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diff --git a/29939.txt b/29939.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..a8cf561 --- /dev/null +++ b/29939.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11162 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Chinese Fairy Book, by Various + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Chinese Fairy Book + +Author: Various + +Editor: R. Wilhelm + +Illustrator: George W. Hood + +Translator: Frederick H. Martens + +Release Date: September 8, 2009 [EBook #29939] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE CHINESE FAIRY BOOK *** + + + + +Produced by David Edwards, Sam W. and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive) + + + + + + + + + + THE + CHINESE FAIRY + BOOK + + EDITED BY + DR. R. WILHELM + + TRANSLATED AFTER ORIGINAL SOURCES BY + FREDERICK H. MARTENS + + + [Illustration] + + + WITH SIX ILLUSTRATIONS IN COLOR BY + GEORGE W. HOOD + + + NEW YORK + FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY + PUBLISHERS + + + + + _Copyright, 1921, by_ + FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY + + _All Rights Reserved_ + + + + + BOOKS IN THE "FAIRY SERIES" + + _The English Fairy Book_ + _The Welsh Fairy Book_ + _The Irish Fairy Book_ + _The Scottish Fairy Book_ + _The Italian Fairy Book_ + _The Hungarian Fairy Book_ + _The Indian Fairy Book_ + _The Jewish Fairy Book_ + _The Swedish Fairy Book_ + _The Chinese Fairy Book_ + + + + + [Illustration: "THE CROWS COME FLYING AND FORM A BRIDGE OVER WHICH + THE WEAVING MAIDEN CROSSES THE SILVER RIVER." + --_Page 40_] + + + + +PREFACE + + +The fairy tales and legends of olden China have in common with the +"Thousand and One Nights" an oriental glow and glitter of precious +stones and gold and multicolored silks, an oriental wealth of +fantastic and supernatural action. And yet they strike an exotic note +distinct in itself. The seventy-three stories here presented after +original sources, embracing "Nursery Fairy Tales," "Legends of the +Gods," "Tales of Saints and Magicians," "Nature and Animal Tales," +"Ghost Stories," "Historic Fairy Tales," and "Literary Fairy Tales," +probably represent the most comprehensive and varied collection of +oriental fairy tales ever made available for American readers. There +is no child who will not enjoy their novel color, their fantastic +beauty, their infinite variety of subject. Yet, like the "Arabian +Nights," they will amply repay the attention of the older reader as +well. Some are exquisitely poetic, such as "The Flower-Elves," "The +Lady of the Moon" or "The Herd Boy and the Weaving Maiden"; others +like "How Three Heroes Came By Their Deaths Because Of Two Peaches," +carry us back dramatically and powerfully to the Chinese age of +Chivalry. The summits of fantasy are scaled in the quasi-religious +dramas of "The Ape Sun Wu Kung" and "Notscha," or the weird sorceries +unfolded in "The Kindly Magician." Delightful ghost stories, with +happy endings, such as "A Night on the Battlefield" and "The Ghost Who +Was Foiled," are paralleled with such idyllic love-tales as that of +"Rose of Evening," or such Lilliputian fancies as "The King of the +Ants" and "The Little Hunting Dog." It is quite safe to say that these +Chinese fairy tales will give equal pleasure to the old as well as the +young. They have been retold simply, with no changes in style or +expression beyond such details of presentation which differences +between oriental and occidental viewpoints at times compel. It is the +writer's hope that others may take as much pleasure in reading them as +he did in their translation. + + FREDRICK H. MARTENS. + + + + +CONTENTS + + + PAGE + + PREFACE v + + + NURSERY FAIRY TALES + + CHAPTER + + I WOMEN'S WORDS PART FLESH AND BLOOD 1 + + II THE THREE RHYMSTERS 4 + + III HOW GREED FOR A TRIFLING THING LED A MAN TO LOSE A + GREAT ONE 6 + + IV WHO WAS THE SINNER? 9 + + V THE MAGIC CASK 10 + + VI THE FAVORITE OF FORTUNE AND THE CHILD OF ILL LUCK 11 + + VII THE BIRD WITH NINE HEADS 13 + + VIII THE CAVE OF THE BEASTS 17 + + IX THE PANTHER 20 + + X THE GREAT FLOOD 24 + + XI THE FOX AND THE TIGER 27 + + XII THE TIGER'S DECOY 28 + + XIII THE FOX AND THE RAVEN 29 + + XIV WHY DOG AND CAT ARE ENEMIES 30 + + + LEGENDS OF THE GODS + + XV HOW THE FIVE ANCIENTS BECAME MEN 35 + + XVI THE HERD BOY AND THE WEAVING MAIDEN 37 + + XVII YANG OERLANG 42 + + XVIII NOTSCHA 44 + + XIX THE LADY OF THE MOON 53 + + XX THE MORNING AND THE EVENING STAR 55 + + XXI THE GIRL WITH THE HORSE'S HEAD OR THE SILKWORM + GODDESS 56 + + XXII THE QUEEN OF HEAVEN 58 + + XXIII THE FIRE-GOD 61 + + XXIV THE THREE RULING GODS 62 + + XXV A LEGEND OF CONFUCIUS 64 + + XXVI THE GOD OF WAR 66 + + + TALES OF SAINTS AND MAGICIANS + + XXVII THE HALOS OF THE SAINTS 71 + + XXVIII LAOTSZE 73 + + XXIX THE ANCIENT MAN 75 + + XXX THE EIGHT IMMORTALS (I) 76 + + XXXI THE EIGHT IMMORTALS (II) 82 + + XXXII THE TWO SCHOLARS 84 + + XXXIII THE MISERLY FARMER 88 + + XXXIV SKY O'DAWN 90 + + XXXV KING MU OF DSCHOU 95 + + XXXVI THE KING OF HUAI NAN 99 + + XXXVII OLD DSCHANG 102 + + XXXVIII THE KINDLY MAGICIAN 107 + + + NATURE AND ANIMAL TALES + + XXXIX THE FLOWER-ELVES 119 + + XL THE SPIRIT OF THE WU-LIAN MOUNTAIN 124 + + XLI THE KING OF THE ANTS 125 + + XLII THE LITTLE HUNTING DOG 127 + + XLIII THE DRAGON AFTER HIS WINTER SLEEP 130 + + XLIV THE SPIRITS OF THE YELLOW RIVER 131 + + XLV THE DRAGON-PRINCESS 137 + + XLVI HELP IN NEED 142 + + XLVII THE DISOWNED PRINCESS 151 + + XLVIII FOX-FIRE 161 + + + GHOST STORIES + + XLIX THE TALKING SILVER FOXES 165 + + L THE CONSTABLE 168 + + LI THE DANGEROUS REWARD 174 + + LII RETRIBUTION 177 + + LIII THE GHOST WHO WAS FOILED 180 + + LIV THE PUNISHMENT OF GREED 184 + + LV THE NIGHT ON THE BATTLEFIELD 186 + + LVI THE KINGDOM OF THE OGRES 189 + + LVII THE MAIDEN WHO WAS STOLEN AWAY 196 + + LVIII THE FLYING OGRE 199 + + LIX BLACK ARTS 201 + + + HISTORIC LEGENDS + + LX THE SORCERER OF THE WHITE LOTUS LODGE 209 + + LXI THE THREE EVILS 212 + + LXII HOW THREE HEROES CAME BY THEIR DEATHS BECAUSE OF + TWO PEACHES 215 + + LXIII HOW THE RIVER GOD'S WEDDING WAS BROKEN OFF 218 + + LXIV DSCHANG LIANG 220 + + LXV OLD DRAGONBEARD 223 + + LXVI HOW MOLO STOLE THE LOVELY ROSE-RED 231 + + LXVII THE GOLDEN CANISTER 235 + + LXVIII YANG GUI FE 240 + + LXIX THE MONK OF THE YANGTZE-KIANG 243 + + + LITERARY FAIRY TALES + + LXX THE HEARTLESS HUSBAND 251 + + LXXI GIAUNA THE BEAUTIFUL 261 + + LXXII THE FROG PRINCESS 271 + + LXXIII ROSE OF EVENING 280 + + LXXIV THE APE SUN WU KUNG 288 + + + + +LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS + + + "The crows come flying and form a bridge over which the + Weaving Maiden crosses the Silver River" _Frontispiece_ + + FACING PAGE + + "Beside it stood a Cassia-tree" 54 + + "'And I crossed the water on the shoe'" 90 + + "A fisherboy dived into the water and brought up a pearl + from beneath the chin of a black dragon" 138 + + "Tsian Tang brought out a platter of red amber on which + lay a carbuncle" 156 + + "Then he took his master and Rose-Red upon his back and + flew with them over the steep walls" 234 + + + + +NURSERY FAIRY TALES + + + + +THE CHINESE FAIRY BOOK + + + + +I + +WOMEN'S WORDS PART FLESH AND BLOOD + + +Once upon a time there were two brothers, who lived in the same house. +And the big brother listened to his wife's words, and because of them +fell out with the little one. Summer had begun, and the time for +sowing the high-growing millet had come. The little brother had no +grain, and asked the big one to loan him some, and the big one ordered +his wife to give it to him. But she took the grain, put it in a large +pot and cooked it until it was done. Then she gave it to the little +fellow. He knew nothing about it, and went and sowed his field with +it. Yet, since the grain had been cooked, it did not sprout. Only a +single grain of seed had not been cooked; so only a single sprout shot +up. The little brother was hard-working and industrious by nature, and +hence he watered and hoed the sprout all day long. And the sprout grew +mightily, like a tree, and an ear of millet sprang up out of it like a +canopy, large enough to shade half an acre of ground. In the fall the +ear was ripe. Then the little brother took his ax and chopped it down. +But no sooner had the ear fallen to the ground, than an enormous Roc +came rushing down, took the ear in his beak and flew away. The little +brother ran after him as far as the shore of the sea. + +Then the bird turned and spoke to him like a human being, as follows: +"You should not seek to harm me! What is this one ear worth to you? +East of the sea is the isle of gold and silver. I will carry you +across. There you may take whatever you want, and become very rich." + +The little brother was satisfied, and climbed on the bird's back, and +the latter told him to close his eyes. So he only heard the air +whistling past his ears, as though he were driving through a strong +wind, and beneath him the roar and surge of flood and waves. Suddenly +the bird settled on a rock: "Here we are!" he said. + +Then the little brother opened his eyes and looked about him: and on +all sides he saw nothing but the radiance and shimmer of all sorts of +white and yellow objects. He took about a dozen of the little things +and hid them in his breast. + +"Have you enough?" asked the Roc. + +"Yes, I have enough," he replied. + +"That is well," answered the bird. "Moderation protects one from +harm." + +Then he once more took him up, and carried him back again. + +When the little brother reached home, he bought himself a good piece +of ground in the course of time, and became quite well to do. + +But his brother was jealous of him, and said to him, harshly: "Where +did you manage to steal the money?" + +So the little one told him the whole truth of the matter. Then the big +brother went home and took counsel with his wife. + +"Nothing easier," said his wife. "I will just cook grain again and +keep back one seedling so that it is not done. Then you shall sow it, +and we will see what happens." + +No sooner said than done. And sure enough, a single sprout shot up, +and sure enough, the sprout bore a single ear of millet, and when +harvest time came around, the Roc again appeared and carried it off in +his beak. The big brother was pleased, and ran after him, and the Roc +said the same thing he had said before, and carried the big brother to +the island. There the big brother saw the gold and silver heaped up +everywhere. The largest pieces were like hills, the small ones were +like bricks, and the real tiny ones were like grains of sand. They +blinded his eyes. He only regretted that he knew of no way by which he +could move mountains. So he bent down and picked up as many pieces as +possible. + +The Roc said: "Now you have enough. You will overtax your strength." + +"Have patience but a little while longer," said the big brother. "Do +not be in such a hurry! I must get a few more pieces!" + +And thus time passed. + +The Roc again urged him to make haste: "The sun will appear in a +moment," said he, "and the sun is so hot it burns human beings up." + +"Wait just a little while longer," said the big brother. But that very +moment a red disk broke through the clouds with tremendous power. The +Roc flew into the sea, stretched out both his wings, and beat the +water with them in order to escape the heat. But the big brother was +shrivelled up by the sun. + + Note: This fairy-tale is traditionally narrated. The + Roc is called _pong_ in Chinese, and the treasures on + the island are spoken of as "all sorts of yellow and + white objects" because the little fellow does not know + that they are gold and silver. + + + + +II + +THE THREE RHYMSTERS + + +Once there were three daughters in a family. The oldest one married a +physician, the second one married a magistrate; but the third, who was +more than usually intelligent and a clever talker, married a farmer. + +Now it chanced, once upon a time, that their parents were celebrating +a birthday. So the three daughters came, together with their husbands, +to wish them long life and happiness. The parents-in-law prepared a +meal for their three sons-in-law, and put the birthday wine on the +table. But the oldest son-in-law, who knew that the third one had not +attended school, wanted to embarrass him. + +"It is far too tiresome," said he, "just to sit here drinking: let us +have a drinking game. Each one of us must invent a verse, one that +rimes and makes sense, on the words: 'in the sky, on the earth, at the +table, in the room,' And whoever cannot do so, must empty three +glasses as a punishment." + +All the company were satisfied. Only the third son-in-law felt +embarrassed and insisted on leaving. But the guests would not let him +go, and obliged him to keep his seat. + +Then the oldest son-in-law began: "I will make a start with my verse. +Here it is: + + "In the sky the phenix proudly flies, + On the earth the lambkin tamely lies, + At the table through an ancient book I wade, + In the room I softly call the maid." + +The second one continued: "And I say: + + "In the sky the turtle-dove flies round, + On the earth the ox paws up the ground, + At the table one studies the deeds of yore, + In the room the maid she sweeps the floor." + +But the third son-in-law stuttered, and found nothing to say. And when +all of them insisted, he broke out in rough tones of voice: + + "In the sky--flies a leaden bullet, + On the earth--stalks a tiger-beast, + On the table--lies a pair of scissors, + In the room--I call the stable-boy." + +The other two sons-in-law clapped their hands and began to laugh +loudly. + +"Why the four lines do not rime at all," said they, "and, besides +they do not make sense. A leaden bullet is no bird, the stable-boy +does his work outside, would you call him into the room? Nonsense, +nonsense! Drink!" + +Yet before they had finished speaking, the third daughter raised the +curtain of the women's room, and stepped out. She was angry, yet she +could not suppress a smile. + +"How so do our lines not make sense?" said she. "Listen a moment, and +I'll explain them to you: In the sky our leaden bullet will shoot your +phenix and your turtle-dove. On the earth our tiger-beast will devour +your sheep and your ox. On the table our pair of scissors will cut up +all your old books. And finally, in the room--well, the stable-boy can +marry your maid!" + +Then the oldest son-in-law said: "Well scolded! Sister-in-law, you +know how to talk! If you were a man you would have had your degree +long ago. And, as a punishment, we will empty our three glasses." + + Note: This is also a fairy-tale traditionally handed + down. + + + + +III + +HOW GREED FOR A TRIFLING THING LED A MAN TO LOSE A GREAT ONE + + +Once upon a time there was an old woman, who had two sons. But her +older son did not love his parents, and left his mother and brother. +The younger one served her so faithfully, however, that all the people +spoke of his filial affection. + +One day it happened that there was a theatrical performance given +outside the village. The younger son started to carry his mother there +on his back, so that she might look on. But there was a ravine before +the village, and he slipped and fell down in the middle of it. And his +mother was killed by the rolling stones, and her blood and flesh were +sprinkled about everywhere. The son stroked his mother's corpse, and +wept bitterly. He was about to kill himself when, suddenly, he saw a +priest standing before him. + +The latter said: "Have no fear, for I can bring your mother back to +life again!" And as he said so, he stooped, gathered up her flesh and +bones, and laid them together as they should be. Then he breathed upon +them, and at once the mother was alive again. This made the son very +happy, and he thanked the priest on his knees. Yet on a sharp point of +rock he still saw a bit of his mother's flesh hanging, a bit about an +inch long. + +"That should not be left hanging there either," said he, and hid it in +his breast. + +"In truth, you love your mother as a son should," said the priest. +Then he bade the son give him the bit of flesh, kneaded a manikin out +of it, breathed upon it, and in a minute there it stood, a really +fine-looking little boy. + +"His name is Small Profit," said he, turning to the son, "and you may +call him brother. You are poor and have not the wherewithal with which +to nourish your mother. If you need something, Small Profit can get it +for you." + +The son thanked him once more, then took his mother on his back again, +and his new little brother by the hand, and went home. And when he +said to Small Profit: "Bring meat and wine!" then meat and wine were +at hand at once, and steaming rice was already cooking in the pot. And +when he said to Small Profit: "Bring money and cloth!" then his purse +filled itself with money, and the chests were heaped up with cloth to +the brim. Whatever he asked for that he received. Thus, in the course +of time, they came to be very well off indeed. + +But his older brother envied him greatly. And when there was another +theatrical performance in the village, he took his mother on his +back--by force--and went to it. And when he reached the ravine, he +slipped purposely, and let his mother fall into the depths, only +intent to see that she really was shattered into fragments. And sure +enough his mother had such a bad fall that her limbs and trunk were +strewn around in all directions. He then climbed down, took his +mother's head in his hands, and pretended to weep. + +And at once the priest was on hand again, and said: "I can wake the +dead to life again, and surround white bones with flesh and blood!" + +Then he did as he had done before, and the mother came to life again. +But the older brother already had hidden one of her ribs on purpose. +He now pulled it out and said to the priest: "Here is a bone left. +What shall I do with it?" + +The priest took the bone, enclosed it in lime and earth, breathed upon +it, as he had done the other time, and it became a little man, +resembling Small Profit, but larger in stature. + +"His name is Great Duty," he told his older brother, "if you stick to +him he will always lend you a hand." + +The son took his mother back again, and Great Duty walked beside him. + +When he came to their courtyard door, he saw his younger brother +coming out, holding Small Profit in his arms. + +"Where are you going?" he said to him. + +His brother answered: "Small Profit is a divine being, who does not +wish to dwell for all time among men. He wants to fly back to the +heavens, and so I am escorting him." + +"Give Small Profit to me! Don't let him get away!" cried the older +brother. + +Yet, before he had ended his speech, Small Profit was rising in the +air. The older brother then quickly let his mother drop on the ground, +and stretched out his hand to catch Small Profit. But he did not +succeed, and now Great Duty, too, rose from the ground, took Small +Profit's hand, and together they ascended to the clouds and +disappeared. + +Then the older brother stamped on the ground, and said with a sigh: +"Alas, I have lost my Great Duty because I was too greedy for that +Small Profit!" + + Note: In China--usually on festive days or because of + some religious celebration--a provisional stage is + erected before the village or temple, and a play given. + Permanent theaters are to be found only in the large + cities. + + + + +IV + +WHO WAS THE SINNER? + + +Once upon a time there were ten farmers, who were crossing a field +together. They were surprised by a heavy thunder-storm, and took +refuge in a half-ruined temple. But the thunder drew ever nearer, and +so great was the tumult that the air trembled about them, while the +lightning flew around the temple in a continuous circle. The farmers +were greatly frightened, and thought that there must be a sinner among +them, whom the lightning would strike. In order to find out who it +might be, they agreed to hang their straw hats up before the door, and +he whose hat was blown away was to yield himself up to his fate. + +No sooner were the hats outside, than one of them was blown away, and +the rest thrust its unfortunate owner out of doors without pity. But +as soon as he had left the temple the lightning ceased circling +around, and struck it with a crash. + +The one whom the rest had thrust out, had been the only righteous one +among them, and for his sake the lightning had spared the temple. So +the other nine had to pay for their hard-heartedness with their lives. + + Note: A traditionally narrated fairy-tale. + + + + +V + +THE MAGIC CASK + + +Once upon a time there was a man who dug up a big, earthenware cask in +his field. So he took it home with him and told his wife to clean it +out. But when his wife started brushing the inside of the cask, the +cask suddenly began to fill itself with brushes. No matter how many +were taken out, others kept on taking their place. So the man sold the +brushes, and the family managed to live quite comfortably. + +Once a coin fell into the cask by mistake. At once the brushes +disappeared and the cask began to fill itself with money. So now the +family became rich; for they could take as much money out of the cask +as ever they wished. + +Now the man had an old grandfather at home, who was weak and shaky. +Since there was nothing else he could do, his grandson set him to work +shoveling money out of the cask, and when the old grandfather grew +weary and could not keep on, he would fall into a rage, and shout at +him angrily, telling him he was lazy and did not want to work. One +day, however, the old man's strength gave out, and he fell into the +cask and died. At once the money disappeared, and the whole cask began +to fill itself with dead grandfathers. Then the man had to pull them +all out and have them buried, and for this purpose he had to use up +again all the money he had received. And when he was through, the cask +broke, and he was just as poor as before. + + Note: "The Magic Cask" is a traditionally narrated tale. + In Northern China wooden casks or barrels are unknown. + Large vessels, open at the top, of earth or stone are + used to hold water and other liquids. + + + + +VI + +THE FAVORITE OF FORTUNE AND THE CHILD OF ILL LUCK + + +Once upon a time there was a proud prince who had a daughter. But the +daughter was a child of ill luck. When it came time for her to marry, +she had all her suitors assemble before her father's palace. She was +going to throw down a ball of red silk among them, and whoever caught +it was to be her husband. Now there were many princes and counts +gathered before the castle, and in their midst there was also a +beggar. And the princess could see dragons crawling into his ears and +crawling out again from his nostrils, for he was a child of luck. So +she threw the ball to the beggar and he caught it. + +Her father asked angrily: "Why did you throw the ball into the +beggar's hands?" + +"He is a favorite of Fortune," said the princess, "I will marry him, +and then, perhaps, I will share in his good luck." + +But her father would not hear of it, and since she insisted, he drove +her from the castle in his rage. So the princess had to go off with +the beggar. She dwelt with him in a little hut, and had to hunt for +herbs and roots, and cook them herself, so that they might have +something to eat; and often they both went hungry. + +One day her husband said to her: "I will set out and seek my fortune. +And when I have found it, I will come back again and fetch you." The +princess was willing, and he went away, and was gone for eighteen +years. Meanwhile the princess lived in want and affliction, for her +father remained hard and merciless. If her mother had not secretly +given her food and money, no doubt she would have starved to death +during all that time. + +But the beggar found his fortune, and at length became emperor. He +returned and stood before his wife. She however, no longer recognized +him: She only knew that he was the powerful emperor. + +He asked her how she were getting along. + +"Why do you ask me how I am getting along?" she replied. "I am too far +beneath your notice." + +"And who may your husband be!" + +"My husband was a beggar. He went away to seek his fortune. That was +eighteen years ago, and he has not yet returned." + +"And what have you done during all those long years?" + +"I have been waiting for him to return." + +"Do you wish to marry some one else, seeing that he has been missing +so long?" + +"No, I will remain his wife until I die." + +When the emperor saw how faithful his wife was, he told her who he +was, had her clothed in magnificent garments, and took her with him to +his imperial palace. And there they lived in splendor and happiness. + +After a few days the emperor said to his wife: "We spend every day in +festivities, as though every day were New Year." + +"And why should we not celebrate," answered his wife, "since we have +now become emperor and empress?" + +Yet his wife was a child of ill luck. When she had been empress no +more than eighteen days, she fell sick and died. But her husband lived +for many a long year. + + Note: "The Favorite of Fortune and the Child of Ill + Luck" is a traditionally narrated fairy-tale. The dragon + is the symbol of imperial rule, and the New Year's + feasts, which old and young celebrate for weeks, is the + greatest of Chinese festivals. + + + + +VII + +THE BIRD WITH NINE HEADS + + +Long, long ago, there once lived a king and a queen who had a +daughter. One day, when the daughter went walking in the garden, a +tremendous storm suddenly came up and carried her away with it. Now +the storm had come from the bird with nine heads, who had robbed the +princess, and brought her to his cave. The king did not know whither +his daughter had disappeared, so he had proclaimed throughout the +land: "Whoever brings back the princess may have her for his bride!" + +Now a youth had seen the bird as he was carrying the princess to his +cave. This cave, though, was in the middle of a sheer wall of rock. +One could not climb up to it from below, nor could one climb down to +it from above. And as the youth was walking around the rock, another +youth came along and asked him what he was doing there. So the first +youth told him that the bird with nine heads had carried off the +king's daughter, and had brought her up to his cave. The other chap +knew what he had to do. He called together his friends, and they +lowered the youth to the cave in a basket. And when he went into the +cave, he saw the king's daughter sitting there, and washing the wound +of the bird with nine heads; for the hound of heaven had bitten off +his tenth head, and his wound was still bleeding. The princess, +however, motioned to the youth to hide, and he did so. When the king's +daughter had washed his wound and bandaged it, the bird with nine +heads felt so comfortable, that one after another, all his nine heads +fell asleep. Then the youth stepped forth from his hiding-place, and +cut off his nine heads with a sword. But the king's daughter said: "It +would be best if you were hauled up first, and I came after." + +"No," said the youth. "I will wait below here, until you are in +safety." At first the king's daughter was not willing; yet at last she +allowed herself to be persuaded, and climbed into the basket. But +before she did so, she took a long pin from her hair, broke it into +two halves and gave him one and kept the other. She also divided her +silken kerchief with him, and told him to take good care of both her +gifts. But when the other man had drawn up the king's daughter, he +took her along with him, and left the youth in the cave, in spite of +all his calling and pleading. + +The youth now took a walk about the cave. There he saw a number of +maidens, all of whom had been carried off by the bird with nine heads, +and who had perished there of hunger. And on the wall hung a fish, +nailed against it with four nails. When he touched the fish, the +latter turned into a handsome youth, who thanked him for delivering +him, and they agreed to regard each other as brothers. Soon the first +youth grew very hungry. He stepped out in front of the cave to search +for food, but only stones were lying there. Then, suddenly, he saw a +great dragon, who was licking a stone. The youth imitated him, and +before long his hunger had disappeared. He next asked the dragon how +he could get away from the cave, and the dragon nodded his head in the +direction of his tail, as much as to say he should seat himself upon +it. So he climbed up, and in the twinkling of an eye he was down on +the ground, and the dragon had disappeared. He then went on until he +found a tortoise-shell full of beautiful pearls. But they were magic +pearls, for if you flung them into the fire, the fire ceased to burn +and if you flung them into the water, the water divided and you could +walk through the midst of it. The youth took the pearls out of the +tortoise-shell, and put them in his pocket. Not long after he reached +the sea-shore. Here he flung a pearl into the sea, and at once the +waters divided and he could see the sea-dragon. The sea-dragon cried: +"Who is disturbing me here in my own kingdom?" The youth answered: "I +found pearls in a tortoise-shell, and have flung one into the sea, and +now the waters have divided for me." + +"If that is the case," said the dragon, "then come into the sea with +me and we will live there together." Then the youth recognized him for +the same dragon whom he had seen in the cave. And with him was the +youth with whom he had formed a bond of brotherhood: He was the +dragon's son. + +"Since you have saved my son and become his brother, I am your +father," said the old dragon. And he entertained him hospitably with +food and wine. + +One day his friend said to him: "My father is sure to want to reward +you. But accept no money, nor any jewels from him, but only the little +gourd flask over yonder. With it you can conjure up whatever you +wish." + +And, sure enough, the old dragon asked him what he wanted by way of a +reward, and the youth answered: "I want no money, nor any jewels. All +I want is the little gourd flask over yonder." + +At first the dragon did not wish to give it up, but at last he did let +him have it, after all. And then the youth left the dragon's castle. + +When he set his foot on dry land again he felt hungry. At once a table +stood before him, covered with a fine and plenteous meal. He ate and +drank. After he had gone on a while, he felt weary. And there stood an +ass, waiting for him, on which he mounted. After he had ridden for a +while, the ass's gait seemed too uneven, and along came a wagon, into +which he climbed. But the wagon shook him up too, greatly, and he +thought: "If I only had a litter! That would suit me better." No more +had he thought so, than the litter came along, and he seated himself +in it. And the bearers carried him to the city in which dwelt the +king, the queen and their daughter. + +When the other youth had brought back the king's daughter, it was +decided to hold the wedding. But the king's daughter was not willing, +and said: "He is not the right man. My deliverer will come and bring +with him half of the long pin for my hair, and half my silken kerchief +as a token." But when the youth did not appear for so long a time, and +the other one pressed the king, the king grew impatient and said: "The +wedding shall take place to-morrow!" Then the king's daughter went +sadly through the streets of the city, and searched and searched in +the hope of finding her deliverer. And this was on the very day that +the litter arrived. The king's daughter saw the half of her silken +handkerchief in the youth's hand, and filled with joy, she led him to +her father. There he had to show his half of the long pin, which +fitted the other exactly, and then the king was convinced that he was +the right, true deliverer. The false bridegroom was now punished, the +wedding celebrated, and they lived in peace and happiness till the end +of their days. + + Note: "The Bird With Nine Heads" is a traditionally + narrated fairy-tale. The long hair needle is an example + of the halved jewel used as a sign of recognition by + lovers (see No. 68, "Yang Gui Fe"). The "Fish" in the + cave is the dragon's son, for like East Indian + _Nagaradjas_, the Chinese dragons are often sea-gods. + Gourd flasks often occur as magic talismans in Chinese + fairy-tales, and spirits who serve their owners are + often imprisoned in them. See No. 81. + + + + +VIII + +THE CAVE OF THE BEASTS + + +Once upon a time there was a family in which there were seven +daughters. One day when the father went out to gather wood, he found +seven wild duck eggs. He brought them home, but did not think of +giving any to his children, intending to eat them himself, with his +wife. In the evening the oldest daughter woke up, and asked her mother +what she was cooking. The mother said: "I am cooking wild duck eggs. I +will give you one, but you must not let your sisters know." And so she +gave her one. Then the second daughter woke up, and asked her mother +what she was cooking. She said: "Wild duck eggs. If you will not tell +your sisters, I'll give you one." And so it went. At last the +daughters had eaten all the eggs, and there were none left. + +In the morning the father was very angry with the children, and said: +"Who wants to go along to grandmother?" But he intended to lead the +children into the mountains, and let the wolves devour them there. The +older daughters suspected this, and said: "We are not going along!" +But the two younger ones said: "We will go with you." And so they +drove off with their father. After they had driven a good ways, they +asked: "Will we soon get to grandmother's house?" "Right away," said +their father. And when they had reached the mountains he told them: +"Wait here. I will drive into the village ahead of you, and tell +grandmother that you are coming." And then he drove off with the +donkey-cart. They waited and waited, but their father did not come. At +last they decided that their father would not come back to fetch them, +and that he had left them alone in the mountains. So they went further +and further into the hills seeking a shelter for the night. Then they +spied a great stone. This they selected for a pillow, and rolled it +over to the place where they were going to lie down to sleep. And then +they saw that the stone was the door to a cave. There was a light in +the cave, and they went into it. The light they had seen came from the +many precious stones and jewels of every sort in the cave, which +belonged to a wolf and a fox. They had a number of jars of precious +stones and pearls that shone by night. The girls said: "What a lovely +cave this is! We will lie right down and go to bed." For there stood +two golden beds with gold-embroidered covers. So they lay down and +fell asleep. During the night the wolf and fox came home. And the +wolf said: "I smell human flesh!" But the fox replied: "Oh, nonsense! +There are no human beings who can enter our cave. We lock it up too +well for that." The wolf said: "Very well, then let us lie down in our +beds and sleep." But the fox answered: "Let us curl up in the kettles +on the hearth. They still hold a little warmth from the fire." The one +kettle was of gold and the other of silver, and they curled up in +them. + +When the girls rose early in the morning, they saw the wolf and the +fox lying there, and were much frightened. And they put the covers on +the kettles and heaped a number of big stones on them, so that the +wolf and the fox could not get out again. Then they made a fire. The +wolf and the fox said: "Oh, how nice and warm it is this morning! How +does that happen?" But at length it grew too hot for them. Then they +noticed that the two girls had kindled a fire and they cried: "Let us +out! We will give you lots of precious stones, and lots of gold, and +will do you no harm!" But the girls would not listen to them, and kept +on making a bigger fire. So that was the end of the wolf and the fox +in the kettles. + +Then the girls lived happily for a number of days in the cave. But +their father was seized with a longing for his daughters, and he went +into the mountains to look for them. And he sat right down on the +stone in front of the cave to rest, and tapped his pipe against it to +empty the ashes. Then the girls within called out: "Who is knocking at +our door?" And the father said: "Are those not my daughters' voices?" +While the daughters replied: "Is that not our father's voice?" Then +they pushed aside the stone and saw that it was their father, and +their father was glad to see them once more. He was much surprised to +think that they should have chanced on this cave full of precious +stones, and they told him the whole story. Then their father fetched +people to help him carry home the jewels. And when they got home, his +wife wondered where he had obtained all these treasures. So the father +and daughters told her everything, and they became a very wealthy +family, and lived happily to the end of their days. + + Note: "The Cave of the Beasts" is traditionally + narrated. + + + + +IX + +THE PANTHER + + +Once upon a time there was a widow who had two daughters and a little +son. And one day the mother said to her daughters: "Take good care of +the house, for I am going to see grandmother, together with your +little brother!" So the daughters promised her they would do so, and +their mother went off. On her way a panther met her, and asked where +she were going. + +She said: "I am going with my child to see my mother." + +"Will you not rest a bit?" asked the panther. + +"No," said she, "it is already late, and it is a long road to where my +mother lives." + +But the panther did not cease urging her, and finally she gave in and +sat down by the road side. + +"I will comb your hair a bit," said the panther. And the woman allowed +the panther to comb her hair. But as he passed his claws through her +hair, he tore off a bit of her skin and devoured it. + +"Stop!" cried the woman, "the way you comb my hair hurts!" + +But the panther tore off a much larger piece of skin. Now the woman +wanted to call for help, but the panther seized and devoured her. Then +he turned on her little son and killed him too, put on the woman's +clothes, and laid the child's bones, which he had not yet devoured, in +her basket. After that he went to the woman's home, where her two +daughters were, and called in at the door: "Open the door, daughters! +Mother has come home!" But they looked out through a crack and said: +"Our mother's eyes are not so large as yours!" + +Then the panther said: "I have been to grandmother's house, and saw +her hens laying eggs. That pleases me, and is the reason why my eyes +have grown so large." + +"Our mother had no spots in her face such as you have." + +"Grandmother had no spare bed, so I had to sleep on the peas, and they +pressed themselves into my face." + +"Our mother's feet are not so large as yours." + +"Stupid things! That comes from walking such a distance. Come, open +the door quickly!" + +Then the daughters said to each other: "It must be our mother," and +they opened the door. But when the panther came in, they saw it was +not really their mother after all. + +At evening, when the daughters were already in bed, the panther was +still gnawing the bones he had brought with him. + +Then the daughters asked: "Mother, what are you eating?" + +"I'm eating beets," was the answer. + +Then the daughters said: "Oh, mother, give us some of your beets, +too! We are so hungry!" + +"No," was the reply, "I will not give you any. Now be quiet and go to +sleep." + +But the daughters kept on begging until the false mother gave them a +little finger. And then they saw that it was their little brother's +finger, and they said to each other: "We must make haste to escape +else he will eat us as well." And with that they ran out of the door, +climbed up into a tree in the yard, and called down to the false +mother: "Come out! We can see our neighbor's son celebrating his +wedding!" But it was the middle of the night. + +Then the mother came out, and when she saw that they were sitting in +the tree, she called out angrily: "Why, I'm not able to climb!" + +The daughters said: "Get into a basket and throw us the rope and we +will draw you up!" + +The mother did as they said. But when the basket was half-way up, they +began to swing it back and forth, and bump it against the tree. Then +the false mother had to turn into a panther again, lest she fall down. +And the panther leaped out of the basket, and ran away. + +Gradually daylight came. The daughters climbed down, seated themselves +on the doorstep, and cried for their mother. And a needle-vender came +by and asked them why they were crying. + +"A panther has devoured our mother and our brother," said the girls. +"He has gone now, but he is sure to return and devour us as well." + +Then the needle-vender gave them a pair of needles, and said: "Stick +these needles in the cushion of the arm chair, with the points up." +The girls thanked him and went on crying. + +Soon a scorpion-catcher came by; and he asked them why they were +crying. "A panther has devoured our mother and brother," said the +girls. "He has gone now, but he is sure to return and devour us as +well." + +The man gave them a scorpion and said: "Put it behind the hearth in +the kitchen." The girls thanked him and went on crying. + +Then an egg-seller came by and asked them why they were crying. "A +panther has devoured our mother and our brother," said the girls. "He +has gone now, but he is sure to return and devour us as well." + +So he gave them an egg and said: "Lay it beneath the ashes in the +hearth." The girls thanked him and went on crying. + +Then a dealer in turtles came by, and they told him their tale. He +gave them a turtle and said: "Put it in the water-barrel in the yard." +And then a man came by who sold wooden clubs. He asked them why they +were crying. And they told him the whole story. Then he gave them two +wooden clubs and said: "Hang them up over the door to the street." The +girls thanked him and did as the men had told them. + +In the evening the panther came home. He sat down in the armchair in +the room. Then the needles in the cushion stuck into him. So he ran +into the kitchen to light the fire and see what had jabbed him so; and +then it was that the scorpion hooked his sting into his hand. And when +at last the fire was burning, the egg burst and spurted into one of +his eyes, which was blinded. So he ran out into the yard and dipped +his hand into the water-barrel, in order to cool it; and then the +turtle bit it off. And when in his pain he ran out through the door +into the street, the wooden clubs fell on his head and that was the +end of him. + + Note: "The Panther" in this tale is in reality the same + beast as "the talking silver fox" in No. 49, and the + fairy-tale is made up of motives to be found in "Little + Red Riding-Hood," "The Wolf and the Seven Kids," and + "The Vagabonds." + + + + +X + +THE GREAT FLOOD + + +Once upon a time there was a widow, who had a child. And the child was +a kind-hearted boy of whom every one was fond. One day he said to his +mother: "All the other children have a grandmother, but I have none. +And that makes me feel very sad!" + +"We will hunt up a grandmother for you," said his mother. Now it once +happened that an old beggar-woman came to the house, who was very old +and feeble. And when the child saw her, he said to her: "You shall be +my grandmother!" And he went to his mother and said: "There is a +beggar-woman outside, whom I want for my grandmother!" And his mother +was willing and called her into the house; though the old woman was +very dirty. So the boy said to his mother: "Come, let us wash +grandmother!" And they washed the woman. But she had a great many +burrs in her hair, so they picked them all out and put them in a jar, +and they filled the whole jar. Then the grandmother said: "Do not +throw them away, but bury them in the garden. And you must not dig +them up again before the great flood comes." + +"When is the great flood coming?" asked the boy. + +"When the eyes of the two stone lions in front of the prison grow red, +then the great flood will come," said the grandmother. + +So the boy went to look at the lions, but their eyes were not yet +red. And the grandmother also said to him: "Make a little wooden ship +and keep it in a little box." And this the boy did. And he ran to the +prison every day and looked at the lions, much to the astonishment of +the people in the street. + +One day, as he passed the chicken-butcher's shop, the butcher asked +him why he was always running to the lions. And the boy said: "When +the lions' eyes grow red then the great flood will come." But the +butcher laughed at him. And the following morning, quite early, he +took some chicken-blood and rubbed it on the lions' eyes. When the boy +saw that the lions' eyes were red he ran swiftly home, and told his +mother and grandmother. And then his grandmother said: "Dig up the jar +quickly, and take the little ship out of its box." And when they dug +up the jar, it was filled with the purest pearls and the little ship +grew larger and larger, like a real ship. Then the grandmother said: +"Take the jar with you and get into the ship. And when the great flood +comes, then you may save all the animals that are driven into it; but +human beings, with their black heads, you are not to save." So they +climbed into the ship, and the grandmother suddenly disappeared. + +Now it began to rain, and the rain kept falling more and more heavily +from the heavens. Finally there were no longer any single drops +falling, but just one big sheet of water which flooded everything. + +Then a dog came drifting along, and they saved him in their ship. Soon +after came a pair of mice, with their little ones, loudly squeaking in +their fear. And these they also saved. The water was already rising to +the roofs of the houses, and on one roof stood a cat, arching her back +and mewing pitifully. They took the cat into the ship, too. Yet the +flood increased and rose to the tops of the trees. And in one tree sat +a raven, beating his wings and cawing loudly. And him, too, they took +in. Finally a swarm of bees came flying their way. The little +creatures were quite wet, and could hardly fly. So they took in the +bees on their ship. At last a man with black hair floated by on the +waves. The boy said: "Mother, let us save him, too!" But the mother +did not want to do so. "Did not grandmother tell us that we must save +no black-headed human beings?" But the boy answered: "We will save the +man in spite of that. I feel sorry for him, and cannot bear to see him +drifting along in the water." So they also saved the man. + +Gradually the water subsided. Then they got out of their ship, and +parted from the man and the beasts. And the ship grew small again and +they put it away in its box. + +But the man was filled with a desire for the pearls. He went to the +judge and entered a complaint against the boy and his mother, and they +were both thrown into jail. Then the mice came, and dug a hole in the +wall. And the dog came through the hole and brought them meat, and the +cat brought them bread, so they did not have to hunger in their +prison. But the raven flew off and returned with a letter for the +judge. The letter had been written by a god, and it said: "I wandered +about in the world of men disguised as a beggar woman. And this boy +and his mother took me in. The boy treated me like his own +grandmother, and did not shrink from washing me when I was dirty. +Because of this I saved them out of the great flood by means of which +I destroyed the sinful city wherein they dwelt. Do you, O judge, free +them, or misfortune shall be your portion!" + +So the judge had them brought before him, and asked what they had +done, and how they had made their way through the flood. Then they +told him everything, and what they said agreed with the god's letter. +So the judge punished their accuser, and set them both at liberty. + +When the boy had grown up he came to a city of many people, and it was +said that the princess intended to take a husband. But in order to +find the right man, she had veiled herself, and seated herself in a +litter, and she had had the litter, together with many others, carried +into the market place. In every litter sat a veiled woman, and the +princess was in their midst. And whoever hit upon the right litter, he +was to get the princess for his bride. So the youth went there, too, +and when he reached the market place, he saw the bees whom he had +saved from the great flood, all swarming about a certain litter. Up he +stepped to it, and sure enough, the princess was sitting in it. And +then their wedding was celebrated, and they lived happily ever +afterward. + + Note: "The Great Flood" is traditionally narrated and a + diluvian legend seems to underlie it. Compare with + Grimm's fairy-tale (No. 73) "The Queen of the Bees." + + + + +XI + +THE FOX AND THE TIGER + + +Once a fox met a tiger. The latter bared his teeth, stretched out his +claws, and was about to devour him. But the fox spoke and said: "My +dear sir, you must not think that you are the only king of beasts. +Your courage does not compare with my own. Let us walk together, and +do you keep behind me. And if men catch sight of me and do not fear +me, then you may devour me." The tiger was willing, and so the fox led +him along a broad highway. But the travelers, when they saw the tiger +in the distance, were all frightened and ran away. + +Then the fox said: "How about it? I went in advance, and the men saw +me and had not as yet seen you." + +And thereupon the tiger drew in his tail and ran away himself. + +The tiger had remarked quite well that the men were afraid of the fox, +but he had not noticed that the fox had borrowed the terror he +inspired from him. + + Note: This universally known fable is traditionally + narrated. Animal fables are very rare in China. + + + + +XII + +THE TIGER'S DECOY + + +That the fox borrowed the terror he inspired from the tiger is more +than a simile; but that the tiger has his decoy is something we read +about in the story books, and grandfathers talk about a good deal, +too. So there must be some truth in it. It is said that when a tiger +devours a human being, the latter's spirit cannot free itself, and +that the tiger then uses it for a decoy. When he goes out to seek his +prey, the spirit of the man he has devoured must go before him, to +hide him, so that people cannot see him. And the spirit is apt to +change itself into a beautiful girl, or a lump of gold or a bolt of +silk. All sorts of deceptions are used to lure folk into the mountain +gorges. Then the tiger comes along and devours his victim, and the new +spirit must serve as his decoy. The old spirit's time of service is +over and it may go. And so it continues, turn by turn. Probably that +is why they say of people who are forced to yield themselves up to +cunning and powerful men, in order that others may be harmed: "They +are the tiger's decoys!" + + Note: This tale is traditionally narrated. + + + + +XIII + +THE FOX AND THE RAVEN + + +The fox knows how to flatter, and how to play many cunning tricks. +Once upon a time he saw a raven, who alighted on a tree with a piece +of meat in his beak. The fox seated himself beneath the tree, looked +up at him, and began to praise him. + +"Your color," he began, "is pure black. This proves to me that you +possess all the wisdom of Laotzse, who knows how to shroud his +learning in darkness. The manner in which you manage to feed your +mother shows that your filial affection equals that which the Master +Dsong had for his parents. Your voice is rough and strong. It proves +that you have the courage with which King Hiang once drove his foes to +flight by the mere sound of his voice. In truth, you are the king of +birds!" + +The raven, hearing this, was filled with joy and said: "I thank you! I +thank you!" + +And before he knew it, the meat fell to earth from his opened beak. + +The fox caught it up, devoured it and then said, laughing: "Make note +of this, my dear sir: if some one praises you without occasion, he is +sure to have a reason for doing so." + + Note: Traditionally narrated, it may be taken for + granted that this is simply AEsop's fable in Chinese + dress. The manner of presentation is characteristically + Chinese. For "the wisdom of Laotzse" compare, p. 30, + "The Ancient's Book of Wisdom and Life": "Who sees his + light, yet dwells in darkness." Master Dsong was King + Dsi's most faithful pupil, renowned for his piety. The + raven is known in China as "the bird of filial love," + for it is said that the young ravens bring forth the + food they have eaten from their beaks again, in order to + feed the old birds. + + + + +XIV + +WHY DOG AND CAT ARE ENEMIES + + +Once upon a time there was a man and his wife and they had a ring of +gold. It was a lucky ring, and whoever owned it always had enough to +live on. But this they did not know, and hence sold the ring for a +small sum. But no sooner was the ring gone than they began to grow +poorer and poorer, and at last did not know when they would get their +next meal. They had a dog and a cat, and these had to go hungry as +well. Then the two animals took counsel together as to how they might +restore to their owners their former good fortune. At length the dog +hit upon an idea. + +"They must have the ring back again," he said to the cat. + +The cat answered: "The ring has been carefully locked up in the +chest, where no one can get at it." + +"You must catch a mouse," said the dog, "and the mouse must gnaw a +hole in the chest and fetch out the ring. And if she does not want to, +say that you will bite her to death, and you will see that she will do +it." + +This advice pleased the cat, and she caught a mouse. Then she wanted +to go to the house in which stood the chest, and the dog came after. +They came to a broad river. And since the cat could not swim, the dog +took her on his back and swam across with her. Then the cat carried +the mouse to the house in which the chest stood. The mouse gnawed a +hole in the chest, and fetched out the ring. The cat put the ring in +her mouth and went back to the river, where the dog was waiting for +her, and swam across with her. Then they started out together for +home, in order to bring the lucky ring to their master and mistress. +But the dog could only run along the ground; when there was a house in +the way he always had to go around it. The cat, however, quickly +climbed over the roof, and so she reached home long before the dog, +and brought the ring to her master. + +Then her master said to his wife: "What a good creature the cat is! We +will always give her enough to eat and care for her as though she were +our own child!" + +But when the dog came home they beat him and scolded him, because he +had not helped to bring home the ring again. And the cat sat by the +fireplace, purred and said never a word. Then the dog grew angry at +the cat, because she had robbed him of his reward, and when he saw her +he chased her and tried to seize her. + +And ever since that day cat and dog are enemies. + + Note: "Why Dog and Cat are Enemies." This fairy-tale is + given in the current popular version. + + + + +LEGENDS OF THE GODS + + + + +XV + +HOW THE FIVE ANCIENTS BECAME MEN + + +Before the earth was separated from the heavens, all there was was a +great ball of watery vapor called chaos. And at that time the spirits +of the five elemental powers took shape, and became the five Ancients. +The first was called the Yellow Ancient, and he was the ruler of the +earth. The second was called the Red Lord, and he was the ruler of the +fire. The third was called the Dark Lord, and he was the ruler of the +water. The fourth was known as the Wood Prince, and he was the ruler +of the wood. The fifth was called the Mother of Metals, and ruled over +them. These five Ancients set all their primal spirit into motion, so +that water and earth sank down. The heavens floated upward, and the +earth grew firm in the depths. Then they allowed the waters to gather +into rivers and seas, and hills and plains made their appearance. So +the heavens opened and the earth was divided. And there were sun, moon +and all the stars, wind, clouds, rain, and dew. The Yellow Ancient set +earth's purest power spinning in a circle, and added the effect of +fire and water thereto. Then there came forth grasses and trees, birds +and beasts, and the tribes of the serpents and insects, fishes and +turtles. The Wood Prince and the Mother of Metals combined light and +darkness, and thus created the human race as men and women. And thus +the world gradually came to be. + +At that time there was one who was known as the True Prince of the +Jasper Castle. He had acquired the art of sorcery through the +cultivation of magic. The five Ancients begged him to rule as the +supreme god. He dwelt above the three and thirty heavens, and the +Jasper Castle, of white jade with golden gates, was his. Before him +stood the stewards of the eight-and-twenty houses of the moon, and the +gods of the thunders and the Great Bear, and in addition a class of +baneful gods whose influence was evil and deadly. They all aided the +True Prince of the Jasper Castle to rule over the thousand tribes +under the heavens, and to deal out life and death, fortune and +misfortune. The Lord of the Jasper Castle is now known as the Great +God, the White Jade Ruler. + +The five Ancients withdrew after they had done their work, and +thereafter lived in quiet purity. The Red Lord dwells in the South as +the god of fire. The Dark Lord dwells in the North, as the mighty +master of the somber polar skies. He lived in a castle of liquid +crystal. In later ages he sent Confucius down upon earth as a saint. +Hence this saint is known as the Son of Crystal. The Wood Prince +dwells in the East. He is honored as the Green Lord, and watches over +the coming into being of all creatures. In him lives the power of +spring and he is the god of love. The Mother of Metals dwells in the +West, by the sea of Jasper, and is also known as the Queen-Mother of +the West. She leads the rounds of the fairies, and watches over change +and growth. The Yellow Ancient dwells in the middle. He is always +going about in the world, in order to save and to help those in any +distress. The first time he came to earth he was the Yellow Lord, who +taught mankind all sorts of arts. In his later years he fathomed the +meaning of the world on the Ethereal Mount, and flew up to the radiant +sun. Under the rule of the Dschou dynasty he was born again as Li +Oerl, and when he was born his hair and beard were white, for which +reason he was called Laotsze, "Old Child." He wrote the book of +"Meaning and Life" and spread his teachings through the world. He is +honored as the head of Taoism. At the beginning of the reign of the +Han dynasty, he again appeared as the Old Man of the River, (Ho Schang +Gung). He spread the teachings of Tao abroad mightily, so that from +that time on Taoism flourished greatly. These doctrines are known to +this day as the teachings of the Yellow Ancient. There is also a +saying: "First Laotsze was, then the heavens were." And that must mean +that Laotsze was that very same Yellow Ancient of primal days. + + Note: "How the Five Ancients Became Men." This + fairy-tale, the first of the legends of the gods, is + given in the version current among the people. In it the + five elemental spirits of earth, fire, water, wood and + metal are brought into connection with a creation myth. + "Prince of the Jasper Castle" or "The White Jade Ruler," + Yu Huang Di, is the popular Chinese synonym for "the + good lord." The phrase "White Jade" serves merely to + express his dignity. All in all, there are 32 other Yu + Huangs, among whom he is the highest. He may be compared + to Indra, who dwells in a heaven that also comprises 33 + halls. The astronomic relationship between the two is + very evident. + + + + +XVI + +THE HERD BOY AND THE WEAVING MAIDEN + + +The Herd Boy was the child of poor people. When he was twelve years +old, he took service with a farmer to herd his cow. After a few years +the cow had grown large and fat, and her hair shone like yellow gold. +She must have been a cow of the gods. + +One day while he had her out at pasture in the mountains, she suddenly +began to speak to the Herd Boy in a human voice, as follows: "This is +the Seventh Day. Now the White Jade Ruler has nine daughters, who +bathe this day in the Sea of Heaven. The seventh daughter is beautiful +and wise beyond all measure. She spins the cloud-silk for the King and +Queen of Heaven, and presides over the weaving which maidens do on +earth. It is for this reason she is called the Weaving Maiden. And if +you go and take away her clothes while she bathes, you may become her +husband and gain immortality." + +"But she is up in Heaven," said the Herd Boy, "and how can I get +there?" + +"I will carry you there," answered the yellow cow. + +So the Herd Boy climbed on the cow's back. In a moment clouds began to +stream out of her hoofs, and she rose into the air. About his ears +there was a whistling like the sound of the wind, and they flew along +as swiftly as lightning. Suddenly the cow stopped. + +"Now we are here," said she. + +Then round about him the Herd Boy saw forests of chrysophrase and +trees of jade. The grass was of jasper and the flowers of coral. In +the midst of all this splendor lay a great, four-square sea, covering +some five-hundred acres. Its green waves rose and fell, and fishes +with golden scales were swimming about in it. In addition there were +countless magic birds who winged above it and sang. Even in the +distance the Herd Boy could see the nine maidens in the water. They +had all laid down their clothes on the shore. + +"Take the red clothes, quickly," said the cow, "and hide away with +them in the forest, and though she ask you for them never so sweetly +do not give them back to her until she has promised to become your +wife." + +Then the Herd Boy hastily got down from the cow's back, seized the red +clothes and ran away. At the same moment the nine maidens noticed him +and were much frightened. + +"O youth, whence do you come, that you dare to take our clothes?" they +cried. "Put them down again quickly!" + +But the Herd Boy did not let what they said trouble him; but crouched +down behind one of the jade trees. Then eight of the maidens hastily +came ashore and drew on their clothes. + +"Our seventh sister," said they, "whom Heaven has destined to be +yours, has come to you. We will leave her alone with you." + +The Weaving Maiden was still crouching in the water. + +But the Herd Boy stood before her and laughed. + +"If you will promise to be my wife," said he, "then I will give you +your clothes." + +But this did not suit the Weaving Maiden. + +"I am a daughter of the Ruler of the Gods," said she, "and may not +marry without his command. Give back my clothes to me quickly, or else +my father will punish you!" + +Then the yellow cow said: "You have been destined for each other by +fate, and I will be glad to arrange your marriage, and your father, +the Ruler of the Gods, will make no objection. Of that I am sure." + +The Weaving Maiden replied: "You are an unreasoning animal! How could +you arrange our marriage?" + +The cow said: "Do you see that old willow-tree there on the shore? +Just give it a trial and ask it. If the willow tree speaks, then +Heaven wishes your union." + +And the Weaving Maiden asked the willow. + +The willow replied in a human voice: + + "This is the Seventh day, + The Herd Boy his court to the Weaver doth pay!" + +and the Weaving Maiden was satisfied with the verdict. The Herd Boy +laid down her clothes, and went on ahead. The Weaving Maiden drew them +on and followed him. And thus they became man and wife. + +But after seven days she took leave of him. + +"The Ruler of Heaven has ordered me to look after my weaving," said +she. "If I delay too long I fear that he will punish me. Yet, although +we have to part now, we will meet again in spite of it." + +When she had said these words she really went away. The Herd Boy ran +after her. But when he was quite near she took one of the long needles +from her hair and drew a line with it right across the sky, and this +line turned into the Silver River. And thus they now stand, separated +by the River, and watch for one another. + +And since that time they meet once every year, on the eve of the +Seventh Day. When that time comes, then all the crows in the world of +men come flying and form a bridge over which the Weaving Maiden +crosses the Silver River. And on that day you will not see a single +crow in the trees, from morning to night, no doubt because of the +reason I have mentioned. And besides, a fine rain often falls on the +evening of the Seventh Day. Then the women and old grandmothers say to +one another: "Those are the tears which the Herd Boy and the Weaving +Maiden shed at parting!" And for this reason the Seventh Day is a rain +festival. + +To the west of the Silver River is the constellation of the Weaving +Maiden, consisting of three stars. And directly in front of it are +three other stars in the form of a triangle. It is said that once the +Herd Boy was angry because the Weaving Maiden had not wished to cross +the Silver River, and had thrown his yoke at her, which fell down just +in front of her feet. East of the Silver River is the Herd Boy's +constellation, consisting of six stars. To one side of it are +countless little stars which form a constellation pointed at both ends +and somewhat broader in the middle. It is said that the Weaving Maiden +in turn threw her spindle at the Herd Boy; but that she did not hit +him, the spindle falling down to one side of him. + + Note: "The Herd Boy and the Weaving Maiden" is retold + after an oral source. The Herd Boy is a constellation in + Aquila, the Weaving Maiden one in Lyra. The Silver River + which separates them is the Milky Way. The Seventh Day + of the seventh month is the festival of their reunion. + The Ruler of the Heavens has nine daughters in all, who + dwell in the nine heavens. The oldest married Li Dsing + (comp. "Notscha," No. 18); the second is the mother of + Yang Oerlang (comp. No. 17); the third is the mother of + the planet Jupiter (comp. "Sky O'Dawn," No. 34); and the + fourth dwelt with a pious and industrious scholar, by + name of Dung Yung, whom she aided to win riches and + honor. The seventh is the Spinner, and the ninth had to + dwell on earth as a slave because of some transgression + of which she had been guilty. Of the fifth, the sixth + and the eighth daughters nothing further is known. + + + + +XVII + +YANG OERLANG + + +The second daughter of the Ruler of Heaven once came down upon the +earth and secretly became the wife of a mortal man named Yang. And +when she returned to Heaven she was blessed with a son. But the Ruler +of Heaven was very angry at this desecration of the heavenly halls. He +banished her to earth and covered her with the Wu-I hills. Her son, +however, Oerlang by name, the nephew of the Ruler of Heaven, was +extraordinarily gifted by nature. By the time he was full grown he had +learned the magic art of being able to control eight times nine +transformations. He could make himself invisible, or could assume the +shape of birds and beasts, grasses, flowers, snakes and fishes, as he +chose. He also knew how to empty out seas and remove mountains from +one place to another. So he went to the Wu-I hills and rescued his +mother, whom he took on his back and carried away. They stopped to +rest on a flat ledge of rock. + +Then the mother said: "I am very thirsty!" + +Oerlang climbed down into the valley in order to fetch her water, and +some time passed before he returned. When he did his mother was no +longer there. He searched eagerly, but on the rock lay only her skin +and bones, and a few blood-stains. Now you must know that at that time +there were still ten suns in the heavens, glowing and burning like +fire. The Daughter of Heaven, it is true, was divine by nature; yet +because she had incurred the anger of her father and had been banished +to earth, her magic powers had failed her. Then, too, she had been +imprisoned so long beneath the hills in the dark that, coming out +suddenly into the sunlight, she had been devoured by its blinding +radiance. + +When Oerlang thought of his mother's sad end, his heart ached. He took +two mountains on his shoulders, pursued the suns and crushed them to +death between the mountains. And whenever he had crushed another +sun-disk, he picked up a fresh mountain. In this way he had already +slain nine of the ten suns, and there was but one left. And as Oerlang +pursued him relentlessly, he hid himself in his distress beneath the +leaves of the portulacca plant. But there was a rainworm close by who +betrayed his hiding-place, and kept repeating: "There he is! There he +is!" + +Oerlang was about to seize him, when a messenger from the Ruler of the +Heaven suddenly descended from the skies with a command: "Sky, air and +earth need the sunshine. You must allow this one sun to live, so that +all created beings may live. Yet, because you rescued your mother, and +showed yourself to be a good son, you shall be a god, and be my +bodyguard in the Highest Heaven, and shall rule over good and evil in +the mortal world, and have power over devils and demons." When Oerlang +received this command he ascended to Heaven. + +Then the sun-disk came out again from beneath the portulacca leaves, +and out of gratitude, since the plant had saved him, he bestowed upon +it the gift of a free-blooming nature, and ordained that it never need +fear the sunshine. To this very day one may see on the lower side of +the portulacca leaves quite delicate little white pearls. They are the +sunshine that remained hanging to the leaves when the sun hid under +them. But the sun pursues the rainworm, when he ventures forth out of +the ground, and dries him up as a punishment for his treachery. + +Since that time Yang Oerlang has been honored as a god. He has +oblique, sharply marked eyebrows, and holds a double-bladed, +three-pointed sword in his hand. Two servants stand beside him, with a +falcon and a hound; for Yang Oerlang is a great hunter. The falcon is +the falcon of the gods, and the hound is the hound of the gods. When +brute creatures gain possession of magic powers or demons oppress men, +he subdues them by means of the falcon and hound. + + Note: Yang Oerlang is a huntsman, as is indicated by his + falcon and hound. His Hound of the Heavens, literally + "the divine, biting hound" recalls the hound of Indra. + The myth that there were originally ten suns in the + skies, of whom nine were shot down by an archer, is also + placed in the period of the ruler Yau. In that story the + archer is named Hou I, or I (comp. No. 19). Here, + instead of the shooting down of the suns with arrows, we + have the Titan motive of destruction with the mountains. + + + + +XVIII + +NOTSCHA + + +The oldest daughter of the Ruler of Heaven had married the great +general Li Dsing. Her sons were named Gintscha, Mutscha and Notscha. +But when Notscha was given her, she dreamed at night that a Taoist +priest came into her chamber and said: "Swiftly receive the Heavenly +Son!" And straightway a radiant pearl glowed within her. And she was +so frightened at her dream that she awoke. And when Notscha came into +the world, it seemed as though a ball of flesh were turning in circles +like a wheel, and the whole room was filled with strange fragrances +and a crimson light. + +Li Dsing was much frightened, and thought it was an apparition. He +clove the circling ball with his sword, and out of it leaped a small +boy whose whole body glowed with a crimson radiance. But his face was +delicately shaped and white as snow. About his right arm he wore a +golden armlet and around his thighs was wound a length of crimson +silk, whose glittering shine dazzled the eyes. When Li Dsing saw the +child he took pity on him and did not slay him, while his wife began +to love the boy dearly. + +When three days had passed, all his friends came to wish him joy. They +were just sitting at the festival meal when a Taoist priest entered +and said: "I am the Great One. This boy is the bright Pearl of the +Beginning of Things, bestowed upon you as your son. Yet the boy is +wild and unruly, and will kill many men. Therefore I will take him as +my pupil to gentle his savage ways." Li Dsing bowed his thanks and the +Great One disappeared. + +When Notscha was seven years old he once ran away from home. He came +to the river of nine bends, whose green waters flowed along between +two rows of weeping-willows. The day was hot, and Notscha entered the +water to cool himself. He unbound his crimson silk cloth and whisked +it about in the water to wash it. But while Notscha sat there and +whisked about his scarf in the water, it shook the castle of the +Dragon-King of the Eastern Sea to its very foundations. So the +Dragon-King sent out a Triton, terrible to look upon, who was to find +out what was the matter. When the Triton saw the boy he began to +scold. But the latter merely looked up and said: "What a +strange-looking beast you are, and you can actually talk!" Then the +Triton grew enraged, leaped up and struck at Notscha with his ax. But +the latter avoided the blow, and threw his golden armlet at him. The +armlet struck the Triton on the head and he sank down dead. + +Notscha laughed and said: "And there he has gone and made my armlet +bloody!" And he once more sat down on a stone, in order to wash his +armlet. Then the crystal castle of the dragon began to tremble as +though it were about to fall apart. And a watchman also came and +reported that the Triton had been slain by a boy. So the Dragon-King +sent out his son to capture the boy. And the son seated himself on the +water-cleaving beast, and came up with a thunder of great waves of +water. Notscha straightened up and said: "That is a big wave!" +Suddenly he saw a creature rise out of the waves, on whose back sat an +armed man who cried in a loud voice: "Who has slain my Triton?" +Notscha answered: "The Triton wanted to slay me so I killed him. What +difference does it make?" Then the dragon assailed him with his +halberd. But Notscha said: "Tell me who you are before we fight." "I +am the son of the Dragon-King," was the reply. "And I am Notscha, the +son of General Li Dsing. You must not rouse my anger with your +violence, or I will skin you, together with that old mud-fish, your +father!" Then the dragon grew wild with rage, and came storming along +furiously. But Notscha cast his crimson cloth into the air, so that it +flashed like a ball of fire, and cast the dragon-youth from his +breast. Then Notscha took his golden armlet and struck him on the +forehead with it, so that he had to reveal himself in his true form as +a golden dragon, and fall down dead. + +Notscha laughed and said: "I have heard tell that dragon-sinews make +good cords. I will draw one out and bring it to my father, and he can +tie his armor together with it." And with that he drew out the +dragon's back sinew and took it home. + +In the meantime the Dragon-King, full of fury, had hastened to +Notscha's father Li Dsing and demanded that Notscha be delivered up to +him. But Li Dsing replied: "You must be mistaken, for my boy is only +seven years old and incapable of committing such misdeeds." While they +were still quarreling Notscha came running up and cried: "Father, I'm +bringing along a dragon's sinew for you, so that you may bind up your +armor with it!" Now the dragon broke out into tears and furious +scolding. He threatened to report Li Dsing to the Ruler of the Heaven, +and took himself off, snorting with rage. + +Li Dsing grew very much excited, told his wife what had happened, and +both began to weep. Notscha, however, came to them and said: "Why do +you weep? I will just go to my master, the Great One, and he will know +what is to be done." And no sooner had he said the words than he had +disappeared. He came into his master's presence and told him the whole +tale. The latter said: "You must get ahead of the dragon, and prevent +him from accusing you in Heaven!" Then he did some magic, and Notscha +found himself set down by the gate of Heaven, where he waited for the +dragon. It was still early in the morning; the gate of Heaven had not +yet been opened, nor was the watchman at his post. But the dragon was +already climbing up. Notscha, whom his master's magic had rendered +invisible, threw the dragon to the ground with his armlet, and began +to pitch into him. The dragon scolded and screamed. "There the old +worm flounders about," said Notscha, "and does not care how hard he is +beaten! I will scratch off some of his scales." And with these words +he began to tear open the dragon's festal garments, and rip off some +of the scales beneath his left arm, so that the red blood dripped out. +Then the dragon could no longer stand the pain and begged for mercy. +But first he had to promise Notscha that he would not complain of +him, before the latter would let him go. And then the dragon had to +turn himself into a little green snake, which Notscha put into his +sleeve and took back home with him. But no sooner had he drawn the +little snake from his sleeve than it assumed human shape. The dragon +then swore that he would punish Li Dsing in a terrible manner, and +disappeared in a flash of lightning. + +Li Dsing was now angry with his son in earnest. Therefore Notscha's +mother sent him to the rear of the house to keep out of his father's +sight. Notscha disappeared and went to his master, in order to ask him +what he should do when the dragon returned. His master advised him and +Notscha went back home. And all the Dragon Kings of the four seas were +assembled, and had bound his parents, with cries and tumult, in order +to punish them. Notscha ran up and cried with a loud voice: "I will +take the punishment for whatever I have done! My parents are +blameless! What is the punishment you wish to lay upon me?" "Life for +life!" said the dragon. "Very well then, I will destroy myself!" And +so he did and the dragons went off satisfied; while Notscha's mother +buried him with many tears. + +But the spiritual part of Notscha, his soul, fluttered about in the +air, and was driven by the wind to the cave of the Great One. He took +it in and said to it: "You must appear to your mother! Forty miles +distant from your home rises a green mountain cliff. On this cliff she +must build a shrine for you. And after you have enjoyed the incense of +human adoration for three years, you shall once more have a human +body." Notscha appeared to his mother in a dream, and gave her the +whole message, and she awoke in tears. But Li Dsing grew angry when +she told him about it. "It serves the accursed boy right that he is +dead! It is because you are always thinking of him that he appears to +you in dreams. You must pay no attention to him." The woman said no +more, but thenceforward he appeared to her daily, as soon as she +closed her eyes, and grew more and more urgent in his demand. Finally +all that was left for her to do was to erect a temple for Notscha +without Li Dsing's knowledge. + +And Notscha performed great miracles in his temple. All prayers made +in it were granted. And from far away people streamed to it to burn +incense in his honor. + +Thus half a year passed. Then Li Dsing, on the occasion of a great +military drill, once came by the cliff in question, and saw the people +crowding thickly about the hill like a swarm of ants. Li Dsing +inquired what there were to see upon the hill. "It is a new god, who +performs so many miracles that people come from far and near to honor +him." "What sort of a god is he?" asked Li Dsing. They did not dare +conceal from him who the god was. Then Li Dsing grew angry. He spurred +his horse up the hill and, sure enough, over the door of the temple +was written: "Notscha's Shrine." And within it was the likeness of +Notscha, just as he had appeared while living. Li Dsing said: "While +you were alive you brought misfortune to your parents. Now that you +are dead you deceive the people. It is disgusting!" With these words +he drew forth his whip, beat Notscha's idolatrous likeness to pieces +with it, had the temple burned down, and the worshipers mildly +reproved. Then he returned home. + +Now Notscha had been absent in the spirit upon that day. When he +returned he found his temple destroyed; and the spirit of the hill +gave him the details. Notscha hurried to his master and related with +tears what had befallen him. The latter was roused and said: "It is Li +Dsing's fault. After you had given back your body to your parents, +you were no further concern of his. Why should he withdraw from you +the enjoyment of the incense?" Then the Great One made a body of +lotus-plants, gave it the gift of life, and enclosed the soul of +Notscha within it. This done he called out in a loud voice: "Arise!" A +drawing of breath was heard, and Notscha leaped up once more in the +shape of a small boy. He flung himself down before his master and +thanked him. The latter bestowed upon him the magic of the fiery +lance, and Notscha thenceforward had two whirling wheels beneath his +feet: The wheel of the wind and the wheel of fire. With these he could +rise up and down in the air. The master also gave him a bag of +panther-skin in which to keep his armlet and his silken cloth. + +Now Notscha had determined to punish Li Dsing. Taking advantage of a +moment when he was not watched, he went away, thundering along on his +rolling wheels to Li Dsing's dwelling. The latter was unable to +withstand him and fled. He was almost exhausted when his second son, +Mutscha, the disciple of the holy Pu Hain, came to his aid from the +Cave of the White Crane. A violent quarrel took place between the +brothers; they began to fight, and Mutscha was overcome; while Notscha +once more rushed in pursuit of Li Dsing. At the height of his +extremity, however, the holy Wen Dschu of the Hill of the Five +Dragons, the master of Gintscha, Li Dsing's oldest son, stepped forth +and hid Li Dsing in his cave. Notscha, in a rage, insisted that he be +delivered up to him; but Wen Dschu said: "Elsewhere you may indulge +your wild nature to your heart's content, but not in this place." + +And when Notscha in the excess of his rage turned his fiery lance upon +him, Wen Dschu stepped back a pace, shook the seven-petaled lotus from +his sleeve, and threw it into the air. A whirlwind arose, clouds and +mists obscured the sight, and sand and earth were flung up from the +ground. Then the whirlwind collapsed with a great crash. Notscha +fainted, and when he regained consciousness found himself bound to a +golden column with three thongs of gold, so that he could no longer +move. Wen Dschu now called Gintscha to him and ordered him to give his +unruly brother a good thrashing. And this he did, while Notscha, +obliged to stand it, stood grinding his teeth. In his extremity he saw +the Great One floating by, and called out to him: "Save me, O Master!" +But the latter did not notice him; instead he entered the cave and +thanked Wen Dschu for the severe lesson which he had given Notscha. +Finally they called Notscha in to them and ordered him to be +reconciled to his father. Then they dismissed them both and seated +themselves to play chess. But no sooner was Notscha free than he again +fell into a rage, and renewed his pursuit of his father. He had again +overtaken Li Dsing when still another saint came forward to defend the +latter. This time it was the old Buddha of the Radiance of the Light. +When Notscha attempted to battle with him he raised his arm, and a +pagoda shaped itself out of red, whirling clouds and closed around +Notscha. Then Radiance of Light placed both his hands on the pagoda +and a fire arose within it which burned Notscha so that he cried +loudly for mercy. Then he had to promise to beg his father's +forgiveness and always to obey him in the future. Not till he had +promised all this did the Buddha let him out of the pagoda again. And +he gave the pagoda to Li Dsing; and taught him a magic saying which +would give him the mastery over Notscha. It is for this reason that Li +Dsing is called the Pagoda-bearing King of Heaven. + +Later on Li Dsing and his three sons, Gintscha, Mutscha and Notscha, +aided King Wu of the Dschou dynasty to destroy the tyrant Dschou-Sin. + +None could withstand their might. Only once did a sorcerer succeed in +wounding Notscha in the left arm. Any other would have died of the +wound. But the Great One carried him into his cave, healed his wound +and gave him three goblets of the wine of the gods to drink, and three +fire-dates to eat. When Notscha had eaten and drunk he suddenly heard +a crash at his left side and another arm grew out from it. He could +not speak and his eyes stood out from their sockets with horror. But +it went on as it had begun: six more arms grew out of his body and two +more heads, so that finally he had three heads and eight arms. He +called out to his Master: "What does all this mean?" But the latter +only laughed and said: "All is as it should be. Thus equipped you will +really be strong!" Then he taught him a magic incantation by means of +which he could make his arms and heads visible or invisible as he +chose. When the tyrant Dschou-Sin had been destroyed, Li Dsing and his +three sons, while still on earth, were taken up into heaven and seated +among the gods. + + Note: Li Dsing, the Pagoda-bearing King of Heaven, may + be traced back to Indra, the Hindoo god of thunder and + lightning. The Pagoda might be an erroneous variant of + the thunderbolt Vadjra. In such case Notscha would be a + personification of the thunder. The Great One (Tai I), + is the condition of things before their separation into + the active and passive principles. There is a whole + genealogy of mythical saints and holy men who took part + in the battles between King Wu of Dschou and the tyrant + Dschou-Sin. These saints are, for the most part, + Buddhist-Brahminic figures which have been reshaped. The + Dragon-King of the Eastern Sea also occurs in the tale + of Sun Wu Kung (No. 74). "Dragon sinew" means the spinal + cord, the distinction between nerves and sinews not + being carefully observed. "Three spirits and seven + souls": man has three spirits, usually above his head, + and seven animal souls. "Notscha had been absent in the + spirit upon that day": the idol is only the seat of the + godhead, which the latter leaves or inhabits as he + chooses. Therefore the godhead must be summoned when + prayers are offered, by means of bells and incense. When + the god is not present, his idol is merely a block of + wood or stone. Pu Hain, the Buddha of the Lion, is the + Indian Samantabharda, one of the four great Boddhisatvas + of the Tantra School. Wen Dschu, the Buddha on the + Golden-haired Mountain Lion, (Hou), is the Indian + Mandjusri. The old Buddha of the Radiance of the Light, + Jan Dong Go Fu, is the Indian Dipamkara. + + + + +XIX + +THE LADY OF THE MOON + + +In the days of the Emperor Yau lived a prince by the name of Hou I, +who was a mighty hero and a good archer. Once ten suns rose together +in the sky, and shone so brightly and burned so fiercely that the +people on earth could not endure them. So the Emperor ordered Hou I to +shoot at them. And Hou I shot nine of them down from the sky. Besides +his bow, Hou I also had a horse which ran so swiftly that even the +wind could not catch up with it. He mounted it to go a-hunting, and +the horse ran away and could not be stopped. So Hou I came to Kunlun +Mountain and met the Queen-Mother of the Jasper Sea. And she gave him +the herb of immortality. He took it home with him and hid it in his +room. But his wife who was named Tschang O, once ate some of it on the +sly when he was not at home, and she immediately floated up to the +clouds. When she reached the moon, she ran into the castle there, and +has lived there ever since as the Lady of the Moon. + +On a night in mid-autumn, an emperor of the Tang dynasty once sat at +wine with two sorcerers. And one of them took his bamboo staff and +cast it into the air, where it turned into a heavenly bridge, on which +the three climbed up to the moon together. There they saw a great +castle on which was inscribed: "The Spreading Halls of Crystal Cold." +Beside it stood a cassia tree which blossomed and gave forth a +fragrance filling all the air. And in the tree sat a man who was +chopping off the smaller boughs with an ax. One of the sorcerers said: +"That is the man in the moon. The cassia tree grows so luxuriantly +that in the course of time it would overshadow all the moon's +radiance. Therefore it has to be cut down once in every thousand +years." Then they entered the spreading halls. The silver stories of +the castle towered one above the other, and its walls and columns were +all formed of liquid crystal. In the walls were cages and ponds, where +fishes and birds moved as though alive. The whole moon-world seemed +made of glass. While they were still looking about them on all sides +the Lady of the Moon stepped up to them, clad in a white mantle and a +rainbow-colored gown. She smiled and said to the emperor: "You are a +prince of the mundane world of dust. Great is your fortune, since you +have been able to find your way here!" And she called for her +attendants, who came flying up on white birds, and sang and danced +beneath the cassia tree. A pure clear music floated through the air. +Beside the tree stood a mortar made of white marble, in which a jasper +rabbit ground up herbs. That was the dark half of the moon. When the +dance had ended, the emperor returned to earth again with the +sorcerers. And he had the songs which he had heard on the moon written +down and sung to the accompaniment of flutes of jasper in his +pear-tree garden. + + Note: This fairy-tale is traditional. The archer Hou I + (or Count I, the Archer-Prince, comp. Dschuang Dsi), is + placed by legend in different epochs. He also occurs in + connection with the myths regarding the moon, for one + tale recounts how he saved the moon during an eclipse by + means of his arrows. The Queen-Mother is Si Wang Mu + (comp. with No. 15). The Tang dynasty reigned 618-906 + A.D. "The Spreading Halls of Crystal Cold": The goddess + of the ice also has her habitation in the moon. The hare + in the moon is a favorite figure. He grinds the grains + of maturity or the herbs that make the elixir of life. + The rain-toad Tschan, who has three legs, is also placed + on the moon. According to one version of the story, + Tschang O took the shape of this toad. + + [Illustration: "BESIDE IT STOOD A CASSIA-TREE." + --_Page 54_] + + + + +XX + +THE MORNING AND THE EVENING STAR + + +Once upon a time there were two stars, sons of the Golden King of the +Heavens. The one was named Tschen and the other Shen. One day they +quarreled, and Tschen struck Shen a terrible blow. Thereupon both +stars made a vow that they would never again look upon each other. So +Tschen only appears in the evening, and Shen only appears in the +morning, and not until Tschen has disappeared is Shen again to be +seen. And that is why people say: "When two brothers do not live +peaceably with one another they are like Tschen and Shen." + + Note: Tschen and Shen are Hesperus and Lucifer, the + morning and evening stars. The tale is told in its + traditional form. + + + + +XXI + +THE GIRL WITH THE HORSE'S HEAD OR THE SILKWORM GODDESS + + +In the dim ages of the past there once was an old man who went on a +journey. No one remained at home save his only daughter and a white +stallion. The daughter fed the horse day by day, but she was lonely +and yearned for her father. + +So it happened that one day she said in jest to the horse: "If you +will bring back my father to me then I will marry you!" + +No sooner had the horse heard her say this, than he broke loose and +ran away. He ran until he came to the place where her father was. When +her father saw the horse, he was pleasantly surprised, caught him and +seated himself on his back. And the horse turned back the way he had +come, neighing without a pause. + +"What can be the matter with the horse?" thought the father. +"Something must have surely gone wrong at home!" So he dropped the +reins and rode back. And he fed the horse liberally because he had +been so intelligent; but the horse ate nothing, and when he saw the +girl, he struck out at her with his hoofs and tried to bite her. This +surprised the father; he questioned his daughter, and she told him the +truth, just as it had occurred. + +"You must not say a word about it to any one," spoke her father, "or +else people will talk about us." + +And he took down his crossbow, shot the horse, and hung up his skin in +the yard to dry. Then he went on his travels again. + +One day his daughter went out walking with the daughter of a +neighbor. When they entered the yard, she pushed the horse-hide with +her foot and said: "What an unreasonable animal you were--wanting to +marry a human being! What happened to you served you right!" + +But before she had finished her speech, the horse-hide moved, rose up, +wrapped itself about the girl and ran off. + +Horrified, her companion ran home to her father and told him what had +happened. The neighbors looked for the girl everywhere, but she could +not be found. + +At last, some days afterward, they saw the girl hanging from the +branches of a tree, still wrapped in the horse-hide; and gradually she +turned into a silkworm and wove a cocoon. And the threads which she +spun were strong and thick. Her girl friend then took down the cocoon +and let her slip out of it; and then she spun the silk and sold it at +a large profit. + +But the girl's relatives longed for her greatly. So one day the girl +appeared riding in the clouds on her horse, followed by a great +company and said: "In heaven I have been assigned to the task of +watching over the growing of silkworms. You must yearn for me no +longer!" And thereupon they built temples to her in her native land, +and every year, at the silkworm season, sacrifices are offered to her +and her protection is implored. And the Silkworm Goddess is also known +as the girl with the Horse's Head. + + Note: This tale is placed in the times of the Emperor + Hau, and the legend seems to have originated in + Setchuan. The stallion is the sign of the zodiac which + rules the springtime, the season when the silkworms are + cultivated. Hence she is called the Goddess with the + Horse's Head. The legend itself tells a different tale. + In addition to this goddess, the spouse of Schen Nung, + the "Divine Husbandman," is also worshiped as the + goddess of silkworm culture. The Goddess with the + Horse's Head is more of a totemic representation of the + silkworm as such; while the wife of Schen Nung is + regarded as the protecting goddess of silk culture, and + is supposed to have been the first to teach women its + details. The spouse of the Yellow Lord is mentioned in + the same connection. The popular belief distinguishes + three goddesses who protect the silkworm culture in + turn. The second is the best of the three, and when it + is her year the silk turns out well. + + + + +XXII + +THE QUEEN OF HEAVEN + + +The Queen of Heaven, who is also known as the Holy Mother, was in +mortal life a maiden of Fukien, named Lin. She was pure, reverential +and pious in her ways and died at the age of seventeen. She shows her +power on the seas and for this reason the seamen worship her. When +they are unexpectedly attacked by wind and waves, they call on her and +she is always ready to hear their pleas. + +There are many seamen in Fukien, and every year people are lost at +sea. And because of this, most likely, the Queen of Heaven took pity +on the distress of her people during her lifetime on earth. And since +her thoughts are uninterruptedly turned toward aiding the drowning in +their distress, she now appears frequently on the seas. + +In every ship that sails a picture of the Queen of Heaven hangs in the +cabin, and three paper talismans are also kept on shipboard. On the +first she is painted with crown and scepter, on the second as a maiden +in ordinary dress, and on the third she is pictured with flowing hair, +barefoot, standing with a sword in her hand. When the ship is in +danger the first talisman is burnt, and help comes. But if this is of +no avail, then the second and finally the third picture is burned. And +if no help comes then there is nothing more to be done. + +When seamen lose their course among wind and waves and darkling +clouds, they pray devoutly to the Queen of Heaven. Then a red lantern +appears on the face of the waters. And if they follow the lantern they +will win safe out of all danger. The Queen of Heaven may often be seen +standing in the skies, dividing the wind with her sword. When she does +this the wind departs for the North and South, and the waves grow +smooth. + +A wooden wand is always kept before her holy picture in the cabin. It +often happens that the fish-dragons play in the seas. They are two +giant fish who spout up water against one another till the sun in the +sky is obscured, and the seas are shrouded in profound darkness. And +often, in the distance, one may see a bright opening in the darkness. +If the ship holds a course straight for this opening it will win +through, and is suddenly floating in calm waters again. Looking back, +one may see the two fishes still spouting water, and the ship will +have passed directly beneath their jaws. But a storm is always near +when the fish dragons swim; therefore it is well to burn paper or wool +so that the dragons do not draw the ship down into the depths. Or the +Master of the Wand may burn incense before the wand in the cabin. Then +he must take the wand and swing it over the water three times, in a +circle. If he does so the dragons will draw in their tails and +disappear. + +When the ashes in the censer fly up into the air without any cause, +and are scattered about, it is a sign that great danger is +threatening. + +Nearly two-hundred years ago an army was fitted out to subdue the +island of Formosa. The captain's banner had been dedicated with the +blood of a white horse. Suddenly the Queen of Heaven appeared at the +tip of the banner-staff. In another moment she had disappeared, but +the invasion was successful. + +On another occasion, in the days of Kien Lung, the minister Dschou +Ling was ordered to install a new king in the Liu-Kiu Islands. When +the fleet was sailing by south of Korea, a storm arose, and his ship +was driven toward the Black Whirlpool. The water had the color of ink, +sun and moon lost their radiance, and the word was passed about that +the ship had been caught in the Black Whirlpool, from which no living +man had ever returned. The seaman and travelers awaited their end with +lamentations. Suddenly an untold number of lights, like red lanterns, +appeared on the surface of the water. Then the seamen were overjoyed +and prayed in the cabins. "Our lives are saved!" they cried, "the Holy +Mother has come to our aid!" And truly, a beautiful maiden with golden +earrings appeared. She waved her hand in the air and the winds became +still and the waves grew even. And it seemed as though the ship were +being drawn along by a mighty hand. It moved plashing through the +waves, and suddenly it was beyond the limits of the Black Whirlpool. + +Dschou Ling on his return told of this happening, and begged that +temples be erected in honor of the Queen of Heaven, and that she be +included in the list of the gods. And the emperor granted his prayer. + +Since then temples of the Queen of Heaven are to be found in all +sea-port towns, and her birthday is celebrated on the eighth day of +the fourth month with spectacles and sacrifices. + + Note: "The Queen of Heaven," whose name is Tian Hou, or + more exactly, Tian Fe Niang Niang, is a Taoist goddess + of seamen, generally worshiped in all coast towns. Her + story is principally made up of local legends of Fukien + province, and a variation of the Indian Maritschi (who + as Dschunti with the eight arms, is the object of quite + a special cult). Tian Hou, since the establishment of + the Manchu dynasty, is one of the officially recognized + godheads. + + + + +XXIII + +THE FIRE-GOD + + +Long before the time of Fu Hi, Dschu Yung, the Magic Welder, was the +ruler of men. He discovered the use of fire, and succeeding +generations learned from him to cook their food. Hence his descendants +were intrusted with the preservation of fire, while he himself was +made the Fire-God. He is a personification of the Red Lord, who showed +himself at the beginning of the world as one of the Five Ancients. The +Fire-God is worshiped as the Lord of the Holy Southern Mountain. In +the skies the Fiery Star, the southern quarter of the heavens and the +Red Bird belong to his domain. When there is danger of fire the Fiery +Star glows with a peculiar radiance. When countless numbers of +fire-crows fly into a house, a fire is sure to break out in it. + +In the land of the four rivers there dwelt a man who was very rich. +One day he got into his wagon and set out on a long journey. And he +met a girl, dressed in red, who begged him to take her with him. He +allowed her to get into the wagon, and drove along for half-a-day +without even looking in her direction. Then the girl got out again and +said in farewell: "You are truly a good and honest man, and for that +reason I must tell you the truth. I am the Fire-God. To-morrow a fire +will break out in your house. Hurry home at once to arrange your +affairs and save what you can!" Frightened, the man faced his horses +about and drove home as fast as he could. All that he possessed in the +way of treasures, clothes and jewels, he removed from the house. And, +when he was about to lie down to sleep, a fire broke out on the hearth +which could not be quenched until the whole building had collapsed in +dust and ashes. Yet, thanks to the Fire-God, the man had saved all his +movable belongings. + + Note: "The Fire-God" (comp. with No. 15). The Holy + Southern Mountain is Sung-Schan in Huan. The Fiery Star + is Mars. The constellations of the southern quarter of + the heavens are grouped by the Chinese as under the name + of the "Red Bird." The "land of the four rivers" is + Setchuan, in the western part of present-day China. + + + + +XXIV + +THE THREE RULING GODS + + +There are three lords: in heaven, and on the earth and in the waters, +and they are known as the Three Ruling Gods. They are all brothers, +and are descended from the father of the Monk of the Yangtze-kiang. +When the latter was sailing on the river he was cast into the water by +a robber. But he did not drown, for a Triton came his way who took him +along with him to the dragon-castle. And when the Dragon-King saw him +he realized at once that there was something extraordinary about the +Monk, and he married him to his daughter. + +From their early youth his three sons showed a preference for the +hidden wisdom. And together they went to an island in the sea. There +they seated themselves and began to meditate. They heard nothing, they +saw nothing, they spoke not a word and they did not move. The birds +came and nested in their hair; the spiders came and wove webs across +their faces; worms and insects came and crawled in and out of their +noses and ears. But they paid no attention to any of them. + +After they had meditated thus for a number of years, they obtained the +hidden wisdom and became gods. And the Lord made them the Three Ruling +Gods. The heavens make things, the earth completes things, and the +waters create things. The Three Ruling Gods sent out the current of +their primal power to aid in ordering all to this end. Therefore they +are also known as the primal gods, and temples are erected to them all +over the earth. + +If you go into a temple you will find the Three Ruling Gods all seated +on one pedestal. They wear women's hats upon their heads, and hold +scepters in their hands, like kings. But he who sits on the last +place, to the right, has glaring eyes and wears a look of rage. If you +ask why this is you are told: "These three were brothers and the Lord +made them the Ruling Gods. So they talked about the order in which +they were to sit. And the youngest said: 'To-morrow morning, before +sunrise, we will meet here. Whoever gets here first shall have the +seat of honor in the middle; the second one to arrive shall have the +second place, and the third the third.' The two older brothers were +satisfied. The next morning, very early, the youngest came first, +seated himself in the middle place, and became the god of the waters. +The middle brother came next, sat down on the left, and became the god +of the heavens. Last of all came the oldest brother. When he saw that +his brothers were already sitting in their places, he was disgusted +and yet he could not say a word. His face grew red with rage, his +eyeballs stood forth from their sockets like bullets, and his veins +swelled like bladders. And he seated himself on the right and became +god of the earth." The artisans who make the images of the gods +noticed this, so they always represent him thus. + + Note: "The Three Ruling Gods" is set down as told by the + people. It is undoubtedly a version of the Indian + Trimurti. The meaning of the terrible appearance of the + third godhead, evidently no longer understood by the + people, points to Siva, and has given rise to the + fairy-tale here told. As regards the Monk of the + Yangtze-kiang, comp. with No. 69. + + + + +XXV + +A LEGEND OF CONFUCIUS + + +When Confucius came to the earth, the Kilin, that strange beast which +is the prince of all four-footed animals, and only appears when there +is a great man on earth, sought the child and spat out a jade whereon +was written: "Son of the Watercrystal you are destined to become an +uncrowned king!" And Confucius grew up, studied diligently, learned +wisdom and came to be a saint. He did much good on earth, and ever +since his death has been reverenced as the greatest of teachers and +masters. He had foreknowledge of many things. And even after he had +died he gave evidence of this. + +Once, when the wicked Emperor Tsin Schi Huang had conquered all the +other kingdoms, and was traveling through the entire empire, he came +to the homeland of Confucius. And he found his grave. And, finding his +grave, he wished to have it opened and see what was in it. All his +officials advised him not to do so, but he would not listen to them. +So a passage was dug into the grave, and in its main chamber they +found a coffin, whose wood appeared to be quite fresh. When struck it +sounded like metal. To the left of the coffin was a door, which led +into an inner chamber. In this chamber stood a bed, and a table with +books and clothing, all as though meant for the use of a living +person. Tsin Schi Huang seated himself on the bed and looked down. And +there on the floor stood two shoes of red silk, whose tips were +adorned with a woven pattern of clouds. A bamboo staff leaned against +the wall. The Emperor, in jest, put on the shoes, took the staff and +left the grave. But as he did so a tablet suddenly appeared before his +eyes on which stood the following lines: + + O'er kingdoms six Tsin Schi Huang his army led, + To ope my grave and find my humble bed; + He steals my shoes and takes my staff away + To reach Schakiu--and his last earthly day! + +Tsin Schi Huang was much alarmed, and had the grave closed again. But +when he reached Schakiu he fell ill of a hasty fever of which he died. + + Note: The Kilin is an okapi-like legendary beast of the + most perfected kindness, prince of all the four-footed + animals. The "Watercrystal" is the dark Lord of the + North, whose element is water and wisdom, for which last + reason Confucius is termed his son. Tsin Schi Huang + (B.C. 200) is the burner of books and reorganizer of + China famed in history. Schakiu (Sandhill) was a city in + the western part of the China of that day. + + + + +XXVI + +THE GOD OF WAR + + +The God of War, Guan Di, was really named Guan Yu. At the time when +the rebellion of the Yellow Turbans was raging throughout the empire, +he, together with two others whom he met by the wayside, and who were +inspired with the same love of country which possessed him, made a +pact of friendship. One of the two was Liu Be, afterward emperor, the +other was named Dschang Fe. The three met in a peach-orchard and swore +to be brothers one to the other, although they were of different +families. They sacrificed a white steed and vowed to be true to each +other to the death. + +Guan Yu was faithful, honest, upright and brave beyond all measure. He +loved to read Confucius's "Annals of Lu," which tell of the rise and +fall of empires. He aided his friend Liu Be to subdue the Yellow Turbans +and to conquer the land of the four rivers. The horse he rode was known +as the Red Hare, and could run a thousand miles in a day. Guan Yu had a +knife shaped like a half-moon which was called the Green Dragon. His +eyebrows were beautiful like those of the silk-butterflies, and his eyes +were long-slitted like the eyes of the Phenix. His face was scarlet-red +in color, and his beard so long that it hung down over his stomach. +Once, when he appeared before the emperor, the latter called him Duke +Fairbeard, and presented him with a silken pocket in which to place his +beard. He wore a garment of green brocade. Whenever he went into battle +he showed invincible bravery. Whether he were opposed by a thousand +armies or by ten thousand horsemen--he attacked them as though they were +merely air. + +Once the evil Tsau Tsau had incited the enemies of his master, the +Emperor, to take the city by treachery. When Guan Yu heard of it he +hastened up with an army to relieve the town. But he fell into an +ambush, and, together with his son, was brought a captive to the +capital of the enemy's land. The prince of that country would have +been glad to have had him go over to his side; but Guan Yu swore that +he would not yield to death himself. Thereupon father and son were +slain. When he was dead, his horse Red Hare ceased to eat and died. A +faithful captain of his, by name of Dschou Dsang, who was +black-visaged and wore a great knife, had just invested a fortress +when the news of the sad end of the duke reached him. And he, as well +as other faithful followers would not survive their master, and +perished. + +At the time a monk, who was an old compatriot and acquaintance of Duke +Guan was living in the Hills of the Jade Fountains. He used to walk at +night in the moonlight. + +Suddenly he heard a loud voice cry down out of the air: "I want my +head back again!" + +The monk looked up and saw Duke Guan, sword in hand, seated on his +horse, just as he appeared while living. And at his right and left +hand, shadowy figures in the clouds, stood his son Guan Ping and his +captain, Dschou Dsang. + +The monk folded his hands and said: "While you lived you were upright +and faithful, and in death you have become a wise god; and yet you do +not understand fate! If you insist on having your head back again, to +whom shall the many thousands of your enemies who lost their lives +through you appeal, in order to have life restored to them?" + +When he heard this the Duke Guan bowed and disappeared. Since that +time he has been without interruption spiritually active. Whenever a +new dynasty is founded, his holy form may be seen. For this reason +temples and sacrifices have been instituted for him, and he has been +made one of the gods of the empire. Like Confucius, he received the +great sacrifice of oxen, sheep and pigs. His rank increases with the +passing of centuries. First he was worshiped as Prince Guan, later as +King Guan, and then as the great god who conquers the demons. The last +dynasty, finally, worships him as the great, divine Helper of the +Heavens. He is also called the God of War, and is a strong deliverer +in all need, when men are plagued by devils and foxes. Together with +Confucius, the Master of Peace, he is often worshiped as the Master of +War. + + Note: The Chinese God of War is a historical personality + from the epoch of the three empires, which later joined + the Han dynasty, about 250 A.D. Liu Be founded the + "Little Han dynasty" in Setchuan, with the aid of Guan + Yu and Dschang Fe. Guan Yu or Guan Di, i.e., "God + Yuan," has become one of the most popular figures in + Chinese legend in the course of time, God of War and + deliverer in one and the same person. The talk of the + monk with the God Guan Di in the clouds is based on the + Buddhist law of Karma. Because Guan Di--even though his + motives might be good--had slain other men, he must + endure like treatment at their hands, even while he is a + god. + + + + +TALES OF SAINTS AND MAGICIANS + + + + +XXVII + +THE HALOS OF THE SAINTS + + +The true gods all have halos around their heads. When the lesser gods +and demons see these halos, they hide and dare not move. The Master of +the Heavens on the Dragon-Tiger Mountain meets the gods at all times. +One day the God of War came down to the mountain while the mandarin of +the neighboring district was visiting the Master of the Heavens. The +latter advised the mandarin to withdraw and hide himself in an inner +chamber. Then he went out to receive the God of War. But the mandarin +peeped through a slit in the door, and he saw the red face and green +garment of the God of War as he stood there, terrible and +awe-inspiring. Suddenly a red halo flashed up above his head, whose +beams penetrated into the inner chamber so that the mandarin grew +blind in one eye. After a time the God of War went away again, and the +Master of the Heavens accompanied him. Suddenly Guan Di said, with +alarm: "Confucius is coming! The halo he wears illumines the whole +world. I cannot endure its radiance even a thousand miles away, so I +must hurry and get out of the way!" And with that he stepped into a +cloud and disappeared. The Master of the Heavens then told the +mandarin what had happened, and added: "Fortunately you did not see +the God of War face to face! Whoever does not possess the greatest +virtue and the greatest wisdom, would be melted by the red glow of +his halo." So saying he gave him a pill of the elixir of life to eat, +and his blind eye gradually regained its sight. + +It is also said that scholars wear a red halo around their heads which +devils, foxes and ghosts fear when they see it. + +There was once a scholar who had a fox for a friend. The fox came to +see him at night, and went walking with him in the villages. They +could enter the houses, and see all that was going on, without people +being any the wiser. But when at a distance the fox saw a red halo +hanging above a house he would not enter it. The scholar asked him why +not. + +"Those are all celebrated scholars," answered the fox. "The greater +the halo, the more extensive is their knowledge. I dread them and do +not dare enter their houses." + +Then the man said: "But I am a scholar, too! Have I no halo which +makes you fear me, instead of going walking with me?" + +"There is only a black mist about your head," answered the fox. "I +have never yet seen it surrounded by a halo." + +The scholar was mortified and began to scold him; but the fox +disappeared with a horse-laugh. + + Note: This tale is told as traditionally handed down. + The Master of the Heavens, Tian Schi, who dwells on the + Lung Hu Schan, is the so-called Taoist pope. + + + + +XXVIII + +LAOTSZE + + +Laotsze is really older than heaven and earth put together. He is the +Yellow Lord or Ancient, who created this world together with the other +four. At various times he has appeared on earth, under various names. +His most celebrated incarnation, however, is that of Laotsze, "The Old +Child," which name he was given because he made his appearance on +earth with white hair. + +He acquired all sorts of magic powers by means of which he extended +his life-span. Once he hired a servant to do his bidding. He agreed to +give him a hundred pieces of copper daily; yet he did not pay him, and +finally he owed him seven million, two hundred thousand pieces of +copper. Then he mounted a black steer and rode to the West. He wanted +to take his servant along. But when they reached the Han-Gu pass, the +servant refused to go further, and insisted on being paid. Yet Laotsze +gave him nothing. + +When they came to the house of the guardian of the pass, red clouds +appeared in the sky. The guardian understood this sign and knew that a +holy man was drawing near. So he went out to meet him and took him +into his house. He questioned him with regard to hidden knowledge, but +Laotsze only stuck out his tongue at him and would not say a word. +Nevertheless, the guardian of the pass treated him with the greatest +respect in his home. Laotsze's servant told the servant of the +guardian that his master owed him a great deal of money, and begged +the latter to put in a good word for him. When the guardian's servant +heard how large a sum it was, he was tempted to win so wealthy a man +for a son-in-law, and he married him to his daughter. Finally the +guardian heard of the matter and came to Laotsze together with the +servant. Then Laotsze said to his servant: "You rascally servant. You +really should have been dead long ago. I hired you, and since I was +poor and could give you no money, I gave you a life-giving talisman to +eat. That is how you still happen to be alive. I said to you: 'If you +will follow me into the West, the land of Blessed Repose, I will pay +you your wages in yellow gold. But you did not wish to do this.'" And +with that he patted his servant's neck. Thereupon the latter opened +his mouth, and spat out the life-giving talisman. The magic signs +written on it with cinnabar, quite fresh and well-preserved, might +still be seen. But the servant suddenly collapsed and turned into a +heap of dry bones. Then the guardian of the pass cast himself to earth +and pleaded for him. He promised to pay the servant for Laotsze and +begged the latter to restore him to life. So Laotsze placed the +talisman among the bones and at once the servant came to life again. +The guardian of the pass paid him his wages and dismissed him. Then he +adored Laotsze as his master, and the latter taught him the art of +eternal life, and left him his teachings, in five thousand words, +which the guardian wrote down. The book which thus came into being is +the Tao Teh King, "The Book of the Way and Life." Laotsze then +disappeared from the eyes of men. The guardian of the pass however, +followed his teachings, and was given a place among the immortals. + + Note: The Taoists like to assert that Laotsze's journey + to the West was undertaken before the birth of Buddha, + who, according to many, is only a reincarnation of + Laotsze. The guardian of the Han-Gu pass is mentioned + by the name of Guan Yin Hi, in the Lia Dsi and the + Dschuang Dsi. + + + + +XXIX + +THE ANCIENT MAN + + +Once upon a time there was a man named Huang An. He must have been +well over eighty and yet he looked like a youth. He lived on cinnabar +and wore no clothing. Even in winter he went about without garments. +He sat on a tortoise three feet long. Once he was asked: "About how +old might this tortoise be?" He answered: "When Fu Hi first invented +fish-nets and eel-pots he caught this tortoise and gave it to me. And +since then I have worn its shield quite flat sitting on it. The +creature dreads the radiance of the sun and moon, so it only sticks +its head out of its shell once in two thousand years. Since I have had +the beast, it has already stuck its head out five times." With these +words he took his tortoise on his back and went off. And the legend +arose that this man was ten thousand years old. + + Note: Cinnabar is frequently used in the preparation of + the elixir of life (comp. No. 30). Fu Hi is "the + life-breeding breath." Tortoises live to a great age. + + + + +XXX + +THE EIGHT IMMORTALS (I) + + +There is a legend which declares that Eight Immortals dwell in the +heavens. The first is named Dschung Li Kuan. He lived in the time of +the Han dynasty, and discovered the wonderful magic of golden +cinnabar, the philosopher's stone. He could melt quicksilver and burn +lead and turn them into yellow gold and white silver. And he could fly +through the air in his human form. He is the chief of the Eight +Immortals. + +The second is named Dschang Go. In primal times he gained hidden +knowledge. It is said that he was really a white bat, who turned into +a man. In the first days of the Tang dynasty an ancient with a white +beard and a bamboo drum on his back, was seen riding backward on a +black ass in the town of Tschang An. He beat the drum and sang, and +called himself old Dschang Go. Another legend says that he always had +a white mule with him which could cover a thousand miles in a single +day. When he had reached his destination he would fold up the animal +and put it in his trunk. When he needed it again, he would sprinkle +water on it with his mouth, and the beast would regain its first +shape. + +The third is named Lu Yuan or Lu Dung Bin (The Mountain Guest). His +real name was Li, and he belonged to the ruling Tang dynasty. But when +the Empress Wu seized the throne and destroyed the Li family to almost +the last man, he fled with his wife into the heart of the mountains. +They changed their names to Lu, and, since they lived in hiding in the +caverns in the rocks, he called himself the Mountain Guest or the +Guest of the Rocks. He lived on air and ate no bread. Yet he was fond +of flowers. And in the course of time he acquired the hidden wisdom. + +In Lo Yang, the capital city, the peonies bloomed with special +luxuriance. And there dwelt a flower fairy, who changed herself into a +lovely maiden with whom Guest of the Rocks, when he came to Lo Yang, +was wont to converse. Suddenly along came the Yellow Dragon, who had +taken the form of a handsome youth. He mocked the flower fairy. Guest +of the Rocks grew furious and cast his flying sword at him, cutting +off his head. From that time onward he fell back again into the world +of mundane pleasure and death. He sank down into the dust of the +diurnal, and was no longer able to wing his way to the upper regions. +Later he met Dschung Li Kuan, who delivered him, and then he was taken +up in the ranks of the Immortals. + +Willowelf was his disciple. This was an old willow-tree which had +drawn into itself the most ethereal powers of the sunrays and the +moonbeams, and had thus been able to assume the shape of a human +being. His face is blue and he has red hair. Guest of the Rocks +received him as a disciple. Emperors and kings of future times honor +Guest of the Rocks as the ancestor and master of the pure sun. The +people call him Grandfather Lu. He is very wise and powerful. And +therefore the people still stream into Grandfather Lu's temples to +obtain oracles and pray for good luck. If you want to know whether you +will be successful or not in an undertaking, go to the temple, light +incense and bow your head to earth. On the altar is a bamboo goblet, +in which are some dozens of little lottery sticks. You must shake them +while kneeling, until one of the sticks flies out. On the +lottery-stick is inscribed a number. This number must then be looked +up in the Book of Oracles, where it is accompanied by a four-line +stanza. It is said that fortune and misfortune, strange to think, +occur to one just as foretold by the oracle. + +The fourth Immortal is Tsau Guo Gui (Tsau the Uncle of the State). He +was the younger brother of the Empress Tsau, who for a time ruled the +land. For this reason he was called the Uncle of the State. From his +earliest youth he had been a lover of the hidden wisdom. Riches and +honors were no more to him than dust. It was Dschung Li Kuan who aided +him to become immortal. + +The fifth is called Lan Tsai Ho. Nothing is known of his true name, +his time nor his family. He was often seen in the market-place, clad +in a torn blue robe and wearing only a single shoe, beating a block of +wood and singing the nothingness of life. + +The sixth Immortal is known as Li Tia Guai (Li with the iron crutch). +He lost his parents in early youth and was brought up in his older +brother's home. His sister-in-law treated him badly and never gave him +enough to eat. Because of this he fled into the hills, and there +learned the hidden wisdom. + +Once he returned in order to see his brother, and said to his +sister-in-law: "Give me something to eat!" She answered: "There is no +kindling wood on hand!" He replied: "You need only to prepare the +rice. I can use my leg for kindling wood, only you must not say that +the fire might injure me, and if you do not no harm will be done." + +His sister-in-law wished to see his art, so she poured the rice into +the pot. Li stretched one of his legs out under it and lit it. The +flames leaped high and the leg burned like coal. + +When the rice was nearly boiled his sister-in-law said: "Won't your +leg be injured?" + +And Li replied angrily: "Did I not warn you not to say anything! Then +no harm would have been done. Now one of my legs is lamed." With these +words he took an iron poker and fashioned it into a crutch for +himself. Then he hung a bottle-gourd on his back, and went into the +hills to gather medicinal herbs. And that is why he is known as Li +with the Iron Crutch. + +It is also told of him that he often was in the habit of ascending +into the heavens in the spirit to visit his master Laotsze. Before he +left he would order a disciple to watch his body and soul within it, +so that the latter did not escape. Should seven days have gone by +without his spirit returning, then he would allow his soul to leave +the empty tenement. Unfortunately, after six days had passed, the +disciple was called to the death-bed of his mother, and when the +master's spirit returned on the evening of the seventh day, the life +had gone out of its body. Since there was no place for his spirit in +his own body, in his despair he seized upon the first handy body from +which the vital essence had not yet dispersed. It was the body of a +neighbor, a lame cripple, who had just died, so that from that time on +the master appeared in his form. + +The seventh Immortal is called Hang Siang Dsi. He was the nephew of +the famous Confucian scholar Han Yu, of the Tang dynasty. From his +earliest youth he cultivated the arts of the deathless gods, left his +home and became a Taoist. Grandfather Lu awakened him and raised him +to the heavenly world. Once he saved his uncle's life. The latter had +been