法,或不可理解,或理解不了,或厭其做作,或惡其封建,或恨其落后,但是往深處的內(nèi)核思考一下,不就是盡其尊親、養(yǎng)親、孝親之心嗎?難道古今人心就不能溝通嗎?
《二十四孝·蔡順拾葚供親》 郭居敬
漢蔡順,少孤,事母至孝。遭王莽亂,歲荒,不給,拾桑葚,以異器盛之。赤眉賊見而問曰:“何異乎?”。順曰:“黑者奉母,赤者自食。”賊憫其孝,以白米二斗、牛蹄一只與之。
詩曰:
黑葚奉萱闈,啼饑淚滿衣。
赤眉知孝順,牛米贈君歸。
Cai Shun Gathered Mulberries for His Mother
Cai Shun of the Han Dynasty, whose father died when he was a little boy, was extremely dutiful to his mother. There was a severe famine during the reign of Emperor Wang Mang of the Xin Dynasty, and supplies were far insufficient. So Cai Shun had to go and pick mulberries for food. The mulberries were classified and put in different containers. A red-browed hooligan saw it and asked Cai Shun, “Why do you put the mulberries in different containers?” Shun replied, “The black ones are for my mother, while the red ones are for myself.” The hooligan showed sympathy for Cai Shun's filial piety and gave him two dou's (1 dou=2 decalitres) of rice and one cow hoof.