Zeng Zi was one of Confucius' students. Once, Zeng Zi's wife was going shopping. Because the child was crying loudly, she promised the child that she would kill their pig to treat him after she returned home.

　　After she returned, Zeng Zi captured1 to butcher the pig. His wife stopped him, saying "I was kidding the child." Zeng zi said: "There is no kidding with the children, because they know little and they usually imitate their parents and follow their instructions. If you cheat them, it is the same as teaching2 them to cheat the others." So Zeng Zi killed the pig.

　　He knew that sincerity3 and keeping one's words are the essentials of conducting oneself. If he broke his words, he might keep his pig, but he would leave a unforgettable shadow in his child's heart.

　　曾子是孔子的學(xué)生，有一次，曾子的妻子準(zhǔn)備去趕集。由于孩子哭鬧不已，曾子妻許諾孩子回來后殺豬給他吃。

　　曾子妻從集市上回來后，曾子便捉豬來殺，妻子阻止說：“我不過是跟小孩子鬧著玩的。”曾子說：“和孩子是不可說著玩的，小孩子不懂事，凡事跟著父母學(xué)，聽父母的教導(dǎo)。現(xiàn)在你哄騙他，就是教孩子騙人啊。”于是曾子把豬殺了。

　　曾子深深懂得，誠實(shí)守信，說話算話是做人的基本準(zhǔn)則。若失言不殺豬，那么家中的豬保住了，但卻在一個(gè)純潔孩子的心靈上留下不可磨滅的陰影。