driven from court, because he had objected when the emperor sent +for a bone of Buddha with great pomp. When he reached the Blue Pass in +his flight, a deep snowfall had made the road impassable. His horse +had floundered in a snow-drift, and he himself was well-nigh frozen. +Then Hang Siang Dsi suddenly appeared, helped him and his horse out of +the drift, and brought them safely to the nearest inn along the Blue +Pass. Han Yu sang a verse, in which the lines occurred: + + Tsin Ling Hill 'mid clouds doth lie, + And home is far, beyond my sight! + Round the Blue Pass snow towers high, + And who will lead the horse aright? + +Suddenly it occurred to him that several years before, Hang Siang Dsi +had come to his house to congratulate him on his birthday. Before he +had left, he had written these words on a slip of paper, and his uncle +had read them, without grasping their meaning. And now he was +unconsciously singing the very lines of that song that his nephew had +written. So he said to Hang Siang Dsi, with a sigh: "You must be one +of the Immortals, since you were able thus to foretell the future!" + +And thrice Hang Siang Dsi sought to deliver his wife from the bonds of +earth. For when he left his home to seek the hidden wisdom, she sat +all day long yearning for his presence. Hang Siang Dsi wished to +release her into immortality, but he feared she was not capable of +translation. So he appeared to her in various forms, in order to try +her, once as a beggar, another time as a wandering monk. But his wife +did not grasp her opportunities. At last he took the shape of a lame +Taoist, who sat on a mat, beat a block of wood and read sutras before +the house. + +His wife said: "My husband is not at home. I can give you nothing." + +The Taoist answered: "I do not want your gold and silver, I want you. +Sit down beside me on the mat, and we will fly up into the air and you +shall find your husband again!" + +Hereupon the woman grew angry and struck at him with a cudgel. + +Then Hang Siang Dsi changed himself into his true form, stepped on a +shining cloud and was carried aloft. His wife looked after him and +wept loudly; but he had disappeared and was not seen again. + +The eighth Immortal is a girl and was called Ho Sian Gu. She was a +peasant's daughter, and though her step-mother treated her harshly she +remained respectful and industrious. She loved to give alms, though +her step-mother tried to prevent her. Yet she was never angry, even +when her step-mother beat her. She had sworn not to marry, and at last +her step-mother did not know what to do with her. One day, while she +was cooking rice, Grandfather Du came and delivered her. She was still +holding the rice-spoon in her hand as she ascended into the air. In +the heavens she was appointed to sweep up the fallen flowers at the +Southern Gate of Heaven. + + Note: The legends of the Eight Immortals, regarded as + one group, do not go back further than the Manchu + dynasty, though individual ones among them were known + before. Some of the Immortals, like Han Siang Dsi, are + historic personages, others purely mythical. In the + present day they play an important part in art and in + the art-crafts. Their emblems also occur frequently: + Dschung Li Kuan is represented with a fan. Dschang Go + has a bamboo drum with two drum-sticks (and his donkey). + Lu Dung Bin has a sword and a flower-basket on his + back. Tsau Guo Gui has two small boards, (Yin Yang Ban), + which he can throw into the air. Li Tia Guai has the + bottle-gourd, out of which emerges a bat, the emblem of + good fortune. Lan Tsai Ho, who is also pictured as a woman, + has a flute. Han Siang Dsi has a flower-basket and a + dibble. Ho Sian Gu has a spoon, usually formed in the + shape of a lotus-flower. + + + + +XXXI + +THE EIGHT IMMORTALS (II) + + +Once upon a time there was a poor man, who at last had no roof to +shelter him and not a bite to eat. So, weary and worn, he lay down +beside a little temple of the field-god that stood by the roadside and +fell asleep. And he dreamed that the old, white-bearded field-god came +out of his little shrine and said to him: "I know of a means to help +you! To-morrow the Eight Immortals will pass along this road. Cast +yourself down before them and plead to them!" + +When the man awoke he seated himself beneath the great tree beside the +field-god's little temple, and waited all day long for his dream to +come true. At last, when the sun had nearly sunk, eight figures came +down the road, which the beggar clearly recognized as those of the +Eight Immortals. Seven of them were hurrying as fast as they could, +but one among them, who had a lame leg, limped along after the rest. +Before him--it was Li Tia Guai--the man cast himself to earth. But the +lame Immortal did not want to bother with him, and told him to go +away. Yet the poor man would not give over pleading with him, begging +that he might go with them and be one of the Immortals, too. That +would be impossible, said the cripple. Yet, as the poor man did not +cease his prayers and would not leave him, he at last said: "Very +well, then, take hold of my coat!" This the man did and off they went +in flying haste over paths and fields, on and on, and even further on. +Suddenly they stood together high up on the tower of Pong-lai-schan, +the ghost mountain by the Eastern Sea. And, lo, there stood the rest +of the Immortals as well! But they were very discontented with the +companion whom Li Tia Guai had brought along. Yet since the poor man +pleaded so earnestly, they too allowed themselves to be moved, and +said to him: "Very well! We will now leap down into the sea. If you +follow us you may also become an Immortal!" And one after another the +seven leaped down into the sea. But when it came to the man's turn he +was frightened, and would not dare the leap. Then the cripple said to +him: "If you are afraid, then you cannot become an Immortal!" + +"But what shall I do now?" wailed the man, "I am far from my home and +have no money!" The cripple broke off a fragment of the battlement of +the tower, and thrust it into the man's hand; then he also leaped from +the tower and disappeared into the sea like his seven companions. + +When the man examined the stone in his hand more closely, he saw that +it was the purest silver. It provided him with traveling money during +the many weeks it took him to reach his home. But by that time the +silver was completely used up, and he found himself just as poor as he +had been before. + + Note: Little field-god temples, Tu Di Miau, are + miniature stone chapels which stand before every + village. As regards the field-god, see No. 51. + + + + +XXXII + +THE TWO SCHOLARS + + +Once upon a time there were two scholars. One was named Liu Tschen and +the other Yuan Dschau. Both were young and handsome. One spring day +they went together into the hills of Tian Tai to gather curative +herbs. There they came to a little valley where peach-trees blossomed +luxuriantly on either side. In the middle of the valley was a cave, +where two maidens stood under the blossoming trees, one of them clad +in red garments, the other in green. And they were beautiful beyond +all telling. They beckoned to the scholars with their hands. + +"And have you come?" they asked. "We have been waiting for you +overlong!" + +Then they led them into the cave and served them with tea and wine. + +"I have been destined for the lord Liu," said the maiden in the red +gown; "and my sister is for the lord Yuan!" + +And so they were married. Every day the two scholars gazed at the +flowers or played chess so that they forgot the mundane world +completely. They only noticed that at times the peach-blossoms on the +trees before the cave opened, and at others that they fell from the +boughs. And, at times, unexpectedly, they felt cold or warm, and had +to change the clothing they were wearing. And they marveled within +themselves that it should be so. + +Then, one day, they were suddenly overcome by homesickness. Both +maidens were already aware of it. + +"When our lords have once been seized with homesickness, then we may +hold them no longer," said they. + +On the following day they prepared a farewell banquet, gave the +scholars magic wine to take along with them and said: + +"We will see one another again. Now go your way!" + +And the scholars bade them farewell with tears. + +When they reached home the gates and doors had long since vanished, +and the people of the village were all strangers to them. They crowded +about the scholars and asked who they might be. + +"We are Liu Tschen and Yuan Dschau. Only a few days ago we went into +the hills to pick herbs!" + +With that a servant came hastening up and looked at them. At last he +fell at Liu Tschen's feet with great joy and cried: "Yes, you are +really my master! Since you went away, and we had no news of any kind +regarding you some seventy years or more have passed." + +Thereupon he drew the scholar Liu through a high gateway, ornamented +with bosses and a ring in a lion's mouth, as is the custom in the +dwellings of those of high estate. + +And when he entered the hall, an old lady with white hair and bent +back, leaning on a cane, came forward and asked: "What man is this?" + +"Our master has returned again," replied the servant. And then, +turning to Liu he added: "That is the mistress. She is nearly a +hundred years old, but fortunately is still strong and in good +health." + +Tears of joy and sadness filled the old lady's eyes. + +"Since you went away among the immortals, I had thought that we should +never see each other again in this life," said she. "What great good +fortune that you should have returned after all!" + +And before she had ended the whole family, men and women, came +streaming up and welcomed him in a great throng outside the hall. + +And his wife pointed out this one and that and said: "That is so and +so, and this is so and so!" + +At the time the scholar had disappeared there had been only a tiny boy +in his home, but a few years old. And he was now an old man of eighty. +He had served the empire in a high office, and had already retired to +enjoy his old age in the ancestral gardens. There were three +grand-children, all celebrated ministers; there were more than ten +great-grand-children, of whom five had already passed their examinations +for the doctorate; there were some twenty great-great-grand-children, of +whom the oldest had just returned home after having passed his induction +examinations for the magistracy with honor. And the little ones, who +were carried in their parents' arms, were not to be counted. The +grand-children, who were away, busy with their duties, all asked for +leave and returned home when they heard that their ancestor had +returned. And the girl grand-children, who had married into other +families, also came. This filled Liu with joy, and he had a family +banquet prepared in the hall, and all his descendants, with their wives +and husbands sat about him in a circle. He himself and his wife, a +white-haired, wrinkled old lady, sat in their midst at the upper end. +The scholar himself still looked like a youth of twenty years, so that +all the young people in the circle looked around and laughed. + +Then the scholar said: "I have a means of driving away old age!" + +And he drew out his magic wine and gave his wife some of it to drink. +And when she had taken three glasses, her white hair gradually turned +black again, her wrinkles disappeared, and she sat beside her husband, +a handsome young woman. Then his son and the older grand-children +came up and all asked for a drink of the wine. And whichever of them +drank only so much as a drop of it was turned from an old man into a +youth. The tale was bruited abroad and came to the emperor's ears. The +emperor wanted to call Liu to his court, but he declined with many +thanks. Yet he sent the emperor some of his magic wine as a gift. This +pleased the emperor greatly, and he gave Liu a tablet of honor, with +the inscription: + + "The Common Home of Five Generations" + +Besides this he sent him three signs which he had written with his own +imperial brush signifying: + + "Joy in longevity" + +As to the other of the two scholars, Yuan Dschau, he was not so +fortunate. When he came home he found that his wife and child had long +since died, and his grand-children and great-grand-children were +mostly useless people. So he did not remain long, but returned to the +hills. Yet Liu Tschen remained for some years with his family, then +taking his wife with him, went again to the Tai Hills and was seen no +more. + + Note: This tale is placed in the reign of the Emperor + Ming Di (A.D. 58-75). Its motive is that of the legend + of the Seven Sleepers, and is often found in Chinese + fairy tales. + + + + +XXXIII + +THE MISERLY FARMER + + +Once upon a time there was a farmer who had carted pears to market. +Since they were very sweet and fragrant, he hoped to get a good price +for them. A bonze with a torn cap and tattered robe stepped up to his +cart and asked for one. The farmer repulsed him, but the bonze did not +go. Then the farmer grew angry and began to call him names. The bonze +said: "You have pears by the hundred in your cart. I only ask for one. +Surely that does you no great injury. Why suddenly grow so angry about +it?" + +The bystanders told the farmer that he ought to give the bonze one of +the smaller pears and let him go. But the farmer would not and did +not. An artisan saw the whole affair from his shop, and since the +noise annoyed him, he took some money, bought a pear and gave it to +the bonze. + +The bonze thanked him and said: "One like myself, who has given up the +world, must not be miserly. I have beautiful pears myself, and I +invite you all to eat them with me." Then some one asked: "If you have +pears then why do you not eat your own?" He answered: "I first must +have a seed to plant." + +And with that he began to eat the pear with gusto. When he had +finished, he held the pit in his hand, took his pick-ax from his +shoulder; and dug a hole a couple of inches deep. Into this he thrust +the pit, and covered it with earth. Then he asked the folk in the +market place for water, with which to water it. A pair of curiosity +seekers brought him hot water from the hostelry in the street, and +with it the bonze watered the pit. Thousands of eyes were turned on +the spot. And the pit could already be seen to sprout. The sprout grew +and in a moment it had turned into a tree. Branches and leaves +burgeoned out from it. It began to blossom and soon the fruit had +ripened: large, fragrant pears, which hung in thick clusters from the +boughs. The bonze climbed into the tree and handed down the pears to +the bystanders. In a moment all the pears had been eaten up. Then the +bonze took his pick-ax and cut down the tree. Crash, crash! so it went +for a while, and the tree was felled. Then he took the tree on his +shoulder and walked away at an easy gait. + +When the bonze had begun to make his magic, the farmer, too, had +mingled with the crowd. With neck outstretched and staring eyes he had +stood there and had entirely forgotten the business he hoped to do +with his pears. When the bonze had gone off he turned around to look +after his cart. His pears had all disappeared. Then he realized that +the pears the bonze had divided had been his own. He looked more +closely, and the axle of his cart had disappeared. It was plainly +evident that it had been chopped off quite recently. The farmer fell +into a rage and hastened after the bonze as fast as ever he could. And +when he turned the corner, there lay the missing piece from the axle +by the city wall. And then he realized that the pear-tree which the +bonze had chopped down must have been his axle. The bonze, however, +was nowhere to be found. And the whole crowd in the market burst out +into loud laughter. + + Note: The axle in China is really a handle, for the + little Chinese carts are one-wheel push-carts with two + handles or shafts. + + + + +XXXIV + +SKY O'DAWN + + +Once upon a time there was a man who took a child to a woman in a +certain village, and told her to take care of him. Then he +disappeared. And because the dawn was just breaking in the sky when +the woman took the child into her home, she called him Sky O'Dawn. +When the child was three years old, he would often look up to the +heavens and talk with the stars. One day he ran away and many months +passed before he came home again. The woman gave him a whipping. But +he ran away again, and did not return for a year. His foster-mother +was frightened, and asked: "Where have you been all year long?" The +boy answered: "I only made a quick trip to the Purple Sea. There the +water stained my clothes red. So I went to the spring at which the sun +turns in, and washed them. I went away in the morning and I came back +at noon. Why do you speak about my having been gone a year?" + +Then the woman asked: "And where did you pass on your way?" + +The boy answered: "When I had washed my clothes, I rested for a while +in the City of the Dead and fell asleep. And the King-Father of the +East gave me red chestnuts and rosy dawn-juice to eat, and my hunger +was stilled. Then I went to the dark skies and drank the yellow dew, +and my thirst was quenched. And I met a black tiger and wanted to ride +home on his back. But I whipped him too hard, and he bit me in the +leg. And so I came back to tell you about it." + + [Illustration: "'AND I CROSSED THE WATER ON THE SHOE.'" + --_Page 91_] + +Once more the boy ran away from home, thousands of miles, until he +came to the swamp where dwelt the Primal Mist. There he met an old man +with yellow eyebrows and asked him how old he might be. The old man +said: "I have given up the habit of eating, and live on air. The +pupils of my eyes have gradually acquired a green glow, which enables +me to see all hidden things. Whenever a thousand years have passed I +turn around my bones and wash the marrow. And every two thousand years +I scrape my skin to get rid of the hair. I have already washed my +bones thrice and scraped my skin five times." + +Afterward Sky O'Dawn served the Emperor Wu of the Han dynasty. The +Emperor, who was fond of the magic arts, was much attached to him. One +day he said to him: "I wish that the empress might not grow old. Can +you prevent it?" + +Sky O'Dawn answered: "I know of only one means to keep from growing +old." + +The Emperor asked what herbs one had to eat. Sky O'Dawn replied: "In +the North-East grow the mushrooms of life. There is a three-legged +crow in the sun who always wants to get down and eat them. But the +Sun-God holds his eyes shut and does not let him get away. If human +beings eat them they become immortal, when animals eat them they grow +stupefied." + +"And how do you know this?" asked the Emperor. + +"When I was a boy I once fell into a deep well, from which I could not +get out for many decades. And down there was an immortal who led me to +this herb. But one has to pass through a red river whose water is so +light that not even a feather can swim on it. Everything that touches +its surface sinks to the depths. But the man pulled off one of his +shoes and gave it to me. And I crossed the water on the shoe, picked +the herb and ate it. Those who dwell in that place weave mats of +pearls and precious stones. They led me to a spot before which hung a +curtain of delicate, colored skin. And they gave me a pillow carved of +black jade, on which were graven sun and moon, clouds and thunder. +They covered me with a dainty coverlet spun of the hair of a hundred +gnats. A cover of that kind is very cool and refreshing in summer. I +felt of it with my hands, and it seemed to be formed of water; but +when I looked at it more closely, it was pure light." + +Once the Emperor called together all his magicians in order to talk +with them about the fields of the blessed spirits. Sky O'Dawn was +there, too, and said: "Once I was wandering about the North Pole and I +came to the Fire-Mirror Mountain. There neither sun nor moon shines. +But there is a dragon who holds a fiery mirror in his jaws in order to +light up the darkness. On the mountain is a park, and in the park is a +lake. By the lake grows the glimmer-stalk grass, which shines like a +lamp of gold. If you pluck it and use it for a candle, you can see all +things visible, and the shapes of the spirits as well. It even +illuminates the interior of a human being." + +Once Sky O'Dawn went to the East, into the country of the fortunate +clouds. And he brought back with him from that land a steed of the +gods, nine feet high. The Emperor asked him how he had come to find +it. + +So he told him: "The Queen-Mother of the West had him harnessed to her +wagon when she went to visit the King-Father of the East. The steed +was staked out in the field of the mushrooms of life. But he trampled +down several hundred of them. This made the King-Father angry, and he +drove the steed away to the heavenly river. There I found him and rode +him home. I rode three times around the sun, because I had fallen +asleep on the steed's back. And then, before I knew it, I was here. +This steed can catch up with the sun's shadow. When I found him he was +quite thin and as sad as an aged donkey. So I mowed the grass of the +country of the fortunate clouds, which grows once every two-thousand +years on the Mountain of the Nine Springs and fed it to the horse; and +that made him lively again." + +The Emperor asked what sort of a place the country of the fortunate +clouds might be. Sky O'Dawn answered: "There is a great swamp there. +The people prophesy fortune and misfortune by the air and the clouds. +If good fortune is to befall a house, clouds of five colors form in +the rooms, which alight on the grass and trees and turn into a colored +dew. This dew tastes as sweet as cider." + +The Emperor asked whether he could obtain any of this dew. Sky O'Dawn +replied: "My steed could take me to the place where it falls four +times in the course of a single day!" + +And sure enough he came back by evening, and brought along dew of +every color in a crystal flask. The Emperor drank it and his hair grew +black again. He gave it to his highest officials to drink, and the old +grew young again and the sick became well. + +Once, when a comet appeared in the heavens, Sky O'Dawn gave the +Emperor the astrologer's wand. The Emperor pointed it at the comet and +the comet was quenched. + +Sky O'Dawn was an excellent whistler. And whenever he whistled in full +tones, long drawn out, the motes in the sunbeams danced to his music. + +Once he said to a friend: "There is not a soul on earth who knows who +I am with the exception of the astrologer!" + +When Sky O'Dawn had died, the Emperor called the astrologer to him +and asked: "Did you know Sky O'Dawn?" + +He replied: "No!" + +The Emperor said: "What do you know?" + +The astrologer answered: "I know how to gaze on the stars." + +"Are all the stars in their places?" asked the Emperor. + +"Yes, but for eighteen years I have not seen the Star of the Great +Year. Now it is visible once more." + +Then the Emperor looked up towards the skies and sighed: "For eighteen +years Sky O'Dawn kept me company, and I did not know that he was the +Star of the Great Year!" + + Note: The mother of Sky O'Dawn, (Dung Fang So) who makes + so mysterious an appearance on earth, according to one + tradition, is the third daughter of the Lord of the + Heavens. (Comp. Note to No. 16). Dung Fang So is an + incarnation of the Wood Star or Star of the Great Year + (Jupiter). The King-Father of the East, one of the Five + Ancients, is the representative of wood (comp. No. 15). + Red chestnuts, like fire-dates, are fruits of the gods, + and bestow immortality. Sky O'Dawn was an excellent + whistler. Whistling is a famous means of magic among the + Taoists. The Emperor Wu of the Han dynasty, was a prince + who is reputed to have devoted much attention to the + magic arts. He reigned from 140 to 86 B.C. The + three-legged crow in the sun is the counterpart of the + three-legged ram-toad in the moon. The Red River recalls + the Weak River by the Castle of the Queen-Mother of the + West. + + + + +XXXV + +KING MU OF DSCHOU + + +In the days of King Mu of Dschou a magician came out of the uttermost +West, who could walk through water and fire, and pass through metal +and stone. He could make mountains and rivers change place, shift +about cities and castles, rise into emptiness without falling, strike +against solid matter without finding it an obstruction; and he knew a +thousand transformations in all their inexhaustible variety. And he +could not only change the shape of things but he could change men's +thoughts. The King honored him like a god, and served him as he would +a master. He resigned his own apartments that the magician might be +lodged in them, had beasts of sacrifice brought to offer him, and +selected sweet singers to give him pleasure. But the rooms in the +King's palace were too humble--the magician could not dwell in them; +and the King's singers were not musical enough to be allowed to be +near him. So King Mu had a new palace built for him. The work of +bricklayers and carpenters, of painters and stainers left nothing to +be desired with regard to skill. The King's treasury was empty when +the tower had reached its full height. It was a thousand fathoms high, +and rose above the top of the mountain before the capital. The King +selected maidens, the loveliest and most dainty, gave them fragrant +essences, had their eyebrows curved in lines of beauty, and adorned +their hair and ears with jewels. He garbed them in fine cloth, and +with white silks fluttering about them, and had their faces painted +white and their eyebrows stained black. He had them put on armlets of +precious stones and mix sweet-smelling herbs. They filled the palace +and sang the songs of the ancient kings in order to please the +magician. Every month the most costly garments were brought him, and +every morning the most delicate food. The magician allowed them to do +so, and since he had no choice, made the best of it. + +Not long afterward the magician invited the King to go traveling with +him. The King grasped the magician's sleeve, and thus they flew up +through the air to the middle of the skies. When they stopped they +found they had reached the palace of the magician. It was built of +gold and silver, and adorned with pearls and precious stones. It +towered high over the clouds and rain; and none could say whereon it +rested. To the eye it had the appearance of heaped-up clouds. All that +it offered the senses was different from the things of the world of +men. It seemed to the King as though he were bodily present in the +midst of the purple depths of the city of the air, of the divine +harmony of the spheres, where the Great God dwells. The King looked +down, and his castles and pleasure-houses appeared to him like hills +of earth and heaps of straw. And there the King remained for some +decades and thought no more of his kingdom. + +Then the magician again invited the King to go traveling with him once +more. And in the place to which they came there was to be seen neither +sun nor moon above, nor rivers or sea below. The King's dazzled eyes +could not see the radiant shapes which showed themselves; the King's +dulled ears could not hear the sounds which played about them. It +seemed as though his body were dissolving in confusion; his thoughts +began to stray, and consciousness threatened to leave him. So he +begged the magician to return. The magician put his spell upon him, +and it seemed to the King as though he were falling into empty space. + +When he regained consciousness, he was sitting at the same place where +he had been sitting when the magician had asked him to travel with him +for the first time. The servants waiting on him were the same, and +when he looked down, his goblet was not yet empty, and his food had +not yet grown cold. + +The King asked what had happened. And the servants answered, "The King +sat for a space in silence." Whereupon the King was quite bereft of +reason, and it was three months before he regained his right mind. +Then he questioned the magician. The magician said: "I was traveling +with you in the spirit, O King! What need was there for the body to go +along? And the place in which we stayed at that time was no less real +than your own castle and your own gardens. But you are used only to +permanent conditions, therefore visions which dissolve so suddenly +appear strange to you." + +The King was content with the explanation. He gave no further thought +to the business of government and took no more interest in his +servants, but resolved to travel afar. So he had the eight famous +steeds harnessed, and accompanied by a few faithful retainers, drove a +thousand miles away. There he came to the country of the great +hunters. The great hunters brought the King the blood of the white +brant to drink, and washed his feet in the milk of mares and cows. +When the King and his followers had quenched their thirst, they drove +on and camped for the night on the slope of the Kunlun Mountain, south +of the Red River. The next day they climbed to the peak of Kunlun +Mountain and gazed at the castle of the Lord of the Yellow Earth. +Then they traveled on to the Queen-Mother of the West. Before they got +there they had to pass the Weak River. This is a river whose waters +will bear neither floats nor ships. All that attempts to float over it +sinks into its depths. When the King reached the shore, fish and +turtles, crabs and salamanders came swimming up and formed a bridge, +so that he could drive across with the wagon. + +It is said of the Queen-Mother of the West that she goes about with +hair unkempt, with a bird's beak and tiger's teeth, and that she is +skilled in playing the flute. Yet this is not her true figure, but +that of a spirit who serves her, and rules over the Western sky. The +Queen-Mother entertained King Mu in her castle by the Springs of Jade. +And she gave him rock-marrow to drink and fed him with the fruit of +the jade-trees. Then she sang him a song and taught him a magic +formula by means of which one could obtain long life. The Queen-Mother +of the West gathers the immortals around her, and gives them to eat of +the peaches of long life; and then they come to her with wagons with +purple canopies, drawn by flying dragons. Ordinary mortals sink in the +Weak River when they try to cross. But she was kindly disposed to King +Mu. + +When he took leave of her, he also went on to the spot where the sun +turns in after running three thousand miles a day. Then he returned +again to his kingdom. + +When King Mu was a hundred years old, the Queen-Mother of the West +drew near his palace and led him away with her into the clouds. + +And from that day on he was seen no more. + + Note: King Mu of Dschou reigned from 1001 to 946 B.C. + With his name are associated the stories of the + marvelous travels into the land of the far West, and + especially to the Queen-Mother (who is identified by + some with Juno). The peaches of immortality suggest the + apples of the Hesperides. (Comp. with the story of "The + Ape Sun Wu Kung.") + + + + +XXXVI + +THE KING OF HUAI NAN + + +The King of Huai Nan was a learned man of the Han dynasty. Since he +was of the blood royal the emperor had given him a kingdom in fee. He +cultivated the society of scholars, could interpret signs and foretell +the future. Together with his scholars he had compiled the book which +bears his name. + +One day eight aged men came to see him. They all had white beards and +white hair. The gate-keeper announced them to the King. The King +wished to try them, so he sent back the gate-keeper to put +difficulties in the way of their entrance. The latter said to them: +"Our King is striving to learn the art of immortal life. You gentlemen +are old and feeble. How can you be of aid to him? It is unnecessary +for you to pay him a visit." + +The eight old men smiled and said: "Oh, and are we too old to suit +you? Well, then we will make ourselves young!" And before they had +finished speaking they had turned themselves into boys of fourteen and +fifteen, with hair-knots as black as silk and faces like +peach-blossoms. The gate-keeper was frightened, and at once informed +the King of what had happened. When the King heard it, he did not even +take time to slip into his shoes, but hurried out barefoot to receive +them. He led them into his palace, had rugs of brocade spread for +them, and beds of ivory set up, fragrant herbs burned and tables of +gold and precious stones set in front of them. Then he bowed before +them as pupils do before a teacher, and told them how glad he was that +they had come. + +The eight boys changed into old men again and said: "Do you wish to go +to school to us, O King? Each one of us is master of a particular art. +One of us can call up wind and rain, cause clouds and mists to gather, +rivers to flow and mountains to heave themselves up, if he wills it +so. The second can cause high mountains to split asunder and check +great streams in their course. He can tame tigers and panthers and +soothe serpents and dragons. Spirits and gods do his bidding. The +third can send out doubles, transform himself into other shapes, make +himself invisible, cause whole armies to disappear, and turn day into +night. The fourth can walk through the air and clouds, can stroll on +the surface of the waves, pass through walls and rocks and cover a +thousand miles in a single breath. The fifth can enter fire without +burning, and water without drowning. The winter frost cannot chill +him, nor the summer heat burn him. The sixth can create and transform +living creatures if he feel inclined. He can form birds and beasts, +grasses and trees. He can transplace houses and castles. The seventh +can bake lime so that it turns to gold, and cook lead so that it turns +to silver; he can mingle water and stone so that the bubbles +effervesce and turn into pearls. The eighth can ride on dragons and +cranes to the eight poles of the world, converse with the immortals, +and stand in the presence of the Great Pure One." + +The King kept them beside him from morning to night, entertained them +and had them show him what they could do. And, true enough, they could +do everything just as they had said. And now the King began to distil +the elixir of life with their aid. He had finished, but not yet +imbibed it when a misfortune overtook his family. His son had been +playing with a courtier and the latter had heedlessly wounded him. +Fearing that the prince might punish him, he joined other discontented +persons and excited a revolt. And the emperor, when he heard of it, +sent one of his captains to judge between the King and the rebels. + +The eight aged men spoke: "It is now time to go. This misfortune has +been sent you from heaven, O King! Had it not befallen you, you would +not have been able to resolve to leave the splendors and glories of +this world!" + +They led him on to a mountain. There they offered sacrifices to +heaven, and buried gold in the earth. Then they ascended into the +skies in bright daylight. The footprints of the eight aged men and of +the king were imprinted in the rock of the mountain, and may be seen +there to this very day. Before they had left the castle, however, they +had set what was left of the elixir of life out in the courtyard. Hens +and hounds picked and licked it up, and all flew up into the skies. In +Huai Nan to this very day the crowing of cocks and the barking of +hounds may be heard up in the skies, and it is said that these are the +creatures who followed the King at the time. + +One of the King's servants, however, followed him to an island in the +sea, whence he sent him back. He told that the King himself had not +yet ascended to the skies, but had only become immortal and was +wandering about the world. When the emperor heard of the matter he +regretted greatly that he had sent soldiers into the King's land and +thus driven him out. He called in magicians to aid him, in hope of +meeting the eight old men himself. Yet, for all that he spent great +sums, he was not successful. The magicians only cheated him. + + Note: The King of Huai Nan was named Liu An. He belonged + to the Han dynasty. He dabbled largely in magic, and + drew to his court many magicians whose labors are + collected in the philosophical work which bears his + name. Liu An lived at the time of the Emperor Wu (see + No. 34). The latter having no heirs, Liu An entered into + a conspiracy which, however, was discovered. As a + consequence he killed himself, 122 B.C. Our fairy-tale + presents these events in their legendary transformation. + + + + +XXXVII + +OLD DSCHANG + + +Once upon a time there was a man who went by the name of Old Dschang. +He lived in the country, near Yangdschou, as a gardener. His neighbor, +named Sir We, held an official position in Yangdschou. Sir We had +decided that it was time for his daughter to marry, so he sent for a +match-maker and commissioned her to find a suitable husband. Old +Dschang heard this, and was pleased. He prepared food and drink, +entertained the match-maker, and told her to recommend him as a +husband. But the old match-maker went off scolding. + +The next day he invited her to dinner again and gave her money. Then +the old match-maker said: "You do not know what you wish! Why should a +gentleman's beautiful daughter condescend to marry a poor old gardener +like yourself? Even though you had money to burn, your white hair +would not match her black locks. Such a marriage is out of the +question!" + +But Old Dschang did not cease to entreat her: "Make an attempt, just +one attempt, to mention me! If they will not listen to you, then I +must resign myself to my fate!" + +The old match-maker had taken his money, so she could not well refuse, +and though she feared being scolded, she mentioned him to Sir We. He +grew angry and wanted to throw her out of the house. + +"I knew you would not thank me," said she, "but the old man urged it +so that I could not refuse to mention his intention." + +"Tell the old man that if this very day he brings me two white +jade-stones, and four hundred ounces of yellow gold, then I will give +him my daughter's hand in marriage." + +But he only wished to mock the old man's folly, for he knew that the +latter could not give him anything of the kind. The match-maker went +to Old Dschang and delivered the message. And he made no objection; +but at once brought the exact quantity of gold and jewels to Sir We's +house. The latter was very much frightened and when his wife heard of +it, she began to weep and wail loudly. But the girl encouraged her +mother: "My father has given his word now and cannot break it. I will +know how to bear my fate." + +So Sir We's daughter was married to Old Dschang. But even after the +wedding the latter did not give up his work as a gardener. He spaded +the field and sold vegetables as usual, and his wife had to fetch +water and build the kitchen fire herself. But she did her work without +false shame and, though her relatives reproached her, she continued to +do so. + +Once an aristocratic relative visited Sir We and said: "If you had +really been poor, were there not enough young gentlemen in the +neighborhood for your daughter? Why did you have to marry her to such +a wrinkled old gardener? Now that you have thrown her away, so to +speak, it would be better if both of them left this part of the +country." + +Then Sir We prepared a banquet and invited his daughter and Old +Dschang to visit him. When they had had sufficient to eat and drink he +allowed them to get an inkling of what was in his mind. + +Said Old Dschang: "I have only remained here because I thought you +would long for your daughter. But since you are tired of us, I will be +glad to go. I have a little country house back in the hills, and we +will set out for it early to-morrow morning." + +The following morning, at break of dawn, Old Dschang came with his +wife to say farewell. Sir We said: "Should we long to see you at some +later time, my son can make inquiries." Old Dschang placed his wife on +a donkey and gave her a straw hat to wear. He himself took his staff +and walked after. + +A few years passed without any news from either of them. Then Sir We +and his wife felt quite a longing to see their daughter and sent their +son to make inquiries. When the latter got back in the hills he met a +plow-boy who was plowing with two yellow steers. He asked him: "Where +is Old Dschang's country house?" The plow-boy left the plow in the +harrow, bowed and answered: "You have been a long time coming, sir! +The village is not far from here: I will show you the way." + +They crossed a hill. At the foot of the hill flowed a brook, and when +they had crossed the brook they had to climb another hill. Gradually +the landscape changed. From the top of the hill could be seen a +valley, level in the middle, surrounded by abrupt crags and shaded by +green trees, among which houses and towers peeped forth. This was the +country house of Old Dschang. Before the village flowed a deep brook +full of clear, blue water. They passed over a stone bridge and reached +the gate. Here flowers and trees grew in luxurious profusion, and +peacocks and cranes flew about. From the distance could be heard the +sound of flutes and of stringed instruments. Crystal-clear tones rose +to the clouds. A messenger in a purple robe received the guest at the +gate and led him into a hall of surpassing splendor. Strange +fragrances filled the air, and there was a ringing of little bells of +pearl. Two maid-servants came forth to greet him, followed by two rows +of beautiful girls in a long processional. After them a man in a +flowing turban, clad in scarlet silk, with red slippers, came floating +along. The guest saluted him. He was serious and dignified, and at the +same time seemed youthfully fresh. At first We's son did not recognize +him, but when he looked more closely, why it was Old Dschang! The +latter said with a smile: "I am pleased that the long road to travel +has not prevented your coming. Your sister is just combing her hair. +She will welcome you in a moment." Then he had him sit down and drink +tea. + +After a short time a maid-servant came and led him to the inner rooms, +to his sister. The beams of her room were of sandalwood, the doors of +tortoise-shell and the windows inlaid with blue jade; her curtains +were formed of strings of pearls and the steps leading into the room +of green nephrite. His sister was magnificently gowned, and far more +beautiful than before. She asked him carelessly how he was getting +along, and what her parents were doing; but was not very cordial. +After a splendid meal she had an apartment prepared for him. + +"My sister wishes to make an excursion to the Mountain of the +Fairies," said Old Dschang to him. "We will be back about sunset, and +you can rest until we return." + +Then many-colored clouds rose in the courtyard, and dulcet music +sounded on the air. Old Dschang mounted a dragon, while his wife and +sister rode on phenixes and their attendants on cranes. So they rose +into the air and disappeared in an easterly direction. They did not +return until after sunset. + +Old Dschang and his wife then said to him: "This is an abode of the +blessed. You cannot remain here overlong. To-morrow we will escort you +back." + +On the following day, when taking leave, Old Dschang gave him eighty +ounces of gold and an old straw hat. "Should you need money," said he, +"you can go to Yangdschou and inquire in the northern suburb for old +Wang's drug-shop. There you can collect ten million pieces of copper. +This hat is the order for them." Then he ordered his plow-boy to take +him home again. + +Quite a few of the folks at home, to whom he described his adventures, +thought that Old Dschang must be a holy man, while others regarded the +whole thing a magic vision. + +After five or six years Sir We's money came to an end. So his son took +the straw hat to Yangdschou and there asked for old Wang. The latter +just happened to be standing in his drug-shop, mixing herbs. When the +son explained his errand he said: "The money is ready. But is your hat +genuine?" And he took the hat and examined it. A young girl came from +an inner room and said: "I wove the hat for Old Dschang myself. There +must be a red thread in it." And sure enough, there was. Then old Wang +gave young We the ten million pieces of copper, and the latter now +believed that Old Dschang was really a saint. So he once more went +over the hills to look for him. He asked the forest-keepers, but they +could tell him naught. Sadly he retraced his steps and decided to +inquire of old Wang, but he had also disappeared. + +When several years had passed he once more came to Yangdschou, and was +walking in the meadow before the city gate. There he met Old Dschang's +plow-boy. The latter cried out: "How are you? How are you?" and drew +out ten pounds of gold, which he gave to him, saying: "My mistress +told me to give you this. My master is this very moment drinking tea +with old Wang in the inn." Young We followed the plow-boy, intending +to greet his brother-in-law. But when he reached the inn there was no +one in sight. And when he turned around the plow-boy had disappeared +as well. And since that time no one ever heard from Old Dschang again. + + Note: The match-maker, according to Chinese custom--and + the custom of other oriental peoples--is an absolutely + necessary mediator between the two families. There are + old women who make their living at this profession. + + + + +XXXVIII + +THE KINDLY MAGICIAN + + +Once upon a time there was a man named Du Dsi Tschun. In his youth he +was a spendthrift and paid no heed to his property. He was given to +drink and idling. When he had run through all his money, his relatives +cast him out. One winter day he was walking barefoot about the city, +with an empty stomach and torn clothes. Evening came on and still he +had not found any food. Without end or aim he wandered about the +market place. He was hungry, and the cold seemed well nigh +unendurable. So he turned his eyes upward and began to lament aloud. + +Suddenly an ancient man stood before him, leaning on a staff, who +said: "What do you lack since you complain so?" + +"I am dying of hunger," replied Du Dsi Tschun, "and not a soul will +take pity on me!" + +The ancient man said: "How much money would you need in order to live +in all comfort?" + +"If I had fifty thousand pieces of copper it would answer my purpose," +replied Du Dsi Tschun. + +The ancient said: "That would not answer." + +"Well, then, a million!" + +"That is still too little!" + +"Well, then, three million!" + +The ancient man said: "That is well spoken!" He fetched a thousand +pieces of copper out of his sleeve and said: "That is for this +evening. Expect me to-morrow by noon, at the Persian Bazaar!" + +At the time set Du Dsi Tschun went there, and, sure enough, there was +the ancient, who gave him three million pieces of copper. Then he +disappeared, without giving his name. + +When Du Dsi Tschun held the money in his hand, his love for +prodigality once more awoke. He rode pampered steeds, clothed himself +in the finest furs, went back to his wine, and led such an extravagant +life that the money gradually came to an end. Instead of wearing +brocade he had to wear cotton, and instead of riding horseback he went +to the dogs. Finally he was again running about barefoot and in rags +as before, and did not know how to satisfy his hunger. Once more he +stood in the market-place and sighed. But the ancient was already +there, took him by the hand and said: "Are you back already to where +you were? That is strange! However, I will aid you once more!" + +But Du Dsi Tschun was ashamed and did not want to accept his help. Yet +the ancient insisted, and led him along to the Persian Bazaar. This +time he gave him ten million pieces of copper, and Du Dsi Tschun +thanked him with shame in his heart. + +With money in hand, he tried to give time to adding to it, and saving +in order to gain great wealth. But, as is always the case, it is hard +to overcome ingrown faults. Gradually he began to fling his money away +again, and gave free rein to all his desires. And once more his purse +grew empty. In a couple of years he was as poor as ever he had been. + +Then he met the ancient the third time, but was so ashamed of himself +that he hid his face when he passed him. + +The ancient seized his arm and said: "Where are you going? I will help +you once more. I will give you thirty million. But if then you do not +improve you are past all aid!" + +Full of gratitude, Du Dsi Tschun bowed before him and said: "In the +days of my poverty my wealthy relatives did not seek me out. You alone +have thrice aided me. The money you give me to-day shall not be +squandered, that I swear; but I will devote it to good works in order +to repay your great kindness. And when I have done this I will follow +you, if needs be through fire and through water." + +The ancient replied: "That is right! When you have ordered these +things ask for me in the temple of Laotsze beneath the two mulberry +trees!" + +Du Dsi Tschun took the money and went to Yangdschou. There he bought a +hundred acres of the best land, and built a lofty house with many +hundreds of rooms on the highway. And there he allowed widows and +orphans to live. Then he bought a burial-place for his ancestors, and +supported his needy relations. Countless people were indebted to him +for their livelihood. + +When all was finished, he went to inquire after the ancient in the +temple of Laotsze. The ancient was sitting in the shade of the +mulberry trees blowing the flute. He took Du Dsi Tschun along with him +to the cloudy peaks of the holy mountains of the West. When they had +gone some forty miles into the mountains, he saw a dwelling, fair and +clean. It was surrounded by many-colored clouds, and peacocks and +cranes were flying about it. Within the house was a herb-oven nine +feet high. The fire burned with a purple flame, and its glow leaped +along the walls. Nine fairies stood at the oven, and a green dragon +and a white tiger crouched beside it. Evening came. The ancient was no +longer clad like an ordinary man; but wore a yellow cap and wide, +flowing garments. He took three pellets of the White Stone, put them +into a flagon of wine, and gave them to Du Dsi Tschun to drink. He +spread out a tiger-skin against the western wall of the inner chamber, +and bade Du Dsi Tschun sit down on it, with his face turned toward the +East. Then he said to him: "Now beware of speaking a single word--no +matter what happens to you, whether you encounter powerful gods or +terrible demons, wild beasts or ogres, or all the tortures of the +nether world, or even if you see your own relatives suffer--for all +these things are only deceitful images! They cannot harm you. Think +only of what I have said, and let your soul be at rest!" And when he +had said this the ancient disappeared. + +Then Du Dsi Tschun saw only a large stone jug full of clear water +standing before him. Fairies, dragon and tiger had all vanished. +Suddenly he heard a tremendous crash, which made heaven and earth +tremble. A man towering more than ten feet in height appeared. He +called himself the great captain, and he and his horse were covered +with golden armor. He was surrounded by more than a hundred soldiers, +who drew their bows and swung their swords, and halted in the +courtyard. + +The giant called out harshly: "Who are you? Get out of my way!" + +Du Dsi Tschun did not move. And he returned no answer to his +questions. + +Then the giant flew into a passion and cried with a thundering voice: +"Chop off his head!" + +But Du Dsi Tschun remained unmoved, so the giant went off raging. + +Then a furious tiger and a poisonous serpent came up roaring and +hissing. They made as though to bite him and leaped over him. But Du +Dsi Tschun remained unperturbed in spirit, and after a time they +dissolved and vanished. + +Suddenly a great rain began to fall in streams. It thundered and +lightninged incessantly, so that his ears rang and his eyes were +blinded. It seemed as though the house would fall. The water rose to a +flood in a few moments' time, and streamed up to the place where he +was sitting. But Du Dsi Tschun remained motionless and paid no +attention to it. And after a time the water receded. + +Then came a great demon with the head of an ox. He set up a kettle in +the middle of the courtyard, in which bubbled boiling oil. He caught +Du Dsi Tschun by the neck with an iron fork and said: "If you will +tell me who you are I will let you go!" + +Du Dsi Tschun shut his eyes and kept silent. Then the demon picked +him up with the fork and flung him into the kettle. He withstood the +pain, and the boiling oil did not harm him. Finally the demon dragged +him out again, and drew him down the steps of the house before a man +with red hair and a blue face, who looked like the prince of the +nether world. The latter cried: "Drag in his wife!" + +After a time Du Dsi Tschun's wife was brought on in chains. Her hair +was torn and she wept bitterly. + +The demon pointed to Du Dsi Tschun and said: "If you will speak your +name we will let her go!" + +But he answered not a word. + +Then the prince of evil had the woman tormented in all sorts of ways. +And she pleaded with Du Dsi Tschun: "I have been your wife now for ten +years. Will you not speak one little word to save me? I can endure no +more!" And the tears ran in streams from her eyes. She screamed and +scolded. Yet he spoke not a word. + +Thereupon the prince of evil shouted: "Chop her into bits!" And there, +before his eyes, it seemed as though she were really being chopped to +pieces. But Du Dsi Tschun did not move. + +"The scoundrel's measure is full!" cried the prince of evil. "He shall +dwell no longer among the living! Off with his head!" And so they +killed him, and it seemed to him that his soul fled his body. The +ox-headed demon dragged him down into the nether regions, where he +tasted all the tortures in turn. But Du Dsi Tschun remembered the +words of the ancient. And the tortures, too, seemed bearable. So he +did not scream and said not a word. + +Now he was once more dragged before the prince of evil. The latter +said: "As punishment for his obstinacy this man shall come to earth +again in the shape of a woman!" + +The demon dragged him to the wheel of life and he returned to earth +in the shape of a girl. He was often ill, had to take medicine +continually, and was pricked and burned with hot needles. Yet he never +uttered a sound. Gradually he grew into a beautiful maiden. But since +he never spoke, he was known as the dumb maid. A scholar finally took +him for his bride, and they lived in peace and good fellowship. And a +son came to them who, in the course of two years was already beyond +measure wise and intelligent. One day the father was carrying the son +on his arm. He spoke jestingly to his wife and said: "When I look at +you it seems to me that you are not really dumb. Won't you say one +little word to me? How delightful it would be if you were to become my +speaking rose!" + +The woman remained silent. No matter how he might coax and try to make +her smile, she would return no answer. + +Then his features changed: "If you will not speak to me, it is a sign +that you scorn me; and in that case your son is nothing to me, +either!" And with that he seized the boy and flung him against the +wall. + +But since Du Dsi Tschun loved this little boy so dearly, he forgot the +ancient's warning, and cried out: "Oh, oh!" + +And before the cry had died away Du Dsi Tschun awoke as though from a +dream and found himself seated in his former place. The ancient was +there as well. It must have been about the fifth hour of the night. +Purple flames rose wildly from the oven, and flared up to the sky. The +whole house caught fire and burned like a torch. + +"You have deceived me!" cried the ancient. Then he seized him by the +hair and thrust him into the jug of water. And in a minute the fire +went out. The ancient spoke: "You overcame joy and rage, grief and +fear, hate and desire, it is true; but love you had not driven from +your soul. Had you not cried out when the child was flung against the +wall, then my elixir would have taken shape and you would have +attained immortality. But in the last moment you failed me. Now it is +too late. Now I can begin brewing my elixir of life once more from the +beginning and you will remain a mere mortal man!" + +Du Dsi Tschun saw that the oven had burst, and that instead of the +philosopher's stone it held only a lump of iron. The ancient man cast +aside his garments and chopped it up with a magic knife. Du Dsi Tschun +took leave of him and returned to Yangdschou, where he lived in great +affluence. In his old age he regretted that he had not completed his +task. He once more went to the mountain to look for the ancient. But +the ancient had vanished without leaving a trace. + + Note: The "pieces of copper" are the ancient Chinese + copper coins, with a hole in the middle, usually hung on + strings to the number of 500 or 1000. Money had a + greater purchasing value in ancient China, however, than + in the China of to-day. The "Persian Bazaar": During the + reign of the Tang dynasty China maintained an active + intercourse with the West, traces of which are at + present being investigated in Central Asia. At that time + Persian bazaars were no novelty in the city of Si-An-Fu, + then the capital. "Herb-oven": a tripod kettle used for + brewing the elixir of life, with which the fairies, + dragon and tiger (both the last-mentioned + star-incarnations) are connected. In order to prepare + the elixir the master must have absolute endurance. It + is for this reason that he had placed Du Dsi Tschun in + his debt by means of kindness. The yellow cap which the + master wears is connected with the teachings of the + Yellow Ancient (comp. w. No. 15). The "prince of the + nether world," Yan Wang, or Yan Lo Wang, is the Indian + god Yama. There are in all ten princes of the nether + world, of whom the fifth is the highest and most feared. + "Obstinacy," literally; his real offense is reticence, + or the keeping secret of a thing. This quality belongs + to the Yin, the dark or feminine principle, and + determines Du Dsi Tschun's reappearance on earth as a + woman. "Purple flames rose wildly from the oven": Though + Du Dsi Tschun had overcome his other emotions, so that + fear and terror did not affect him, love, and love in + its highest form, mother-love, still remained in him. + This love created the flames which threatened to destroy + the building. The highest point in Taoism--as in + Buddhism--is, however, the absolute negation of all + feeling. + + + + +NATURE AND ANIMAL TALES + + + + +XXXIX + +THE FLOWER-ELVES + + +Once upon a time there was a scholar who lived retired from the world +in order to gain hidden wisdom. He lived alone and in a secret place. +And all about the little house in which he dwelt he had planted every +kind of flower, and bamboos and other trees. There it lay, quite +concealed in its thick grove of flowers. With him he had only a boy +servant, who dwelt in a separate hut, and who carried out his orders. +He was not allowed to appear before his master unless summoned. The +scholar loved his flowers as he did himself. Never did he set his foot +beyond the boundaries of his garden. + +It chanced that once there came a lovely spring evening. Flowers and +trees stood in full bloom, a fresh breeze was blowing, the moon shone +clearly. And the scholar sat over his goblet and was grateful for the +gift of life. + +Suddenly he saw a maiden in dark garments come tripping up in the +moonlight. She made a deep courtesy, greeted him and said: "I am your +neighbor. We are a company of young maids who are on our way to visit +the eighteen aunts. We should like to rest in this court for awhile, +and therefore ask your permission to do so." + +The scholar saw that this was something quite out of the common, and +gladly gave his consent. The maiden thanked him and went away. + +In a short time she brought back a whole crowd of maids carrying +flowers and willow branches. All greeted the scholar. They were +charming, with delicate features, and slender, graceful figures. When +they moved their sleeves, a delightful fragrance was exhaled. There is +no fragrance known to the human world which could be compared with it. + +The scholar invited them to sit down for a time in his room. Then he +asked them: "Whom have I really the honor of entertaining? Have you +come from the castle of the Lady in the Moon, or the Jade Spring of +the Queen-Mother of the West?" + +"How could we claim such high descent?" said a maiden in a green gown, +with a smile. "My name is Salix." Then she presented another, clad in +white, and said: "This is Mistress Prunophora"; then one in rose, "and +this is Persica"; and finally one in a dark-red gown, "and this is +Punica. We are all sisters and we want to visit the eighteen +zephyr-aunts to-day. The moon shines so beautifully this evening and +it is so charming here in the garden. We are most grateful to you for +taking pity on us." + +"Yes, yes," said the scholar. + +Then the sober-clad servant suddenly announced: "The zephyr-aunts have +already arrived!" + +At once the girls rose and went to the door to meet them. + +"We were just about to visit you, aunts," they said, smiling. "This +gentleman here had just invited us to sit for a moment. What a +pleasant coincidence that you aunts have come here, too. This is such +a lovely night that we must drink a goblet of nectar in honor of you +aunts!" + +Thereon they ordered the servant to bring what was needed. + +"May one sit down here?" asked the aunts. + +"The master of the house is most kind," replied the maids, "and the +spot is quiet and hidden." + +And then they presented the aunts to the scholar. He spoke a few +kindly words to the eighteen aunts. They had a somewhat irresponsible +and airy manner. Their words fairly gushed out, and in their +neighborhood one felt a frosty chill. + +Meanwhile the servant had already brought in table and chairs. The +eighteen aunts sat at the upper end of the board, the maids followed, +and the scholar sat down with them at the lowest place. Soon the +entire table was covered with the most delicious foods and most +magnificent fruits, and the goblets were filled with a fragrant +nectar. They were delights such as the world of men does not know! The +moon shone brightly and the flowers exhaled intoxicating odors. After +they had partaken of food and drink the maids rose, danced and sung. +Sweetly the sound of their singing echoed through the falling gloam, +and their dance was like that of butterflies fluttering about the +flowers. The scholar was so overpowered with delight that he no longer +knew whether he were in heaven or on earth. + +When the dance had ended, the girls sat down again at the table, and +drank the health of the aunts in flowing nectar. The scholar, too, was +remembered with a toast, to which he replied with well-turned phrases. + +But the eighteen aunts were somewhat irresponsible in their ways. One +of them, raising her goblet, by accident poured some nectar on +Punica's dress. Punica, who was young and fiery, and very neat, stood +up angrily when she saw the spot on her red dress. + +"You are really very careless," said she, in her anger. "My other +sisters may be afraid of you, but I am not!" + +Then the aunts grew angry as well and said: "How dare this young chit +insult us in such a manner!" + +And with that they gathered up their garments and rose. + +All the maids then crowded about them and said: "Punica is so young +and inexperienced! You must not bear her any ill-will! To-morrow she +shall go to you switch in hand, and receive her punishment!" + +But the eighteen aunts would not listen to them and went off. +Thereupon the maids also said farewell, scattered among the +flower-beds and disappeared. The scholar sat for a long time lost in +dreamy yearning. + +On the following evening the maids all came back again. + +"We all live in your garden," they told him. "Every year we are +tormented by naughty winds, and therefore we have always asked the +eighteen aunts to protect us. But yesterday Punica insulted them, and +now we fear they will help us no more. But we know that you have +always been well disposed toward us, for which we are heartily +grateful. And now we have a great favor to ask, that every New Year's +day you make a small scarlet flag, paint the sun, moon and five +planets on it, and set it up in the eastern part of the garden. Then +we sisters will be left in peace and will be protected from all evil. +But since New Year's day has passed for this year, we beg that you +will set up the flag on the twenty-first of this month. For the East +Wind is coming and the flag will protect us against him!" + +The scholar readily promised to do as they wished, and the maids all +said with a single voice: "We thank you for your great kindness and +will repay it!" Then they departed and a sweet fragrance filled the +entire garden. + +The scholar, however, made a red flag as described, and when early in +the morning of the day in question the East Wind really did begin to +blow, he quickly set it up in the garden. + +Suddenly a wild storm broke out, one that caused the forests to bend, +and broke the trees. The flowers in the garden alone did not move. + +Then the scholar noticed that Salix was the willow; Prunophora the +plum; Persica the peach, and the saucy Punica the Pomegranate, whose +powerful blossoms the wind cannot tear. The eighteen zephyr-aunts, +however, were the spirits of the winds. + +In the evening the flower-elves all came and brought the scholar +radiant flowers as a gift of thanks. + +"You have saved us," they said, "and we have nothing else we can give +you. If you eat these flowers you will live long and avoid old age. +And if you, in turn, will protect us every year, then we sisters, too, +will live long." + +The scholar did as they told him and ate the flowers. And his figure +changed and he grew young again like a youth of twenty. And in the +course of time he attained the hidden wisdom and was placed among the +Immortals. + + Note. Salix: the names of the "Flower Elves" are given + in the Chinese as family names, whose sound suggests the + flower-names without exactly using them. In the + translation the play on words is indicated by the Latin + names. "Zephyr-aunts": In Chinese the name given the + aunt is "Fong," which in another stylization means + "wind." + + + + +XL + +THE SPIRIT OF THE WU-LIAN MOUNTAIN + + +To the west of the gulf of Kiautschou is the Wu-Lian Mountain, where +there are many spirits. Once upon a time a scholar who lived there was +sitting up late at night, reading. And, as he stepped out before the +house, a storm rose up suddenly, and a monster stretched out his claws +and seized him by the hair. And he lifted him up in the air and +carried him away. They passed by the tower which looks out to sea, a +Buddhist temple in the hills. And in the distance, in the clouds, the +scholar saw the figure of a god in golden armor. The figure looked +exactly like the image of Weto which was in the tower. In its right +hand it held an iron mace, while its left pointed toward the monster, +and it looked at it with anger. Then the monster let the scholar fall, +right on top of the tower, and disappeared. No doubt the saint in the +tower had come to the scholar's aid, because his whole family +worshiped Buddha dutifully. + +When the sun rose the priest came and saw the scholar on his tower. He +piled up hay and straw on the ground; so that he could jump down +without hurting himself. Then he took the scholar home, yet there +where the monster had seized his hair, the hair remained stiff and +unyielding. It did not improve until half a year had gone by. + + Note: This legend comes from Dschungschong, west of the + gulf of Kiautschou. "The tower which looks out to sea," + a celebrated tower which gives a view of the ocean. At + present the people give this name to the Tsingtau Signal + Station. Weto (Sanscrit, Veda), a legendary Boddhisatva, + leader of the hosts of the four kings of heaven. His + picture, with drawn sword, may be found at the entrance + of every Buddhist temple. In China, he is often + represented with a mace (symbolizing a thunderbolt) + instead of a sword. When this is the case he has + probably been confused with Vaisramana. + + + + +XLI + +THE KING OF THE ANTS + + +Once upon a time there was a scholar, who wandered away from his home +and went to Emmet village. There stood a house which was said to be +haunted. Yet it was beautifully situated and surrounded by a lovely +garden. So the scholar hired it. One evening he was sitting over his +books, when several hundred knights suddenly came galloping into the +room. They were quite tiny, and their horses were about the size of +flies. They had hunting falcons and dogs about as large as gnats and +fleas. + +They came to his bed in the corner of the room, and there they held a +great hunt, with bows and arrows: one could see it all quite plainly. +They caught a tremendous quantity of birds and game, and all this game +was no larger than little grains of rice. + +When the hunt was over, in came a long procession with banners and +standards. They wore swords at their side and bore spears in their +hands, and came to a halt in the north-west corner of the room. They +were followed by several hundred serving-men. These brought with them +curtains and covers, tents and tent-poles, pots and kettles, cups and +plates, tables and chairs. And after them some hundreds of other +servants carried in all sorts of fine dishes, the best that land and +water had to offer. And several hundred more ran to and fro without +stopping, in order to guard the roads and carry messages. + +The scholar gradually accustomed himself to the sight. Although the +men were so very small he could distinguish everything quite clearly. + +Before long, a bright colored banner appeared. Behind it rode a +personage wearing a scarlet hat and garments of purple. He was +surrounded by an escort of several thousands. Before him went runners +with whips and rods to clear the way. + +Then a man wearing an iron helmet and with a golden ax in his hand +cried out in a loud voice: "His Highness is graciously pleased to look +at the fish in the Purple Lake!" Whereupon the one who wore the +scarlet hat got down from his horse, and, followed by a retinue of +several hundred men, approached the saucer which the scholar used for +his writing-ink. Tents were put up on the edge of the saucer and a +banquet was prepared. A great number of guests sat down to the table. +Musicians and dancers stood ready. There was a bright confusion of +mingled garments of purple and scarlet, crimson and green. Pipes and +flutes, fiddles and cymbals sounded, and the dancers moved in the +dance. The music was very faint, and yet its melodies could be clearly +distinguished. All that was said, too, the table-talk and orders, +questions and calls, could be quite distinctly heard. + +After three courses, he who wore the scarlet hat said: "Quick! Make +ready the nets and lines for fishing!" + +And at once nets were thrown out into the saucer which held the water +in which the scholar dipped his brush. And they caught hundreds of +thousands of fishes. The one with the scarlet hat contented himself +with casting a line in the shallow waters of the saucer, and caught a +baker's dozen of red carp. + +Then he ordered the head cook to cook the fish, and the most varied +dishes were prepared with them. The odor of roasting fat and spices +filled the whole room. + +And then the wearer of the scarlet hat in his arrogance, decided to +amuse himself at the scholar's expense. So he pointed to him and said: +"I know nothing at all about the writings and customs of the saints +and wise men, and still I am a king who is highly honored! Yonder +scholar spends his whole life toiling over his books and yet he +remains poor and gets nowhere. If he could make up his mind to serve +me faithfully as one of my officials, I might allow him to partake of +our meal." + +This angered the scholar, and he took his book and struck at them. And +they all scattered, wriggling and crawling out of the door. He +followed them and dug up the earth in the place where they had +disappeared. And there he found an ants' nest as large as a barrel, in +which countless green ants were wriggling around. So he built a large +fire and smoked them out. + + Note: This charming tale is taken from the Tang Dai + Tsung Schu. + + + + +XLII + +THE LITTLE HUNTING DOG + + +Once upon a time, in the city of Shansi, there lived a scholar who +found the company of others too noisy for him. So he made his home in +a Buddhist temple. Yet he suffered because there were always so many +gnats and fleas in his room that he could not sleep at night. + +Once he was resting on his bed after dinner, when suddenly two little +knights with plumes in their helmets rode into the room. They might +have been two inches high, and rode horses about the size of +grasshoppers. On their gauntleted hands they held hunting falcons as +large as flies. They rode about the room with great rapidity. The +scholar had no more than set eyes on them when a third entered, clad +like the others, but carrying a bow and arrows and leading a little +hunting dog the size of an ant with him. After him came a great throng +of footmen and horsemen, several hundred in all. And they had hunting +falcons and hunting dogs by the hundred, too. Then the fleas and gnats +began to rise in the air; but were all slain by the falcons. And the +hunting dogs climbed on the bed, and sniffed along the walls trailing +the fleas, and ate them up. They followed the trace of whatever hid in +the cracks, and nosed it out, so that in a short space of time they +had killed nearly all the vermin. + +The scholar pretended to be asleep and watched them. And the falcons +settled down on him, and the dogs crawled along his body. Shortly +after came a man clad in yellow, wearing a king's crown, who climbed +on an empty couch and seated himself there. And at once all the +horsemen rode up, descended from their horses and brought him all the +birds and game. They then gathered beside him in a great throng, and +conversed with him in a strange tongue. + +Not long after the king got into a small chariot and his bodyguards +saddled their horses with the greatest rapidity. Then they galloped +out with great cries of homage, till it looked as though some one were +scattering beans and a heavy cloud of dust rose behind them. + +They had nearly all of them disappeared, while the scholar's eyes +were still fixed on them full of terror and astonishment, and he could +not imagine whence they had come. He slipped on his shoes and looked; +but they had vanished without a trace. Then he returned and looked all +about his room; but there was nothing to be seen. Only, on a brick +against the wall, they had forgotten a little hunting dog. The scholar +quickly caught it and found it quite tame. He put it in his paint-box +and examined it closely. It had a very smooth, fine coat, and wore a +little collar around its neck. He tried to feed it a few bread-crumbs, +but the little dog only sniffed at them and let them lie. Then it +leaped into the bed and hunted up some nits and gnats in the folds of +the linen, which it devoured. Then it returned and lay down. When the +night had passed the scholar feared it might have run away; but there +it lay, curled up as before. Whenever the scholar went to bed, the dog +climbed into it and bit to death any vermin it could find. Not a fly +or gnat dared alight while it was around. The scholar loved it like a +jewel of price. + +But once he took a nap in the daytime, and the little dog crawled into +bed beside him. The scholar woke and turned around, supporting himself +on his side. As he did so he felt something, and feared it might be +his little dog. He quickly rose and looked, but it was already +dead--pressed flat, as though cut out of paper! + +But at any rate none of the vermin had survived it. + + Note: This tale is taken from the Liau Dschai ("Strange + Stories") of P'u Sung Lang (b. 1622). It is a parallel + of the preceding one and shows how the same material + returns in a different working-out. + + + + +XLIII + +THE DRAGON AFTER HIS WINTER SLEEP + + +Once there was a scholar who was reading in the upper story of his +house. It was a rainy, cloudy day and the weather was gloomy. Suddenly +he saw a little thing which shone like a fire-fly. It crawled upon the +table, and wherever it went it left traces of burns, curved like the +tracks of a rainworm. Gradually it wound itself about the scholar's +book and the book, too, grew black. Then it occurred to him that it +might be a dragon. So he carried it out of doors on the book. There he +stood for quite some time; but it sat uncurled, without moving in the +least. + +Then the scholar said: "It shall not be said of me that I was lacking +in respect." With these words he carried back the book and once more +laid it on the table. Then he put on his robes of ceremony, made a +deep bow and escorted the dragon out on it again. + +No sooner had he left the door, than he noticed that the dragon raised +his head and stretched himself. Then he flew up from the book with a +hissing sound, like a radiant streak. Once more he turned around +toward the scholar, and his head had already grown to the size of a +barrel, while his body must have been a full fathom in length. He gave +one more snaky twist, and then there was a terrible crash of thunder +and the dragon went sailing through the air. + +The scholar then returned and looked to see which way the little +creature had come. And he could follow his tracks hither and thither, +to his chest of books. + + Note: This tale is also from the "Strange Stories." The + dragon, head of all scaled creatures and insects, + hibernates during the winter according to the Chinese + belief. At the time he is quite small. When the first + spring storm comes he flies up to the clouds on the + lightning. Here the dragon's nature as an atmospheric + apparition is expressed. + + + + +XLIV + +THE SPIRITS OF THE YELLOW RIVER + + +The spirits of the Yellow River are called Dai Wang--Great King. For +many hundreds of years past the river inspectors had continued to +report that all sorts of monsters show themselves in the waves of the +stream, at times in the shape of dragons, at others in that of cattle +and horses, and whenever such a creature makes an appearance a great +flood follows. Hence temples are built along the river banks. The +higher spirits of the river are honored as kings, the lower ones as +captains, and hardly a day goes by without their being honored with +sacrifices or theatrical performances. Whenever, after a dam has been +broken, the leak is closed again, the emperor sends officials with +sacrifices and ten great bars of Tibetan incense. This incense is +burned in a great sacrificial censer in the temple court, and the +river inspectors and their subordinates all go to the temple to thank +the gods for their aid. These river gods, it is said, are good and +faithful servants of former rulers, who died in consequence of their +toil in keeping the dams unbroken. After they died their spirits +became river-kings; in their physical bodies, however, they appear as +lizards, snakes and frogs. + +The mightiest of all the river-kings is the Golden Dragon-King. He +frequently appears in the shape of a small golden snake with a square +head, low forehead and four red dots over his eyes. He can make +himself large or small at will, and cause the waters to rise and fall. +He appears and vanishes unexpectedly, and lives in the mouths of the +Yellow River and the Imperial Canal. But in addition to the Golden +Dragon-King there are dozens of river-kings and captains, each of whom +has his own place. The sailors of the Yellow River all have exact +lists in which the lives and deeds of the river-spirits are described +in detail. + +The river-spirits love to see theatrical performances. Opposite every +temple is a stage. In the hall stands the little spirit-tablet of the +river-king, and on the altar in front of it a small bowl of golden +lacquer filled with clean sand. When a little snake appears in it, the +river-king has arrived. Then the priests strike the gong and beat the +drum and read from the holy books. The official is at once informed +and he sends for a company of actors. Before they begin to perform the +actors go up to the temple, kneel, and beg the king to let them know +which play they are to give. And the river-god picks one out and +points to it with his head; or else he writes signs in the sand with +his tail. The actors then at once begin to perform the desired play. + +The river-god cares naught for the fortunes or misfortunes of human +beings. He appears suddenly and disappears in the same way, as best +suits him. + +Between the outer and the inner dam of the Yellow River are a number +of settlements. Now it often happens that the yellow water moves to +the very edge of the inner walls. Rising perpendicularly, like a wall, +it gradually advances. When people see it coming they hastily burn +incense, bow in prayer before the waters, and promise the river-god a +theatrical performance. Then the water retires and the word goes +round: "The river-god has asked for a play again!" + +In a village in that section there once dwelt a wealthy man. He built +a stone wall, twenty feet high, around the village, to keep away the +water. He did not believe in the spirits of the river, but trusted in +his strong wall and was quite unconcerned. + +One evening the yellow water suddenly rose and towered in a straight +line before the village. The rich man had them shoot cannon at it. +Then the water grew stormy, and surrounded the wall to such a height +that it reached the openings in the battlements. The water foamed and +hissed, and seemed about to pour over the wall. Then every one in the +village was very much frightened. They dragged up the rich man and he +had to kneel and beg for pardon. They promised the river-god a +theatrical performance, but in vain; but when they promised to build +him a temple in the middle of the village and give regular +performances, the water sank more and more and gradually returned to +its bed. And the village fields suffered no damage, for the earth, +fertilized by the yellow slime, yielded a double crop. + +Once a scholar was crossing the fields with a friend in order to visit +a relative. On their way they passed a temple of the river-god where a +new play was just being performed. The friend asked the scholar to go +in with him and look on. When they entered the temple court they saw +two great snakes upon the front pillars, who had wound themselves +about the columns, and were thrusting out their heads as though +watching the performance. In the hall of the temple stood the altar +with the bowl of sand. In it lay a small snake with a golden body, a +green head and red dots above his eyes. His neck was thrust up and his +glittering little eyes never left the stage. The friend bowed and the +scholar followed his example. + +Softly he said to his friend: "What are the three river-gods called?" + +"The one in the temple," was the reply, "is the Golden Dragon-King. +The two on the columns are two captains. They do not dare to sit in +the temple together with the king." + +This surprised the scholar, and in his heart he thought: "Such a tiny +snake! How can it possess a god's power? It would have to show me its +might before I would worship it." + +He had not yet expressed these secret thoughts before the little snake +suddenly stretched forth his head from the bowl, above the altar. +Before the altar burned two enormous candles. They weighed more than +ten pounds and were as thick as small trees. Their flame burned like +the flare of a torch. The snake now thrust his head into the middle of +the candle-flame. The flame must have been at least an inch broad, and +was burning red. Suddenly its radiance turned blue, and was split into +two tongues. The candle was so enormous and its fire so hot that even +copper and iron would have melted in it; but it did not harm the +snake. + +Then the snake crawled into the censer. The censer was made of iron, +and was so large one could not clasp it with both arms. Its cover +showed a dragon design in open-work. The snake crawled in and out of +the holes in this cover, and wound his way through all of them, so +that he looked like an embroidery in threads of gold. Finally all the +openings of the cover, large and small, were filled by the snake. In +order to do so, he must have made himself several dozen feet long. +Then he stretched out his head at the top of the censer and once more +watched the play. + +Thereupon the scholar was frightened, he bowed twice, and prayed: +"Great King, you have taken this trouble on my account! I honor you +from my heart!" + +No sooner had he spoken these words than, in a moment, the little +snake was back in his bowl, and just as small as he had been before. + +In Dsiningdschou they were celebrating the river god's birthday in his +temple. They were giving him a theatrical performance for a birthday +present. The spectators crowded around as thick as a wall, when who +should pass but a simple peasant from the country, who said in a loud +voice: "Why, that is nothing but a tiny worm! It is a great piece of +folly to honor it like a king!" + +Before ever he had finished speaking the snake flew out of the temple. +He grew and grew, and wound himself three times around the stage. He +became as thick around as a small pail, and his head seemed like that +of a dragon. His eyes sparkled like golden lamps, and he spat out red +flame with his tongue. When he coiled and uncoiled the whole stage +trembled and it seemed as though it would break down. The actors +stopped their music and fell down on the stage in prayer. The whole +multitude was seized with terror and bowed to the ground. Then some of +the old men came along, cast the peasant on the ground, and gave him a +good thrashing. So he had to cast himself on his knees before the +snake and worship him. Then all heard a noise as though a great many +firecrackers were being shot off. This lasted for some time, and then +the snake disappeared. + +East of Shantung lies the city of Dongschou. There rises an +observation-tower with a great temple. At its feet lies the +water-city, with a sea-gate at the North, through which the flood-tide +rises up to the city. A camp of the boundary guard is established at +this gate. + +Once upon a time there was an officer who had been transferred to +this camp as captain. He had formerly belonged to the land forces, and +had not yet been long at his new post. He gave some friends of his a +banquet, and before the pavilion in which they feasted lay a great +stone shaped somewhat like a table. Suddenly a little snake was seen +crawling on this stone. It was spotted with green, and had red dots on +its square head. The soldiers were about to kill the little creature, +when the captain went out to look into the matter. When he had looked +he laughed and said: "You must not harm him! He is the river-king of +Dsiningdschou. When I was stationed in Dsiningdschou he sometimes +visited me, and then I always gave sacrifices and performances in his +honor. Now he has come here expressly in order to wish his old friend +luck, and to see him once more." + +There was a band in camp; the bandsmen could dance and play like a +real theatrical troupe. The captain quickly had them begin a +performance, had another banquet with wine and delicate foods +prepared, and invited the river-god to sit down to the table. + +Gradually evening came and yet the river-god made no move to go. + +So the captain stepped up to him with a bow and said: "Here we are far +removed from the Yellow River, and these people have never yet heard +your name spoken. Your visit has been a great honor for me. But the +women and fools who have crowded together chattering outside, are +afraid of hearing about you. Now you have visited your old friend, and +I am sure you wish to get back home again." + +With these words he had a litter brought up; cymbals were beaten and +fire-works set off, and finally a salute of nine guns was fired to +escort him on his way. Then the little snake crawled into the litter, +and the captain followed after. In this order they reached the port, +and just when it was about time to say farewell, the snake was already +swimming in the water. He had grown much larger, nodded to the captain +with his head, and disappeared. + +Then there were doubts and questionings: "But the river-god lives a +thousand miles away from here, how does he get to this place?" + +Said the captain: "He is so powerful that he can get to any place, and +besides, from where he dwells a waterway leads to the sea. To come +down that way and swim to sea is something he can do in a moment's +time!" + + Note: "The Spirits of the Yellow River." The place of + the old river-god Ho Be (Count of the Stream), also + mentioned in No. 63, has to-day been taken by the Dai + Wang in the popular belief. These spirits are thought to + have placed many hindrances in the way of the erection + of the railroad bridge across the Yellow River. The + "spirit-tablet": images of the gods were first + introduced in China by the Buddhists. The old custom, + which Confucianism and ancestor-worship still follow, + holds that the seat of the gods is a small wooden tablet + on which the name of the god to be honored is written. + Theatrical performances as religious services are as + general in China as they were in ancient Greece. + Dsiningdschou is a district capital on the Imperial + Canal, near the Yellow River. + + + + +XLV + +THE DRAGON-PRINCESS + + +In the Sea of Dungting there is a hill, and in that hill there is a +hole, and this hole is so deep that it has no bottom. + +Once a fisherman was passing there who slipped and fell into the hole. +He came to a country full of winding ways which led over hill and dale +for several miles. Finally he reached a dragon-castle lying in a great +plain. There grew a green slime which reached to his knees. He went +to the gate of the castle. It was guarded by a dragon who spouted +water which dispersed in a fine mist. Within the gate lay a small +hornless dragon who raised his head, showed his claws, and would not +let him in. + +The fisherman spent several days in the cave, satisfying his hunger +with the green slime, which he found edible and which tasted like +rice-mush. At last he found a way out again. He told the district +mandarin what had happened to him, and the latter reported the matter +to the emperor. The emperor sent for a wise man and questioned him +concerning it. + +The wise man said: "There are four paths in this cave. One path leads +to the south-west shore of the Sea of Dungting, the second path leads +to a valley in the land of the four rivers, the third path ends in a +cave on the mountain of Lo-Fu and the fourth in an island of the +Eastern Sea. In this cave dwells the seventh daughter of the +Dragon-King of the Eastern Sea, who guards his pearls and his +treasure. It happened once in the ancient days, that a fisherboy dived +into the water and brought up a pearl from beneath the chin of a black +dragon. The dragon was asleep, which was the reason the fisherboy +brought the pearl to the surface without being harmed. The treasure +which the daughter of the Dragon-King has in charge is made up of +thousands and millions of such jewels. Several thousands of small +dragons watch over them in her service. Dragons have the peculiarity +of fighting shy of wax. But they are fond of beautiful jade-stones, +and of kung-tsing, the hollowgreen wood, and like to eat swallows. If +one were to send a messenger with a letter, it would be possible to +obtain precious pearls." + + [Illustration: "A FISHERBOY DIVED INTO THE WATER AND BROUGHT UP A + PEARL FROM BENEATH THE CHIN OF A BLACK DRAGON." + --_Page 138_] + +The emperor was greatly pleased, and announced a large reward for +the man who was competent to go to the dragon-castle as his messenger. + +The first man to come forward was named So Pi-Lo. But the wise man +said: "A great-great-great-great-grandfather of yours once slew more +than a hundred of the dragons of the Eastern Sea, and was finally +himself slain by the dragons. The dragons are the enemies of your +family and you cannot go." + +Then came a man from Canton, Lo-Dsi-Tschun, with his two brothers, who +said that his ancestors had been related to the Dragon-King. Hence +they were well liked by the dragons and well known to them. They +begged to be entrusted with the message. + +The wise man asked: "And have you still in your possession the stone +which compels the dragons to do your will?" + +"Yes," said they, "we have brought it along with us." + +The wise man had them show him the stone; then he spoke: "This stone +is only obeyed by the dragons who make clouds and send down the rain. +It will not do for the dragons who guard the pearls of the sea-king." +Then he questioned them further: "Have you the dragon-brain vapor?" + +When they admitted that they had not, the wise man said: "How then +will you compel the dragons to yield their treasure?" + +And the emperor said: "What shall we do?" + +The wise man replied: "On the Western Ocean sail foreign merchants who +deal in dragon-brain vapor. Some one must go to them and seek it from +them. I also know a holy man who is an adept in the art of taming +dragons, and who has prepared ten pounds of the dragon-stone. Some one +should be sent for that as well." + +The emperor sent out his messengers. They met one of the holy man's +disciples and obtained two fragments of dragon-stone from him. + +Said the wise man: "That is what we want!" + +Several more months went by, and at last a pill of dragon-brain vapor +had also been secured. The emperor felt much pleased and had his +jewelers carve two little boxes of the finest jade. These were +polished with the ashes of the Wutung-tree. And he had an essence +prepared of the very best hollowgreen wood, pasted with sea-fish lime, +and hardened in the fire. Of this two vases were made. Then the bodies +and the clothing of the messengers were rubbed with tree-wax, and they +were given five hundred roasted swallows to take along with them. + +They went into the cave. When they reached the dragon-castle, the +little dragon who guarded the gate smelled the tree-wax, so he +crouched down and did them no harm. They gave him a hundred roasted +swallows as a bribe to announce them to the daughter of the +Dragon-King. They were admitted to her presence and offered her the +jade caskets, the vases and the four hundred roasted swallows as +gifts. The dragon's daughter received them graciously, and they +unfolded the emperor's letter. + +In the castle there was a dragon who was over a thousand years old. He +could turn himself into a human being, and could interpret the +language of human beings. Through him the dragon's daughter learned +that the emperor was sending her the gifts, and she returned them with +a gift of three great pearls, seven smaller pearls and a whole bushel +of ordinary pearls. The messengers took leave, rode off with their +pearls on a dragon's back, and in a moment they had reached the banks +of the Yangtze-kiang. They made their way to Nanking, the imperial +capital, and there handed over their treasure of gems. + +The emperor was much pleased and showed them to the wise man. He said: +"Of the three great pearls one is a divine wishing-pearl of the third +class, and two are black dragon-pearls of medium quality. Of the seven +smaller pearls two are serpent-pearls, and five are mussel-pearls. The +remaining pearls are in part sea-crane pearls, in part snail and +oyster-pearls. They do not approach the great pearls in value, and yet +few will be found to equal them on earth." + +The emperor also showed them to all his servants. They, however, +thought the wise man's words all talk, and did not believe what he +said. + +Then the wise man said: "The radiance of wishing-pearls of the first +class is visible for forty miles, that of the second class for twenty +miles, and that of the third for ten miles. As far as their radiance +carries, neither wind nor rain, thunder nor lightning, water, fire nor +weapons may reach. The pearls of the black dragon are nine-colored and +glow by night. Within the circle of their light the poison of serpents +and worms is powerless. The serpent-pearls are seven-colored, the +mussel-pearls five-colored. Both shine by night. Those most free from +spots are the best. They grow within the mussel, and increase and +decrease in size as the moon waxes and wanes." + +Some one asked how the serpent and sea-crane pearls could be told +apart, and the wise man answered: "The animals themselves recognize +them." + +Then the emperor selected a serpent-pearl and a sea-crane pearl, put +them together with a whole bushel of ordinary pearls, and poured the +lot out in the courtyard. Then a large yellow serpent and a black +crane were fetched and placed among the pearls. At once the crane +took up a sea-crane pearl in his bill and began to dance and sing and +flutter around. But the serpent snatched at the serpent-pearl, and +wound himself about it in many coils. And when the people saw this +they acknowledged the truth of the wise man's words. As regards the +radiance of the larger and smaller pearls it turned out, too, just as +the wise man had said. + +In the dragon-castle the messengers had enjoyed dainty fare, which +tasted like flowers, herbs, ointment and sugar. They had brought a +remnant of it with them to the capital; yet exposed to the air it had +become as hard as stone. The emperor commanded that these fragments be +preserved in the treasury. Then he bestowed high rank and titles on +the three brothers, and made each one of them a present of a thousand +rolls of fine silk stuff. He also had investigated why it was that the +fisherman, when he chanced upon the cave, had not been destroyed by +the dragons. And it turned out that his fishing clothes had been +soaked in oil and tree-wax. The dragons had dreaded the odor. + + Note: As regards the Dragon-King of the Eastern Sea, see + Nos. 18 and 74. The pearl under the dragon's chin comes + from Dschuang Dsi. With regard to So Pi-Lo and + Lo-Dsi-Tschun, see No. 46. + + + + +XLVI + +HELP IN NEED + + +Some twenty miles east of Gingdschou lies the Lake of the Maidens. It +is several miles square and surrounded on all sides by thick green +thickets and tall forests. Its waters are clear and dark-blue. Often +all kinds of wondrous creatures show themselves in the lake. The +people of the vicinity have erected a temple there for the Dragon +Princess. And in times of drought all make pilgrimage there to offer +up prayers. + +West of Gingdschou, two hundred miles away, is another lake, whose god +is named Tschauna, and who performs many miracles. During the time of +the Tang dynasty there lived in Gingdschou a mandarin by name of +Dschou Bau. While he was in office it chanced that in the fifth month +clouds suddenly arose in the sky, piling themselves up like mountains, +among which wriggled dragons and serpents; they rolled up and down +between the two seas. Tempest and rain, thunder and lightning arose so +that houses fell to pieces, trees were torn up by the roots, and much +damage was done the crops. Dschou Bau took the blame upon himself, and +prayed to the heavens that his people might be pardoned. + +On the fifth day of the sixth month he sat in his hall of audience and +gave judgment; and suddenly he felt quite weary and sleepy. He took +off his hat and laid down on the cushions. No sooner had he closed his +eyes than he saw a warrior in helmet and armor, with a halberd in his +hand, standing on the steps leading to the hall, who announced: "A +lady is waiting outside who wishes to enter!" Dschou Bau asked him: +"Who are you?" The answer was: "I am your door-keeper. In the +invisible world I already have been performing this duty for many +years." Meanwhile two figures clad in green came up the steps, knelt +before him and said: "Our mistress has come to visit you!" Dschou Bau +rose. He beheld lovely clouds, from which fell a fine rain, and +strange fragrances enchanted him. Suddenly he saw a lady clad in a +simple gown, but of surpassing beauty, float down from on high, with a +retinue of many female servants. These were all neat and clean in +appearance, and waited upon the lady as though she were a princess. +When the latter entered the hall she raised her arms in greeting. +Dschou Bau came forward to meet her and invited her to be seated. From +all sides bright-colored clouds came floating in, and the courtyard +was filled with a purple ether. Dschou Bau had wine and food brought +and entertained them all in the most splendid way. But the goddess sat +staring straight before her with wrinkled brows, and seemed to feel +very sad. Then she rose and said with a blush: "I have been living in +this neighborhood for many years. A wrong which has been done me, +permits me to pass the bounds of what is fitting, and encourages me to +ask a favor of you. Yet I do not know whether you wish to save me!" + +"May I hear what it is all about," answered Dschou Bau. "If I can help +you, I will be glad to place myself at your disposal." + +The goddess said: "For hundreds of years my family has been living in +the depth of the Eastern Sea. But we were unfortunate in that our +treasures excited the jealousy of men. The ancestor of Pi-Lo nearly +destroyed our entire clan by fire. My ancestors had to fly and hide +themselves. And not long ago, our enemy Pi-Lo himself wanted to +deliver an imperial letter in the cave of the Sea of Dungting. Under +the pretext of begging for pearls and treasures, he wished to enter +the dragon-castle and destroy our family. Fortunately a wise man saw +through his treacherous purpose, and Lo-Dsi-Tschun and his brothers +were sent in his stead. Yet my people did not feel safe from future +attacks. For this reason they withdrew to the distant West. My father +has done much good to mankind and hence is highly honored there. I am +his ninth daughter. When I was sixteen I was wedded to the youngest +son of the Rock-Dragon. But my good husband had a fiery temper, which +often caused him to offend against the laws of courtesy, and in less +than a year's time the punishment of heaven was his portion. I was +left alone and returned to the home of my parents. My father wished me +to marry again; but I had promised to remain true to the memory of my +husband, and made a vow not to comply with my father's wish. My +parents grew angry, and I was obliged to retire to this place in view +of their anger. That was three years ago. Who could imagine that the +contemptible dragon Tschauna, who was seeking a wife for his youngest +brother, would try to force the wedding-gift upon me? I refused to +accept it; but Tschauna knew how to gain his point with my father, and +was determined to carry out his intention. My father, regardless of my +wishes, promised me to him. And then the dragon Tschauna appeared with +his youngest brother and wanted to carry me off by sheer force of +arms. I encountered him with fifty faithful followers, and we fought +on the meadow before the city. We were defeated, and I am more than +ever afraid that Tschauna will attempt to drag me off. So I have +plucked up courage to beg you to lend me your mercenaries so that I +may beat off my foes and remain as I am. If you will help me I will be +grateful to you till the end of my days." + +Dschou Bau answered: "You come from a noble family. Have you no +kinsfolk who will hasten to help you in your need, that you are +compelled to turn to a mortal man?" + +"It is true that my kinsfolk are far-famed and numerous. If I were to +send out letters and they came to my aid, they would rub out that +scaly scoundrel Tschauna as one might rub garlic. But my deceased +husband offended the high heavens and he has not yet been pardoned. +And my parents' will, too, is opposed to mine, so that I dare not call +upon my kinsfolk for help. You will understand my need." Then Dschou +Bau promised to help her, and the princess thanked him and departed. + +When he awoke, he sighed long thinking over his strange experience. +And the following day he sent off fifteen hundred soldiers to stand +guard by the Lake of the Maidens. + +On the seventh day of the sixth month Dschou Bau rose early. Darkness +still lay before the windows, yet it seemed to him as though he could +glimpse a man before the curtain. He asked who it might be. The man +said: "I am the princess's adviser. Yesterday you were kind enough to +send soldiers to aid us in our distress. But they were all living men, +and such cannot fight against invisible spirits. You will have to send +us soldiers of yours who have died, if you wish to aid us." + +Dschou Bau reflected for a time, and then it occurred to him that of +course such must be the case. So he had his field-secretary examine +the roster to see how many of his soldiers had fallen in battle. And +the latter counted up to some two thousand foot-soldiers and +five-hundred horsemen. Dschou Bau appointed his deceased officer Mong +Yuan as their leader, and wrote his commands on a paper which he +burned, in order thus to place them at the princess's disposal. The +living soldiers he recalled. When they were being reviewed in the +courtyard after their return, a soldier suddenly fell unconscious. It +was not until early the following morning that he came to his senses +again. He was questioned and replied: "I saw a man clad in red who +approached me and said: 'Our princess is grateful for the aid your +master has so kindly given her. Yet she still has a request to make +and has asked me to call you.' I followed him to the temple. The +princess bade me come forward and said to me: 'I thank your master +from my heart for sending me the ghost soldiers, but Mong Yuan, their +leader is incapable. Yesterday the robbers came with three thousand +men, and Mong Yuan was beaten by them. When you return and again see +your master, say that I earnestly beg him to send me a good general. +Perhaps that will save me in my need.' Then she had me led back again +and I regained consciousness." + +When Dschou Bau had heard these words, which seemed to fit strangely +well with what he had dreamed, he thought he would try to see if this +were really the case. Therefore he chose his victorious general +Dschong Tschong-Fu to take the place of Mong Yuan. That evening he +burned incense, offered wine and handed over to the princess this +captain's soul. + +On the twenty-sixth of the month news came from the general's camp +that he had suddenly died at midnight on the thirteenth. Dschou Bau +was frightened, and sent a man to bring him a report. The latter +informed him that the general's heart had hardly ceased to beat, and +that, in spite of the hot summer weather, his body was free from any +trace of decay. So the order was given not to bury him. + +Then one night an icy, spectral wind arose, which whirled up sand and +stones, broke trees and tore down houses. The standing corn in the +fields was blown down. The storm lasted all day. Finally, the crash of +a terrific thunderbolt was heard, and then the skies cleared and the +clouds scattered. That very hour the dead general began to breathe +painfully on his couch, and when his attendants came to him, he had +returned to life again. + +They questioned him and he told them: "First I saw a man in a purple +gown riding a black horse, who came up with a great retinue. He +dismounted before the door. In his hand he held a decree of +appointment which he gave me, saying: 'Our princess begs you most +respectfully to become her general. I hope that you will not refuse.' +Then he brought forth gifts and heaped them up before the steps. +Jade-stones, brocades, and silken garments, saddles, horses, helmets +and suits of mail--he heaped them all up in the courtyard. I wished to +decline, but this he would not allow, and urged me to enter his +chariot with him. We drove a hundred miles and met a train of +three-hundred armored horsemen who had ridden out to escort me. They +led me to a great city, and before the city a tent had been erected in +which played a band of musicians. A high official welcomed me. When I +entered the city the onlookers were crowded together like walls. +Servants ran to and fro bearing orders. We passed through more than a +dozen gates before we reached the princess. There I was requested to +dismount and change my clothes in order to enter the presence of the +princess, for she wished to receive me as her guest. But I thought +this too great an honor and greeted her below, on the steps. She, +however, invited me to seat myself near her in the hall. She sat +upright in all her incomparable beauty, surrounded by female +attendants adorned with the richest jewels. These plucked lute-strings +and played flutes. A throng of servitors stood about in golden girdles +with purple tassels, ready to carry out her commands. Countless crowds +were assembled before the palace. Five or six visitors sat in a circle +about the princess, and a general led me to my place. The princess +said to me: 'I have begged you to come here in order to entrust the +command of my army to you. If you will break the power of my foe I +will reward you richly.' I promised to obey her. Then wine was +brought in, and the banquet was served to the sound of music. While we +were at table a messenger entered: 'The robber Tschauna has invaded +our land with ten thousand footmen and horsemen, and is approaching +our city by various roads. His way is marked by columns of fire and +smoke!' The guests all grew pale with terror when they heard the news. +And the princess said: 'This is the foe because of whom I have sought +your aid. Save me in my hour of need!' Then she gave me two chargers, +a suit of golden armor, and the insignia of a commander-in-chief, and +bowed to me. I thanked her and went, called together the captains, had +the army mustered and rode out before the city. At several decisive +points I placed troops in ambush. The enemy was already approaching in +great force, careless and unconcerned, intoxicated by his former +victories. I sent out my most untrustworthy soldiers in advance, who +allowed themselves to be beaten in order to lure him on. Light-armed +men then went out against him, and retreated in skirmish order. And +thus he fell into my ambush. Drums and kettledrums sounded together, +the ring closed around them on all sides and the robber army suffered +a grievous defeat. The dead lay about like hemp-stalks, but little +Tschauna succeeded in breaking through the circle. I sent out the +light horsemen after him, and they seized him before the tent of the +enemy's commanding general. Hastily I sent word to the princess, and +she reviewed the prisoners before the palace. All the people, high and +low, streamed together, to acclaim her. Little Tschauna was about to +be executed in the market place when a messenger came spurring up with +a command from the princess's father to pardon him. The princess did +not dare to disobey. So he was dismissed to his home after he had +sworn to give up all thought of realizing his traitorous plans. I was +loaded with benefits as a reward for my victory. I was invested with +an estate with three thousand peasants, and was given a palace, horses +and wagons, all sorts of jewels, men-servants and women-servants, +gardens and forests, banners and suits of mail. And my subordinate +officers, too, were duly rewarded. On the following day a banquet was +held, and the princess herself filled a goblet, sent it to me by one +of her attendants, and said: 'Widowed early in life, I opposed the +wishes of my stern father and fled to this spot. Here the infamous +Tschauna harassed me and well-nigh put me to shame. Had not your +master's great kindness and your own courage come to my assistance, +hard would have been my lot!' Then she began to thank me and her tears +of emotion flowed like a stream. I bowed and begged her to grant me +leave of absence, so that I might look after my family. I was given a +month's leave and the following day she dismissed me with a splendid +retinue. Before the city a pavilion had been erected in which I drank +the stirrup-cup. Then I rode away and when I arrived before our own +gate a thunder-peal crashed and I awoke." + +Thereupon the general wrote an account of what had happened to Dschou +Bau, in which he conveyed the princess's thanks. Then he paid no +further heed to worldly matters, but set his house in order and turned +it over to his wife and son. When a month had passed, he died without +any sign of illness. + +That same day one of his officers was out walking. Suddenly he saw a +heavy cloud of dust rising along the highway, while flags and banners +darkened the sun. A thousand knights were escorting a man who sat his +horse proudly and like a hero. And when the officer looked at his +face, it was the general Dschong Tschong-Fu. Hastily he stepped to the +edge of the road, in order to allow the cavalcade to pass, and +watched it ride by. The horsemen took the way to the Lake of the +Maidens, where they disappeared. + + Note: The expression: "Dschou Bau took the blame upon + himself" is explained by the fact that the territorial + mandarin is responsible for his district, just as the + emperor is for the whole empire. Since extraordinary + natural phenomena are the punishment of heaven, their + occurrence supposed the guilt of man. This train of + thought is in accord with the idea, as in this case, + that differences occurring among the spirits of the air + lead to misfortune, since where virtue is in the + ascendant in the mortal world, the spirits are prevented + from giving way to such demonstrations. "Drums and + kettledrums sounded together": the kettledrums sounded + the attack, and the drums the retreat. The simultaneous + sounding of both signals was intended to throw the + enemy's army into disorder. + + + + +XLVII + +THE DISOWNED PRINCESS + + +At the time that the Tang dynasty was reigning there lived a man named +Liu I, who had failed to pass his examinations for the doctorate. So +he traveled home again. He had gone six or seven miles when a bird +flew up in a field, and his horse shied and ran ten miles before he +could stop him. There he saw a woman who was herding sheep on a +hillside. He looked at her and she was lovely to look upon, yet her +face bore traces of hidden grief. Astonished, he asked her what was +the matter. + +The woman began to sob and said: "Fortune has forsaken me, and I am in +need and ashamed. Since you are kind enough to ask I will tell you +all. I am the youngest daughter of the Dragon-King of the Sea of +Dungting, and was married to the second son of the Dragon-King of Ging +Dschou. Yet my husband ill-treated and disowned me. I complained to my +step-parents, but they loved their son blindly and did nothing. And +when I grew insistent they both became angry, and I was sent out here +to herd sheep." When she had done, the woman burst into tears and lost +all control of herself. Then she continued: "The Sea of Dungting is +far from here; yet I know that you will have to pass it on your +homeward journey. I should like to give you a letter to my father, but +I do not know whether you would take it." + +Liu I answered: "Your words have moved my heart. Would that I had +wings and could fly away with you. I will be glad to deliver the +letter to your father. Yet the Sea of Dungting is long and broad, and +how am I to find him?" + +"On the southern shore of the Sea stands an orange-tree," answered the +woman, "which people call the tree of sacrifice. When you get there +you must loosen your girdle and strike the tree with it three times in +succession. Then some one will appear whom you must follow. When you +see my father, tell him in what need you found me, and that I long +greatly for his help." + +Then she fetched out a letter from her breast and gave it to Liu I. +She bowed to him, looked toward the east and sighed, and, unexpectedly, +the sudden tears rolled from the eyes of Liu I as well. He took the +letter and thrust it in his bag. + +Then he asked her: "I cannot understand why you have to herd sheep. Do +the gods slaughter cattle like men?" + +"These are not ordinary sheep," answered the woman; "these are +rain-sheep." + +"But what are rain-sheep?" + +"They are the thunder-rams," replied the woman. + +And when he looked more closely he noticed that these sheep walked +around in proud, savage fashion, quite different from ordinary sheep. + +Liu I added: "But if I deliver the letter for you, and you succeed in +getting back to the Sea of Dungting in safety, then you must not use +me like a stranger." + +The woman answered: "How could I use you as a stranger? You shall be +my dearest friend." + +And with these words they parted. + +In course of a month Liu I reached the Sea of Dungting, asked for the +orange-tree and, sure enough, found it. He loosened his girdle, and +struck the tree with it three times. At once a warrior emerged from +the waves of the sea, and asked: "Whence come you, honored guest?" + +Liu I said: "I have come on an important mission and want to see the +King." + +The warrior made a gesture in the direction of the water, and the +waves turned into a solid street along which he led Liu I. The +dragon-castle rose before them with its thousand gates, and magic +flowers and rare grasses bloomed in luxurious profusion. The warrior +bade him wait at the side of a great hall. + +Liu I asked: "What is this place called?" + +"It is the Hall of the Spirits," was the reply. + +Liu I looked about him: all the jewels known to earth were there in +abundance. The columns were of white quartz, inlaid with green jade; +the seats were made of coral, the curtains of mountain crystal as +clear as water, the windows of burnished glass, adorned with rich +lattice-work. The beams of the ceiling, ornamented with amber, rose in +wide arches. An exotic fragrance filled the hall, whose outlines were +lost in darkness. + +Liu I had waited for the king a long time. To all his questions the +warrior replied: "Our master is pleased at this moment to talk with +the priest of the sun up on the coral-tower about the sacred book of +the fire. He will, no doubt, soon be through." + +Liu I went on to ask: "Why is he interested in the sacred book of the +fire?" + +The reply was: "Our master is a dragon. The dragons are powerful +through the power of water. They can cover hill and dale with a single +wave. The priest is a human being. Human beings are powerful through +fire. They can burn the greatest palaces by means of a torch. Fire and +water fight each other, being different in their nature. For that +reason our master is now talking with the priest, in order to find a +way in which fire and water may complete each other." + +Before they had quite finished there appeared a man in a purple robe, +bearing a scepter of jade in his hand. + +The warrior said: "This is my master!" + +Liu I bowed before him. + +The king asked: "Are you not a living human being? What has brought +you here?" + +Liu I gave his name and explained: "I have been to the capital and +there failed to pass my examination. When I was passing by the Ging +Dschou River, I saw your daughter, whom you love, herding sheep in the +wilderness. The winds tousled her hair, and the rain drenched her. I +could not bear to see her trouble and spoke to her. She complained +that her husband had cast her out and wept bitterly. Then she gave me +a letter for you. And that is why I have come to visit you, O King!" + +With these words he fetched out his letter and handed it to the king. +When the latter had read it, he hid his face in his sleeve and said +with a sigh: "It is my own fault. I picked out a worthless husband +for her. Instead of securing her happiness I have brought her to shame +in a distant land. You are a stranger and yet you have been willing to +help her in her distress, for which I am very grateful to you." Then +he once more began to sob, and all those about him shed tears. +Thereupon the monarch gave the letter to a servant who took it into +the interior of the palace; and soon the sound of loud lamentations +rose from the inner rooms. + +The king was alarmed and turned to an official: "Go and tell them +within not to weep so loudly! I am afraid that Tsian Tang may hear +them." + +"Who is Tsian Tang?" asked Liu I. + +"He is my beloved brother," answered the king. "Formerly he was the +ruler of the Tsian-Tang River, but now he has been deposed." + +Liu I asked: "Why should the matter be kept from him?" + +"He is so wild and uncontrollable," was the reply, "that I fear he +would cause great damage. The deluge which covered the earth for nine +long years in the time of the Emperor Yau was the work of his anger. +Because he fell out with one of the kings of heaven, he caused a great +deluge that rose and covered the tops of five high mountains. Then the +king of heaven grew angry with him, and gave him to me to guard. I had +to chain him to a column in my palace." + +Before he had finished speaking a tremendous turmoil arose, which +split the skies and made the earth tremble, so that the whole palace +began to rock, and smoke and clouds rose hissing and puffing. A red +dragon, a thousand feet long, with flashing eyes, blood-red tongue, +scarlet scales and a fiery beard came surging up. He was dragging +along through the air the column to which he had been bound, together +with its chain. Thunders and lightnings roared and darted around his +body; sleet and snow, rain and hail-stones whirled about him in +confusion. There was a crash of thunder, and he flew up to the skies +and disappeared. + +Liu I fell to earth in terror. The king helped him up with his own +hand and said: "Do not be afraid! That is my brother, who is hastening +to Ging Dschou in his rage. We will soon have good news!" + +Then he had food and drink brought in for his guest. When the goblet +had thrice made the rounds, a gentle breeze began to murmur and a fine +rain fell. A youth clad in a purple gown and wearing a lofty hat +entered. A sword hung at his side. His appearance was manly and +heroic. Behind him walked a girl radiantly beautiful, wearing a robe +of misty fragrance. And when Liu I looked at her, lo, it was the +dragon-princess whom he had met on his way! A throng of maidens in +rosy garments received her, laughing and giggling, and led her into +the interior of the palace. The king, however, presented Liu I to the +youth and said: "This is Tsian Tang, my brother!" + +Tsian Tang thanked him for having brought the message. Then he turned +to his brother and said: "I have fought against the accursed dragons +and have utterly defeated them!" + +"How many did you slay?" + +"Six hundred thousand." + +"Were any fields damaged?" + +"The fields were damaged for eight hundred miles around." + +"And where is the heartless husband?" + +"I ate him alive!" + + [Illustration: "TSIAN TANG BROUGHT OUT A PLATTER OF RED AMBER ON + WHICH LAY A CARBUNCLE." + --_Page 157_] + +Then the king was alarmed and said: "What the fickle boy did was not +to be endured, it is true. But still you were a little too rough +with him; in future you must not do anything of the sort again." And +Tsian Tang promised not to. + +That evening Liu I was feasted at the castle. Music and dancing lent +charm to the banquet. A thousand warriors with banners and spears in +their hands stood at attention. Trombones and trumpets resounded, and +drums and kettledrums thundered and rattled as the warriors danced a +war-dance. The music expressed how Tsian Tang had broken through the +ranks of the enemy, and the hair of the guest who listened to it rose +on his head in terror. Then, again, there was heard the music of +strings, flutes and little golden bells. A thousand maidens in +crimson and green silk danced around. The return of the princess was +also told in tones. The music sounded like a song of sadness and +plaining, and all who heard it were moved to tears. The King of the +Sea of Dungting was filled with joy. He raised his goblet and drank +to the health of his guest, and all sorrow departed from them. Both +rulers thanked Liu I in verses, and Liu I answered them in a rimed +toast. The crowd of courtiers in the palace-hall applauded. Then the +King of the Sea of Dungting drew forth a blue cloud-casket in which +was the horn of a rhinoceros, which divides the water. Tsian Tang +brought out a platter of red amber on which lay a carbuncle. These +they presented to their guest, and the other inmates of the palace +also heaped up embroideries, brocades and pearls by his side. +Surrounded by shimmer and light Liu I sat there, smiling, and bowed +his thanks to all sides. When the banquet was ended he slept in the +Palace of Frozen Radiance. + +On the following day another banquet was held. Tsian Tang, who was not +quite himself, sat carelessly on his seat and said: "The Princess of +the Dungting Sea is handsome and delicately fashioned. She has had +the misfortune to be disowned by her husband, and to-day her marriage +is annulled. I should like to find another husband for her. If you +were agreeable it would be to your advantage. But if you were not +willing to marry her, you may go your way, and should we ever meet +again we will not know each other." + +Liu I was angered by the careless way in which Tsian Tang spoke to +him. The blood rose to his head and he replied: "I served as a +messenger, because I felt sorry for the princess, but not in order to +gain an advantage for myself. To kill a husband and carry off a wife +is something an honest man does not do. And since I am only an +ordinary man, I prefer to die rather than do as you say." + +Tsian Tang rose, apologized and said: "My words were over-hasty. I +hope you will not take them ill!" And the King of the Dungting Sea +also spoke kindly to him, and censured Tsian Tang because of his rude +speech. So there was no more said about marriage. + +On the following day Liu I took his leave, and the Queen of the +Dungting Sea gave a farewell banquet in his honor. + +With tears the queen said to Liu I: "My daughter owes you a great debt +of gratitude, and we have not had an opportunity to make it up to you. +Now you are going away and we see you go with heavy hearts!" + +Then she ordered the princess to thank Liu I. + +The princess stood there, blushing, bowed to him and said: "We will +probably never see each other again!" Then tears choked her voice. + +It is true that Liu I had resisted the stormy urging of her uncle, but +when he saw the princess standing before him in all the charm of her +loveliness, he felt sad at heart; yet he controlled himself and went +his way. The treasures which he took with him were incalculable. The +king and his brother themselves escorted him as far as the river. + +When, on his return home, he sold no more than a hundredth part of +what he had received, his fortune already ran into the millions, and +he was wealthier than all his neighbors. He decided to take a wife, +and heard of a widow who lived in the North with her daughter. Her +father had become a Taoist in his later years and had vanished in the +clouds without ever returning. The mother lived in poverty with the +daughter; yet since the girl was beautiful beyond measure she was +seeking a distinguished husband for her. + +Liu I was content to take her, and the day of the wedding was set. And +when he saw his bride unveiled on the evening of her wedding day, she +looked just like the dragon-princess. He asked her about it, but she +merely smiled and said nothing. + +After a time heaven sent them a son. Then she told her husband: +"To-day I will confess to you that I am truly the Princess of Dungting +Sea. When you had rejected my uncle's proposal and gone away, I fell +ill of longing, and was near death. My parents wanted to send for you, +but they feared you might take exception to my family. And so it was +that I married you disguised as a human maiden. I had not ventured to +tell you until now, but since heaven has sent us a son, I hope that +you will love his mother as well." + +Then Liu I awoke as though from a deep sleep, and from that time on +both were very fond of each other. + +One day his wife said: "If you wish to stay with me eternally, then we +cannot continue to dwell in the world of men. We dragons live ten +thousand years, and you shall share our longevity. Come back with me +to the Sea of Dungting!" + +Ten years passed and no one knew where Liu I, who had disappeared, +might be. Then, by accident, a relative went sailing across the Sea of +Dungting. Suddenly a blue mountain rose up out of the water. + +The seamen cried in alarm: "There is no mountain on this spot! It must +be a water-demon!" + +While they were still pointing to it and talking, the mountain drew +near the ship, and a gaily-colored boat slid from its summit into the +water. A man sat in the middle, and fairies stood at either side of +him. The man was Liu I. He beckoned to his cousin, and the latter drew +up his garments and stepped into the boat with him. But when he had +entered the boat it turned into a mountain. On the mountain stood a +splendid castle, and in the castle stood Liu I, surrounded with +radiance, and with the music of stringed instruments floating about +him. + +They greeted each other, and Liu I said to his cousin: "We have been +parted no more than a moment, and your hair is already gray!" + +His cousin answered: "You are a god and blessed: I have only a mortal +body. Thus fate has decreed." + +Then Liu I gave him fifty pills and said: "Each pill will extend your +life for the space of a year. When you have lived the tale of these +years, come to me and dwell no longer in the earthly world of dust, +where there is nothing but toil and trouble." + +Then he took him back across the sea and disappeared. + +His cousin, however, retired from the world, and fifty years later, +and when he had taken all the pills, he disappeared and was never seen +again. + + Note: The outcast princess is represented as "herding + sheep." In Chinese the word sheep is often used as an + image for clouds. (Sheep and goats are designated by the + same word in Chinese.) Tsian Tang is the name of a + place used for the name of the god of that place. The + deluge is the flood which the great Yu regulated as + minister of the Emperor Yau. It is here represented in + an exaggerated sense, as a deluge. + + + + +XLVIII + +FOX-FIRE + + +Once upon a time there was a strong young farmer who came home late +one evening from market. His way led him past the gardens of a wealthy +gentleman, in which stood a number of tall buildings. Suddenly he saw +something shining floating in the air inside the gardens, something +which glowed like a ball of crystal. He was astonished, and climbed +the wall around the gardens, but there was not a human being in sight; +all he saw was, at a distance, something which appeared to be a dog, +looking up at the moon. And whenever it blew its breath out a ball of +fire came out of its mouth, and rose to the moon. And whenever it drew +its breath in the ball sank down again, and it caught it in its jaws. +And so it went on without a stop. Then the farmer realized that it was +a fox, who was preparing the elixir of life. He hid in the grass and +waited until the ball of fire came down again, at about the height of +his own head. Then he stepped hastily from his hiding-place, took it +away and at once swallowed it. And he could feel it glow as it passed +down his throat into his stomach. When the fox saw what had happened +he grew angry. He looked furiously at the farmer, but feared his +strength. For this reason he did not dare attack him, but went angrily +on his way. + +From that time on the farmer-boy could make himself invisible, was +able to see ghosts and devils, and had intercourse with the +spirit-world. In cases of sickness, when people lay unconscious, he +could call back their souls, and if some one had committed a sin he +could plead for them. He earned much money owing to these gifts. + +When he reached his fiftieth year, he withdrew from all things and +would no longer exercise his arts. One summer evening he was sitting +in his courtyard, enjoying the cool air. While there he drank a number +of goblets of wine, and by midnight had fallen fast asleep. Suddenly +he awoke, feeling ill. It seemed as though some one were patting him +on the back, and before he knew it, the ball of fire had leaped out +from his throat. At once a hand reached for it and a voice said: "For +thirty long years you kept my treasure from me, and from a poor +farmer-lad you have grown to be a wealthy man. Now you have enough, +and I would like to have my fire-ball back again!" + +Then the man knew what had happened, but the fox was gone. + + Note: The thought underlying the story is the belief + that the fox prepares the elixir of life out of his own + breath, which he allows to rise to the moon. If a thief + can rob him of the elixir he gains supernatural powers. + + + + +GHOST STORIES + + + + +XLIX + +THE TALKING SILVER FOXES + + +The silver foxes resemble other foxes, but are yellow, fire-red or +white in color. They know how to influence human beings, too. There is +a kind of silver fox which can learn to speak like a man in a year's +time. These foxes are called "Talking Foxes." + +South-west of the bay of Kaiutschou there is a mountain by the edge of +the sea, shaped like a tower, and hence known as Tower Mountain. On +the mountain there is an old temple with the image of a goddess, who +is known as the Old Mother of Tower Mountain. When children fall ill +in the surrounding villages, the magicians often give orders that +paper figures of them be burned at her altar, or little lime images of +them be placed around it. And for this reason the altar and its +surroundings are covered with hundreds of figures of children made in +lime. Paper flowers, shoes and clothing are also brought to the Old +Mother, and lie in a confusion of colors. The pilgrimage festivals +take place on the third day of the third month, and the ninth day of +the ninth month, and then there are theatrical performances, and the +holy writings are read. And there is also an annual fair. The girls +and women of the neighborhood burn incense and pray to the goddess. +Parents who have no children go there and pick out one of the little +children made of lime, and tie a red thread around its neck, or even +secretly break off a small bit of its body, dissolve it in water and +drink it. Then they pray quietly that a child may be sent them. + +Behind the temple is a great cave where, in former times, some talking +foxes used to live. They would even come out and seat themselves on +the point of a steep rock by the wayside. When a wanderer came by they +would begin to talk to him in this fashion: "Wait a bit, neighbor; +first smoke a pipe!" The traveler would look around in astonishment, +to see where the voice came from, and would become very much +frightened. If he did not happen to be exceptionally brave, he would +begin to perspire with terror, and run away. Then the fox would laugh: +"Hi hi!" + +Once a farmer was plowing on the side of the mountain. When he looked +up he saw a man with a straw hat, wearing a mantle of woven grass and +carrying a pick across his shoulder coming along the way. + +"Neighbor Wang," said he, "first smoke a pipeful and take a little +rest! Then I will help you plow." + +Then he called out "Hu!" the way farmers do when they talk to their +cattle. + +The farmer looked at him more closely and saw then that he was a +talking fox. He waited for a favorable opportunity, and when it came +gave him a lusty blow with his ox-whip. He struck home, for the fox +screamed, leaped into the air and ran away. His straw hat, his mantle +of woven grass and the rest he left lying on the ground. Then the +farmer saw that the straw hat was just woven out of potato-leaves; he +had cut it in two with his whip. The mantle was made of oak-leaves, +tied together with little blades of grass. And the pick was only the +stem of a kau-ling plant, to which a bit of brick had been fastened. + +Not long after, a woman in a neighboring village became possessed. A +picture of the head priest of the Taoists was hung up in her room, +but the evil spirit did not depart. Since there were none who could +exorcise devils in the neighborhood, and the trouble she gave was +unendurable, the woman's relatives decided to send to the temple of +the God of War and beg for aid. + +But when the fox heard of it he said: "I am not afraid of your Taoist +high-priest nor of your God of War; the only person I fear is your +neighbor Wang in the Eastern village, who once struck me cruelly with +his whip." + +This suited the people to a T. They sent to the Eastern village, and +found out who Wang was. And Wang took his ox-whip and entered the +house of the possessed woman. + +Then he said in a deep voice: "Where are you? Where are you? I have +been on your trail for a long time. And now, at last, I have caught +you!" + +With that he snapped his whip. + +The fox hissed and spat and flew out of the window. + +They had been telling stories about the talking fox of Tower Mountain +for more than a hundred years when one fine day, a skilful archer came +to that part of the country who saw a creature like a fox, with a +fiery-red pelt, whose back was striped with gray. It was lying under a +tree. The archer aimed and shot off its hind foot. + +At once it said in a human voice: "I brought myself into this danger +because of my love for sleep; but none may escape their fate! If you +capture me you will get at the most no more than five thousand pieces +of copper for my pelt. Why not let me go instead? I will reward you +richly, so that all your poverty will come to an end." + +But the archer would not listen to him. He killed him, skinned him +and sold his pelt; and, sure enough, he received five thousand pieces +of copper for it. + +From that time on the fox-spirit ceased to show itself. + + Note: The silver fox is known in Chinese as "Pi," the + same word also being used for "panthers," since this + legendary beast partakes of the nature of both animals. + "The Old Mother" is really the mother-goddess of the + Taischan. But in other localities she is chiefly honored + as a child-giving goddess. "A picture of the head priest + of the Taoists": Talismans painted by the head priest of + the Taoists or the Taoist pope, the so-called "Master of + the Heavens," (Tian Schi) have special virtues against + all kinds of sorcery and enchantment. The war god Guan + Di also is appealed to as a savior in all sorts of + emergencies. + + + + +L + +THE CONSTABLE + + +In a city in the neighborhood of Kaiutschou there once lived a +constable by the name of Dung. One day when he returned from a hunt +after thieves the twilight had already begun to fall. So before he +waded through the stream that flowed through the city he sat down on +the bank, lit a pipe and took off his shoes. When he looked up, he +suddenly saw a man in a red hat dressed as a constable crouching +beside him. + +Astonished, he inquired: "Who are you? Your clothes indicate that you +are a member of our profession, but I have never yet seen you among +the men of our local force. Tell me, pray, whence you come?" + +The other answered: "I am weary, having come a long journey, and would +like to enjoy a pipeful of tobacco in your company. I am sure you will +not object to that." + +Dung handed him a pipe and tobacco. + +But the other constable said: "I do not need them. Just you keep on +smoking. It is enough for me to enjoy the odor." + +So they chatted awhile together, and together waded through the +stream. And gradually they became quite confidential and the stranger +said: "I will be quite frank with you. I am the head constable of the +Nether World, and am subject to the Lord of the Great Mountain. You +yourself are a constable of reputation here in the upper world. And, +because of my skill, I have standing in the world below. Since we are +so well suited to each other, I should like to enter into a bond of +brotherhood with you." + +Dung was agreeable and asked: "But what really brings you here?" + +Said the other: "In your district there lives a certain Wang, who was +formerly superintendent of the granaries, and at that time caused the +death of an officer. This man has now accused him in the Nether World. +The King of the Nether World cannot come to a decision in the case, +and therefore has asked the Lord of the Great Mountain to settle it. +The Lord of the Great Mountain has ordered that Wang's property and +life be shortened. First his property is to be sequestered here in the +upper world, and then his soul is to be dragged to the nether one. I +have been sent out by the Judge of the Dead to fetch him. Yet the +established custom is, when some one is sent for, that the constable +has first to report to the god of the city. The god of the city then +issues a summons, and sends one of his own spirit constables to seize +the soul and deliver it over to me. Only then may I take it away with +me." + +Dung asked him further particulars; but the other merely said: "Later +on you will see it all for yourself." + +When they reached the city Dung invited his colleague to stay at his +home, and entertained him with wine and food. But the other only +talked and touched neither the goblet nor the chop-sticks. + +Said Dung: "In my haste I could not find any better meal for you. I am +afraid it is not good enough." + +But his guest replied: "Oh no, I am already surfeited and satisfied! We +spirits feed only on odors; in which respect we differ from men." + +It was late at night before he set out to visit the temple of the city +god. + +No sooner did morning dawn than he reappeared to take farewell and +said: "Now all is in order: I am off! In two years' time you will go +to Taianfu, the city near the Great Mountain, and there we will meet +again." + +Dung began to feel ill at ease. A few days later, in fact, came the +news that Wang had died. The district mandarin journeyed to the dead +man's natal village in order to express his sympathy. Among his +followers was Dung. The inn-keeper there was a tenant of Wang's. + +Dung asked him: "Did anything out of the ordinary happen when Sir Wang +died?" + +"It was all very strange," answered the inn-keeper, "and my mother who +had been very busy in his house, came home and fell into a violent +fever. She was unconscious for a day and a night, and could hardly +breathe. She came to on the very day when the news of Sir Wang's death +was made public, and said: 'I have been to the Nether World and I met +him there. He had chains about his neck and several devils were +dragging him along. I asked him what he had done, but he said: "I have +no time to tell you now. When you return ask my wife and she will tell +you all!"' And yesterday my mother went there and asked her. And +Wang's wife told her with tears: 'My master was an official, but for a +long time he did not make any head-way. He was superintendent of the +granaries in Nanking, and in the same city was a high officer, with +whom my master became very intimate. He always came to visit at our +house and he and my master would talk and drink together. One day my +master said to him: "We administrative mandarins have a large salary +and a good income besides. You are an officer, and have even reached +the second step in rank, yet your salary is so small that you cannot +possibly make it do. Have you any other income aside from it?" The +officer replied: "We are such good friends that I know I can speak +openly to you. We officers are compelled to find some additional +sources of revenue in order that our pockets may not be altogether +empty. When we pay our men we make a small percentage of gains on the +exchange; and we also carry more soldiers on our rosters than there +actually are present. If we had to live on our salaries we would die +of hunger!" + +"'When my husband heard him say this he could not rid himself of the +idea that by disclosing these criminal proceedings the State would be +indebted to him, and that it would surely aid his plans for +advancement. On the other hand, he reflected that it would not be +right to abuse his friend's confidence. With these ideas in his mind +he retired to his inner rooms. In the courtyard stood a round +pavilion. Lost in heavy thought, he crossed his hands behind his back, +and for a long time walked round and round the pavilion. Finally he +said with a sigh: "Charity begins at home; I will sacrifice my +friend!" Then he drew up his report, in which the officer was +indicted. An imperial order was issued, the matter was investigated, +and the officer was condemned to death. My husband, however, was at +once increased in rank, and from that time on advanced rapidly. And +with the exception of myself no one ever knew anything of the matter.' +When my mother told them of her encounter with Wang in the Nether +World, the whole family burst into loud weeping. Four tents full of +Buddhist and Taoist priests were sent for, who fasted and read masses +for thirty-five days in order that Wang might be delivered. Whole +mountains of paper money, silk and straw figures were burned, and the +ceremonies have not as yet come to an end." + +When Dung heard this he was very much frightened. + +Two years later he received an order to journey to Taianfu in order to +arrest some robbers there. He thought to himself: "My friend, the +spirit, must be very powerful indeed, to have known about this trip so +far in advance. I must inquire for him. Perhaps I will see him again." + +When he reached Taianfu he sought out an inn. + +The inn-keeper received him with the words: "Are you Master Dung, and +have you come from the bay of Kaiutschou?" + +"I am the man," answered Dung, alarmed, "how do you happen to know +me?" + +The inn-keeper replied: "The constable of the temple of the Great +Mountain appeared to me last night and said: 'To-morrow a man by the +name of Dung who is a good friend of mine is coming from the bay of +Kaiutschou!' And then he described your appearance and your clothes to +me exactly, and told me to make careful note of them, and when you +came to treat you with the greatest consideration, and to take no pay +from you, since he would repay me lavishly. So when I saw you coming +everything was exactly as my dreams had foretold, and I knew you at +once. I have already prepared a quiet room for you, and beg that you +will condescend to make yourself at ease." + +Joyfully Dung followed him, and the inn-keeper waited on him with the +greatest consideration, and saw that he had great plenty to eat and to +drink. + +At midnight the spirit arrived. Without having opened the door, he +stood by Dung's bedside, gave him his hand, and asked how things had +gone with him since he had last seen him. + +Dung answered all his questions and thanked him into the bargain for +appearing to the inn-keeper in a dream. + +He continued to live for some days at the inn. During the day he went +walking on the Great Mountain and at night his friend came to visit +him and talked with him, and at the same time asked him what had +happened to Sir Wang. + +"His sentence has already been spoken," answered the other. "This man +pretended to be conscientious, and traitorously brought about the +death of his friend. Of all sins there is no greater sin than this. As +a punishment he will be sent forth again into the world as an animal." +Then he added: "When you reach home you must take constant care of +your health. Fate has allowed you seventy-eight years of mortal life. +When your time is up I will come to fetch you myself. Then I will see +that you obtain a place as constable in the Nether World, where we can +always be together." + +When he had said this, he disappeared. + + Note: "The Constable" is a tale of modern origin. The + Lord of the Great Mountain (Taischan) is even greater + than Yan Wang, the God of Death. His Temple of the + Easterly Holy Mountain (Dung Yuo Miau), is to be found + in every district capital. These temples play an + important part in the care of the dead before interment. + + + + +LI + +THE DANGEROUS REWARD + + +Once upon a time a man named Hu-Wu-Bau, who lived near the Great +Mountain, went walking there one day. And there, under a tree, he met +a messenger in a red robe who called out to him: "The Lord of the +Great Mountain would like to see you!" The man was much frightened, +but dared offer no objection. The messenger bade him shut his eyes, +and when he was allowed to open them again after a short time, he +found himself standing before a lofty palace. He entered it to see the +god. The latter had a meal prepared for him and said: "I only sent for +you to-day because I had heard you intended traveling to the West. And +in that case I should like to give you a letter to take to my +daughter." + +"But where is your daughter?" asked the man. + +"She is married to the river-god," was the reply. "All you need to do +is to take along the letter lying there. When you reach the middle of +the Yellow River, beat against the side of the ship and call out: +'Greencoat!' Then some one will appear and take the letter from you." + +And with these words he handed Hu-Wu-Bau the letter, and he was taken +back again to the upper world. + +When he came to the Yellow River on his journey, he did what the Lord +of the Great Mountain had told him, and cried: "Greencoat!" And sure +enough, a girl in green garments rose from the water, took him by the +hand and told him to close his eyes. Then she led him into the palace +of the river-god and he delivered the letter. The river-god +entertained him splendidly, and thanked him as best he knew how. At +parting he said: "I am grateful that you have made this long journey +to see me. I have nothing to give you, however, save this pair of +green silk shoes. While you are wearing them you can keep on walking +as long as you like and never grow weary. And they will give you the +second sight, so that you will be able to see the spirits and gods." + +The man thanked him for the gift and returned to his ship. He +continued on his journey to the West, and after a year had passed, +came back again. When he reached the Great Mountain, he thought it +would be fit and proper to report to the god. So he once more knocked +against the tree and gave his name. In a moment the red-clad messenger +appeared and led him to the Lord of the Mountain. So he reported that +he had delivered the letter to the river-god, and how all things were +there, and the Lord of the Mountain thanked him. During the meal which +the god had prepared for him, he withdrew for a few moments to a quiet +spot. Suddenly he saw his deceased father, bound and loaded with +chains, who together with several hundred other criminals, was doing +menial labor. + +Moved to tears, he asked: "O my father, why are you here?" + +His father replied: "During my life on earth I happened to tread on +bread, hence I was condemned to hard labor at this spot. I have passed +two years in this manner, yet their bitterness has been unspeakable. +Since you are acquainted with the Lord of the Mountain, you might +plead for me, and beg him to excuse me from this task and make me the +field-god in our village." + +His son promised to do so, and went back and pleaded with the Lord of +the Mountain as he had agreed. The latter seemed inclined to listen to +his prayer, yet said warningly: "The quick and the dead tread +different paths. It is not well for the dead and the living to abide +near one another permanently." + +The man returned home. Yet, in about a year's time nearly all his +children had died. In the terror of his heart he turned to the Lord of +the Great Mountain. He beat on the tree; the red-coat came and led him +into the palace. There he told of his misfortune and begged the god to +protect him. The Lord of the Mountain smiled: "Did I not tell you in +the start that the quick and the dead tread different paths, and that +it is not well if they abide near each other permanently? Now you see +what has happened!" Yet he sent his messenger to fetch the man's +father. The father came and the god spake to him as follows: "I +forgave you your offense and sent you back to your home as a +field-god. It was your duty to bring happiness to your family. +Instead, nearly all of your grand-children have died off. Why is +this?" + +And the father said: "I had been away from home so long that I was +overjoyed to return. Besides I had meat and drink in overflowing +measure. So I thought of my little grand-children and called them to +me." + +Then the Lord of the Great Mountain appointed another field-god for +that village, and also gave the father another place. And from that +time no further misfortune happened to the family of Hu-Wu-Bau. + + Note: The Lord of the Great Mountain was originally + Huang Fe-Hu, a faithful servant of the tyrant + Dschou-Sin. Because of an insult offered him, he joined + King Wu, and when the latter overcame the tyrant, was + made Lord of the Mountain, and overlord of the ten + princes of the nether world. + + + + +LII + +RETRIBUTION + + +Once upon a time there was a boy named Ma, whose father taught him +himself, at home. The window of the upper story looked out on the rear +upon a terrace belonging to old Wang, who had a garden of +chrysanthemums there. One day Ma rose early, and stood leaning against +the window, watching the day dawn. And out came old Wang from his +terrace and watered his chrysanthemums. When he had just finished and +was going in again, along came a water-carrier, bearing two pails on +his shoulders, who seemed to want to help him. But the old man grew +annoyed and motioned him off. Yet the water-carrier insisted on +mounting the terrace. So they pulled each other about on the +terrace-edge. It had been raining, the terrace was slippery, its +border high and narrow, and when the old man thrust back the +water-carrier with his hand, the latter lost his balance, slipped and +tumbled down the slope. Then the old man hastened down to pick him up; +but the two pails had fallen on his chest and he lay there with feet +outstretched. The old man was extremely frightened. Without uttering a +sound, he took hold of the water-carrier's feet, and dragged him +through the back door to the bank of the stream which flowed by the +garden. Then he fetched the pails and set them down beside the corpse. +After that he went home, locked the door and went to bed again. + +Little Ma, in spite of his youth, thought it would be better to say +nothing about an affair of this kind, in which a human life was +involved. He shut the window and withdrew. The sun rose higher, and +soon he heard a clamor without: "A dead man is lying on the +river-bank!" The constable gave notice, and in the afternoon the judge +came up to the beating of gongs, and the inspector of the dead knelt +down and uncovered the corpse; yet the body showed no wound. So it was +said: "He slipped and fell to his death!" The judge questioned the +neighbors, but the neighbors all insisted that they knew nothing of +the matter. Thereupon the judge had the body placed in a coffin, +sealed it with his seal, and ordered that the relatives of the +deceased be found. And then he went his way. + +Nine years passed by, and young Ma had reached the age of twenty-one +and become a baccalaureate. His father had died, and the family was +poor. So it came about that in the same room in which he had formerly +studied his lessons, he now gathered a few pupils about him, to +instruct them. + +The time for examinations drew near. Ma had risen early, in order to +work. He opened the window and there, in the distant alley, he saw a +man with two pails gradually drawing nearer. When he looked more +closely, it was the water-carrier. Greatly frightened, he thought that +he had returned to repay old Wang. Yet he passed the old man's door +without entering it. Then he went a few steps further to the house of +the Lis; and there went in. The Lis were wealthy people, and since +they were near neighbors the Mas and they were on a visiting footing. +The matter seemed very questionable to Ma, and he got up and followed +the water-carrier. + +At the door of Li's house he met an old servant who was just coming +out and who said: "Heaven is about to send a child to our mistress! I +must go buy incense to burn to the gods in order to show our +gratitude!" + +Ma asked: "Did not a man with two pails of water on his shoulder just +go in?" + +The servant said there had not, but before he had finished speaking a +maid came from the house and said: "You need not go to buy incense, +for I have found some. And, through the favor of heaven, the child has +already come to us." Then Ma began to realize that the water-carrier +had returned to be born again into the life of earth, and not to exact +retribution. He wondered, though, for what merit of his the former +water-carrier happened to be re-born into so wealthy a family. So he +kept the matter in mind, and from time to time inquired as to the +child's well-being. + +Seven more years went by, and the boy gradually grew up. He did not +show much taste for learning, but he loved to keep birds. Old Wang was +still strong and healthy. And though he was by this time more than +eighty years old, his love for his chrysanthemums had only increased +with age. + +One day Ma once more rose early, and stood leaning against his window. +And he saw old Wang come out upon his terrace and begin to water his +chrysanthemums. Little Li sat in the upper story of his house flying +his pigeons. Suddenly some of the pigeons flew down on the railing of +the flower-garden. The boy was afraid they might fly off and called +them, but the pigeons did not move. The boy did not know what to do: +he picked up stones and threw them at the birds. By mistake one of +them struck old Wang. The old man started, slipped, and fell down over +the terrace. Time passed and he did not rise. He lay there with his +feet outstretched. The boy was very much frightened. Without uttering +a sound he softly closed his window and went away. The sun gradually +rose higher, and the old man's sons and grandsons all came out to look +for him. They found him and said: "He slipped and fell to his death!" +And they buried him as was the custom. + + Note: This little tale, from the "Sin Tsi Hia," is a + literary masterpiece because of the exactness with which + the punishment follows upon the act, long after the + latter has been forgiven, and all chance of mishap + seemed to have passed. + + + + +LIII + +THE GHOST WHO WAS FOILED + + +There are ghosts of many kinds, but the ghosts of those who have hung +themselves are the worst. Such ghosts are always coaxing other living +people to hang themselves from the beams of the roof. If they succeed +in persuading some one to hang himself, then the road to the Nether +World is open to them, and they can once more enter into the wheel of +transformation. The following story of such a ghost is told by persons +worthy of belief. + +Once upon a time there lived a man in Tsing Tschoufu who had passed +his military examination, and had been ordered to Tsinanfu to report +for duty. It was at the season of rains. So it happened that evening +came on before he could reach the town-inn where he had expected to +pass the night. Just as the sun was setting he reached a small village +and asked for a night's lodging. But there were only poor families in +the village who had no room for him in their huts. So they directed +him to an old temple which stood outside the village, and said he +could spend the night there. + +The images of the gods in the temple were all decayed, so that one +could not distinguish one from the other. Thick spider-webs covered +the entrance, and the dust lay inches high everywhere. So the soldier +went out into the open, where he found an old flight of steps. He +spread out his knapsack on a stone step, tied his horse to an old +tree, took his flask from his pocket and drank--for it had been a hot +day. There had been a heavy rain, but it had just cleared again. The +new moon was on the decline. The soldier closed his eyes and tried to +sleep. + +Suddenly he heard a rustling sound in the temple, and a cool wind +passed over his face and made him shudder. And he saw a woman come out +of the temple, dressed in an old dirty red gown, and with a face as +white as a chalk wall. She stole past quietly as though she were +afraid of being seen. The soldier knew no fear. So he pretended to be +asleep and did not move, but watched her with half-shut eyes. And he +saw her draw a rope from her sleeve and disappear. Then he knew that +she was the ghost of one who had hung herself. He got up softly and +followed her, and, sure enough, she went into the village. + +When she came to a certain house she slipped into the court through a +crack in the door. The soldier leaped over the wall after her. It was +a house with three rooms. In the rear room a lamp was burning dimly. +The soldier looked through the window into the room, and there was a +young woman of about twenty sitting on the bed, sighing deeply, and +her kerchief was wet through with tears. Beside her lay a little +child, asleep. The woman looked up toward the beam of the ceiling. One +moment she would weep and the next she would stroke the child. When +the soldier looked more closely, there was the ghost sitting up on the +beam. She had passed the rope around her neck and was hanging herself +in dumb show. And whenever she beckoned with her hand the woman looked +up toward her. This went on for some time. + +Finally the woman said: "You say it would be best for me to die. Very +well, then, I will die; but I cannot part from my child!" + +And once more she burst into tears. But the ghost merely laughed and +coaxed her again. + +So the woman said determinedly: "It is enough. I will die!" + +With these words she opened her chest of clothes, put on new garments, +and painted her face before the mirror. Then she drew up a bench and +climbed up on it. She undid her girdle and knotted it to the beam. She +had already stretched forth her neck and was about to leap from the +bench, when the child suddenly awoke and began to cry. The woman +climbed down again and soothed and quieted her child, and while she +was petting it she wept, so that the tears fell from her eyes like a +string of pearls. The ghost frowned and hissed, for it feared to lose +its prey. In a short time the child had fallen asleep again, and the +woman once more began to look aloft. Then she rose, again climbed on +the bench, and was about to lay the noose about her neck when the +soldier began to call out loudly and drum on the window-pane. Then he +broke it and climbed into the room. The woman fell to the ground and +the ghost disappeared. The soldier recalled the woman to +consciousness, and then he saw something hanging down from the beam, +like a cord without an end. Knowing that it belonged to the ghost of +the hanged woman he took and kept it. + +Then he said to the woman: "Take good care of your child! You have +but one life to lose in this world!" + +And with that he went out. + +Then it occurred to him that his horse and his baggage were still in +the temple. And he went there to get them. When he came out of the +village there was the ghost, waiting for him in the road. + +The ghost bowed and said: "I have been looking for a substitute for +many years, and to-day, when it seemed as though I should really get +one, you came along and spoiled my chances. So there is nothing more +for me to do. Yet there is something which I left behind me in my +hurry. You surely must have found it, and I will ask you to return it +to me. If I only have this one thing, my not having found a substitute +will not worry me." + +Then the soldier showed her the rope and said with a laugh: "Is this +the thing you mean? Why, if I were to give it back to you then some +one is sure to hang themselves. And that I could not allow." + +With these words he wound the rope around his arm, drove her off and +said: "Now be off with you!" + +But then the ghost grew angry. Her face turned greenish-black, her +hair fell in wild disorder down her neck, her eyes grew bloodshot, and +her tongue hung far out of her mouth. She stretched forth both hands +and tried to seize the soldier, but he struck out at her with his +clenched fist. By mistake he hit himself in the nose and it began to +bleed. Then he sprinkled a few drops of blood in her direction and, +since the ghosts cannot endure human blood, she ceased her attack, +moved off a few paces and began to abuse him. This she did for some +time, until the cock in the village began to crow. Then the ghost +disappeared. + +In the meantime the farmer-folk of the village had come to thank the +soldier. It seems that after he had left the woman her husband had +come home, and asked his wife what had happened. And then for the +first time he had learned what had occurred. So they all set out +together along the road in order to look for the soldier outside the +village. When they found him he was still beating the air with his +fists and talking wildly. So they called out to him and he told them +what had taken place. The rope could still be seen on his bare arm; +yet it had grown fast to it, and surrounded it in the shape of a red +ring of flesh. + +The day was just dawning, so the soldier swung himself into his saddle +and rode away. + + Note: This tale has been handed down traditionally, and + is given as told among the people. + + + + +LIV + +THE PUNISHMENT OF GREED + + +Once upon a time there lived a man south of the Yangtze-kiang. He had +taken a position as a teacher in Sutschoufu, on the border of +Shantung. But when he got there he found that the schoolhouse had not +yet been completed. Yet a two-story building in the neighborhood had +been rented, in which the teacher was to live and hold school in the +meantime. This house stood outside the village, not far from the river +bank. A broad plain, overgrown with tangled brush, stretched out from +it on every side. The teacher was pleased with the view. + +Well, one evening he was standing in the door of his house watching +the sun go down. The smoke that rose from the village chimneys +gradually merged with the twilight shadows. All the noises of the day +had died away. Suddenly, off in the distance, along the river bank, he +beheld a fiery gleam. He hurried away at once in order to see what it +might be. And there, on the bank, he found a wooden coffin, from which +came the radiance he had noticed. Thought the teacher to himself: "The +jewels with which they adorn the dead on their journey shine by night. +Perhaps there are gems in the coffin!" And greed awoke in his heart, +and he forgot that a coffin is a resting-place of the dead and should +be respected. He took up a large stone, broke the cover of the coffin, +and bent over to look more closely. And there in the coffin lay a +youth. His face was as white as paper, he wore a mourning turban on +his head, his body was wrapped in hempen garments, and he wore straw +sandals on his feet. The teacher was greatly frightened and turned to +go away. But the corpse had already raised itself to a sitting +posture. Then the teacher's fear got the better of him, and he began +to run. And the corpse climbed out of its coffin and ran after him. +Fortunately the house was not far away. The teacher ran as fast as he +could, flew up the steps and locked the door after him. Gradually he +caught his breath again. Outside there was not a sound to be heard. So +he thought that perhaps the corpse had not followed him all the way. +He opened the window and peered down. The corpse was leaning against +the wall of the house. Suddenly it saw that the window had been +opened, and with one leap it bounded up and in through it. Overcome by +terror, the teacher fell down the stairs of the house, and rolled +unconscious to the bottom of the flight. And when he did so the +corpse fell down on the floor of the room above. + +At the time the school children had all long since gone home. And the +owner of the house lived in another dwelling, so that no one knew +anything about what had happened. On the following morning the +children came to school as usual. They found the door locked, and when +they called no one answered. Then they broke down the door and found +their teacher lying unconscious on the ground. They sprinkled him with +ginger, but it took a long time before he woke from his coma. When +they asked he told them all that had occurred. Then they all went +upstairs and took away the corpse. It was taken outside the village +limits and burned, and the bones which remained were once more laid in +the coffin. But the teacher said, with a sigh: "Because of a moment's +greed, I nearly lost my life!" He resigned his position, returned home +and never, through all the days of his life, did he speak of gain +again. + + Note: The corpse wears a mourning turban and is dressed + in mourning. According to local tradition, young people + who die before their parents, are laid in their coffins + clad in mourning, so that even in death they may do + their duty and be able to mourn their parents when the + latter shall have died. The tale is taken from the Su + Tsi Hia. + + + + +LV + +THE NIGHT ON THE BATTLEFIELD + + +Once upon a time there was a merchant, who was wandering toward +Shantung with his wares, along the road from the South. At about the +second watch of the night, a heavy storm blew up from the North. And +he chanced to see an inn at one side of the road, whose lights were +just being lit. He went in to get something to drink and order +lodgings for the night, but the folk at the inn raised objections. Yet +an old man among them took pity on his unhappy situation and said: "We +have just prepared a meal for warriors who have come a long distance, +and we have no wine left to serve you. But there is a little side room +here which is still free, and there you may stay overnight." With +these words he led him into it. But the merchant could not sleep +because of his hunger and thirst. Outside he could hear the noise of +men and horses. And since all these proceedings did not seem quite +natural to him, he got up and looked through a crack in the door. And +he saw that the whole inn was filled with soldiers, who were sitting +on the ground, eating and drinking, and talking about campaigns of +which he had never heard. After a time they began calling to each +other: "The general is coming!" And far off in the distance could be +heard the cries of his bodyguard. All the soldiers hurried out to +receive him. Then the merchant saw a procession with many paper +lanterns, and riding in their midst a man of martial appearance with a +long beard. He dismounted, entered the inn, and took his place at the +head of the board. The soldiers mounted guard at the door, awaiting +his commands, and the inn-keeper served food and drink, to which the +general did full justice. + +When he had finished his officers entered, and he said to them: "You +have now been underway for some time. Go back to your men. I shall +rest a little myself. It will be time enough to beat the assembly when +the order to advance is given." + +The officers received his commands and withdrew. Then the general +called out: "Send Asti in!" and a young officer entered from the left +side of the house. The people of the inn locked the gates and withdrew +for the night, while Asti conducted the long-haired general to a door +at the left, through a crack of which shone the light of a lamp. The +merchant stole from his room and looked through the crack in the door. +Within the room was a bed of bamboo, without covers or pillows. The +lamp stood on the ground. The long-bearded general took hold of his +head. It came off and he placed it on the bed. Then Asti took hold of +his arms. These also came off and were carefully placed beside the +head. Then the old general threw himself down on the bed crosswise, +and Asti took hold of his body, which came apart below the thighs, and +the two legs fell to the ground. Then the lamp went out. Overcome by +terror the merchant hurried back to his room as fast as he could, +holding his sleeves before his eyes, and laid down on his bed, where +he tossed about sleepless all night. + +At last he heard a cock crow in the distance. He was shivering. He +took his sleeves from his face and saw that dawn was stealing along +the sky. And when he looked about him, there he was lying in the +middle of a thick clump of brush. Round about him was a wilderness, +not a house, not even a grave was to be seen anywhere. In spite of +being chilled, he ran about three miles till he came to the nearest +inn. The inn-keeper opened the door and asked him with astonishment +where he came from at that early hour. So the merchant told him his +experiences and inquired as to the sort of place at which he had spent +the night. The inn-keeper shook his head: "The whole neighborhood is +covered with old battlefields," was his reply, "and all sorts of +supernatural things take place on them after dark." + + Note: This tale is taken from the Sin Tsi Hia. + + + + +LVI + +THE KINGDOM OF THE OGRES + + +In the land of Annam there once dwelt a man named Su, who sailed the +seas as a merchant. Once his ship was suddenly driven on a distant +shore by a great storm. It was a land of hills broken by ravines and +green with luxuriant foliage, yet he could see something along the +hills which looked like human dwellings. So he took some food with him +and went ashore. No sooner had he entered the hills than he could see +at either hand the entrances to caves, one close beside the other, +like a row of beehives. So he stopped and looked into one of the +openings. And in it sat two ogres, with teeth like spears and eyes +like fiery lamps. They were just devouring a deer. The merchant was +terrified by this sight and turned to flee; but the ogres had already +noticed him and they caught him and dragged him into their cave. Then +they talked to each other with animal sounds, and were about to tear +his clothes from his body and devour him. But the merchant hurriedly +took a bag of bread and dried meat out and offered it to them. They +divided it, ate it up and it seemed to taste good to them. Then they +once more went through the bag; but he gestured with his hand to show +them that he had no more. + +Then he said: "Let me go! Aboard my ship I have frying-pans and +cooking-pots, vinegar and spices. With these I could prepare your +food." + +The ogres did not understand what he was saying, however, and were +still ferocious. So he tried to make them understand in dumb show, and +finally they seemed to get an idea of his meaning. So they went to the +ship with him, and he brought his cooking gear to the cave, collected +brush-wood, made a fire and cooked the remains of the deer. When it +was done to a turn he gave them some of it to eat, and the two +creatures devoured it with the greatest satisfaction. Then they left +the cave and closed the opening with a great rock. In a short space of +time they returned with another deer they had caught. The merchant +skinned it, fetched fresh water, washed the meat and cooked several +kettles full of it. Suddenly in came a whole herd of ogres, who +devoured all he had cooked, and became quite animated over their +eating. They all kept pointing to the kettle which seemed too small to +them. When three or four days had passed, one of the ogres dragged in +an enormous cooking-pot on his back, which was thenceforth used +exclusively. + +Now the ogres crowded about the merchant, bringing him wolves and deer +and antelopes, which he had to cook for them, and when the meat was +done they would call him to eat it with them. + +Thus a few weeks passed and they gradually came to have such +confidence in him that they let him run about freely. And the merchant +listened to the sounds which they uttered, and learned to understand +them. In fact, before very long he was able to speak the language of +the ogres himself. This pleased the latter greatly, and they brought +him a young ogre girl and made her his wife. She gave him valuables +and fruit to win his confidence, and in course of time they grew much +attached to each other. + +One day the ogres all rose very early, and each one of them hung a +string of radiant pearls about his neck. They ordered the merchant to +be sure and cook a great quantity of meat. The merchant asked his wife +what it all meant. + +"This will be a day of high festival," answered she, "we have invited +the great king to a banquet." + +But to the other ogres she said: "The merchant has no string of +pearls!" + +Then each of the ogres gave him five pearls and his wife added ten, so +that he had fifty pearls in all. These his wife threaded and hung the +pearl necklace about his neck, and there was not one of the pearls +which was not worth at least several hundred ounces of silver. + +Then the merchant cooked the meat, and having done so left the cave +with the whole herd in order to receive the great king. They came to a +broad cave, in the middle of which stood a huge block of stone, as +smooth and even as a table. Round it were stone seats. The place of +honor was covered with a leopard-skin, and the rest of the seats with +deerskins. Several dozen ogres were sitting around the cave in rank +and file. + +Suddenly a tremendous storm blew up, whirling around the dust in +columns, and a monster appeared who had the figure of an ogre. The +ogres all crowded out of the cave in a high state of excitement to +receive him. The great king ran into the cave, sat down with his legs +outstretched, and glanced about him with eyes as round as an eagle's. +The whole herd followed him into the cave, and stood at either hand of +him, looking up to him and folding their arms across their breasts in +the form of a cross in order to do him honor. + +The great king nodded, looked around and asked: "Are all the folk of +the Wo-Me hills present?" + +The entire herd declared that they were. + +Then he saw the merchant and asked: "From whence does he hail?" + +His wife answered for him, and all spoke with praise of his art as a +cook. A couple of ogres brought in the cooked meat and spread it out +on the table. Then the great king ate of it till he could eat no more, +praised it with his mouth full, and said that in the future they were +always to furnish him with food of this kind. + +Then he looked at the merchant and asked: "Why is your necklace so +short?" + +With these words he took ten pearls from his own necklace, pearls as +large and round as bullets of a blunderbuss. The merchant's wife +quickly took them on his behalf and hung them around his neck; and the +merchant crossed his arms like the ogres and spoke his thanks. Then +the great king went off again, flying away like lightning on the +storm. + +In the course of time heaven sent the merchant children, two boys and +a girl. They all had a human form and did not resemble their mother. +Gradually the children learned to speak and their father taught them +the language of men. They grew up, and were soon so strong that they +could run across the hills as though on level ground. + +One day the merchant's wife had gone out with one of the boys and the +girl and had been absent for half-a-day. The north wind was blowing +briskly, and in the merchant's heart there awoke a longing for his old +home. He took his son by the hand and went down to the sea-shore. +There his old ship was still lying, so he climbed into it with his +boy, and in a day and a night was back in Annam again. + +When he reached home he loosened two of his pearls from his chain, +and sold them for a great quantity of gold, so that he could keep +house in handsome style. He gave his son the name of Panther, and when +the boy was fourteen years of age he could lift thirty hundred weight +with ease. Yet he was rough by nature and fond of fighting. The +general of Annam, astonished at his bravery, appointed him a colonel, +and in putting down a revolt his services were so meritorious that he +was already a general of the second rank when but eighteen. + +At about this time another merchant was also driven ashore by a storm +on the island of Wo-Me. When he reached land he saw a youth who asked +him with astonishment: "Are you not from the Middle Kingdom?" + +The merchant told him how he had come to be driven ashore on the +island, and the youth led him to a little cave in a secret valley. +Then he brought deer-flesh for him to eat, and talked with him. He +told him that his father had also come from Annam, and it turned out +that his father was an old acquaintance of the man to whom he was +talking. + +"We will have to wait until the wind blows from the North," said the +youth, "then I will come and escort you. And I will give you a message +of greeting to take to my father and brother." + +"Why do you not go along yourself and hunt up your father?" asked the +merchant. + +"My mother does not come from the Middle Kingdom," replied the youth. +"She is different in speech and appearance, so it cannot well be." + +One day the wind blew strongly from the North, and the youth came and +escorted the merchant to his ship, and ordered him, at parting, not to +forget a single one of his words. + +When the merchant returned to Annam, he went to the palace of +Panther, the general, and told him all that had happened. When Panther +listened to him telling about his brother, he sobbed with bitter +grief. Then he secured leave of absence and sailed out to sea with two +soldiers. Suddenly a typhoon arose, which lashed the waves until they +spurted sky-high. The ship turned turtle, and Panther fell into the +sea. He was seized by a creature and flung up on a strand where there +seemed to be dwellings. The creature who had seized him looked like an +ogre, so Panther addressed him in the ogre tongue. The ogre, +surprised, asked him who he was, and Panther told him his whole story. + +The ogre was pleased and said: "Wo-Me is my old home, but it lies +about eight thousand miles away from here. This is the kingdom of the +poison dragons." + +Then the ogre fetched a ship and had Panther seat himself in it, while +he himself pushed the ship before him through the water so that it +clove the waves like an arrow. It took a whole night, but in the +morning a shoreline appeared to the North, and there on the strand +stood a youth on look-out. Panther recognized his brother. He stepped +ashore and they clasped hands and wept. Then Panther turned around to +thank the ogre, but the latter had already disappeared. + +Panther now asked after his mother and sister and was told that both +were well and happy, so he wanted to go to them with his brother. But +the latter told him to wait, and went off alone. Not long after he +came back with their mother and sister. And when they saw Panther, +both wept with emotion. Panther now begged them to return with him to +Annam. + +But his mother replied: "I fear that if I went, people would mock me +because of my figure." + +"I am a high officer," replied Panther, "and people would not dare to +insult you." + +So they all went down to the ship together with him. A favorable wind +filled their sails and they sped home swiftly as an arrow flies. On +the third day they reached land. But the people whom they encountered +were all seized with terror and ran away. Then Panther took off his +mantle and divided it among the three so that they could dress +themselves. + +When they reached home and the mother saw her husband again, she at +once began to scold him violently because he had said not a word to +her when he went away. The members of his family, who all came to +greet the wife of the master of the house, did so with fear and +trembling. But Panther advised his mother to learn the language of the +Middle Kingdom, dress in silks, and accustom herself to human food. +This she agreed to do; yet she and her daughter had men's clothing +made for them. The brother and sister gradually grew more fair of +complexion, and looked like the people of the Middle Kingdom. +Panther's brother was named Leopard, and his sister Ogrechild. Both +possessed great bodily strength. + +But Panther was not pleased to think that his brother was so +uneducated, so he had him study. Leopard was highly gifted; he +understood a book at first reading; yet he felt no inclination to +become a man of learning. To shoot and to ride was what he best loved +to do. So he rose to high rank as a professional soldier, and finally +married the daughter of a distinguished official. + +It was long before Ogrechild found a husband, because all suitors were +afraid of their mother-in-law to be. But Ogrechild finally married one +of her brother's subordinates. She could draw the strongest bow, and +strike the tiniest bird at a distance of a hundred paces. Her arrow +never fell to earth without having scored a hit. When her husband went +out to battle she always accompanied him, and that he finally became a +general was largely due to her. Leopard was already a field marshal at +the age of thirty, and his mother accompanied him on his campaigns. +When a dangerous enemy drew near, she buckled on armor, and took a +knife in her hand to meet him in place of her son. And among the +enemies who encountered her there was not a single one who did not +flee from her in terror. Because of her courage the emperor bestowed +upon her the title of "The Superwoman." + + Note: The ogres here mentioned are the primitive + inhabitants of the Island of Ceylon, also called + Rakshas, who appear in legend as man-devouring monsters. + + + + +LVII + +THE MAIDEN WHO WAS STOLEN AWAY + + +In the western portion of the old capital city of Lo Yang there was a +ruined cloister, in which stood an enormous pagoda, several hundred +stories high. Three or four people could still find room to stand on +its very top. + +Not far from it there lived a beautiful maiden, and one very hot +summer's day she was sitting in the courtyard of her home, trying to +keep cool. And as she sat there a sudden cyclone came up and carried +her off. When she opened her eyes, there she was on top of the pagoda, +and beside her stood a young man in the dress of a student. + +He was very polite and affable, and said to her: "It seems as though +heaven had meant to bring us together, and if you promise to marry me, +we will be very happy." But to this the maiden would not agree. So the +student said that until she changed her mind she would have to remain +on the pagoda-top. Then he produced bread and wine for her to satisfy +her hunger and thirst, and disappeared. + +Thereafter he appeared each day and asked her whether she had changed +her mind, and each day she told him she had not. When he went away he +always carefully closed the openings in the pagoda-top with stones, +and he had also removed some of the steps of the stairs, so that she +could not climb down. And when he came to the pagoda-top he always +brought her food and drink, and he also presented her with rouge and +powder, dresses and mandarin-coats and all sorts of jewelry. He told +her he had bought them in the market place. And he also hung up a +great carbuncle-stone so that the pagoda-top was bright by night as +well as by day. The maiden had all that heart could wish, and yet she +was not happy. + +But one day when he went away he forgot to lock the window. The maiden +spied on him without his knowing it, and saw that from a youth he +turned himself into an ogre, with hair as red as madder and a face as +black as coal. His eyeballs bulged out of their sockets, and his mouth +looked like a dish full of blood. Crooked white fangs thrust +themselves from his lips, and two wings grew from his shoulders. +Spreading them, he flew down to earth and at once turned into a man +again. + +The maiden was seized with terror and burst into tears. Looking down +from her pagoda she saw a wanderer passing below. She called out, but +the pagoda was so high that her voice did not carry down to him. She +beckoned with her hand, but the wanderer did not look up. Then she +could think of nothing else to do but to throw down the old clothes +she had formerly worn. They fluttered through the air to the ground. + +The wanderer picked up the clothes. Then he looked up at the pagoda, +and quite up at the very top he saw a tiny figure which looked like +that of a girl; yet he could not make out her features. For a long +time he wondered who it might be, but in vain. Then he saw a light. + +"My neighbor's daughter," said he to himself, "was carried away by a +magic storm. Is it possible that she may be up there?" + +So he took the clothes with him and showed them to the maiden's +parents, and when they saw them they burst into tears. + +But the maiden had a brother, who was stronger and braver than any one +for miles around. When the tale had been told him he took a heavy ax +and went to the pagoda. There he hid himself in the tall grass and +waited for what would happen. When the sun was just going down, along +came a youth, tramping the hill. Suddenly he turned into an ogre, +spread his wings and was about to fly. But the brother flung his ax at +him and struck him on the arm. He began to roar loudly, and then fled +to the western hills. But when the brother saw that it was impossible +to climb the pagoda, he went back and enlisted the aid of several +neighbors. With them he returned the following morning and they +climbed up into the pagoda. Most of the steps of the stairway were in +good condition for the ogre had only destroyed those at the top. But +they were able to get up with a ladder, and then the brother fetched +down his sister and brought her safely home again. + +And that was the end of the enchantment. + + Note: In this tale the ogre is a Yakscha or a Fe Tian Ya + Tscha. + + + + +LVIII + +THE FLYING OGRE + + +There once lived in Sianfu an old Buddhist monk, who loved to wander +in lonely places. In the course of his wanderings he once came to the +Kuku-Nor, and there he saw a tree which was a thousand feet high and +many cords in breadth. It was hollow inside and one could see the sky +shining down into it from above. + +When he had gone on a few miles, he saw in the distance a girl in a +red coat, barefoot, and with unbound hair, who was running as fast as +the wind. In a moment she stood before him. + +"Take pity on me and save my life!" said she to him. + +When the monk asked her what was the trouble, she replied: "A man is +pursuing me. If you will tell him you have not seen me, I will be +grateful to you all my life long!" + +With that she ran up to the hollow tree and crawled into it. + +When the monk had gone a little further, he met one who rode an +armored steed. He wore a garment of gold, a bow was slung across his +shoulders, and a sword hung at his side. His horse ran with the speed +of lightning, and covered a couple of miles with every step. Whether +it ran in the air or on the ground, its speed was the same. + +"Have you seen the girl in the red coat?" asked the stranger. And when +the monk replied that he had seen nothing, the other continued: +"Bonze, you should not lie! This girl is not a human being, but a +flying ogre. Of flying ogres there are thousands of varieties, who +bring ruin to people everywhere. I have already slain a countless +number of them, and have pretty well done away with them. But this one +is the worst of all. Last night the Lord of the Heavens gave me a +triple command, and that is the reason I have hurried down from the +skies. There are eight thousand of us under way in all directions to +catch this monster. If you do not tell the truth, monk, then you are +sinning against heaven itself!" + +Upon that the monk did not dare deceive him, but pointed to the hollow +tree. The messenger of the skies dismounted, stepped into the tree and +looked about him. Then he once more mounted his horse, which carried +him up the hollow trunk and out at the end of the tree. The monk +looked up and could see a small, red flame come out of the tree-top. +It was followed by the messenger of the skies. Both rose up to the +clouds and disappeared. After a time there fell a rain of blood. The +ogre had probably been hit by an arrow or captured. + +Afterward the monk told the tale to the scholar who wrote it down. + + Note: This flying ogre is also of the Yakscha tribe. + + + + +LIX + +BLACK ARTS + + +The wild people who dwell in the South-West are masters of many black +arts. They often lure men of the Middle Kingdom to their country by +promising them their daughters in marriage, but their promises are not +to be trusted. Once there was the son of a poor family, who agreed to +labor for three years for one of the wild men in order to become his +son-in-law. At the end of that time the wedding was celebrated, and +the couple were given a little house for a home. But no sooner had +they entered it than the wife warned her husband to be on his guard, +since her parents did not like him, and would seek to do him harm. In +accordance with the custom she entered the house first with a lighted +lantern, but when the bridegroom followed her she had disappeared. And +thus it went, day by day. During the daytime she was there, but when +evening came she disappeared. + +And one day, not long after they had been married, his wife said to +him: "To-morrow morning my mother celebrates her birthday, and you +must go to congratulate her. They will offer you tea and food. The tea +you may drink, but be sure not to touch any of the food. Keep this in +mind!" + +So the following day the wife and husband went to her mother's home +and offered their congratulations. Her parents seemed highly pleased, +and served them with tea and sweets. The son-in-law drank, but ate +nothing, though his wife's parents, with kind words and friendly +gestures, kept urging him to help himself. At last the son-in-law did +not know what to do, and thought that surely they could mean him no +ill. And seeing the fresh caught eels and crabs on the plate before +him, he ate a little of them. His wife gave him a reproachful glance, +and he offered some excuse for taking his leave. + +But his mother-in-law said: "This is my birthday. You simply must +taste my birthday noodles!" + +With that she placed a great dish before him, filled with noodles that +looked like threads of silver, mingled with fat meat, and spiced with +fragrant mushrooms. During all the time he had been living in the +country the son-in-law had never yet seen such an appetizing dish. Its +pleasant odor rose temptingly to his nostrils, and he could not resist +raising his chop-sticks. His wife glanced over at him, but he +pretended that he did not see her. + +She coughed significantly, but he acted as though he did not hear. +Finally she trod on his foot under the table; and then he regained +control of himself. + +He had not as yet eaten half of the food and said: "My hunger is +satisfied." + +Then he took leave, and went off with his wife. + +"This is a serious matter," said the latter. "You would not listen to +my words, and now you will surely have to die!" + +But still he did not believe her, until he suddenly felt terrible +pains, which soon grew unbearable, so that he fell to the ground +unconscious. His wife at once hung him up by the feet from the beam of +the roof, and put a panful of glowing charcoal under his body, and a +great jar of water, into which she had poured sesame oil, in front of +the fire, directly below his mouth. And when the fire had heated him +thoroughly, he suddenly opened his mouth--and can you imagine what +came out of it? A squirming, crawling mass of poisonous worms, +centipedes, toads and tadpoles, who all fell into the jar of water. +Then his wife untied him, carried him to bed, and gave him wine +mingled with realgar to drink. Then he recovered. + +"What you ate in the belief that they were eels and crabs," said his +wife, "were nothing but toads and tadpoles, and the birthday noodles +were poisonous worms and centipedes. But you must continue to be +careful. My parents know that you have not died, and they will think +up other evil plans." + +A few days later his father-in-law said to him: "There is a large tree +growing on the precipice which juts over the cave. In it is the nest +of the phenix. You are still young and able to climb, so go there +quickly and fetch me the eggs!" + +His son-in-law went home and told his wife. + +"Take long bamboo poles," said she, "and tie them together, and fasten +a curved sword at the top. And take these nine loaves of bread and +these hens' eggs, there are seven times seven of them. Carry them +along with you in a basket. When you come to the spot you will see a +large nest up in the branches. Do not climb the tree, but chop it down +with the curved sword. Then throw away your poles, and run for dear +life. Should a monster appear and follow you, throw him the loaves of +bread, three loaves at a time, and finally throw down the eggs on the +ground and make for home as quickly as you can. In this way you may +escape the danger which threatens you." + +The man noted all she said exactly and went. And sure enough he saw +the bird's nest--it was as large as a round pavilion. Then he tied his +curved sword to the poles, chopped at the tree with all his strength, +laid down his poles on the ground and never looked around but ran for +dear life. Suddenly he heard the roaring of a thunder-storm rising +above him. When he looked up he saw a great dragon, many fathoms long +and some ten feet across. His eyes gleamed like two lamps and he was +spitting fire and flame from his maw. He had stretched out two feelers +and was feeling along the ground. Then the man swiftly flung the +loaves into the air. The dragon caught them, and it took a little time +before he had devoured them. But no sooner had the man gained a few +steps than the dragon once more came flying after him. Then he flung +him more loaves and when the loaves came to an end, he turned over his +basket so that the eggs rolled over the ground. The dragon had not yet +satisfied his hunger and opened his greedy jaws wide. When he suddenly +caught sight of the eggs, he descended from the air, and since the +eggs were scattered round about, it took some time before he had +sucked them all. In the meantime the man succeeded in escaping to his +home. + +When he entered the door and saw his wife, he said to her, amid sobs: +"It was all I could do to escape, and I am lucky not to be in the +dragon's stomach! If this sort of thing keeps up much longer I am +bound to die!" + +With these words he kneeled and begged his wife pitifully to save his +life. + +"Where is your home?" asked his wife. + +"My home is about a hundred miles away from here, in the Middle +Kingdom, and my old mother is still living. The only thing that +worries me is that we are so poor." + +His wife said: "I will flee with you, and we will find your mother. +And waste no regrets on your poverty." + +With that she gathered up all the house held in the way of pearls and +precious stones, put them in a bag and had her husband tie it around +his waist. Then she also gave him an umbrella, and in the middle of +the night they climbed the wall with the aid of a ladder, and stole +away. + +His wife had also said to him: "Take the umbrella on your back and run +as fast as ever you can! Do not open it, and do not look around! I +will follow you in secret." + +So he turned North and ran with all his might and main. He had been +running for a day and a night, had covered nearly a hundred miles, and +passed the boundaries of the wild people's country, when his legs gave +out and he grew hungry. Before him lay a mountain village. He stopped +at the village gate to rest, drew some food from his pocket and began +to eat. And he looked around without being able to see his wife. + +Said he to himself: "Perhaps she has deceived me after all, and is not +coming with me!" + +After he had finished eating, he took a drink from a spring, and +painfully dragged himself further. When the heat of the day was +greatest a violent mountain rain suddenly began to fall. In his haste +he forgot what his wife had told him and opened his umbrella. And out +fell his wife upon the ground. + +She reproached him: "Once more you have not listened to my advice. Now +the damage has been done!" + +Quickly she told him to go to the village, and there to buy a white +cock, seven black tea-cups, and half a length of red nettlecloth. + +"Do not be sparing of the silver pieces in your pocket!" she cried +after him as he went off. + +He went to the village, attended to everything, and came back. The +woman tore the cloth apart, made a coat of it and put it on. No sooner +had they walked a few miles before they could see a red cloud rising +up in the South, like a flying bird. + +"That is my mother," said the woman. + +In a moment the cloud was overhead. Then the woman took the black +tea-cups and threw them at it. Seven she threw and seven fell to earth +again. And then they could hear the mother in the cloud weeping and +scolding, and thereupon the cloud disappeared. + +They went on for about four hours. Then they heard a sound like the +noise of silk being torn, and could see a cloud as black as ink, which +was rushing up against the wind. + +"Alas, that is my father!" said the woman. "This is a matter of life +and death, for he will not let us be! Because of my love for you I +will now have to disobey the holiest of laws!" + +With these words she quickly seized the white cock, separated its head +from its body, and flung the head into the air. At once the black +cloud dissolved, and her father's body, the head severed from the +trunk, fell down by the edge of the road. Then the woman wept +bitterly, and when she had wept her fill they buried the corpse. +Thereupon they went together to her husband's home, where they found +his old mother still living. They then undid the bag of pearls and +jewels, bought a piece of good ground, built a fine house, and became +wealthy and respected members of the community. + + Note: Realgar: The Chinese believe that realgar is a + mithridate and tonic. + + + + +HISTORIC LEGENDS + + + + +LX + +THE SORCERER OF THE WHITE LOTUS LODGE + + +Once upon a time there was a sorcerer who belonged to the White Lotus +Lodge. He knew how to deceive the multitude with his black arts, and +many who wished to learn the secret of his enchantments became his +pupils. + +One day the sorcerer wished to go out. He placed a bowl which he +covered with another bowl in the hall of his house, and ordered his +pupils to watch it. But he warned them against uncovering the bowl to +see what might be in it. + +No sooner had he gone than the pupils uncovered the bowl and saw that +it was filled with clear water. And floating on the water was a little +ship made of straw, with real masts and sails. They were surprised and +pushed it with their fingers till it upset. Then they quickly righted +it again and once more covered the bowl. By that time the sorcerer was +already standing among them. He was angry and scolded them, saying: +"Why did you disobey my command?" + +His pupils rose and denied that they had done so. + +But the sorcerer answered: "Did not my ship turn turtle at sea, and +yet you try to deceive me?" + +On another evening he lit a giant candle in his room, and ordered his +pupils to watch it lest it be blown out by the wind. It must have been +at the second watch of the night and the sorcerer had not yet come +back. The pupils grew tired and sleepy, so they went to bed and +gradually fell asleep. When they woke up again the candle had gone +out. So they rose quickly and re-lit it. But the sorcerer was already +in the room, and again he scolded them. + +"Truly we did not sleep! How could the light have gone out?" + +Angrily the sorcerer replied: "You let me walk fifteen miles in the +dark, and still you can talk such nonsense!" + +Then his pupils were very much frightened. + +In the course of time one of his pupils insulted the sorcerer. The +latter made note of the insult, but said nothing. Soon after he told +the pupil to feed the swine, and no sooner had he entered the sty than +his master turned him into a pig. The sorcerer then at once called in +a butcher, sold the pig to the man, and he went the way of all pigs +who go to the butcher. + +One day this pupil's father turned up to ask after his son, for he had +not come back to his home for a long time. The sorcerer told him that +his son had left him long ago. The father returned home and inquired +everywhere for his son without success. But one of his son's +fellow-pupils, who knew of the matter, informed the father. So the +father complained to the district mandarin. The latter, however, +feared that the sorcerer might make himself invisible. He did not dare +to have him arrested, but informed his superior and begged for a +thousand well-armed soldiers. These surrounded the sorcerer's home and +seized him, together with his wife and child. All three were put into +wooden cages to be transported to the capital. + +The road wound through the mountains, and in the midst of the hills up +came a giant as large as a tree, with eyes like saucers, a mouth like +a plate, and teeth a foot long. The soldiers stood there trembling and +did not dare to move. + +Said the sorcerer: "That is a mountain spirit. My wife will be able to +drive him off." + +They did as he suggested, unchained the woman, and she took a spear +and went to meet the giant. The latter was angered, and he swallowed +her, tooth and nail. This frightened the rest all the more. + +The sorcerer said: "Well, if he has done away with my wife, then it is +my son's turn!" + +So they let the son out of his cage. But the giant swallowed him in +the same way. The rest all looked on without knowing what to do. + +The sorcerer then wept with rage and said: "First he destroys my wife, +and then my son. If only he might be punished for it! But I am the +only one who can punish him!" + +And, sure enough, they took him out of his cage, too, gave him a +sword, and sent him out against the giant. The sorcerer and the giant +fought with each other for a time, and at last the giant seized the +sorcerer, thrust him into his maw, stretched his neck and swallowed +him. Then he went his way contentedly. + +And now when it was too late, the soldiers realized that the sorcerer +had tricked them. + + Note: The Lodge of the White Lotus is one of the secret + revolutionary societies of China. It harks back to Tung + Tian Giau Dschu as its founder. Compare note to No. 18. + The "mountain spirit," of course, is an optical illusion + called up by the sorcerer, by means of which he frees + his family and himself from the soldiers. + + + + +LXI + +THE THREE EVILS + + +Once upon a time, in the old days, there lived a young man by the name +of Dschou Tschu. He was of more than ordinary strength, and no one +could withstand him. He was also wild and undisciplined, and wherever +he was, quarrels and brawls arose. Yet the village elders never +ventured to punish him seriously. He wore a high hat on his head, +adorned with two pheasants' wings. His garments were woven of +embroidered silk, and at his side hung the Dragonspring sword. He was +given to play and to drinking, and his hand was inclined to take that +which belonged to others. Whoever offended him had reason to dread the +consequences, and he always mixed into disputes in which others were +engaged. Thus he kept it up for years, and was a pest throughout the +neighborhood. + +Then a new mandarin came to that district. When he had arrived, he +first went quietly about the country and listened to the people's +complaints. And they told him that there were three great evils in +that district. + +Then he clothed himself in coarse garments, and wept before Dschou +Tschu's door. Dschou Tschu was just coming from the tavern, where he +had been drinking. He was slapping his sword and singing in a loud +voice. + +When he reached his house he asked: "Who is weeping here so +pitifully?" + +And the mandarin replied: "I am weeping because of the people's +distress." + +Then Dschou Tschu saw him and broke out into loud laughter. + +"You are mistaken, my friend," said he. "Revolt is seething round +about us like boiling water in a kettle. But here, in our little +corner of the land, all is quiet and peaceful. The harvest has been +abundant, corn is plentiful, and all go happily about their work. When +you talk to me about distress I have to think of the man who groans +without being sick. And who are you, tell me that, who instead of +grieving for yourself, are grieving for others? And what are you doing +before my door?" + +"I am the new mandarin," replied the other. "Since I left my litter I +have been looking about in the neighborhood. I find the people are +honest and simple in their way of life, and every one has sufficient +to wear and to eat. This is all just as you state. Yet, strange to +say, when the elders come together, they always sigh and complain. And +if they are asked why, they answer: 'There are three great evils in +our district!' I have come to ask you to do away with two of them, as +to the third, perhaps I had better remain silent. And this is the +reason I weep before your door." + +"Well, what are these evils?" answered Dschou Tschu. "Speak freely, +and tell me openly all that you know!" + +"The first evil," said the mandarin, "is the evil dragon at the long +bridge, who causes the water to rise so that man and beast are drowned +in the river. The second evil is the tiger with the white forehead, +who dwells in the hills. And the third evil, Dschou Tschu--is +yourself!" + +Then the blush of shame mounted to the man's cheek, and he bowed and +said: "You have come here from afar to be the mandarin of this +district, and yet you feel such sympathy for the people? I was born in +this place and yet I have only made our elders grieve. What sort of a +creature must I be? I beg that you will return home again. I will see +to it that matters improve!" + +Then he ran without stopping to the hills, and hunted the tiger out of +his cave. The latter leaped into the air so that the whole forest was +shaken as though by a storm. Then he came rushing up, roaring, and +stretching out his claws savagely to seize his enemy. Dschou Tschu +stepped back a pace, and the tiger lit on the ground directly in front +of him. Then he thrust the tiger's neck to the ground with his left +hand, and beat him without stopping with his right, until he lay dead +on the earth. Dschou Tschu loaded the tiger on his back and went home. + +Then he went to the long bridge. He undressed, took his sword in his +hand, and thus dived into the water. No sooner had he disappeared, +than there was a boiling and hissing, and the waves began to foam and +billow. It sounded like the mad beating of thousands of hoofs. After a +time a stream of blood shot up from the depths, and the water of the +river turned red. Then Dschou Tschu, holding the dragon in his hand, +rose out of the waves. + +He went to the mandarin and reported, with a bow: "I have cut off the +dragon's head, and have also done away with the tiger. Thus I have +happily accomplished your command. And now I shall wander away so that +you may be rid of the third evil as well. Lord, watch over my country, +and tell the elders that they need sorrow no more!" + +When he had said this he enlisted as a soldier. In combat against the +robbers he gained a great reputation and once, when the latter were +pressing him hard, and he saw that he could not save himself, he bowed +to the East and said: "The day has come at last when I can atone for +my sin with my life!" Then he offered his neck to the sword and died. + + Note: A legendary tale rather than a folk-story, with a + fine moral. + + + + +LXII + +HOW THREE HEROES CAME BY THEIR DEATHS BECAUSE OF TWO PEACHES + + +At the beginning of his reign Duke Ging of Tsi loved to draw heroes +about him. Among those whom he attached to him were three of quite +extraordinary bravery. The first was named Gung Sun Dsia, the second +Tian Kai Giang, the third Gu I Dsi. All three were highly honored by +the prince, but the honor paid them made them presumptuous, they kept +the court in a turmoil, and overstepped the bounds of respect which +lie between a prince and his servants. + +At the time Yan Dsi was chancellor of Tsi. The duke consulted him as +to what would be best to do. And the chancellor advised him to give a +great court banquet and invite all his courtiers. On the table, the +choicest dish of all, stood a platter holding four magnificent +peaches. + +Then, in accordance with his chancellor's advice, the Duke rose and +said: "Here are some magnificent peaches, but I cannot give one to +each of you. Only those most worthy may eat of them. I myself reign +over the land, and am the first among the princes of the empire. I +have been successful in holding my possessions and power, and that is +my merit. Hence one of the peaches falls to me. Yan Dsi sits here as +my chancellor. He regulates communications with foreign lands and +keeps the peace among the people. He has made my kingdom powerful +among the kingdoms of the earth. That is his merit, and hence the +second peach falls to him. Now there are but two peaches left; yet I +cannot tell which ones among you are the worthiest. You may rise +yourselves and tell us of your merits. But whoever has performed no +great deeds, let him hold his tongue!" + +Then Gung Sun Dsia beat upon his sword, rose up and said: "I am the +prince's captain general. In the South I besieged the kingdom of Lu, +in the West I conquered the kingdom of Dsin, in the North I captured +the army of Yan. All the princes of the East come to the Duke's court +and acknowledge the overlordship of Tsi. That is my merit. I do not +know whether it deserves a peach." + +The Duke replied: "Great is your merit! A peach is your just due!" + +Then Tian Kai Giang rose, beat on the table, and cried: "I have fought +a hundred battles in the army of the prince. I have slain the enemy's +general-in-chief, and captured the enemy's flag. I have extended the +borders of the Duke's land till the size of his realm has been +increased by a thousand miles. How is it with my merit?" + +The Duke said: "Great is your merit! A peach is your just due!" + +Then Gu I Dsi arose; his eyes started from their sockets, and he +shouted with a loud voice: "Once, when the Duke was crossing the +Yellow River, wind and waters rose. A river-dragon snapped up one of +the steeds of the chariot and tore it away. The ferry-boat rocked like +a sieve and was about to capsize. Then I took my sword and leaped into +the stream. I fought with the dragon in the midst of the foaming +waves. And by reason of my strength I managed to kill him, though my +eyes stood out of my head with my exertions. Then I came to the +surface with the dragon's head in one hand, and holding the rein of +the rescued horse in the other, and I had saved my prince from +drowning. Whenever our country was at war with neighboring states, I +refused no service. I commanded the van, I fought in single combat. +Never did I turn my back on the foe. Once the prince's chariot stuck +fast in the swamp, and the enemy hurried up on all sides. I pulled the +chariot out, and drove off the hostile mercenaries. Since I have been +in the prince's service I have saved his life more than once. I grant +that my merit is not to be compared with that of the prince and that +of the chancellor, yet it is greater than that of my two companions. +Both have received peaches, while I must do without. This means that +real merit is not rewarded, and that the Duke looks on me with +disfavor. And in such case how may I ever show myself at court again!" + +With these words he drew his sword and killed himself. + +Then Gung Sun Dsia rose, bowed twice, and said with a sigh: "Both my +merit and that of Tian Kai Giang does not compare with Gu I Dsi's and +yet the peaches were given us. We have been rewarded beyond our +deserts, and such reward is shameful. Hence it is better to die than +to live dishonored!" + +He took his sword and swung it, and his own head rolled on the sand. + +Tian Kai Giang looked up and uttered a groan of disgust. He blew the +breath from his mouth in front of him like a rainbow, and his hair +rose on end with rage. Then he took sword in hand and said: "We three +have always served our prince bravely. We were like the same flesh and +blood. The others are dead, and it is my duty not to survive them!" + +And he thrust his sword into his throat and died. + +The Duke sighed incessantly, and commanded that they be given a +splendid burial. A brave hero values his honor more than his life. The +chancellor knew this, and that was why he purposely arranged to incite +the three heroes to kill themselves by means of the two peaches. + + Note: Duke Ging of Tsi (Eastern Shantung) was an older + contemporary of Confucius. The chancellor Yan Dsi, who + is the reputed author of a work on philosophy, is the + same who prevented the appointment of Confucius at the + court of Tsi. + + + + +LXIII + +HOW THE RIVER-GOD'S WEDDING WAS BROKEN OFF + + +At the time of the seven empires there lived a man by the name of +Si-Men Bau, who was a governor on the Yellow River. In this district +the river-god was held in high honor. The sorcerers and witches who +dwelt there said: "Every year the river-god looks for a bride, who +must be selected from among the people. If she be not found then wind +and rain will not come at the proper seasons, and there will be scanty +crops and floods!" And then, when a girl came of age in some wealthy +family, the sorcerers would say that she should be selected. Whereupon +her parents, who wished to protect their daughter, would bribe them +with large sums of money to look for some one else, till the sorcerers +would give in, and order the rich folk to share the expense of buying +some poor girl to be cast into the river. The remainder of the money +they would keep for themselves as their profit on the transaction. But +whoever would not pay, their daughter was chosen to be the bride of +the river-god, and was forced to accept the wedding gifts which the +sorcerers brought her. The people of the district chafed grievously +under this custom. + +Now when Si-Men entered into office, he heard of this evil custom. He +had the sorcerers come before him and said: "See to it that you let me +know when the day of the river-god's wedding comes, for I myself wish +to be present to honor the god! This will please him, and in return he +will shower blessings on my people." With that he dismissed them. And +the sorcerers were full of praise for his piety. + +So when the day arrived they gave him notice. Si-Men dressed himself +in his robes of ceremony, entered his chariot and drove to the river +in festival procession. The elders of the people, as well as the +sorcerers and the witches were all there. And from far and near men, +women and children had flocked together in order to see the show. The +sorcerers placed the river-bride on a couch, adorned her with her +bridal jewels, and kettledrums, snaredrums and merry airs vied with +each other in joyful sound. + +They were about to thrust the couch into the stream, and the girl's +parents said farewell to her amid tears. But Si-Men bade them wait and +said: "Do not be in such a hurry! I have appeared in person to escort +the bride, hence everything must be done solemnly and in order. First +some one must go to the river-god's castle, and let him know that he +may come himself and fetch his bride." + +And with these words he looked at a witch and said: "You may go!" The +witch hesitated, but he ordered his servants to seize her and thrust +her into the stream. After which about an hour went by. + +"That woman did not understand her business," continued Si-Men, "or +else she would have been back long ago!" And with that he looked at +one of the sorcerers and added: "Do you go and do better!" The +sorcerer paled with fear, but Si-Men had him seized and cast into the +river. Again half-an-hour went by. + +Then Si-Men pretended to be uneasy. "Both of them have made a botch of +their errand," said he, "and are causing the bride to wait in vain!" +Once more he looked at a sorcerer and said: "Do you go and hunt them +up!" But the sorcerer flung himself on the ground and begged for +mercy. And all the rest of the sorcerers and witches knelt to him in a +row, and pleaded for grace. And they took an oath that they would +never again seek a bride for the river-god. + +Then Si-Men held his hand, and sent the girl back to her home, and the +evil custom was at an end forever. + + Note: Si-Men Bau was an historical personage, who lived + five centuries before Christ. + + + + +LXIV + +DSCHANG LIANG + + +Dschang Liang was a native of one of those states which had been +destroyed by the Emperor Tsin Schi Huang. And Dschang Liang determined +to do a deed for his dead king's sake, and to that end gathered +followers with whom to slay Tsin Schi Huang. + +Once Tsin Schi Huang was making a progress through the country. When +he came to the plain of Bo Lang, Dschang Liang armed his people with +iron maces in order to kill him. But Tsin Schi Huang always had two +traveling coaches which were exactly alike in appearance. In one of +them he sat himself, while in the other was seated another person. +Dschang Liang and his followers met the decoy wagon, and Dschang Liang +was forced to flee from the Emperor's rage. He came to a ruined +bridge. An icy wind was blowing, and the snowflakes were whirling +through the air. There he met an old, old man wearing a black turban +and a yellow gown. The old man let one of his shoes fall into the +water, looked at Dschang Liang and said: "Fetch it out, little one!" + +Dschang Liang controlled himself, fetched out the shoe and brought it +to the old man. The latter stretched out his foot to allow Dschang +Liang to put it on, which he did in a respectful manner. This pleased +the old man and he said: "Little one, something may be made of you! +Come here to-morrow morning early, and I will have something for you." + +The following morning at break of dawn, Dschang Liang appeared. But +the old man was already there and reproached him: "You are too late. +To-day I will tell you nothing. To-morrow you must come earlier." + +So it went on for three days, and Dschang Liang's patience was not +exhausted. Then the old man was satisfied, brought forth the Book of +Hidden Complements, and gave it to him. "You must read it," said he, +"and then you will be able to rule a great emperor. When your task is +completed, seek me at the foot of the Gu Tschong Mountain. There you +will find a yellow stone, and I will be by that yellow stone." + +Dschang Liang took the book and aided the ancestor of the Han dynasty +to conquer the empire. The emperor made him a count. From that time +forward Dschang Liang ate no human food and concentrated in spirit. He +kept company with the four whitebeards of the Shang Mountain, and with +them shared the sunset roses in the clouds. Once he met two boys who +were singing and dancing: + + "Green the garments you should wear, + If to heaven's gate you'd fare; + There the Golden Mother greet, + Bow before the Wood Lord's feet!" + +When Dschang Liang heard this, he bowed before the youths, and said to +his friends: "Those are angel children of the King Father of the East. +The Golden Mother is the Queen of the West. The Lord of Wood is the +King Father of the East. They are the two primal powers, the parents +of all that is male and female, the root and fountain of heaven and +earth, to whom all that has life is indebted for its creation and +nourishment. The Lord of Wood is the master of all the male saints, +the Golden Mother is the mistress of all the female saints. Whoever +would gain immortality, must first greet the Golden Mother and then +bow before the King Father. Then he may rise up to the three Pure Ones +and stand in the presence of the Highest. The song of the angel +children shows the manner in which the hidden knowledge may be +acquired." + +At about that time the emperor was induced to have some of his +faithful servants slain. Then Dschang Liang left his service and went +to the Gu Tschong Mountain. There he found the old man by the yellow +stone, gained the hidden knowledge, returned home, and feigning +illness loosed his soul from his body and disappeared. + +Later, when the rebellion of the "Red Eyebrows" broke out, his tomb +was opened. But all that was found within it was a yellow stone. +Dschang Liang was wandering with Laotsze in the invisible world. + +Once his grandson Dschang Dau Ling went to Kunlun Mountain, in order +to visit the Queen Mother of the West. There he met Dschang Liang. +Dschang Dau Ling gained power over demons and spirits, and became the +first Taoist pope. And the secret of his power has been handed down in +his family from generation to generation. + + Note: "In a yellow robe," is an indication of Taoism: + compare with No. 38. "The Book of Hidden Complements" + (Yin Fu Ging). Compare with Lia Dsi, Introduction. + + + + +LXV + +OLD DRAGONBEARD + + +At the time of the last emperor of the Sui dynasty, the power was in +the hands of the emperor's uncle, Yang Su. He was proud and +extravagant. In his halls stood choruses of singers and bands of +dancing girls, and serving-maids stood ready to obey his least sign. +When the great lords of the empire came to visit him he remained +comfortably seated on his couch while he received them. + +In those days there lived a bold hero named Li Dsing. He came to see +Yang Su in humble clothes in order to bring him a plan for the +quieting of the empire. + +He made a low bow to which Yang Su did not reply, and then he said: +"The empire is about to be troubled by dissension and heroes are +everywhere taking up arms. You are the highest servant of the imperial +house. It should be your duty to gather the bravest around the throne. +And you should not rebuff people by your haughtiness!" + +When Yang Su heard him speak in this fashion he collected himself, +rose from his place, and spoke to him in a friendly manner. + +Li Dsing handed him a memorial, and Yang Su entered into talk with him +concerning all sorts of things. A serving-maid of extraordinary beauty +stood beside them. She held a red flabrum in her hand, and kept her +eyes fixed on Li Dsing. The latter at length took his leave and +returned to his inn. + +Later in the day some one knocked at his door. He looked out, and +there, before the door, stood a person turbaned and gowned in purple, +and carrying a bag slung from a stick across his shoulder. + +Li Dsing asked who it was and received the answer: "I am the +fan-bearer of Yang Su!" + +With that she entered the room, threw back her mantle and took off her +turban. Li Dsing saw that she was a maiden of eighteen or nineteen. + +She bowed to him, and when he had replied to her greeting she began: +"I have dwelt in the house of Yang Su for a long time and have seen +many famous people, but none who could equal you. I will serve you +wherever you go!" + +Li Dsing answered: "The minister is powerful. I am afraid that we will +plunge ourselves into misfortune." + +"He is a living corpse, in whom the breath of life grows scant," said +the fan-bearer, "and we need not fear him." + +He asked her name, and she said it was Dschang, and that she was the +oldest among her brothers and sisters. + +And when he looked at her, and considered her courageous behavior and +her sensible words, he realized that she was a girl of heroic cast, +and they agreed to marry and make their escape from the city in +secret. The fan-bearer put on men's clothes, and they mounted horses +and rode away. They had determined to go to Taiyuanfu. + +On the following day they stopped at an inn. They had their room put +in order and made a fire on the hearth to cook their meal. The +fan-bearer was combing her hair. It was so long that it swept the +ground, and so shining that you could see your face in it. Li Dsing +had just left the room to groom the horses. Suddenly a man who had a +long curling mustache like a dragon made his appearance. He came along +riding on a lame mule, threw down his leather bag on the ground in +front of the hearth, took a pillow, made himself comfortable on a +couch, and watched the fan-bearer as she combed her hair. Li Dsing saw +him and grew angry; but the fan-bearer had at once seen through the +stranger. She motioned Li Dsing to control himself, quickly finished +combing her hair and tied it in a knot. + +Then she greeted the guest and asked his name. + +He told her that he was named Dschang. + +"Why, my name is also Dschang," said she, "so we must be relatives!" + +Thereupon she bowed to him as her elder brother. + +"How many are there of you brothers?" she then inquired. + +"I am the third," he answered, "and you?" + +"I am the oldest sister." + +"How fortunate that I should have found a sister to-day," said the +stranger, highly pleased. + +Then the fan-bearer called to Li Dsing through the door and said: +"Come in! I wish to present my third brother to you!" + +Then Li Dsing came in and greeted him. + +They sat down beside each other and the stranger asked: "What have you +to eat?" + +"A leg of mutton," was the answer. + +"I am quite hungry," said the stranger. + +So Li Dsing went to the market and brought bread and wine. The +stranger drew out his dagger, cut the meat, and they all ate in +company. When they had finished he fed the rest of the meat to his +mule. + +Then he said: "Sir Li, you seem to be a moneyless knight. How did you +happen to meet my sister?" + +Li Dsing told him how it had occurred. + +"And where do you wish to go now?" + +"To Taiyuanfu," was the answer. + +Said the stranger: "You do not seem to be an ordinary fellow. Have you +heard anything regarding a hero who is supposed to be in this +neighborhood?" + +Li Dsing answered: "Yes, indeed, I know of one, whom heaven seems +destined to rule." + +"And who might he be?" inquired the other. + +"He is the son of Duke Li Yuan of Tang, and he is no more than twenty +years of age." + +"Could you present him to me some time?" asked the stranger. + +And when Li Dsing has assured him he could, he continued: "The +astrologers say that a special sign has been noticed in the air above +Taiyuanfu. Perhaps it is caused by the very man. To-morrow you may +await me at the Fenyang Bridge!" + +With these words he mounted his mule and rode away, and he rode so +swiftly that he seemed to be flying. + +The fan-bearer said to him: "He is not a pleasant customer to deal +with. I noticed that at first he had no good intentions. That is why I +united him to us by bonds of relationship." + +Then they set out together for Taiyuanfu, and at the appointed place, +sure enough, they met Dragonbeard. Li Dsing had an old friend, a +companion of the Prince of Tang. + +He presented the stranger to this friend, named Liu Wendsing, saying: +"This stranger is able to foretell the future from the lines of the +face, and would like to see the prince." + +Thereupon Liu Wendsing took him in to the prince. The prince was +clothed in a simple indoor robe, but there was something impressive +about him, which made him remarked among all others. When the stranger +saw him, he fell into a profound silence, and his face turned gray. +After he had drunk a few flagons of wine he took his leave. + +"That man is a true ruler," he told Li Dsing. "I am almost certain of +the fact, but to be sure my friend must also see him." + +Then he arranged to meet Li Dsing on a certain day at a certain inn. + +"When you see this mule before the door, together with a very lean +jackass, then you may be certain I am there with my friend." + +On the day set Li Dsing went there and, sure enough he saw the mule +and the jackass before the door. He gathered up his robe and descended +to the upper story of the inn. There sat old Dragonbeard and a Taoist +priest over their wine. When the former saw Li Dsing he was much +pleased, bade him sit down and offered him wine. After they had +pledged each other, all three returned to Liu Wendsing. He was engaged +in a game of chess with the prince. The prince rose with respect and +asked them to be seated. + +As soon as the Taoist priest saw his radiant and heroic countenance he +was disconcerted, and greeted him with a low bow, saying: "The game is +up!" + +When they took their leave Dragonbeard said to Li Dsing: "Go on to +Sianfu, and when the time has come, ask for me at such and such a +place." + +And with that he went away snorting. + +Li Dsing and the fan-bearer packed up their belongings, left Taiyuanfu +and traveled on toward the West. At that time Yang Su died, and great +disturbance arose throughout the empire. + +In the course of a few days Li Dsing and his wife reached the +meeting-place appointed by Dragonbeard. They knocked at a little +wooden door, and out came a servant, who led them through long +passages. When they emerged magnificent buildings arose before them, +in front of which stood a crowd of slave girls. Then they entered a +hall in which the most valuable dowry that could be imagined had been +piled up: mirrors, clothes, jewelry, all more beautiful than earth is +wont to show. Handsome slave girls led them to the bath, and when they +had changed their garments their friend was announced. He stepped in +clad in silks and fox-pelts, and looking almost like a dragon or a +tiger. He greeted his guests with pleasure and also called in his +wife, who was of exceptional loveliness. A festive banquet was served, +and all four sat down to it. The table was covered with the most +expensive viands, so rare that they did not even know their names. +Flagons and dishes and all the utensils were made of gold and jade, +and ornamented with pearls and precious stones. Two companies of girl +musicians alternately blew flutes and chalameaus. They sang and +danced, and it seemed to the visitors that they had been transported +to the palace of the Lady of the Moon. The rainbow garments fluttered, +and the dancing girls were beautiful beyond all the beauty of earth. + +After they had banqueted, Dragonbeard commanded his servitors to bring +in couches upon which embroidered silken covers had been spread. And +after they had seen everything worth seeing, he presented them with a +book and a key. + +Then he said: "In this book are listed the valuables and the riches +which I possess. I make you a wedding-present of them. Nothing great +may be undertaken without wealth, and it is my duty to endow my sister +properly. My original intention had been to take the Middle Kingdom in +hand and do something with it. But since a ruler has already arisen to +reign over it, what is there to keep me in this country? For Prince +Tang of Taiyuanfu is a real hero, and will have restored order within +a few years' time. You must both of you aid him, and you will be +certain to rise to high honors. You, my sister, are not alone +beautiful, but you have also the right way of looking at things. None +other than yourself would have been able to recognize the true worth +of Li Dsing, and none other than Li Dsing would have had the good +fortune to encounter you. You will share the honors which will be your +husband's portion, and your name will be recorded in history. The +treasures which I bestow upon you, you are to use to help the true +ruler. Bear this in mind! And in ten years' time a glow will rise far +away to the South-east, and it shall be a sign that I have reached my +goal. Then you may pour a libation of wine in the direction of the +South-east, to wish me good fortune!" + +Then, one after another, he had his servitors and slave-girls greet +Li Dsing and the fan-bearer, and said to them: "This is your master +and your mistress!" + +When he had spoken these words, he took his wife's hand, they mounted +three steeds which were held ready, and rode away. + +Li Dsing and his wife now established themselves in the house, and +found themselves possessed of countless wealth. They followed Prince +Tang, who restored order to the empire, and aided him with their +money. Thus the great work was accomplished, and after peace had been +restored throughout the empire, Li Dsing was made Duke of We, and the +fan-bearer became a duchess. + +Some ten years later the duke was informed that in the empire beyond +the sea a thousand ships had landed an army of a hundred thousand +armored soldiers. These had conquered the country, killed its prince, +and set up their leader as its king. And order now reigned in that +empire. + +Then the duke knew that Dragonbeard had accomplished his aim. He told +his wife, and they robed themselves in robes of ceremony and offered +wine in order to wish him good fortune. And they saw a radiant crimson +ray flash up on the South-eastern horizon. No doubt Dragonbeard had +sent it in answer. And both of them were very happy. + + Note: Yang Su died in the year 606 A.D. The Li Dsing of + this tale has nothing in common with Li Dsing, the + father of Notscha (No. 18). He lived as a historical + personage, 571-649 A.D. Li Yuan was the founder of the + Tang dynasty, 565-635 A.D. His famous son, to whom he + owed the throne, the "Prince of Tang," was named Li Schi + Min. His father abdicated in 618 in his favor. This tale + is not, of course, historical, but legendary. Compare + with the introduction of the following one. + + + + +LXVI + +HOW MOLO STOLE THE LOVELY ROSE-RED + + +At the time when the Tang dynasty reigned over the Middle Kingdom, +there were master swordsmen of various kinds. Those who came first +were the saints of the sword. They were able to take different shapes +at will, and their swords were like strokes of lightning. Before their +opponents knew they had been struck their heads had already fallen. +Yet these master swordsmen were men of lofty mind, and did not lightly +mingle in the quarrels of the world. The second kind of master +swordsmen were the sword heroes. It was their custom to slay the +unjust, and to come to the aid of the oppressed. They wore a hidden +dagger at their side and carried a leather bag at their belt. By magic +means they were able to turn human heads into flowing water. They +could fly over roofs and walk up and down walls, and they came and +went and left no trace. The swordsmen of the lowest sort were the mere +bought slayers. They hired themselves out to those who wished to do +away with their enemies. And death was an everyday matter to them. + +Old Dragonbeard must have been a master swordsman standing midway +between those of the first and of the second order. Molo, however, of +whom this story tells, was a sword hero. + +At that time there lived a young man named Tsui, whose father was a +high official and the friend of the prince. And the father once sent +his son to visit his princely friend, who was ill. The son was young, +handsome and gifted. He went to carry out his father's instructions. +When he entered the prince's palace, there stood three beautiful +slave girls, who piled rosy peaches into a golden bowl, poured sugar +over them and presented them to him. After he had eaten he took his +leave, and his princely host ordered one of the slave girls, Rose-Red +by name, to escort him to the gate. As they went along the young man +kept looking back at her. And she smiled at him and made signs with +her fingers. First she would stretch out three fingers, then she would +turn her hand around three times, and finally she would point to a +little mirror which she wore on her breast. When they parted she +whispered to him: "Do not forget me!" + +When the young man reached home his thoughts were all in confusion. +And he sat down absent-mindedly like a wooden rooster. Now it happened +that he had an old servant named Molo, who was an extraordinary being. + +"What is the trouble, master," said he. "Why are you so sad? Do you +not want to tell your old slave about it?" + +So the boy told him what had occurred, and also mentioned the signs +the girl had made to him in secret. + +Said Molo: "When she stretched out three fingers, it meant that she is +quartered in the third court of the palace. When she turned round her +hand three times, it meant the sum of three times five fingers, which +is fifteen. When she pointed at the little mirror, she meant to say +that on the fifteenth, when the moon is round as a mirror, at +midnight, you are to go for her." + +Then the young man was roused from his confused thoughts, and was so +happy he could hardly control himself. + +But soon he grew sad again and said: "The prince's palace is shut off +as though by an ocean. How would it be possible to win into it?" + +"Nothing easier," said Molo. "On the fifteenth we will take two +pieces of dark silk and wrap ourselves up in them, and thus I will +carry you there. Yet there is a wild dog on guard at the slave girl's +court, who is strong as a tiger and watchful as a god. No one can pass +by him, so he must be killed." + +When the appointed day had come, the servant said: "There is no one +else in the world who can kill this dog but myself!" + +Full of joy the youth gave him meat and wine, and the old man took a +chain-hammer and disappeared with it. + +And after no more time had elapsed than it takes to eat a meal he was +back again and said: "The dog is dead, and there is nothing further to +hinder us!" + +At midnight they wrapped themselves in dark silk, and the old man +carried the youth over the tenfold walls which surrounded the palace. +They reached the third gateway and the gate stood ajar. Then they saw +the glow of a little lamp, and heard Rose-Red sigh deeply. The entire +court was silent and deserted. The youth raised the curtain and +stepped into the room. Long and searchingly Rose-Red looked at him, +then seized his hand. + +"I knew that you were intelligent, and would understand my sign +language. But what magic power have you at your disposal, that you +were able to get here?" + +The youth told her in detail how Molo had helped him. + +"And where is Molo?" she asked. + +"Outside, before the curtain," was his answer. + +Then she called him in and gave him wine to drink from a jade goblet +and said: "I am of good family and have come here from far away. Force +alone has made me a slave in this palace. I long to leave it. For +though I have jasper chop-sticks with which to eat, and drink my wine +from golden flagons, though silk and satin rustle around me and jewels +of every kind are at my disposal, all these are but so many chains and +fetters to hold me here. Dear Molo, you are endowed with magic powers. +I beg you to save me in my distress! If you do, I will be glad to +serve your master as a slave, and will never forget the favor you do +me." + +The youth looked at Molo. Molo was quite willing. First he asked +permission to carry away Rose-Red's gear and jewels in sacks and bags. +Three times he went away and returned until he had finished. Then he +took his master and Rose-Red upon his back, and flew away with them +over the steep walls. None of the watchmen of the prince's palace +noticed anything out of the way. At home the youth hid Rose-Red in a +distant room. + +When the prince discovered that one of his slave-girls was missing, +and that one of his wild dogs had been killed, he said: "That must +have been some powerful sword hero!" And he gave strict orders that +the matter should not be mentioned, and that investigations should be +made in secret. + +Two years passed, and the youth no longer thought of any danger. +Hence, when the flowers began to bloom in the spring, Rose-Red went +driving in a small wagon outside the city, near the river. And there +one of the prince's servants saw her, and informed his master. The +latter sent for the youth, who, since he could not conceal the matter, +told him the whole story exactly as it had happened. + +Said the prince: "The whole blame rests on Rose-Red. I do not reproach +you. Yet since she is now your wife I will let the whole matter rest. +But Molo will have to suffer for it!" + + [Illustration: "THEN HE TOOK HIS MASTER AND ROSE-RED UPON HIS BACK + AND FLEW WITH THEM OVER THE STEEP WALLS." + --_Page 234_] + +So he ordered a hundred armored soldiers, with bows and swords, to +surround the house of the youth, and under all circumstances to take +Molo captive. But Molo drew his dagger and flew up the high wall. +Thence he looked about him like a hawk. The arrows flew as thick as +rain, but not one hit him. And in a moment he had disappeared, no one +knew where. + +Yet ten years later one of his former master's servants ran across him +in the South, where he was selling medicine. And he looked exactly as +he had looked ten years before. + + Note: This fairy-tale has many features in common with + the fairy-tales of India, noticeably the use of the sign + language, which the hero himself does not understand, + but which is understood by his companion. + + + + +LXVII + +THE GOLDEN CANISTER + + +In the days of the Tang dynasty there lived a certain count in the +camp at Ludschou. He had a slave who could play the lute admirably, +and was also so well versed in reading and writing that the count +employed her to indite his confidential letters. + +Once there was a great feast held in the camp. Said the slave-girl: +"The large kettledrum sounds so sad to-day; some misfortune must +surely have happened to the kettledrummer!" + +The count sent for the kettledrummer and questioned him. + +"My wife has died," he replied, "yet I did not venture to ask for +leave of absence. That is why, in spite of me, my kettledrum sounded +so sad." + +The count allowed him to go home. + +At that time there was much strife and jealousy among the counts along +the Yellow River. The emperor wished to put an end to their +dissensions by allying them to each other by marriages. Thus the +daughter of the Count of Ludschou had married the son of the old Count +of Webo. But this did not much improve matters. The old Count of Webo +had lung trouble, and when the hot season came it always grew worse, +and he would say: "Yes, if I only had Ludschou! It is cooler and I +might feel better there!" + +So he gathered three thousand warriors around him, gave them good pay, +questioned the oracle with regard to a lucky day, and set out to take +Ludschou by force. + +The Count of Ludschou heard of it. He worried day and night, but could +see no way out of his difficulties. One night, when the water-clock +had already been set up, and the gate of the camp had been locked, he +walked about the courtyard, leaning on his staff. Only his slave-girl +followed him. + +"Lord," said she, "it is now more than a month since sleep and +appetite have abandoned you! You live sad and lonely, wrapped up in +your grief. Unless I am greatly deceived it is on account of Webo." + +"It is a matter of life and death," answered the count, "of which you +women understand nothing." + +"I am no more than a slave-girl," said she, "and yet I have been able +to guess the cause of your grief." + +The count realized that there was meaning in her words and replied: +"You are in truth an extraordinary girl. It is a fact that I am +quietly reflecting on some way of escape." + +The slave-girl said: "That is easily done! You need not give it a +thought, master! I will go to Webo and see how things are. This is the +first watch of the night. If I go now, I can be back by the fifth +watch." + +"Should you not succeed," said the count, "you merely bring misfortune +upon me the more quickly." + +"A failure is out of the question," answered the slave-girl. + +Then she went to her room and prepared for her journey. She combed her +raven hair, tied it in a knot on the top of her head, and fastened it +with a golden pin. Then she put on a short garment embroidered with +purple, and shoes woven of dark silk. In her breast she hid a dagger +with dragon-lines graved on it, and upon her forehead she wrote the +name of the Great God. Then she bowed before the count and +disappeared. + +The count poured wine for himself and waited for her, and when the +morning horn was blown, the slave-girl floated down before him as +light as a leaf. + +"Did all go well?" asked the count. + +"I have done no discredit to my mission," replied the girl. + +"Did you kill any one?" + +"No, I did not have to go to such lengths. Yet I took the golden +canister at the head of Webo's couch along as a pledge." + +The count asked what her experience had been, and she began to tell +her story: + +"I set out when the drums were beating their first tattoo and reached +Webo three hours before midnight. When I stepped through the gate, I +could see the sentries asleep in their guard-rooms. They snored so +that it sounded like thunder. The camp sentinels were pacing their +beats, and I went in through the left entrance into the room in which +the Count of Webo slept. There lay your relative on his back behind +the curtain, plunged in sweet slumber. A costly sword showed from +beneath his pillow; and beside it stood an open canister of gold. In +the canister were various slips. On one of them was set down his age +and the day of his birth, on another the name of the Great Bear God. +Grains of incense and pearls were scattered over it. The candles in +the room burned dimly, and the incense in the censers was paling to +ash. The slave-girls lay huddled up, round about, asleep. I could have +drawn out their hair-pins and raised their robes and they would not +have awakened. Your relative's life was in my hand, but I could not +bring myself to kill him. So I took the golden canister and returned. +The water-clock marked the third hour when I had finished my journey. +Now you must have a swift horse saddled quickly, and must send a man +to Webo to take back the golden canister. Then the Lord of Webo will +come to his senses, and will give up his plans of conquest." + +The Count of Ludschou at once ordered an officer to ride to Webo as +swiftly as possible. He rode all day long and half the night and +finally arrived. In Webo every one was excited because of the loss of +the golden canister. They were searching the whole camp rigorously. +The messenger knocked at the gate with his riding-whip, and insisted +on seeing the Lord of Webo. Since he came at so unusual an hour the +Lord of Webo guessed that he was bringing important information, and +left his room to receive the messenger. The latter handed him a letter +which said: "Last night a stranger from Webo came to us. He informed +us that with his own hands he had taken a golden canister from beside +your bed. I have not ventured to keep it and hence am sending it back +to you by messenger." When the Lord of Webo saw the golden canister he +was much frightened. He took the messenger into his own room, treated +him to a splendid meal, and rewarded him generously. + +On the following day he sent the messenger back again, and gave him +thirty thousand bales of silk and a team of four horses along as a +present for his master. He also wrote a letter to the Count of +Ludschou: + +"My life was in your hand. I thank you for having spared me, regret my +evil intentions and will improve. From this time forward peace and +friendship shall ever unite us, and I will let no thought to the +contrary enter my mind. The citizen soldiery I have gathered I will +use only as a protection against robbers. I have already disarmed the +men and sent them back to their work in the fields." + +And thenceforward the heartiest friendship existed between the two +relatives North and South of the Yellow River. + +One day the slave-girl came and wished to take leave of her master. + +"In my former existence," said the slave-girl, "I was a man. I was a +physician and helped the sick. Once upon a time I gave a little child +a poison to drink by mistake instead of a healing draught, and the +child died. This led the Lord of Death to punish me, and I came to +earth again in the shape of a slave-girl. Yet I remembered my former +life, tried to do well in my new surroundings, and even found a rare +teacher who taught me the swordsman's art. Already I have served you +for nineteen years. I went to Webo for you in order to repay your +kindness. And I have succeeded in shaping matters so that you are +living at peace with your relatives again, and thus have saved the +lives of thousands of people. For a weak woman this is a real service, +sufficient to absolve me of my original fault. Now I shall retire from +the world and dwell among the silent hills, in order to labor for +sanctity with a clean heart. Perhaps I may thus succeed in returning +to my former condition of life. So I beg of you to let me depart!" + +The count saw that it would not be right to detain her any longer. So +he prepared a great banquet, invited a number of guests to the +farewell meal, and many a famous knight sat down to the board. And all +honored her with toasts and poems. + +The count could no longer hide his emotion, and the slave-girl also +bowed before him and wept. Then she secretly left the banquet-hall, +and no human being ever discovered whither she had gone. + + Note: This motive of the intelligent slave-girl also + occurs in the story of the three empires. "On her + forehead she wrote the name of the Great God": Regarding + this god, Tai I, the Great One, compare annotation to + No. 18. The God of the Great Bear, i.e., of the + constellation. The letters which are exchanged are quite + as noticeable for what is implied between the lines, as + for what is actually set down. + + + + +LXVIII + +YANG GUI FE + + +The favorite wife of the emperor Ming Huang of the Tang dynasty was +the celebrated Yang Gui Fe. She so enchanted him by her beauty that he +did whatever she wished him to do. But she brought her cousin to the +court, a gambler and a drinker, and because of him the people began to +murmur against the emperor. Finally a revolt broke out, and the +emperor was obliged to flee. He fled with his entire court to the land +of the four rivers. + +But when they reached a certain pass his own soldiers mutinied. They +shouted that Yang Gui Fe's cousin was to blame for all, and that he +must die or they would go no further. The emperor did not know what to +do. At last the cousin was delivered up to the soldiers and was slain. +But still they were not satisfied. + +"As long as Yang Gui Fe is alive she will do all in her power to +punish us for the death of her cousin, so she must die as well!" + +Sobbing, she fled to the emperor. He wept bitterly and endeavored to +protect her; but the soldiers grew more and more violent. Finally she +was hung from a pear-tree by a eunuch. + +The emperor longed so greatly for Yang Gui Fe that he ceased to eat, +and could no longer sleep. Then one of his eunuchs told him of a man +named Yang Shi Wu, who was able to call up the spirits of the +departed. The emperor sent for him and Yang Shi Wu appeared. + +That very evening he recited his magic incantations, and his soul left +its body to go in search of Yang Gui Fe. First he went to the Nether +World, where the shades of the departed dwell. Yet no matter how much +he looked and asked he could find no trace of her. Then he ascended to +the highest heaven, where sun, moon and stars make their rounds, and +looked for her in empty space. Yet she was not to be found there, +either. So he came back and told the emperor of his experience. The +emperor was dissatisfied and said: "Yang Gui Fe's beauty was divine. +How can it be possible that she had no soul!" + +The magician answered: "Between hill and valley and amid the silent +ravines dwell the blessed. I will go back once more and search for her +there." + +So he wandered about on the five holy hills, by the four great rivers +and through the islands of the sea. He went everywhere, and finally +came to fairyland. + +The fairy said: "Yang Gui Fe has become a blessed spirit and dwells in +the great south palace!" + +So the magician went there and knocked on the door. A maiden came out +and asked what he wanted, and he told her that the emperor had sent +him to look for her mistress. She let him in. The way led through +broad gardens filled with flowers of jade and trees of coral, giving +forth the sweetest of odors. Finally they reached a high tower, and +the maiden raised the curtain hanging before a door. The magician +kneeled and looked up. And there he saw Yang Gui Fe sitting on a +throne, adorned with an emerald headdress and furs of yellow swans' +down. Her face glowed with rosy color, yet her forehead was wrinkled +with care. + +She said: "Well do I know the emperor longs for me! But for me there +is no path leading back to the world of men! Before my birth I was a +blessed sky-fairy, and the emperor was a blessed spirit as well. Even +then we loved each other dearly. Then, when the emperor was sent down +to earth by the Lord of the Heavens, I, too, descended to earth and +found him there among men. In twelve years' time we will meet again. +Once, on the evening of the seventh day, when we stood looking up at +the Weaving Maiden and the Herd Boy, we swore eternal love. The +emperor had a ring, which he broke in two. One half he gave to me, the +other he kept himself. Take this half of mine, bring it to the +emperor, and tell him not to forget the words we said to each other in +secret that evening. And tell him not to grieve too greatly because of +me!" + +With that she gave him the ring, with difficulty suppressing her +sobs. The magician brought back the ring with him. At sight of it the +emperor's grief broke out anew. + +He said: "What we said to each other that evening no one else has ever +learned! And now you bring me back her ring! By that sign I know that +your words are true and that my beloved has really become a blessed +spirit." + +Then he kept the ring and rewarded the magician lavishly. + + Note: The emperor Ming Huang of the Tang dynasty ruled + from 713 to 756 A.D. The introduction to the tale is + historical. The "land of the four rivers" is Setchuan. + + + + +LXIX + +THE MONK OF THE YANGTZE-KIANG + + +Buddhism took its rise in southern India, on the island of Ceylon. It +was there that the son of a Brahminic king lived, who had left his +home in his youth, and had renounced all wishes and all sensation. +With the greatest renunciation of self he did penance so that all +living creatures might be saved. In the course of time he gained the +hidden knowledge and was called Buddha. + +In the days of the Emperor Ming Di, of the dynasty of the Eastern +Hans, a golden glow was seen in the West, a glow which flashed and +shone without interruption. + +One night the emperor dreamed that he saw a golden saint, twenty feet +in height, barefoot, his head shaven, and clothed in Indian garb +enter his room, who said to him: "I am the saint from the West! My +gospel must be spread in the East!" + +When the ruler awoke he wondered about this dream, and sent out +messengers to the lands of the West in order to find out what it +meant. + +Thus it was that the gospel of Buddha came to China, and continued to +gain in influence up to the time of the Tang dynasty. At that time, +from emperors and kings down to the peasants in the villages, the wise +and the ignorant alike were filled with reverence for Buddha. But +under the last two dynasties his gospel came to be more and more +neglected. In these days the Buddhist monks run to the houses of the +rich, read their sutras and pray for pay. And one hears nothing of the +great saints of the days gone by. + +At the time of the Emperor Tai Dsung, of the Tang dynasty, it once +happened that a great drought reigned in the land, so that the emperor +and all his officials erected altars everywhere in order to plead for +rain. + +Then the Dragon-King of the Eastern Sea talked with the Dragon of the +Milky Way and said: "To-day they are praying for rain on earth below. +The Lord of the Heavens has granted the prayer of the King of Tang. +To-morrow you must let three inches of rain fall!" + +"No, I must let only two inches of rain fall," said the old dragon. + +So the two dragons made a wager, and the one who lost promised as a +punishment to turn into a mud salamander. + +The following day the Highest Lord suddenly issued an order saying +that the Dragon of the Milky Way was to instruct the wind and cloud +spirits to send down three inches of rain upon the earth. To +contradict this command was out of the question. + +But the old dragon thought to himself: "It seems that the Dragon-King +had a better idea of what was going to happen than I had, yet it is +altogether too humiliating to have to turn into a mud salamander!" So +he let only two inches of rain fall, and reported back to the heavenly +court that the command had been carried out. + +Yet the Emperor Tai Dsung then offered a prayer of thanks to heaven. +In it he said: "The precious fluid was bestowed upon us to the extent +of two inches of depth. We beg submissively that more may be sent +down, so that the parched crops may recover!" + +When the Lord of the Heavens read this prayer he was very angry and +said: "The criminal Dragon of the Milky Way has dared diminish the +rain which I had ordered. He cannot be suffered to continue his guilty +life. So We Dschong, who is a general among men on earth, shall behead +him, as an example for all living beings." + +In the evening the Emperor Tai Dsung had a dream. He saw a giant enter +his room, who pleaded with hardly restrained tears: "Save me, O +Emperor! Because of my own accord I diminished the rainfall, the Lord +of the Heavens, in his anger, has commanded that We Dschong behead me +to-morrow at noon. If you will only prevent We Dschong from falling +asleep at that time, and pray that I may be saved, misfortune once +more may pass me by!" + +The emperor promised, and the other bowed and left him. + +The following day the emperor sent for We Dschong. They drank tea +together and played chess. + +Toward noon We Dschong suddenly grew tired and sleepy; but he did not +dare take his leave. The emperor, however, since one of his pawns had +been taken, fixed his gaze for a moment on the chess-board and +pondered, and before he knew it We Dschong was already snoring with a +noise like a distant thunder. The emperor was much frightened, and +hastily called out to him; but he did not awake. Then he had two +eunuchs shake him, but a long time passed before he could be aroused. + +"How did you come to fall asleep so suddenly!" asked the emperor. + +"I dreamed," replied We Dschong, "that the Highest God had commanded +me to behead the old dragon. I have just hewn off his head, and my arm +still aches from the exertion." + +And before he had even finished speaking a dragon's head, as large as +a bushel-measure, suddenly fell down out of the air. The emperor was +terribly frightened and rose. + +"I have sinned against the old dragon," said he. Then he retired to +the inner chambers of his palace and was confused in mind. He remained +lying on his couch, closed his eyes, said not a word, and breathed but +faintly. + +Suddenly he saw two persons in purple robes who had a summons in their +hands. They spoke to him as follows: "The old Dragon of the Milky Way +has complained against the emperor in the Nether World. We beg that +you will have the chariot harnessed!" + +Instinctively the emperor followed them, and in the courtyard there +stood his chariot before the castle, ready and waiting. The emperor +entered it, and off they went flying through the air. In a moment they +had reached the city of the dead. When he entered he saw the Lord of +the High Mountain sitting in the midst of the city, with the ten +princes of the Nether World in rows at his right and left. They all +rose, bowed to him and bade him be seated. + +Then the Lord of the High Mountain said: "The old Dragon of the Milky +Way has really committed a deed which deserved punishment. Yet Your +Majesty has promised to beg the Highest God to spare him, which prayer +would probably have saved the old dragon's life. And that this matter +was neglected over the chess-board might well be accounted a mistake. +Now the old dragon complains to me without ceasing. When I think of +how he has striven to gain sainthood for more than a thousand years, +and must now fall back into the cycle of transformations, I am really +depressed. It is for this reason I have called together the princes of +the ten pits of the Nether World, to find a way out of the difficulty, +and have invited Your Majesty to come here to discuss the matter. In +heaven, on earth and in the Nether World only the gospel of Buddha has +no limits. Hence, when you return to earth great sacrifices should be +made to the three and thirty lords of the heavens. Three thousand six +hundred holy priests of Buddha must read the sutras in order to +deliver the old dragon so that he may rise again to the skies, and +keep his original form. But the writings and readings of men will not +be enough to ensure this. It will be necessary to go to the Western +Heavens and thence bring words of truth." + +This the emperor agreed to, and the Lord of the Great Mountain and the +ten princes of the Nether World rose and said as they bowed to him: +"We beg that you will now return!" + +Suddenly Tai Dsung opened his eyes again, and there he was lying on +his imperial couch. Then he made public the fact that he was at fault, +and had the holiest among the priests of Buddha sent for to fetch the +sutras from the Western Heavens. And it was Huan Dschuang, the Monk of +the Yangtze-kiang, who in obedience to this order, appeared at court. + +The name of this Huan Dschuang had originally been Tschen. His father +had passed the highest examinations during the reign of the preceding +emperor, and had been intrusted with the office of district mandarin +on the Yangtze-kiang. He set out with his wife for this new district, +but when their ship reached the Yellow River it fell in with a band of +robbers. Their captain slew the whole retinue, threw father Tschen +into the river, took his wife and the document appointing him +mandarin, went to the district capital under an assumed name and took +charge of it. All the serving-men whom he took along were members of +his robber-band. Tschen's wife, however, together with her little boy, +he imprisoned in a tower room. And all the servants who attended her +were in the confidence of the robbers. + +Now below the tower was a little pond, and in this pond rose a spring +which flowed beneath the walls to the Yellow River. So one day +Tschen's wife took a little basket of bamboo, pasted up the cracks and +laid her little boy in the basket. Then she cut her finger, wrote down +the day and hour of the boy's birth on a strip of silk paper with the +blood, and added that the boy must come and rescue her when he had +reached the age of twelve. She placed the strip of silk paper beside +the boy in the basket, and at night, when no one was about, she put +the basket in the pond. The current carried it away to the +Yangtze-kiang, and once there it drifted on as far as the monastery on +the Golden Hill, which is an island lying in the middle of the river. +There a priest who had come to draw water found it. He fished it out +and took it to the monastery. + +When the abbot saw what had been written in blood, he ordered his +priests and novices to say nothing about it to any one. And he brought +up the boy in the monastery. + +When the latter had reached the age of five, he was taught to read the +holy books. The boy was more intelligent than any of his +fellow-students, soon grasped the meaning of the sacred writings, and +entered more and more deeply into their secrets. So he was allowed to +take the vows, and when his head had been shaven was named: "The Monk +of the Yangtze-kiang." + +By the time he was twelve he was as large and strong as a grown man. +The abbot, who knew of the duty he still had to perform, had him +called to a quiet room. There he drew forth the letter written in +blood and gave it to him. + +When the monk had read it he flung himself down on the ground and wept +bitterly. Thereupon he thanked the abbot for all that the latter had +done for him. He set out for the city in which his mother dwelt, ran +around the yamen of the mandarin, beat upon the wooden fish and cried: +"Deliverance from all suffering! Deliverance from all suffering!" + +After the robber who had slain his father had slipped into the post he +held by false pretences, he had taken care to strengthen his position +by making powerful friends. He even allowed Tschen's wife, who had now +been a prisoner for some ten years, a little more liberty. + +On that day official business had kept him abroad. The woman was +sitting at home, and when she heard the wooden fish beaten so +insistently before the door and heard the words of deliverance, the +voice of her heart cried out in her. She sent out the serving-maid to +call in the priest. He came in by the back door, and when she saw that +he resembled his father in every feature, she could no longer restrain +herself, but burst into tears. Then the monk of the Yangtze-kiang +realized that this was his mother and he took the bloody writing out +and gave it to her. + +She stroked it and said amid sobs: "My father is a high official, who +has retired from affairs and dwells in the capital. But I have been +unable to write to him, because this robber guarded me so closely. So +I kept alive as well as I could, waiting for you to come. Now hurry to +the capital for the sake of your father's memory, and if his honor is +made clear then I can die in peace. But you must hasten so that no one +finds out about it." + +The monk then went off quickly. First he went back to his cloister to +bid farewell to his abbot; and then he set out for Sianfu, the +capital. + +Yet by that time his grandfather had already died. But one of his +uncles, who was known at court, was still living. He took soldiers and +soon made an end of the robbers. But the monk's mother had died in the +meantime. + +From that time on, the Monk of the Yangtze-kiang lived in a pagoda in +Sianfu, and was known as Huan Dschuang. When the emperor issued the +order calling the priests of Buddha to court, he was some twenty years +of age. He came into the emperor's presence, and the latter honored +him as a great teacher. Then he set out for India. + +He was absent for seventeen years. When he returned he brought three +collections of books with him, and each collection comprised +five-hundred and forty rolls of manuscript. With these he once more +entered the presence of the emperor. The emperor was overjoyed, and +with his own hand wrote a preface of the holy teachings, in which he +recorded all that had happened. Then the great sacrifice was held to +deliver the old Dragon of the Milky Way. + + Note: The emperor Tai Dsung is Li Schi Min, the Prince + of Tang mentioned in No. 65. He was the most glorious + and splendid of all Chinese rulers. The "Dragon-King of + the Eastern Sea" has appeared frequently in these + fairy-tales. As regards the "Lord of the High Mountain," + and the ten princes of the Nether World, comp. Nos. 38 + and 50. The Highest Lord is Yu Huang, the Lord of Jade + or of Nephrite. Huan Dschuang was originally known as + Tschen. Regarding his father's fate subsequent to his + being drowned, and that of his sons in the spirit-world + see No. 24. The "bamboo basket" is a Moses motive which + occurs in other Chinese fairy-tales. "The Monk of the + Yangtze-kiang" is, literally, (in Chinese, Giang Liu Ho + Schang) "The monk washed ashore by the stream." "Wooden + fish": A hollow piece of wood in the form of a fish, + which is beaten by the Buddhists as sign of + watchfulness. Three collections of books--the Tripitaka. + As regards one of the legendary companions of Huan + Dschuang on his journey, see No. 74. + + + + +LITERARY FAIRY TALES + + + + +LXX + +THE HEARTLESS HUSBAND + + +In olden times Hanchow was the capital of Southern China, and for that +reason a great number of beggars had gathered there. These beggars +were in the habit of electing a leader, who was officially entrusted +with the supervision of all begging in the town. It was his duty to +see that the beggars did not molest the townsfolk, and he received a +tenth of their income from all his beggar subjects. When it snowed or +rained, and the beggars could not go out to beg, he had to see to it +that they had something to eat, and he also had to conduct their +weddings and funerals. And the beggars obeyed him in all things. + +Well, it happened that there was a beggar king of this sort in Hanchow +by the name of Gin, in whose family the office had been handed down +from father to son for seven generations. What they had taken in by +way of beggars' pence they had lent out on interest, and so the family +had gradually become well-to-do, and finally even rich. + +The old beggar-king had lost his wife at the age of fifty. But he had +an only child, a girl who was called "Little Golden Daughter." She had +a face of rare beauty and was the jewel of his love. She had been +versed in the lore of books from her youth up, and could write, +improvise poems and compose essays. She was also experienced in +needlework, a skilled dancer and singer, and could play the flute and +zither. The old beggar-king above all else wanted her to have a +scholar for a husband. Yet because he was a beggar-king the +distinguished families avoided him, and with those who were of less +standing than himself he did not wish to have anything to do. So it +came about that Little Golden Daughter had reached the age of eighteen +without being betrothed. + +Now at that time there dwelt in Hanchow, near the Bridge of Peace, a +scholar by the name of Mosu. He was twenty years of age, and +universally popular because of his beauty and talent. His parents were +both dead, and he was so poor that he could hardly manage to keep +alive. His house and lot had long since been mortgaged or sold, and he +lived in an abandoned temple, and many a day passed at whose end he +went hungry to bed. + +A neighbor took pity on him and said to him one day: "The beggar-king +has a child named Little Golden Daughter, who is beautiful beyond all +telling. And the beggar-king is rich and has money, but no son to +inherit it. If you wish to marry into his family his whole fortune +would in the end come to you. Is that not better than dying of hunger +as a poor scholar?" + +At that time Mosu was in dire extremity. Hence, when he heard these +words he was greatly pleased. He begged the neighbor to act as a +go-between in the matter. + +So the latter visited the old beggar-king and talked with him, and the +beggar-king talked over the matter with Little Golden Daughter, and +since Mosu came from a good family and was, in addition, talented and +learned, and had no objection to marrying into their family, they were +both much pleased with the prospect. So they agreed to the proposal, +and the two were married. + +So Mosu became a member of the beggar-king's family. He was happy in +his wife's beauty, always had enough to eat and good clothes to wear. +So he thought himself lucky beyond his deserts, and lived with his +wife in peace and happiness. + +The beggar-king and his daughter, to whom their low estate was a thorn +in the flesh, admonished Mosu to be sure to study hard. They hoped +that he would make a name for himself and thus reflect glory on their +family as well. They bought books for him, old and new, at the highest +prices, and they always supplied him liberally with money so that he +could move in aristocratic circles. They also paid his examination +expenses. So his learning increased day by day, and the fame of it +spread through the entire district. He passed one examination after +another in rapid succession, and at the age of twenty-three was +appointed mandarin of the district of Wu We. He returned from his +audience with the emperor in ceremonial robes, high on horseback. + +Mosu had been born in Hanchow, so the whole town soon knew that he had +passed his examination successfully, and the townsfolk crowded +together on both sides of the street to look at him as he rode to his +father-in-law's house. Old and young, women and children gathered to +enjoy the show, and some idle loafer called out in a loud voice: + +"The old beggar's son-in-law has become a mandarin!" + +Mosu blushed with shame when he heard these words. Speechless and out +of sorts he seated himself in his room. But the old beggar-king in the +joy of his heart did not notice his ill humor. He had a great +festival banquet prepared, to which he invited all his neighbors and +good friends. But most of the invited guests were beggars and poor +folk, and he insisted that Mosu eat with them. With much difficulty +Mosu was induced to leave his room. Yet when he saw the guests +gathered around the table, as ragged and dirty as a horde of hungry +devils, he retired again with disdain. Little Golden Daughter, who +realized how he felt, tried to cheer him up again in a hundred and one +ways, but all in vain. + +A few days later Mosu, with his wife and servants, set out for the new +district he was to govern. One goes from Hanchow to Wu We by water. So +they entered a ship and sailed out to the Yangtze-kiang. At the end of +the first day they reached a city where they anchored. The night was +clear and the moonrays glittered on the water, and Mosu sat in the +front part of the ship enjoying the moonlight. Suddenly he chanced to +think of the old beggar-king. It was true that his wife was wise and +good, but should heaven happen to bless them with children, these +children would always be the beggar's nephews and nieces, and there +was no way of preventing such a disgrace. And thus thinking a plan +occurred to him. He called Little Golden Daughter out of the cabin to +come and enjoy the moonlight, and she came out to him happily. Men +servants and maid servants and all the sailors had long since gone to +sleep. He looked about him on all sides, but there was no one to be +seen. Little Golden Daughter was standing at the front of the ship, +thinking no evil, when a hand suddenly thrust her into the water. Then +Mosu pretended to be frightened, and began to call out: "My wife made +a misstep and has fallen into the water!" + +And when they heard his words, the servants hurried up and wanted to +fish her out. + +But Mosu said: "She has already been carried away by the current, so +you need not trouble yourselves!" Then he gave orders to set sail +again as soon as possible. + +Now who would have thought that owing to a fortunate chance, Sir Hu, +the mandarin in charge of the transportation system of the province, +was also about to take charge of his department, and had anchored in +the same place. He was sitting with his wife at the open window of the +ship's cabin, enjoying the moonlight and the cool breeze. + +Suddenly he heard some one crying on the shore, and it sounded to him +like a girl's voice. He quickly sent people to assist her, and they +brought her aboard. It was Little Golden Daughter. + +When she had fallen into the water, she had felt something beneath her +feet which held her up so that she did not sink. And she had been +carried along by the current to the river-bank, where she crept out of +the water. And then she realized that her husband, now that he had +become distinguished, had forgotten how poor he had been, and for all +she had not been drowned, she felt very lonely and abandoned, and +before she knew it her tears began to flow. So when Sir Hu asked her +what was the matter, she told him the whole story. Sir Hu comforted +her. + +"You must not shed another tear," said he. "If you care to become my +adopted daughter, we will take care of you." + +Little Golden Daughter bowed her thanks. But Hu's wife ordered her +maids to bring other clothes to take the place of the wet ones, and to +prepare a bed for her. The servants were strictly bidden to call her +"Miss," and to say nothing of what had occurred. + +So the journey continued and in a few days' time Sir Hu entered upon +his official duties. Wu We, where Mosu was district mandarin, was +subject to his rule, and the latter made his appearance in order to +visit his official superior. When Sir Hu saw Mosu he thought to +himself: "What a pity that so highly gifted a man should act in so +heartless a manner!" + +When a few months had passed, Sir Hu said to his subordinates: "I have +a daughter who is very pretty and good, and would like to find a +son-in-law to marry into my family. Do you know of any one who might +answer?" + +His subordinates all knew that Mosu was young and had lost his wife. +So they unanimously suggested him. + +Sir Hu replied: "I have also thought of that gentleman, but he is +young and has risen very rapidly. I am afraid he has loftier +ambitions, and would not care to marry into my family and become my +son-in-law." + +"He was originally poor," answered his people, "and he is your +subordinate. Should you care to show him a kindness of this sort, he +will be sure to accept it joyfully, and will not object to marrying +into your family." + +"Well, if you all believe it can be done," said Sir Hu, "then pay him +a visit and find out what he thinks about it. But you must not say +that I have sent you." + +Mosu, who was just then reflecting how he might win Sir Hu's favor, +took up the suggestion with pleasure, and urgently begged them to act +as his go-between in the matter, promising them a rich reward when the +connection was established. + +So they went back again and reported to Sir Hu. + +He said: "I am much pleased that the gentleman in question does not +disdain this marriage. But my wife and I are extremely fond of this +daughter of ours, and we can hardly resign ourselves to giving her up. +Sir Mosu is young and aristocratic, and our little daughter has been +spoiled. If he were to ill-treat her, or at some future time were to +regret having married into our family, my wife and I would be +inconsolable. For this reason everything must be clearly understood in +advance. Only if he positively agrees to do these things would I be +able to receive him into my family." + +Mosu was informed of all these conditions, and declared himself ready +to accept them. Then he brought gold and pearls and colored silks to +Sir Hu's daughter as wedding gifts, and a lucky day was chosen for the +wedding. Sir Hu charged his wife to talk to Little Golden Daughter. + +"Your adopted father," said she, "feels sorry for you, because you are +lonely, and therefore has picked out a young scholar for you to +marry." + +But Little Golden Daughter replied: "It is true that I am of humble +birth, yet I know what is fitting. It chances that I agreed to cast my +lot with Mosu for better or for worse. And though he has shown me but +little kindness, I will marry no other man so long as he lives. I +cannot bring myself to form another union and break my troth." + +And thus speaking the tears poured from her eyes. When Sir Hu's wife +saw that nothing would alter her resolve, she told her how matters +really stood. + +"Your adopted father," said she, "is indignant at Mosu's +heartlessness. And although he will see to it that you meet again, he +has said nothing to Mosu which would lead him to believe that you are +not our own daughter. Therefore Mosu was delighted to marry you. But +when the wedding is celebrated this evening, you must do thus and so, +in order that he may taste your just anger." + +When she had heard all this, Little Golden Daughter dried her tears, +and thanked her adopted parents. Then she adorned herself for the +wedding. + +The same day, late at evening, Mosu came to the house wearing golden +flowers on his hat, and a red scarf across his breast, riding on a +gaily trapped horse, and followed by a great retinue. All his friends +and acquaintances came with him in order to be present at the festival +celebration. + +In Sir Hu's house everything had been adorned with colored cloths and +lanterns. Mosu dismounted from his horse at the entrance of the hall. +Here Sir Hu had spread a festival banquet to which Mosu and his +friends were led. And when the goblet had made the rounds three times, +serving-maids came and invited Mosu to follow them to the inner rooms. +The bride, veiled in a red veil, was led in by two maid-servants. +Following the injunctions of the master of the ceremony, they +worshiped heaven and earth together, and then the parents-in-law. +Thereupon they went into another apartment. Here brightly colored +candles were burning, and a wedding dinner had been prepared. Mosu +felt as happy as though he had been raised to the seventh heaven. + +But when he wanted to leave the room, seven or eight maids with bamboo +canes in their hands appeared at each side of the door, and began to +beat him without mercy. They knocked his bridal hat from his head, and +then the blows rained down upon his back and shoulders. When Mosu +cried for help he heard a delicate voice say: "You need not kill that +heartless bridegroom of mine completely! Ask him to come in and greet +me!" + +Then the maids stopped beating him, and gathered about the bride, who +removed her bridal veil. + +Mosu bowed with lowered head and said: "But what have I done?" + +Yet when he raised his eyes he saw that none other than his wife, +Little Golden Daughter, was standing before him. + +He started with fright and cried: "A ghost, a ghost!" But all the +servants broke out into loud laughter. + +At last Sir Hu and his wife came in, and the former said: "My dear +son-in-law, you may rest assured that my adopted daughter, who came to +me while I was on my way to this place, is no ghost." + +Then Mosu hastily fell on his knees and answered: "I have sinned and +beg for mercy!" And he kowtowed without end. + +"With that I have nothing to do," remarked Sir Hu, "if our little +daughter only gets along well with you, then all will be in order." + +But Little Golden Daughter said: "You heartless scoundrel! In the +beginning you were poor and needy. We took you into our family, and +let you study so that you might become somebody, and make a name for +yourself. But no sooner had you become a mandarin and a man of +standing, than your love turned into enmity, and you forgot your duty +as a husband and pushed me into the river. Fortunately, I found my +dear adopted parents thereby. They fished me out, and made me their +own child, otherwise I would have found a grave in the bellies of the +fishes. How can I honorably live again with such a man as you?" + +With these words she began to lament loudly, and she called him one +hard-hearted scoundrel after another. + +Mosu lay before her, speechless with shame, and begged her to forgive +him. + +Now when Sir Hu noticed that Little Golden Daughter had sufficiently +relieved herself by her scolding, he helped Mosu up and said to him: +"My dear son-in-law, if you repent of your misdeed, Little Golden +Daughter will gradually cease to be angry. Of course you are an old +married couple; yet as you have renewed your vows this evening in my +house, kindly do me a favor and listen to what I have to say: You, +Mosu, are weighed with a heavy burden of guilt, and for that reason +you must not resent your wife's being somewhat indignant, but must +have patience with her. I will call in my wife to make peace between +you." + +With these words Sir Hu went out and sent in his wife who finally, +after a great deal of difficulty, succeeded in reconciling the two, so +that they agreed once more to take up life as husband and wife. + +And they esteemed and loved each other twice as much as they had +before. Their life was all happiness and joy. And later, when Sir Hu +and his wife died, they mourned for them as if in truth they had been +their own parents. + + Note: "To marry into": as a rule the wife enters the + home of her husband's parents. But when there is no male + heir, it is arranged that the son-in-law continues the + family of his wife's parents, and lives in their home. + The custom is still very prevalent in Japan, but it is + not considered very honorable in China to enter into a + strange family in this way. It is characteristic that + Mosu, as a punishment for disdaining to "marry into" a + family the first time, is obliged to "marry into" a + second time, the family of Sir Hu. + + The costume here described is still the wedding-costume + of China. "Little Golden Daughter" said: "You heartless + scoundrel!"; despite her faithfulness, in accordance + with Chinese custom, she is obliged to show her anger + over his faithlessness; this is necessary before the + matter can be properly adjusted, so that she may + "preserve her face." + + + + +LXXI + +GIAUNA THE BEAUTIFUL + + +Once upon a time there was a descendant of Confucius. His father had a +friend, and this friend held an official position in the South and +offered the young man a place as secretary. But when the latter +reached the town where he was to have been active, he found that his +father's friend had already died. Then he was much embarrassed, seeing +that he did not have the means to return home again. So he was glad to +take refuge in the Monastery of Puto, where he copied holy books for +the abbot. + +About a hundred paces west of the monastery stood a deserted house. +One day there had been a great snowfall, and as young Kung +accidentally passed by the door of the house, he noticed a well +dressed and prepossessing youth standing there who bowed to him and +begged him to approach. Now young Kung was a scholar, and could +appreciate good manners. Finding that the youth and himself had much +in common, he took a liking to him, and followed him into the house. +It was immaculately clean; silk curtains hung before the doors, and on +the walls were pictures of good old masters. On a table lay a book +entitled: "Tales of the Coral Ring." Coral Ring was the name of a +cavern. + +Once upon a time there lived a monk at Puto who was exceedingly +learned. An aged man had led him into the cave in question, where he +had seen a number of volumes on the book stands. The aged man had +said: "These are the histories of the various dynasties." In a second +room were to be found the histories of all the peoples on earth. A +third was guarded by two dogs. The aged man explained: "In this room +are kept the secret reports of the immortals, telling the arts by +means of which they gained eternal life. The two dogs are two +dragons." The monk turned the pages of the books, and found that they +were all works of ancient times, such as he had never seen before. He +would gladly have remained in the cave, but the old man said: "That +would not do!" and a boy led him out again. The name of that cave, +however, was the Coral Ring, and it was described in the volume which +lay on the table. + +The youth questioned Kung regarding his name and family, and the +latter told him his whole history. The youth pitied him greatly and +advised him to open a school. + +Kung answered with a sigh: "I am quite unknown in the neighborhood, +and have no one to recommend me!" + +Said the youth: "If you do not consider me altogether too unworthy and +stupid, I should like to be your pupil myself." + +Young Kung was overjoyed. "I should not dare to attempt to teach you," +he replied, "but together we might dedicate ourselves to the study of +science." He then asked why the house had been standing empty for so +long. + +The youth answered: "The owner of the house has gone to the country. +We come from Shensi, and have taken the house for a short time. We +only moved in a few days ago." + +They chatted and joked together gaily, and the young man invited Kung +to remain overnight, ordering a small boy to light a pan of charcoal. + +Then he stepped rapidly into the rear room and soon returned saying: +"My father has come." + +As Kung rose an aged man with a long, white beard and eyebrows stepped +into the room and said, greeting him: "You have already declared your +willingness to instruct my son, and I am grateful for your kindness. +But you must be strict with him and not treat him as a friend." + +Then he had garments of silk, a fur cap, and shoes and socks of fur +brought in, and begged Kung to change his clothes. Wine and food were +then served. The cushions and covers of the tables and chairs were +made of stuffs unknown to Kung, and their shimmering radiance blinded +the eye. The aged man retired after a few beakers of wine, and then +the youth showed Kung his essays. They were all written in the style +of the old masters and not in the new-fangled eight-section form. + +When he was asked about this, the youth said with a smile: "I am quite +indifferent to winning success at the state examinations!" Then he +turned to the small boy and said: "See whether the old gentleman has +already fallen asleep. If he has, you may quietly bring in little +Hiang-Nu." + +The boy went off, and the youth took a lute from an embroidered case. +At once a serving-maid entered, dressed in red, and surpassingly +beautiful. The youth bade her sing "The Lament of the Beloved," and +her melting tones moved the heart. The third watch of the night had +passed before they retired to sleep. + +On the following morning all rose early and study began. The youth was +exceptionally gifted. Whatever he had seen but once was graven in his +memory. Hence he made surprising progress in the course of a few +months. The old custom was followed of writing an essay every five +days, and celebrating its completion with a little banquet. And at +each banquet Hiang-Nu was sent for. + +One evening Kung could not remove his glance from Hiang-Nu. The youth +guessed his thoughts and said to him: "You are as yet unmarried. Early +and late I keep thinking as to how I can provide you with a charming +life companion. Hiang-Nu is the serving-maid of my father, so I cannot +give her to you." + +Said Kung: "I am grateful to you for your friendly thought. But if the +girl you have in mind is not just as beautiful as Hiang-Nu, then I +would rather do without." + +The youth laughed: "You are indeed inexperienced if you think that +Hiang-Nu is beautiful. Your wish is easily fulfilled." + +Thus half a year went by and the monotonous rainy season had just +began. Then a swelling the size of a peach developed in young Kung's +breast, which increased over night until it was as large as a tea-cup. +He lay on his couch groaning with pain, and unable to eat or to sleep. +The youth was busy day and night nursing him, and even the old +gentleman asked how he was getting along. + +Then the youth said: "My little sister Giauna alone is able to cure +this illness. Please send to grandmother, and have her brought here!" + +The old gentleman was willing, and he sent off his boy. + +The next day the boy came back with the news that Giauna would come, +together with her aunt and her cousin A-Sung. + +Not long after the youth led his sister into the room. She was not +more than thirteen or fourteen years of age, enchantingly beautiful, +and slender as a willow-tree. When the sick man saw her he forgot all +his pain and his spirits rose. + +The youth said to his sister Giauna: "This is my best friend, whom I +love as a brother! I beg of you, little sister, to cure him of his +illness!" + +The maiden blushed with confusion; then she stepped up to the +sick-bed. While she was feeling his pulse, it seemed to him as though +she brought the fragrance of orchards with her. + +Said the maiden with a smile: "No wonder that this illness has +befallen him. His heart beats far too stormily. His illness is serious +but not incurable. Now the blood which has flowed has already +gathered, so we will have to cut to cure." + +With that she took her golden armlet from her arm and laid it on the +aching place. She pressed it down very gently, and the swelling rose a +full inch above the armlet so that it enclosed the entire swelling. +Then she loosed a pen-knife with a blade as thin as paper from her +silken girdle. With one hand she held the armlet, and with the other +she took the knife and lightly passed it around the bottom of the +ring. Black blood gushed forth and ran over mattress and bed. But +young Kung was so enchanted by the presence of the beautiful Giauna +that not only did he feel no pain, but his one fear was that the whole +affair might end too soon, and that she would disappear from his +sight. In a moment the diseased flesh had been cut away, and Giauna +had fresh water brought and cleansed the wound. Then she took a small +red pellet from her mouth, and laid it on the wound, and when she +turned around in a circle, it seemed to Kung as though she drew out +all the inflammation in steam and flames. Once more she turned in a +circle, and he felt his wound itch and quiver, and when she turned for +the third time, he was completely cured. + +The maiden took the pellet into her mouth again and said: "Now all is +well!" Then she hastened into the inner room. Young Kung leaped up in +order to thank her. + +True, he was now cured of his illness, but his thoughts continued to +dwell on Giauna's pretty face. He neglected his books and sat lost in +day-dreams. + +His friend had noticed it and said to him: "I have at last succeeded, +this very day, in finding an attractive life companion for you." + +Kung asked who she might be. + +"The daughter of my aunt, A-Sung. She is seventeen years of age, and +anything but homely." + +"I am sure she is not as beautiful as Giauna," thought Kung. Then he +hummed the lines of a song to himself: + + "Who once has seen the sea close by, + All rivers shallow streams declares; + Who o'er Wu's hill the clouds watched fly, + Says nothing with that view compares." + +The youth smiled. "My little sister Giauna is still very young," said +he. "Besides, she is my father's only daughter, and he would not like +to see her marry some one from afar. But my cousin A-Sung is not +homely either. If you do not believe me, wait until they go walking in +the garden, and then you may take a look at them without their knowing +it." + +Kung posted himself at the open window on the look-out, and sure +enough, he saw Giauna come along leading another girl by the hand, a +girl so beautiful that there was none other like her. Giauna and she +seemed to be sisters, only to be told apart by a slight difference in +age. + +Then young Kung was exceedingly happy and begged his friend to act for +him in arranging the marriage, which the latter promised to do. The +next day he came to Kung, and told him amid congratulations that +everything was arranged. A special court was put in order for the +young pair, and the wedding was celebrated. Young Kung felt as though +he had married a fairy, and the two became very fond of each other. + +One day Kung's friend came to him in a state of great excitement and +said: "The owner of this house is coming back, and my father now +wishes to return to Shensi. The time for us to part draws near, and I +am very sad!" + +Kung wished to accompany them, but his friend advised him to return to +his own home. + +Kung mentioned the difficulties in the way, but the youth replied: +"That need not worry you, because I will accompany you." + +After a time the father came, together with A-Sung, and made Kung a +present of a hundred ounces of gold. Then the youth took Kung and his +wife by the hand, and told them to close their eyes. As soon as they +did so off they went through the air like a storm-wind. All Kung could +notice was that the gale roared about his ears. + +When some time had passed the youth cried: "Now we have arrived!" Kung +opened his eyes and saw his old home, and then he knew that his friend +was not of human kind. + +Gaily they knocked at the door of his home. His mother opened it and +when she saw that he had brought along so charming a wife she was +greatly pleased. Then Kung turned around to his friend, but the latter +had already disappeared. + +A-Sung served her mother-in-law with great devotion, and her beauty +and virtue was celebrated far and near. Soon after young Kung gained +the doctorate, and was appointed inspector of prisons in Shensi. He +took his wife along with him, but his mother remained at home, since +Shensi was too far for her to travel. And heaven gave A-Sung and Kung +a little son. + +But Kung became involved in a dispute with a traveling censor. The +latter complained about Kung and he was dismissed from his post. + +So it happened that one day he was idling about before the city, when +he saw a handsome youth riding a black mule. When he looked more +closely he saw that it was his old friend. They fell into each others' +arms, laughing and weeping, and the youth led him to a village. In the +midst of a thick grove of trees which threw a deep shade, stood a +house whose upper stories rose to the skies. One could see at a glance +that people of distinction lived there. Kung now inquired after sister +Giauna, and was told that she had married. He remained over night and +then went off to fetch his wife. + +In the meantime Giauna arrived. She took A-Sung's little son in her +arms and said: "Cousin, this is a little stranger in our family!" + +Kung greeted her, and again thanked her for the kindness she had shown +him in curing his illness. + +She answered with a smile: "Since then you have become a distinguished +man, and the wound has long since healed. Have you still not forgotten +your pain?" + +Then Giauna's husband arrived, and every one became acquainted. And +after that they parted. + +One day the youth came sadly to Kung and said: "We are threatened by a +great misfortune to-day. I do not know whether you would be willing to +save us!" + +Kung did not know what it might be; but he gladly promised his aid. +Then the youth called up the entire family and they bowed down in the +outer court. + +He began: "I will tell you the truth just as it is. We are foxes. This +day we are threatened by the danger of thunder. If you care to save +us, then there is a hope that we may manage to stay alive; if not, +then take your child and go, so that you are not involved in our +danger." + +But Kung vowed that he would share life and death with them. + +Then the youth begged him to stand in the door with a sword in his +hand, and said: "Now when the thunder begins to roll you must stand +there and never stir." + +Suddenly dark clouds rose in the sky, and the heavens grew gloomy as +if night were closing down. Kung looked about him, but the buildings +had all disappeared, and behind him he could only see a high barrow, +in which was a large cave whose interior was lost in darkness. In the +midst of his fright he was surprised by a thunderbolt. A heavy rain +poured down in streams, and a storm wind arose which rooted up the +tallest trees. Everything glimmered before his eyes and his ears were +deafened. But he held his sword in his hand, and stood as firm as a +rock. Suddenly in the midst of black smoke and flashes of lightning, +he saw a monster with a pointed beak and long claws, which was +carrying off a human body. When he looked more closely he recognized +by the dress that it was Giauna. He leaped up at the monster and +struck at him with his sword, and at once Giauna fell to the ground. +A tremendous crash of thunder shook the earth, and Kung fell down +dead. + +Then the tempest cleared away, and the blue sky appeared once more. + +Giauna had regained consciousness, and when she saw Kung lying dead +beside her she said amid sobs: "He died for my sake! Why should I +continue to live?" + +A-Sung also came out, and together they carried him into the cave. +Giauna told A-Sung to hold his head while her brother opened his +mouth. She herself took hold of his chin, and brought out her little +red pellet. She pressed it against his lips with her own, and breathed +into his lungs. Then the breath came back to his throat with a +rattling noise, and in a short time he was himself once more. + +So there was the whole family reunited again, and none of its members +had come to harm. They gradually recovered from their fright, and were +quite happy: when suddenly a small boy brought the news that Giauna's +husband and his whole family had been killed by the thunder. Giauna +broke down, weeping, and the others tried to comfort her. + +Finally Kung said: "It is not well to dwell too long amid the graves +of the dead. Will you not come home with me?" + +Thereupon they packed up their belongings and went with him. He +assigned a deserted garden, which he carefully walled off, to his +friend and his family as a dwelling-place. Only when Kung and A-Sung +came to visit them was the bolt drawn. Then Giauna and her brother +played chess, drank tea and chatted with them like members of the same +family. + +But Kung's little son had a somewhat pointed face, which resembled a +fox's, and when he went along the street, the people would turn +around and say: "There goes the fox-child!" + + Note: "Not in the new-fangled eight-section form": Ba Gu + Wen Dschang, i.e., essays in eight-section form, + divided according to strict rules, were the customary + theses in the governmental examinations in China up to + the time of the great educational reform. To-day there + is a general return to the style of the old masters, the + free form of composition. "The danger of thunder": Three + times the foxes must have escaped the mortal danger of + thunder. + + + + +LXXII + +THE FROG PRINCESS + + +There where the Yangtze-kiang has come about half-way on its course to +the sea, the Frog King is worshiped with great devotion. He has a +temple there and frogs by the thousand are to be found in the +neighborhood, some of them of enormous size. Those who incur the wrath +of the god are apt to have strange visitations in their homes. Frogs +hop about on tables and beds, and in extreme cases they even creep up +the smooth walls of the room without falling. There are various kinds +of omens, but all indicate that some misfortune threatens the house in +question. Then the people living in it become terrified, slaughter a +cow and offer it as a sacrifice. Thus the god is mollified and nothing +further happens. + +In that part of the country there once lived a youth named Sia +Kung-Schong. He was handsome and intelligent. When he was some six or +seven years of age, a serving-maid dressed in green entered his home. +She said that she was a messenger from the Frog King, and declared +that the Frog King wished to have his daughter marry young Sia. Old +Sia was an honest man, not very bright, and since this did not suit +him, he declined the offer on the plea that his son was still too +young to marry. In spite of this, however, he did not dare look about +for another mate for him. + +Then a few years passed and the boy gradually grew up. A marriage +between him and a certain Mistress Giang was decided upon. + +But the Frog King sent word to Mistress Giang: "Young Sia is my +son-in-law. How dare you undertake to lay claim to what does not +belong to you!" Then Father Giang was frightened, and took back his +promise. + +This made Old Sia very sad. He prepared a sacrifice and went to his +temple to pray. He explained that he felt unworthy of becoming the +relation of a god. When he had finished praying a multitude of +enormous maggots made their appearance in the sacrificial meat and +wine, and crawled around. He poured them out, begged forgiveness, and +returned home filled with evil forebodings. He did not know what more +he could do, and had to let things take their course. + +One day young Sia went out into the street. A messenger stepped up to +him and told him, on the part of the Frog King that the latter +urgently requested Sia to come to him. There was no help for it; he +had to follow the messenger. He led him through a red gateway into +some magnificent, high-ceilinged rooms. In the great hall sat an +ancient man who might have been some eighty years of age. Sia cast +himself down on the ground before him in homage. The old man bade him +rise, and assigned him a place at the table. Soon a number of girls +and women came crowding in to look at him. Then the old man turned to +them and said: "Go to the room of the bride and tell her that the +bridegroom has arrived!" + +Quickly a couple of maids ran away, and shortly after an old woman +came from the inner apartments, leading a maiden by the hand, who +might have been sixteen years of age, and was incomparably beautiful. +The old man pointed to her and said: "This is my tenth little +daughter. It seemed to me that you would make a good pair. But your +father has scorned us because of our difference in race. Yet one's +marriage is a matter that is of life-long importance. Our parents can +determine it only in part. In the end it rests mainly with one's +self." + +Sia looked steadily at the girl, and a fondness for her grew in his +heart. He sat there in silence. The old man continued: "I knew very +well that the young gentleman would agree. Go on ahead of us, and we +will bring you your bride!" + +Sia said he would, and hurried to inform his father. His father did +not know what to do in his excitement. He suggested an excuse and +wanted to send Sia back to decline his bride with thanks. But this Sia +was not willing to do. While they were arguing the matter, the bride's +carriage was already at the door. It was surrounded by a crowd of +greencoats, and the lady entered the house, and bowed politely to her +parents-in-law. When the latter saw her they were both pleased, and +the wedding was announced for that very evening. + +The new couple lived in peace and good understanding. And after they +had been married their divine parents-in-law often came to their +house. When they appeared dressed in red, it meant that some good +fortune was to befall them; when they came dressed in white, it +signified that they were sure to make some gain. Thus, in the course +of time, the family became wealthy. + +But since they had become related to the gods the rooms, courtyards +and all other places were always crowded with frogs. And no one +ventured to harm them. Sia Kung-Schong alone was young and showed no +consideration. When he was in good spirits he did not bother them, but +when he got out of sorts he knew no mercy, and purposely stepped on +them and killed them. + +In general his young wife was modest and obedient; yet she easily lost +her temper. She could not approve her husband's conduct. But Sia would +not do her the favor to give up his brutal habit. So she scolded him +because of it and he grew angry. + +"Do you imagine," he told her, "that because your parents can visit +human beings with misfortune, that a real man would be afraid of a +frog?" + +His wife carefully avoided uttering the word "frog," hence his speech +angered her and she said: "Since I have dwelt in your house your +fields have yielded larger crops, and you have obtained the highest +selling prices. And that is something after all. But now, when young +and old, you are comfortably established, you wish to act like the +fledgling owl, who picks out his own mother's eyes as soon as he is +able to fly!" + +Sia then grew still more angry and answered: "These gifts have been +unwelcome to me for a long time, for I consider them unclean. I could +never consent to leave such property to sons and grandsons. It would +be better if we parted at once!" + +So he bade his wife leave the house, and before his parents knew +anything about it, she was gone. His parents scolded him and told him +to go at once and bring her back. But he was filled with rage, and +would not give in to them. + +That same night he and his mother fell sick. They felt weak and could +not eat. The father, much worried, went to the temple to beg for +pardon. And he prayed so earnestly that his wife and son recovered in +three days' time. And the Frog Princess also returned, and they lived +together happily and contented as before. + +But the young woman sat in the house all day long, occupied solely +with her ornaments and her rouge, and did not concern herself with +sewing and stitching. So Sia Kung-Schong's mother still had to look +out for her son's clothes. + +One day his mother was angry and said: "My son has a wife, and yet I +have to do all the work! In other homes the daughter-in-law serves her +mother-in-law. But in our house the mother-in-law must serve the +daughter-in-law." + +This the princess accidentally heard. In she came, much excited, and +began: "Have I ever omitted, as is right and proper, to visit you +morning and evening? My only fault is that I will not burden myself +with all this toil for the sake of saving a trifling sum of money!" +The mother answered not a word, but wept bitterly and in silence +because of the insult offered her. + +Her son came along and noticed that his mother had been weeping. He +insisted on knowing the reason, and found out what had happened. +Angrily he reproached his wife. She raised objections and did not wish +to admit that she had been in the wrong. Finally Sia said: "It is +better to have no wife at all than one who gives her mother-in-law no +pleasure. What can the old frog do to me after all, if I anger him, +save call misfortunes upon me and take my life!" So he once more drove +his wife out of the house. + +The princess left her home and went away. The following day fire broke +out in the house, and spread to several other buildings. Tables, +beds, everything was burned. + +Sia, in a rage because of the fire, went to the temple to complain: +"To bring up a daughter in such a way that she does not please her +parents-in-law shows that there is no discipline in a house. And now +you even encourage her in her faults. It is said the gods are most +just. Are there gods who teach men to fear their wives? Incidentally, +the whole quarrel rests on me alone. My parents had nothing to do with +it. If I was to be punished by the ax and cord, well and good. You +could have carried out the punishment yourself. But this you did not +do. So now I will burn your own house in order to satisfy my own sense +of justice!" + +With these words he began piling up brush-wood before the temple, +struck sparks and wanted to set it ablaze. The neighbors came +streaming up, and pleaded with him. So he swallowed his rage and went +home. + +When his parents heard of it, they grew pale with a great fear. But at +night the god appeared to the people of a neighboring village, and +ordered them to rebuild the house of his son-in-law. When day began to +dawn they dragged up building-wood and the workmen all came in throngs +to build for Sia. No matter what he said he could not prevent them. +All day long hundreds of workmen were busy. And in the course of a few +days all the rooms had been rebuilt, and all the utensils, curtains +and furniture were there as before. And when the work had been +completed the princess also returned. She climbed the stairs to the +great room, and acknowledged her fault with many tender and loving +words. Then she turned to Sia Kung-Schong, and smiled at him +sideways. Instead of resentment joy now filled the whole house. And +after that time the princess was especially peaceable. Two whole years +passed without an angry word being said. + +But the princess had a great dislike for snakes. Once, by way of a +joke, young Sia put a small snake into a parcel, which he gave her and +told her to open. She turned pale and reproached him. Then +Sia-Kung-Schong also took his jest seriously, and angry words passed. + +At last the princess said: "This time I will not wait for you to turn +me out. Now we are finally done with one another!" And with that she +walked out of the door. + +Father Sia grew very much alarmed, beat his son himself with his +staff, and begged the god to be kind and forgive. Fortunately there +were no evil consequences. All was quiet and not a sound was heard. + +Thus more than a year passed. Sia-Kung-Schong longed for the princess +and took himself seriously to task. He would creep in secret to the +temple of the god, and lament because he had lost the princess. But no +voice answered him. And soon afterward he even heard that the god had +betrothed his daughter to another man. Then he grew hopeless at heart, +and thought of finding another wife for himself. Yet no matter how he +searched he could find none who equalled the princess. This only +increased his longing for her, and he went to the home of the Yuans, +to a member of which family it was said she had been promised. There +they had already painted the walls, and swept the courtyard, and all +was in readiness to receive the bridal carriage. Sia was overcome with +remorse and discontent. He no longer ate, and fell ill. His parents +were quite stunned by the anxiety they felt on his account, and were +incapable of helpful thought. + +Suddenly while he was lying there only half-conscious, he felt some +one stroke him, and heard a voice say: "And how goes it with our real +husband, who insisted on turning out his wife?" + +He opened his eyes and it was the princess. + +Full of joy he leaped up and said: "How is it you have come back to +me?" The princess answered: "To tell the truth, according to your own +habit of treating people badly, I should have followed my father's +advice and taken another husband. And, as a matter of fact, the +wedding gifts of the Yuan family have been lying in my home for a long +time. But I thought and thought and could not bring myself to do so. +The wedding was to have been this evening and my father thought it +shameful to have the wedding gifts carried back. So I took the things +myself and placed them before the Yuan's door. When I went out my +father ran out beside me: 'You insane girl,' he said, 'so you will not +listen to what I say! If you are ill-treated by Sia in the future I +wash my hands of it. Even if they kill you you shall not come home to +me again!'" + +Moved by her faithfulness the tears rolled from Sia's eyes. The +servants, full of joy, hurried to the parents to acquaint them with +the good news. And when they heard it they did not wait for the young +people to come to them, but hastened themselves to their son's rooms, +took the princess by the hand and wept. Young Sia, too, had become +more settled by this time, and was no longer so mischievous. So he and +his wife grew to love each other more sincerely day by day. + +Once the princess said to him: "Formerly, when you always treated me +so badly, I feared that we would not keep company into our old age. +So I never asked heaven to send us a child. But now that all has +changed, and I will beg the gods for a son." + +And, sure enough, before long Sia's parents-in-law appeared in the +house clad in red garments, and shortly after heaven sent the happy +pair two sons instead of one. + +From that time on their intercourse with the Frog-King was never +interrupted. When some one among the people had angered the god, he +first tried to induce young Sia to speak for him, and sent his wife +and daughter to the Frog Princess to implore her aid. And if the +princess laughed, then all would be well. + +The Sia family has many descendants, whom the people call "the little +frog men." Those who are near them do not venture to call them by this +name, but those standing further off do so. + + Note: "Little frog men," Wa Dsi, is the derogatory name + which the North Chinese give the Chinese of the South on + occasion. + + + + +LXXIII + +ROSE OF EVENING + + +On the fifth day of the fifth month the festival of the Dragon Junk is +held along the Yangtze-kiang. A dragon is hollowed out of wood, +painted with an armor of scales, and adorned with gold and bright +colors. A carved red railing surrounds this ship, and its sails and +flags are made of silks and brocade. The after part of the vessel is +called the dragon's tail. It rises ten feet above the water, and a +board which floats in the water is tied to it by means of a cloth. +Upon this board sit boys who turn somersaults, stand on their heads, +and perform all sorts of tricks. Yet, being so close to the water +their danger is very great. It is the custom, therefore, when a boy is +hired for this purpose, to give his parents money before he is +trained. Then, if he falls into the water and is drowned, no one has +him on their conscience. Farther South the custom differs in so much +that instead of boys, beautiful girls are chosen for this purpose. + +In Dschen-Giang there once lived a widow named Dsiang, who had a son +called Aduan. When he was no more than seven years of age he was +extraordinarily skilful, and no other boy could equal him. And his +reputation increasing as he grew, he earned more and more money. So it +happened that he was still called upon at the Dragon Junk Festival +when he was already sixteen. + +But one day he fell into the water below the Gold Island and was +drowned. He was the only son of his mother, and she sorrowed over him, +and that was the end of it. + +Yet Aduan did not know that he had been drowned. He met two men who +took him along with them, and he saw a new world in the midst of the +waters of the Yellow River. When he looked around, the waves of the +river towered steeply about him like walls, and a palace was visible, +in which sat a man wearing armor and a helmet. His two companions said +to him: "That is the Prince of the Dragon's Cave!" and bade him kneel. + +The Prince of the Dragon's Cave seemed to be of a mild and kindly +disposition and said: "We can make use of such a skilful lad. He may +take part in the dance of the willow branches!" + +So he was brought to a spot surrounded by extensive buildings. He +entered, and was greeted by a crowd of boys who were all about +fourteen years of age. + +An old woman came in and they all called out: "This is Mother Hia!" +And she sat down and had Aduan show his tricks. Then she taught him +the dance of the flying thunders of Tsian-Tang River, and the music +that calms the winds on the sea of Dung-Ting. When the cymbals and +kettledrums reechoed through all the courts, they deafened the ear. +Then, again, all the courts would fall silent. Mother Hia thought that +Aduan would not be able to grasp everything the very first time; so +she taught him with great patience. But Aduan had understood +everything from the first, and that pleased old Mother Hia. "This +boy," said she, "equals our own Rose of Evening!" + +The following day the Prince of the Dragon's Cave held a review of his +dancers. When all the dancers had assembled, the dance of the Ogres +was danced first. Those who performed it all wore devil-masks and +garments of scales. They beat upon enormous cymbals, and their +kettledrums were so large that four men could just about span them. +Their sound was like the sound of a mighty thunder, and the noise was +so great that nothing else could be heard. When the dance began, +tremendous waves spouted up to the very skies, and then fell down +again like star-glimmer which scatters in the air. + +The Prince of the Dragon Cave hastily bade the dance cease, and had +the dancers of the nightingale round step forth. These were all lovely +young girls of sixteen. They made a delicate music with flutes, so +that the breeze blew and the roaring of the waves was stilled in a +moment. The water gradually became as quiet as a crystal world, +transparent to its lowest depths. When the nightingale dancers had +finished, they withdrew and posted themselves in the western +courtyard. + +Then came the turn of the swallow dancers. These were all little +girls. One among them, who was about fifteen years of age, danced the +dance of the giving of flowers with flying sleeves and waving locks. +And as their garments fluttered, many-colored flowers dropped from +their folds, and were caught up by the wind and whirled about the +whole courtyard. When the dance had ended, this dancer also went off +with the rest of the girls to the western courtyard. Aduan looked at +her from out the corner of his eye, and fell deeply in love with her. +He asked his comrades who she might be and they told him she was named +"Rose of Evening." + +But the willow-spray dancers were now called out. The Prince of the +Dragon Cave was especially desirous of testing Aduan. So Aduan danced +alone, and he danced with joy or defiance according to the music. When +he looked up and when he looked down his glances held the beat of the +measure. The Dragon Prince, enchanted with his skill, presented him +with a garment of five colors, and gave him a carbuncle set in golden +threads of fish-beard for a hair-jewel. Aduan bowed his thanks for the +gift, and then also hastened to the western courtyard. There all the +dancers stood in rank and file. Aduan could only look at Rose of +Evening from a distance, but still Rose of Evening returned his +glances. + +After a time Aduan gradually slipped to the end of his file and Rose +of Evening also drew near to him, so that they stood only a few feet +away from each other. But the strict rules allowed no confusion in the +ranks, so they could only gaze and let their souls go out to each +other. + +Now the butterfly dance followed the others. This was danced by the +boys and girls together, and the pairs were equal in size, age and the +color of their garments. When all the dances had ended, the dancers +marched out with the goose-step. The willow-spray dancers followed the +swallow dancers, and Aduan hastened in advance of his company, while +Rose of Evening lingered along after hers. She turned her head, and +when she spied Aduan she purposely let a coral pin fall from her hair. +Aduan hastily hid it in his sleeve. + +When he had returned, he was sick with longing, and could neither eat +nor sleep. Mother Hia brought him all sorts of dainties, looked after +him three or four times a day, and stroked his forehead with loving +care. But his illness did not yield in the least. Mother Hia was +unhappy, and yet helpless. + +"The birthday of the King of the Wu River is at hand," said she. "What +is to be done?" + +In the twilight there came a boy, who sat down on the edge of Aduan's +bed and chatted with him. He belonged to the butterfly dancers, said +he, and asked casually: "Are you sick because of Rose of Evening?" +Aduan, frightened, asked him how he came to guess it. The other boy +said, with a smile: "Well, because Rose of Evening is in the same case +as yourself." + +Disconcerted, Aduan sat up and begged the boy to advise him. "Are you +able to walk?" asked the latter. "If I exert myself," said Aduan, "I +think I could manage it." + +So the boy led him to the South. There he opened a gate and they +turned the corner, to the West. Once more the doors of the gate flew +open, and now Aduan saw a lotus field about twenty acres in size. The +lotus flowers were all growing on level earth, and their leaves were +as large as mats and their flowers like umbrellas. The fallen blossoms +covered the ground beneath the stalks to the depth of a foot or more. +The boy led Aduan in and said, "Now first of all sit down for a little +while!" Then he went away. + +After a time a beautiful girl thrust aside the lotus flowers and came +into the open. It was Rose of Evening. They looked at each other with +happy timidity, and each told how each had longed for the other. And +they also told each other of their former life. Then they weighted the +lotus-leaves with stones so that they made a cozy retreat, in which +they could be together, and promised to meet each other there every +evening. And then they parted. + +Aduan came back and his illness left him. From that time on he met +Rose of Evening every day in the lotus field. + +After a few days had passed they had to accompany the Prince of the +Dragon Cave to the birthday festival of the King of the Wu River. The +festival came to an end, and all the dancers returned home. Only, the +King had kept back Rose of Evening and one of the nightingale dancers +to teach the girls in his castle. + +Months passed and no news came from Rose of Evening, so that Aduan +went about full of longing and despair. Now Mother Hia went every day +to the castle of the god of the Wu River. So Aduan told her that Rose +of Evening was his cousin, and entreated her to take him along with +her so that he could at least see her a single time. So she took him +along, and let him stay at the lodge-house of the river-god for a few +days. But the indwellers of the castle were so strictly watched that +he could not see Rose of Evening even a single time. Sadly Aduan went +back again. + +Another month passed and Aduan, filled with gloomy thoughts, wished +that death might be his portion. + +One day Mother Hia came to him full of pity, and began to sympathize +with him. "What a shame," said she, "that Rose of Evening has cast +herself into the river!" + +Aduan was extremely frightened, and his tears flowed resistlessly. He +tore his beautiful garments, took his gold and his pearls, and went +out with the sole idea of following his beloved in death. Yet the +waters of the river stood up before him like walls, and no matter how +often he ran against them, head down, they always flung him back. + +He did not dare return, since he feared he might be questioned about +his festival garments, and severely punished because he had ruined +them. So he stood there and knew not what to do, while the +perspiration ran down to his ankles. Suddenly, at the foot of the +water-wall he saw a tall tree. Like a monkey he climbed up to its very +top, and then, with all his might, he shot into the waves. + +And then, without being wet, he found himself suddenly swimming on +the surface of the river. Unexpectedly the world of men rose up once +more before his dazzled eyes. He swam to the shore, and as he walked +along the river-bank, his thoughts went back to his old mother. He +took a ship and traveled home. + +When he reached the village, it seemed to him as though all the houses +in it belonged to another world. The following morning he entered his +mother's house, and as he did so, heard a girl's voice beneath the +window saying: "Your son has come back again!" The voice sounded like +the voice of Rose of Evening, and when she came to greet him at his +mother's side, sure enough, it was Rose of Evening herself. + +And in that hour the joy of these two who were so fond of each other +overcame all their sorrow. But in the mother's mind sorrow and doubt, +terror and joy mingled in constant succession in a thousand different +ways. + +When Rose of Evening had been in the palace of the river-king, and had +come to realize that she would never see Aduan again, she determined +to die, and flung herself into the waters of the stream. But she was +carried to the surface, and the waves carried and cradled her till a +ship came by and took her aboard. They asked whence she came. Now Rose +of Evening had originally been a celebrated singing girl of Wu, who +had fallen into the river and whose body had never been found. So she +thought to herself that, after all, she could not return to her old +life again. So she answered: "Madame Dsiang, in Dschen-Giang is my +mother-in-law." Then the travelers took passage for her in a ship +which brought her to the place she had mentioned. The widow Dsiang +first said she must be mistaken, but the girl insisted that there was +no mistake, and told Aduan's mother her whole story. Yet, though the +latter was charmed by her surpassing loveliness, she feared that Rose +of Evening was too young to live a widow's life. But the girl was +respectful and industrious, and when she saw that poverty ruled in her +new home, she took her pearls and sold them for a high price. Aduan's +old mother was greatly pleased to see how seriously the girl took her +duties. + +Now that Aduan had returned again Rose of Evening could not control +her joy. And even Aduan's old mother cherished the hope that, after +all, perhaps her son had not died. She secretly dug up her son's +grave, yet all his bones were still lying in it. So she questioned +Aduan. And then, for the first time, the latter realized that he was a +departed spirit. Then he feared that Rose of Evening might regard him +with disgust because he was no longer a human being. So he ordered his +mother on no account to speak of it, and this his mother promised. +Then she spread the report in the village that the body which had been +found in the river had not been that of her son at all. Yet she could +not rid herself of the fear that, since Aduan was a departed spirit, +heaven might refuse to send him a child. + +In spite of her fear, however, she was able to hold a grandson in her +arms in course of time. When she looked at him, he was no different +from other children, and then her cup of joy was filled to +overflowing. + +Rose of Evening gradually became aware of the fact that Aduan was not +really a human being. "Why did you not tell me at once?" said she. +"Departed spirits who wear the garments of the dragon castle, surround +themselves with a soul-casing so heavy in texture that they can no +longer be distinguished from the living. And if one can obtain the +lime made of dragon-horn which is in the castle, then the bones may be +glued together in such wise that flesh and blood will grow over them +again. What a pity that we could not obtain the lime while we were +there!" + +Aduan sold his pearl, for which a merchant from foreign parts gave him +an enormous sum. Thus his family grew very wealthy. Once, on his +mother's birthday, he danced with his wife and sang, in order to +please her. The news reached the castle of the Dragon Prince and he +thought to carry off Rose of Evening by force. But Aduan, alarmed, +went to the Prince, and declared that both he and his wife were +departed spirits. They examined him and since he cast no shadow, his +word was taken, and he was not robbed of Rose of Evening. + + Note: "Rose of Evening" is one of the most idyllic of + Chinese art fairy-tales. The idea that the departed + spirit throws no shadow has analogies in Norse and other + European fairy-tales. + + + + +LXXIV + +THE APE SUN WU KUNG + + +Far, far away to the East, in the midst of the Great Sea there is an +island called the Mountain of Flowers and Fruits. And on this mountain +there is a high rock. Now this rock, from the very beginning of the +world, had absorbed all the hidden seed power of heaven and earth and +sun and moon, which endowed it with supernatural creative gifts. One +day the rock burst, and out came an egg of stone. And out of this +stone egg a stone ape was hatched by magic power. When he broke the +shell he bowed to all sides. Then he gradually learned to walk and to +leap, and two streams of golden radiance broke from his eyes which +shot up to the highest of the castles of heaven, so that the Lord of +the Heavens was frightened. So he sent out the two gods, +Thousandmile-Eye and Fine-Ear, to find out what had happened. The two +gods came back and reported: "The rays shine from the eyes of the +stone ape who was hatched out of the egg which came from the magic +rock. There is no reason for uneasiness." + +Little by little the ape grew up, ran and leaped about, drank from the +springs in the valleys, ate the flowers and fruits, and time went by +in unconstrained play. + +One day, during the summer, when he was seeking coolness, together +with the other apes on the island, they went to the valley to bathe. +There they saw a waterfall which plunged down a high cliff. Said the +apes to each other: "Whoever can force his way through the waterfall, +without suffering injury, shall be our king." The stone ape at once +leaped into the air with joy and cried: "I will pass through!" Then he +closed his eyes, bent down low and leaped through the roar and foam of +the waters. When he opened his eyes once more he saw an iron bridge, +which was shut off from the outer world by the waterfall as though by +a curtain. + +At its entrance stood a tablet of stone on which were graven the +words: "This is the heavenly cave behind the water-curtain on the +Blessed Island of Flowers and Fruits." Filled with joy, the stone ape +leaped out again through the waterfall and told the other apes what he +had found. They received the news with great content, and begged the +stone ape to take them there. So the tribe of apes leaped through the +water on the iron bridge, and then crowded into the cave castle where +they found a hearth with a profusion of pots, cups and platters. But +all were made of stone. Then the apes paid homage to the stone ape as +their king, and he was given the name of Handsome King of the Apes. He +appointed long-tailed, ring-tailed and other monkeys to be his +officials and counselors, servants and retainers, and they led a +blissful life on the Mountain, sleeping by night in their cave castle, +keeping away from birds and beasts, and their king enjoyed untroubled +happiness. In this way some three hundred years went by. + +One day, when the King of the Apes sat with his subjects at a merry +meal, he suddenly began to weep. Frightened, the apes asked him why he +so suddenly grew sad amid all his bliss. Said the King: "It is true +that we are not subject to the law and rule of man, that birds and +beasts do not dare attack us, yet little by little we grow old and +weak, and some day the hour will strike when Death, the Ancient, will +drag us off! Then we are gone in a moment, and can no longer dwell +upon earth!" When the apes heard these words, they hid their faces and +sobbed. But an old ape, whose arms were connected in such a way that +he could add the length of one to that of the other, stepped forth +from the ranks. In a loud tone of voice he said: "That you have hit +upon this thought, O King, shows the desire to search for truth has +awakened you! Among all living creatures, there are but three kinds +who are exempt from Death's power: the Buddhas, the blessed spirits +and the gods. Whoever attains one of these three grades escapes the +rod of re-birth, and lives as long as the Heavens themselves." + +The King of the Apes said: "Where do these three kinds of beings +live?" And the old ape replied: "They live in caves and on holy +mountains in the great world of mortals." The King was pleased when he +heard this, and told his apes that he was going to seek out gods and +sainted spirits in order to learn the road to immortality from them. +The apes dragged up peaches and other fruits and sweet wine to +celebrate the parting banquet, and all made merry together. + +On the following morning the Handsome King of the Apes rose very +early, built him a raft of old pine trees and took a bamboo staff for +a pole. Then he climbed on the raft, quite alone, and poled his way +through the Great Sea. Wind and waves were favorable and he reached +Asia. There he went ashore. On the strand he met a fisherman. He at +once stepped up to him, knocked him down, tore off his clothes and put +them on himself. Then he wandered around and visited all famous spots, +went into the market-places, the densely populated cities, learned how +to conduct himself properly, and how to speak and act like a well-bred +human being. Yet his heart was set on learning the teaching of the +Buddhas, the blessed spirits and the holy gods. But the people of the +country in which he was were only concerned with honors and wealth. +Not one of them seemed to care for life. Thus he went about until nine +years had passed by unnoticed. Then he came to the strand of the +Western Sea and it occurred to him: "No doubt there are gods and +saints on the other side of the sea!" So he built another raft, +floated it over the Western Sea and reached the land of the West. +There he let his raft drift, and went ashore. After he had searched +for many days, he suddenly saw a high mountain with deep, quiet +valleys. As the Ape King went toward it, he heard a man singing in the +woods, and the song sounded like one the blessed spirits might sing. +So he hastily entered the wood to see who might be singing. There he +met a wood-chopper at work. The Ape King bowed to him and said: +"Venerable, divine master, I fall down and worship at your feet!" Said +the wood-chopper: "I am only a workman; why do you call me divine +master?" "Then, if you are no blessed god, how comes it you sing that +divine song?" The wood-chopper laughed and said: "You are at home in +music. The song I was singing was really taught me by a saint." "If +you are acquainted with a saint," said the Ape King, "he surely cannot +live far from here. I beg of you to show me the way to his dwelling." +The wood-chopper replied: "It is not far from here. This mountain is +known as the Mountain of the Heart. In it is a cave where dwells a +saint who is called 'The Discerner.' The number of his disciples who +have attained blessedness is countless. He still has some thirty to +forty disciples gathered about him. You need only follow this path +which leads to the South, and you cannot miss his dwelling." The Ape +King thanked the wood-chopper and, sure enough, he came to the cave +which the latter had described to him. The gate was locked and he did +not venture to knock. So he leaped up into a pine tree, picked +pine-cones and devoured the seed. Before long one of the saint's +disciples came and opened the door and said: "What sort of a beast is +it that is making such a noise?" The Ape King leaped down from his +tree, bowed, and said: "I have come in search of truth. I did not +venture to knock." Then the disciple had to laugh and said: "Our +master was seated lost in meditation, when he told me to lead in the +seeker after truth who stood without the gate, and here you really +are. Well, you may come along with me!" The Ape King smoothed his +clothes, put his hat on straight, and stepped in. A long passage led +past magnificent buildings and quiet hidden huts to the place where +the master was sitting upright on a seat of white marble. At his right +and left stood his disciples, ready to serve him. The Ape King flung +himself down on the ground and greeted the master humbly. In answer to +his questions he told him how he had found his way to him. And when he +was asked his name, he said: "I have no name. I am the ape who came +out of the stone." So the master said: "Then I will give you a name. I +name you Sun Wu Kung." The Ape King thanked him, full of joy, and +thereafter he was called Sun Wu Kung. The master ordered his oldest +disciple to instruct Sun Wu Kung in sweeping and cleaning, in going in +and out, in good manners, how to labor in the field and how to water +the gardens. In the course of time he learned to write, to burn +incense and read the sutras. And in this way some six or seven years +went by. + +One day the master ascended the seat from which he taught, and began +to speak regarding the great truth. Sun Wu Kung understood the hidden +meaning of his words, and commenced to jerk about and dance in his +joy. The master reproved him: "Sun Wu Kung, you have still not laid +aside your wild nature! What do you mean by carrying on in such an +unfitting manner?" Sun Wu Kung bowed and answered: "I was listening +attentively to you when the meaning of your words was disclosed to my +heart, and without thinking I began to dance for joy. I was not giving +way to my wild nature." Said the master: "If your spirit has really +awakened, then I will announce the great truth to you. But there are +three hundred and sixty ways by means of which one may reach this +truth. Which way shall I teach you?" Said Sun Wu Kung: "Whichever you +will, O Master!" Then the Master asked: "Shall I teach you the way of +magic?" Said Sun Wu Kung: "What does magic teach one?" The Master +replied: "It teaches one to raise up spirits, to question oracles, and +to foretell fortune and misfortune." "Can one secure eternal life by +means of it?" inquired Sun Wu Kung. "No," was the answer. "Then I will +not learn it." "Shall I teach you the sciences?" "What are the +sciences?" "They are the nine schools of the three faiths. You learn +how to read the holy books, pronounce incantations, commune with the +gods, and call the saints to you." "Can one gain eternal life by means +of them?" "No." "Then I will not learn them." "The way of repose is a +very good way." "What is the way of repose?" "It teaches how to live +without nourishment, how to remain quiescent in silent purity, and sit +lost in meditation." "Can one gain eternal life in this way?" "No." +"Then I will not learn it." "The way of deeds is also a good way." +"What does that teach?" "It teaches one to equalize the vital powers, +to practise bodily exercise, to prepare the elixir of life and to hold +one's breath." "Will it give one eternal life?" "Not so." "Then I will +not learn it! I will not learn it!" Thereupon the Master pretended to +be angry, leaped down from his stand, took his cane and scolded: "What +an ape! This he will not learn, and that he will not learn! What are +you waiting to learn, then?" With that he gave him three blows across +the head, retired to his inner chamber, and closed the great door +after him. + +The disciples were greatly excited, and overwhelmed Sun Wu Kung with +reproaches. Yet the latter paid no attention to them, but smiled +quietly to himself, for he had understood the riddle which the Master +had given him to solve. And in his heart he thought: "His striking me +over the head three times meant that I was to be ready at the third +watch of the night. His withdrawing to his inner chamber and closing +the great door after him, meant that I was to go in to him by the back +door, and that he would make clear the great truth to me in secret." +Accordingly he waited until evening, and made a pretense of lying down +to sleep with the other disciples. But when the third watch of the +night had come he rose softly and crept to the back door. Sure enough +it stood ajar. He slipped in and stepped before the Master's bed. The +Master was sleeping with his face turned toward the wall, and the ape +did not venture to wake him, but knelt down in front of the bed. After +a time the Master turned around and hummed a stanza to himself: + + "A hard, hard grind, + Truth's lesson to expound. + One talks oneself deaf, dumb and blind, + Unless the right man's found." + +Then Sun Wu Kung replied: "I am waiting here reverentially!" + +The Master flung on his clothes, sat up in bed and said harshly: +"Accursed ape! Why are you not asleep? What are you doing here?" + +Sun Wu Kung answered: "Yet you pointed out to me yesterday that I was +to come to you at the third watch of the night, by the back door, in +order to be instructed in the truth. Therefore I have ventured to +come. If you will teach me in the fulness of your grace, I will be +eternally grateful to you." + +Thought the Master to himself: "There is real intelligence in this +ape's head, to have made him understand me so well." Then he replied: +"Sun Wu Kung, it shall be granted you! I will speak freely with you. +Come quite close to me, and then I will show you the way to eternal +life." + +With that he murmured into his ear a divine, magical incantation to +further the concentration of his vital powers, and explained the +hidden knowledge word for word. Sun Wu Kung listened to him eagerly, +and in a short time had learned it by heart. Then he thanked his +teacher, went out again and lay down to sleep. From that time forward +he practised the right mode of breathing, kept guard over his soul and +spirit, and tamed the natural instincts of his heart. And while he did +so three more years passed by. Then the task was completed. + +One day the Master said to him: "Three great dangers still threaten +you. Every one who wishes to accomplish something out of the ordinary +is exposed to them, for he is pursued by the envy of demons and +spirits. And only those who can overcome these three great dangers +live as long as the heavens." + +Then Sun Wu Kung was frightened and asked: "Is there any means of +protection against these dangers?" + +Then the Master again murmured a secret incantation into his ear, by +means of which he gained the power to transform himself seventy-two +times. + +And when no more than a few days had passed Sun Wu Kung had learned +the art. + +One day the Master was walking before the cave in the company of his +disciples. He called Sun Wu Kung up to him and asked: "What progress +have you made with your art? Can you fly already?" + +"Yes, indeed," said the ape. + +"Then let me see you do so." + +The ape leaped into the air to a distance of five or six feet from the +ground. Clouds formed beneath his feet, and he was able to walk on +them for several hundred yards. Then he was forced to drop down to +earth again. + +The Master said with a smile: "I call that crawling around on the +clouds, not floating on them, as do the gods and saints who fly over +the whole world in a single day. I will teach you the magic +incantation for turning somersaults on the clouds. If you turn one of +those somersaults you advance eighteen thousand miles at a clip." + +Sun Wu Kung thanked him, full of joy, and from that time on he was +able to move without limitation of space in any direction. + +One day Sun Wu Kung was sitting together with the other disciples +under the pine-tree by the gate, discussing the secrets of their +teachings. Finally they asked him to show them some of his +transforming arts. Sun Wu Kung could not keep his secret to himself, +and agreed to do so. + +With a smile he said: "Just set me a task! What do you wish me to +change myself into?" + +They said: "Turn yourself into a pine-tree." + +So Sun Wu Kung murmured a magic incantation, turned around--and there +stood a pine-tree before their very eyes. At this they all broke out +into a horse-laugh. The Master heard the noise and came out of the +gate, dragging his cane behind him. + +"Why are you making such a noise?" he called out to them harshly. + +Said they: "Sun Wu Kung has turned himself into a pine-tree, and this +made us laugh." + +"Sun Wu Kung, come here!" said the Master. "Now just tell me what +tricks you are up to? Why do you have to turn yourself into a +pine-tree? All the work you have done means nothing more to you than a +chance to make magic for your companions to wonder at. That shows +that your heart is not yet under control." + +Humbly Sun Wu Kung begged his forgiveness. + +But the Master said: "I bear you no ill will, but you must go away." + +With tears in his eyes Sun Wu Kung asked him: "But where shall I go?" + +"You must go back again whence you came," said the Master. And when +Sun Wu Kung sadly bade him farewell, he threatened him: "Your savage +nature is sure to bring down evil upon you some time. You must tell no +one that you are my pupil. If you so much as breathe a word about it, +I will fetch your soul and lock it up in the nethermost hell, so that +you cannot escape for a thousand eternities." + +Sun Wu Kung replied: "I will not say a word! I will not say a word!" + +Then he once more thanked him for all the kindness shown him, turned a +somersault and climbed up to the clouds. + +Within the hour he had passed the seas, and saw the Mountain of +Flowers and Fruits lying before him. Then he felt happy and at home +again, let his cloud sink down to earth and cried: "Here I am back +again, children!" And at once, from the valley, from behind the rocks, +out of the grass and from amid the trees came his apes. They came +running up by thousands, surrounded and greeted him, and inquired as +to his adventures. Sun Wu Kung said: "I have now found the way to +eternal life, and need fear Death the Ancient no longer." Then all the +apes were overjoyed, and competed with each other in bringing flowers +and fruits, peaches and wine, to welcome him. And again they honored +Sun Wu Kung as the Handsome Ape King. + +Sun Wu Kung now gathered the apes about him and questioned them as to +how they had fared during his absence. + +Said they: "It is well that you have come back again, great king! Not +long ago a devil came here who wanted to take possession of our cave +by force. We fought with him, but he dragged away many of your +children and will probably soon return." + +Sun Wu Kung grew very angry and said: "What sort of a devil is this +who dares be so impudent?" + +The apes answered: "He is the Devil-King of Chaos. He lives in the +North, who knows how many miles away. We only saw him come and go amid +clouds and mist." + +Sun Wu Kung said: "Wait, and I will see to him!" With that he turned a +somersault and disappeared without a trace. + +In the furthest North rises a high mountain, upon whose slope is a +cave above which is the inscription: "The Cave of the Kidneys." Before +the door little devils were dancing. Sun Wu Kung called harshly to +them: "Tell your Devil-King quickly that he had better give me my +children back again!" The little devils were frightened, and delivered +the message in the cave. Then the Devil-King reached for his sword and +came out. But he was so large and broad that he could not even see Sun +Wu Kung. He was clad from head to foot in black armor, and his face +was as black as the bottom of a kettle. Sun Wu Kung shouted at him: +"Accursed devil, where are your eyes, that you cannot see the +venerable Sun?" Then the devil looked to the ground and saw a stone +ape standing before him, bare-headed, dressed in red, with a yellow +girdle and black boots. So the Devil-King laughed and said: "You are +not even four feet high, less than thirty years of age, and +weaponless, and yet you venture to make such a commotion." Said Sun Wu +Kung: "I am not too small for you; and I can make myself large at +will. You scorn me because I am without a weapon, but my two fists can +thresh to the very skies." With that he stooped, clenched his fists +and began to give the devil a beating. The devil was large and clumsy, +but Sun Wu Kung leaped about nimbly. He struck him between the ribs +and between the wind and his blows fell ever more fast and furious. In +his despair the devil raised his great knife and aimed a blow at Sun +Wu Kung's head. But the latter avoided the blow, and fell back on his +magic powers of transformation. He pulled out a hair, put it in his +mouth, chewed it, spat it out into the air and said: "Transform +yourself!" And at once it turned into many hundreds of little apes who +began to attack the devil. Sun Wu Kung, be it said, had eighty-four +thousand hairs on his body, every single one of which he could +transform. The little apes with their sharp eyes, leaped around with +the greatest rapidity. They surrounded the Devil-King on all sides, +tore at his clothes, and pulled at his legs, until he finally measured +his length on the ground. Then Sun Wu Kung stepped up, tore his knife +from his hand, and put an end to him. After that he entered the cave +and released his captive children, the apes. The transformed hairs he +drew to him again, and making a fire, he burned the evil cave to the +ground. Then he gathered up those he had released, and flew back with +them like a storm-wind to his cavern on the Mountain of Flowers and +Fruits, joyfully greeted by all the apes. + +After Sun Wu Kung had obtained possession of the Devil-King's great +knife, he exercised his apes every day. They had wooden swords and +lances of bamboo, and played their martial music on reed pipes. He +had them build a camp so that they would be prepared for all dangers. +Suddenly the thought came to Sun Wu Kung: "If we go on this way, +perhaps we may incite some human or animal king to fight with us, and +then we would not be able to withstand him with our wooden swords and +bamboo lances!" And to his apes he said: "What should be done?" Four +baboons stepped forward and said: "In the capital city of the Aulai +empire there are warriors without number. And there coppersmiths and +steelsmiths are also to be found. How would it be if we were to buy +steel and iron and have those smiths weld weapons for us?" + +A somersault and Sun Wu Kung was standing before the city moat. Said +he to himself: "To first buy the weapons would take a great deal of +time. I would rather make magic and take some." So he blew on the +ground. Then a tremendous storm-wind arose which drove sand and stones +before it, and caused all the soldiers in the city to run away in +terror. Then Sun Wu Kung went to the armory, pulled out one of his +hairs, turned it into thousands of little apes, cleared out the whole +supply of weapons, and flew back home on a cloud. + +Then he gathered his people about him and counted them. In all they +numbered seventy-seven thousand. They held the whole Mountain in +terror, and all the magic beasts and spirit princes who dwelt on it. +And these came forth from seventy-two caves and honored Sun Wu Kung as +their head. + +One day the Ape King said: "Now you all have weapons; but this knife +which I took from the Devil-King is too light, and no longer suits me. +What should be done?" + +Then the four baboons stepped forward and said: "In view of your +spirit powers, O king, you will find no weapon fit for your use on all +the earth! Is it possible for you to walk through the water?" + +The Ape King answered: "All the elements are subject to me and there +is no place where I cannot go." + +Then the baboons said: "The water at our cave here flows into the +Great Sea, to the castle of the Dragon-King of the Eastern Sea. If +your magic power makes it possible, you could go to the Dragon-King +and let him give you a weapon." + +This suited the Ape King. He leaped on the iron bridge and murmured an +incantation. Then he flung himself into the waves, which parted before +him and ran on till he came to the palace of water-crystal. There he +met a Triton who asked who he was. He mentioned his name and said: "I +am the Dragon-King's nearest neighbor, and have come to visit him." +The Triton took the message to the castle, and the Dragon-King of the +Eastern Sea came out hastily to receive him. He bade him be seated and +served him with tea. + +Sun Wu Kung said: "I have learned the hidden knowledge and gained the +powers of immortality. I have drilled my apes in the art of warfare in +order to protect our mountain; but I have no weapon I can use, and +have therefore come to you to borrow one." + +The Dragon-King now had General Flounder bring him a great spear. But +Sun Wu Kung was not satisfied with it. Then he ordered Field-Marshal +Eel to fetch in a nine-tined fork, which weighed three thousand six +hundred pounds. But Sun Wu Kung balanced it in his hand and said: "Too +light! Too light! Too light!" + +Then the Dragon-King was frightened, and had the heaviest weapon in +his armory brought in. It weighed seven thousand two hundred pounds. +But this was still too light for Sun Wu Kung. The Dragon-King assured +him that he had nothing heavier, but Sun Wu Kung would not give in and +said: "Just look around!" + +Finally the Dragon-Queen and her daughter came out, and said to the +Dragon-King: "This saint is an unpleasant customer with whom to deal. +The great iron bar is still lying here in our sea; and not so long ago +it shone with a red glow, which is probably a sign it is time for it +to be taken away." + +Said the Dragon-King: "But that is the rod which the Great Yu used +when he ordered the waters, and determined the depth of the seas and +rivers. It cannot be taken away." + +The Dragon-Queen replied: "Just let him see it! What he then does with +it is no concern of ours." + +So the Dragon-King led Sun Wu Kung to the measuring rod. The golden +radiance that came from it could be seen some distance off. It was an +enormous iron bar, with golden clamps on either side. + +Sun Wu Kung raised it with the exertion of all his strength, and then +said: "It is too heavy, and ought to be somewhat shorter and thinner!" + +No sooner had he said this than the iron rod grew less. He tried it +again, and then he noticed that it grew larger or smaller at command. +It could be made to shrink to the size of a pin. Sun Wu Kung was +overjoyed and beat about in the sea with the rod, which he had let +grow large again, till the waves spurted mountain-high and the +dragon-castle rocked on its foundations. The Dragon-King trembled with +fright, and all his tortoises, fishes and crabs drew in their heads. + +Sun Wu Kung laughed, and said: "Many thanks for the handsome present!" +Then he continued: "Now I have a weapon, it is true, but as yet I have +no armor. Rather than hunt up two or three other households, I think +you will be willing to provide me with a suit of mail." + +The Dragon-King told him that he had no armor to give him. + +Then the ape said: "I will not leave until you have obtained one for +me." And once more he began to swing his rod. + +"Do not harm me!" said the terrified Dragon-King, "I will ask my +brothers." + +And he had them beat the iron drum and strike the golden gong, and in +a moment's time all the Dragon-King's brothers came from all the other +seas. The Dragon-King talked to them in private and said: "This is a +terrible fellow, and we must not rouse his anger! First he took the +rod with the golden clamps from me, and now he also insists on having +a suit of armor. The best thing to do would be to satisfy him at once, +and complain of him to the Lord of the Heavens later." + +So the brothers brought a magic suit of golden mail, magic boots and a +magic helmet. + +Then Sun Wu Kung thanked them and returned to his cave. Radiantly he +greeted his children, who had come to meet him, and showed them the +rod with the golden clamps. They all crowded up and wished to pick it +up from the ground, if only a single time; but it was just as though a +dragon-fly had attempted to overthrow a stone column, or an ant were +trying to carry a great mountain. It would not move a hair's breadth. +Then the apes opened their mouths and stuck out their tongues, and +said: "Father, how is it possible for you to carry that heavy thing?" +So he told them the secret of the rod and showed them its effects. +Then he set his empire in order, and appointed the four baboons +field-marshals; and the seven beast-spirits, the ox-spirit, the +dragon-spirit, the bird-spirit, the lion-spirit and the rest also +joined him. + +One day he took a nap after dinner. Before he did so he had let the +bar shrink, and had stuck it in his ear. While he was sleeping he saw +two men come along in his dream, who had a card on which was written +"Sun Wu Kung." They would not allow him to resist, but fettered him +and led his spirit away. And when they reached a great city the Ape +King gradually came to himself. Over the city gate he saw a tablet of +iron on which was engraved in large letters: "The Nether World." + +Then all was suddenly clear to him and he said: "Why, this must be the +dwelling-place of Death! But I have long since escaped from his power, +and how dare he have me dragged here!" The more he reflected the +wilder he grew. He drew out the golden rod from his ear, swung it and +let it grow large. Then he crushed the two constables to mush, burst +his fetters, and rolled his bar before him into the city. The ten +Princes of the Dead were frightened, bowed before him and asked: "Who +are you?" + +Sun Wu Kung answered: "If you do not know me then why did you send for +me and have me dragged to this place? I am the heaven-born saint Sun +Wu Kung of the Mountain of Flowers and Fruits. And now, who are you? +Tell me your names quickly or I will strike you!" + +The ten Princes of the Dead humbly gave him their names. + +Sun Wu Kung said: "I, the Venerable Sun, have gained the power of +eternal life! You have nothing to say to me! Quick, let me have the +Book of Life!" + +They did not dare defy him, and had the scribe bring in the Book. Sun +Wu Kung opened it. Under the head of "Apes," No. 1350, he read: "Sun +Wu Kung, the heaven-born stone ape. His years shall be three hundred +and twenty-four. Then he shall die without illness." + +Sun Wu Kung took the brush from the table and struck out the whole ape +family from the Book of Life, threw the Book down and said: "Now we +are even! From this day on I will suffer no impertinences from you!" + +With that he cleared a way for himself out of the Nether World by +means of his rod, and the ten Princes of the Dead did not venture to +stay him, but only complained of him afterward to the Lord of the +Heavens. + +When Sun Wu Kung had left the city he slipped and fell to the ground. +This caused him to wake, and he noticed he had been dreaming. He +called his four baboons to him and said: "Splendid, splendid! I was +dragged to Death's castle and I caused considerable uproar there. I +had them give me the Book of Life, and I struck out the mortal hour of +all the apes!" And after that time the apes on the Mountain no longer +died, because their names had been stricken out in the Nether World. + +But the Lord of the Heavens sat in his castle, and had all his +servants assembled about him. And a saint stepped forward and +presented the complaint of the Dragon-King of the Eastern Sea. And +another stepped forward and presented the complaint of the ten Princes +of the Dead. The Lord of the Heavens glanced through the two +memorials. Both told of the wild, unmannerly conduct of Sun Wu Kung. +So the Lord of the Heavens ordered a god to descend to earth and take +him prisoner. The Evening Star came forward, however, and said: "This +ape was born of the purest powers of heaven and earth and sun and +moon. He has gained the hidden knowledge and has become an immortal. +Recall, O Lord, your great love for all that which has life, and +forgive him his sin! Issue an order that he be called up to the +heavens, and be given a charge here, so that he may come to his +senses. Then, if he again oversteps your commands, let him be punished +without mercy." The Lord of the Heavens was agreeable, had the order +issued, and told the Evening Star to take it to Sun Wu Kung. The +Evening Star mounted a colored cloud and descended on the Mountain of +Flowers and Fruits. + +He greeted Sun Wu Kung and said to him: "The Lord had heard of your +actions and meant to punish you. I am the Evening Star of the Western +Skies, and I spoke for you. Therefore he has commissioned me to take +you to the skies, so that you may be given a charge there." + +Sun Wu Kung was overjoyed and answered: "I had just been thinking I +ought to pay Heaven a visit some time, and sure enough, Old Star, here +you have come to fetch me!" + +Then he had his four baboons come and said to them impressively: "See +that you take good care of our Mountain! I am going up to the heavens +to look around there a little!" + +Then he mounted a cloud together with the Evening Star and floated up. +But he kept turning his somersaults, and advanced so quickly that the +Evening Star on his cloud was left behind. Before he knew it he had +reached the Southern Gate of Heaven and was about to step carelessly +through. The gate-keeper did not wish to let him enter, but he did not +let this stop him. In the midst of their dispute the Evening Star came +up and explained matters, and then he was allowed to enter the +heavenly gate. When he came to the castle of the Lord of the Heavens, +he stood upright before it, without bowing his head. + +The Lord of the Heavens asked: "Then this hairy face with the pointed +lips is Sun Wu Kung?" + +He replied: "Yes, I am the Venerable Sun!" + +All the servants of the Lord of the Heavens were shocked and said: +"This wild ape does not even bow, and goes so far as to call himself +the Venerable Sun. His crime deserves a thousand deaths!" + +But the Lord said: "He has come up from the earth below, and is not as +yet used to our rules. We will forgive him." + +Then he gave orders that a charge be found for him. The marshal of the +heavenly court reported: "There is no charge vacant anywhere, but an +official is needed in the heavenly stables." Thereupon the Lord made +him stablemaster of the heavenly steeds. Then the servants of the Lord +of the Heavens told him he should give thanks for the grace bestowed +on him. Sun Wu Kung called out aloud: "Thanks to command!" took +possession of his certificate of appointment, and went to the stables +in order to enter upon his new office. + +Sun Wu Kung attended to his duties with great zeal. The heavenly +steeds grew sleek and fat, and the stables were filled with young +foals. Before he knew it half a month had gone by. Then his heavenly +friends prepared a banquet for him. + +While they were at table Sun Wu Kung asked accidentally: +"Stablemaster? What sort of a title is that?" + +"Why, that is an official title," was the reply. + +"What rank has this office?" + +"It has no rank at all," was the answer. + +"Ah," said the ape, "is it so high that it outranks all other +dignities?" + +"No, it is not high, it is not high at all," answered his friends. +"It is not even set down in the official roster, but is quite a +subordinate position. All you have to do is to attend to the steeds. +If you see to it that they grow fat, you get a good mark; but if they +grow thin or ill, or fall down, your punishment will be right at +hand." + +Then the Ape King grew angry: "What, they treat me, the Venerable Sun, +in such a shameful way!" and he started up. "On my Mountain I was a +king, I was a father! What need was there for him to lure me into his +heaven to feed horses? I'll do it no longer! I'll do it no longer!" + +Hola, and he had already overturned the table, drawn the rod with the +golden clamps from his ear, let it grow large and beat a way out for +himself to the Southern gate of Heaven. And no one dared stop him. + +Already he was back in his island Mountain and his people surrounded +him and said: "You have been gone for more than ten years, great king! +How is it you do not return to us until now?" + +The Ape King said: "I did not spend more than about ten days in +Heaven. This Lord of the Heavens does not know how to treat his +people. He made me his stablemaster, and I had to feed his horses. I +am so ashamed that I am ready to die. But I did not put up with it, +and now I am here once more!" + +His apes eagerly prepared a banquet to comfort him. While they sat at +table two horned devil-kings came and brought him a yellow imperial +robe as a present. Filled with joy he slipped into it, and appointed +the two devil-kings leaders of the vanguard. They thanked him and +began to flatter him: "With your power and wisdom, great king, why +should you have to serve the Lord of the Heavens? To call you the +Great Saint who is Heaven's Equal would be quite in order." + +The ape was pleased with this speech and said: "Good, good!" Then he +ordered his four baboons to have a flag made quickly, on which was to +be inscribed: "The Great Saint Who Is Heaven's Equal." And from that +time on he had himself called by that title. + +When the Lord of the Heavens learned of the flight of the ape, he +ordered Li Dsing, the pagoda-bearing god, and his third son, Notscha, +to take the Ape King prisoner. They sallied forth at the head of a +heavenly warrior host, laid out a camp before his cave, and sent a +brave warrior to challenge him to single combat. But he was easily +beaten by Sun Wu Kung and obliged to flee, and Sun Wu Kung even +shouted after him, laughing: "What a bag of wind! And he calls himself +a heavenly warrior! I'll not slay you. Run along quickly and send me a +better man!" + +When Notscha saw this he himself hurried up to do battle. + +Said Sun Wu Kung to him: "To whom do you belong, little one? You must +not play around here, for something might happen to you!" + +But Notscha cried out in a loud voice: "Accursed ape! I am Prince +Notscha, and have been ordered to take you prisoner!" And with that he +swung his sword in the direction of Sun Wu Kung. + +"Very well," said the latter, "I will stand here and never move." + +Then Notscha grew very angry, and turned into a three-headed god with +six arms, in which he held six different weapons. Thus he rushed on to +the attack. + +Sun Wu Kung laughed. "The little fellow knows the trick of it! But +easy, wait a bit! I will change shape, too!" + +And he also turned himself into a figure with three heads and with six +arms, and swung three gold-clamp rods. And thus they began to fight. +Their blows rained down with such rapidity that it seemed as though +thousands of weapons were flying through the air. After thirty rounds +the combat had not yet been decided. Then Sun Wu Kung hit upon an +idea. He secretly pulled out one of his hairs, turned it into his own +shape, and let it continue the fight with Notscha. He himself, +however, slipped behind Notscha, and gave him such a blow on the left +arm with his rod that his knees gave way beneath him with pain, and he +had to withdraw in defeat. + +So Notscha told his father Li Dsing: "This devil-ape is altogether too +powerful! I cannot get the better of him!" There was nothing left to +do but to return to the Heavens and admit their overthrow. The Lord of +the Heavens bowed his head, and tried to think of some other hero whom +he might send out. + +Then the Evening Star once more came forward and said: "This ape is so +strong and so courageous, that probably not one of us here is a match +for him. He revolted because the office of stablemaster appeared too +lowly for him. The best thing would be to temper justice with mercy, +let him have his way, and appoint him Great Saint Who Is Heaven's +Equal. It will only be necessary to give him the empty title, without +combining a charge with it, and then the matter would be settled." The +Lord of the Heavens was satisfied with this suggestion, and once more +sent the Evening Star to summon the new saint. When Sun Wu Kung heard +that he had arrived, he said: "The old Evening Star is a good fellow!" +and he had his army draw up in line to give him a festive reception. +He himself donned his robes of ceremony and politely went out to meet +him. + +Then the Evening Star told him what had taken place in the Heavens, +and that he had his appointment as Great Saint Who Is Heaven's Equal +with him. + +Thereupon the Great Saint laughed and said: "You also spoke in my +behalf before, Old Star! And now you have again taken my part. Many +thanks! Many thanks!" + +Then when they appeared together in the presence of the Lord of the +Heavens the latter said: "The rank of Great Saint Who Is Heaven's +Equal is very high. But now you must not cut any further capers." + +The Great Saint expressed his thanks, and the Lord of the Heavens +ordered two skilled architects to build a castle for him East of the +peach-garden of the Queen-Mother of the West. And he was led into it +with all possible honors. + +Now the Saint was in his element. He had all that heart could wish +for, and was untroubled by any work. He took his ease, walked about in +the Heavens as he chose, and paid visits to the gods. The Three Pure +Ones and the Four Rulers he treated with some little respect; but the +planetary gods and the lords of the twenty-eight houses of the moon, +and of the twelve zodiac signs, and the other stars he addressed +familiarly with a "Hey, you!" Thus he idled day by day, without +occupation among the clouds of the Heavens. On one occasion one of the +wise said to the Lord of the Heavens: "The holy Sun is idle while day +follows day. It is to be feared that some mischievous thoughts may +occur to him, and it might be better to give him some charge." + +So the Lord of the Heavens summoned the Great Saint and said to him: +"The life-giving peaches in the garden of the Queen-Mother will soon +be ripe. I give you the charge of watching over them. Do your duty +conscientiously!" + +This pleased the Saint and he expressed his thanks. Then he went to +the garden, where the caretakers and gardeners received him on their +knees. + +He asked them: "How many trees in all are there in the garden?" + +"Three thousand six hundred," replied the gardener. "There are +twelve-hundred trees in the foremost row. They have red blossoms and +bear small fruit, which ripens every three thousand years. Whoever +eats it grows bright and healthy. The twelve hundred trees in the +middle row have double blossoms and bear sweet fruit, which ripens +every six thousand years. Whoever eats of it is able to float in the +rose-dawn without aging. The twelve hundred trees in the last row bear +red-striped fruit with small pits. They ripen every nine thousand +years. Whoever eats their fruit lives eternally, as long as the +Heavens themselves, and remains untouched for thousands of eons." + +The Saint heard all this with pleasure. He checked up the lists and +from that time on appeared every day or so to see to things. The +greater part of the peaches in the last row were already ripe. When he +came to the garden, he would on each occasion send away the caretakers +and gardeners under some pretext, leap up into the trees, and gorge +himself to his heart's content with the peaches. + +At that time the Queen-Mother of the West was preparing the great +peach banquet to which she was accustomed to invite all the gods of +the Heavens. She sent out the fairies in their garments of seven +colors with baskets, that they might pick the peaches. The caretaker +said to them: "The garden has now been entrusted to the guardianship +of the Great Saint Who is Heaven's Equal, so you will first have to +announce yourselves to him." With that he led the seven fairies into +the garden. There they looked everywhere for the Great Saint, but +could not find him. So the fairies said: "We have our orders and must +not be late. We will begin picking the peaches in the meantime!" So +they picked several baskets full from the foremost row. In the second +row the peaches were already scarcer. And in the last row there hung +only a single half-ripe peach. They bent down the bough and picked it, +and then allowed it to fly up again. + +Now it happened that the Great Saint, who had turned himself into a +peach-worm, had just been taking his noon-day nap on this bough. When +he was so rudely awakened, he appeared in his true form, seized his +rod and was about to strike the fairies. + +But the fairies said: "We have been sent here by the Queen-Mother. Do +not be angry, Great Saint!" + +Said the Great Saint: "And who are all those whom the Queen-Mother has +invited?" + +They answered: "All the gods and saints in the Heavens, on the earth +and under the earth." + +"Has she also invited me?" said the Saint. + +"Not that we know of," said the fairies. + +Then the Saint grew angry, murmured a magic incantation and said: +"Stay! Stay! Stay!" + +With that the seven fairies were banned to the spot. The Saint then +took a cloud and sailed away on it to the palace of the Queen-Mother. + +On the way he met the Bare-Foot God and asked him: "Where are you +going?" + +"To the peach banquet," was the answer. + +Then the Saint lied to him, saying: "I have been commanded by the +Lord of the Heavens to tell all the gods and saints that they are +first to come to the Hall of Purity, in order to practise the rites, +and then go together to the Queen-Mother." + +Then the Great Saint changed himself into the semblance of the +Bare-Foot God and sailed to the palace of the Queen-Mother. There he +let his cloud sink down and entered quite unconcerned. The meal was +ready, yet none of the gods had as yet appeared. Suddenly the Great +Saint caught the aroma of wine, and saw well-nigh a hundred barrels of +the precious nectar standing in a room to one side. His mouth watered. +He tore a few hairs out and turned them into sleep-worms. These worms +crept into the nostrils of the cup-bearers so that they all fell +asleep. Thereupon he enjoyed the delicious viands to the full, opened +the barrels and drank until he was nearly stupefied. Then he said to +himself: "This whole affair is beginning to make me feel creepy. I had +better go home first of all and sleep a bit." And he stumbled out of +the garden with uncertain steps. Sure enough, he missed his way, and +came to the dwelling of Laotzse. There he regained consciousness. He +arranged his clothing and went in. There was no one to be seen in the +place, for at the moment Laotzse was at the God of Light's abode, +talking to him, and with him were all his servants, listening. Since +he found no one at home the Great Saint went as far as the inner +chamber, where Laotzse was in the habit of brewing the elixir of life. +Beside the stove stood five gourd containers full of the pills of life +which had already been rolled. Said the Great Saint: "I had long since +intended to prepare a couple of these pills. So it suits me very well +to find them here." He poured out the contents of the gourds, and ate +up all the pills of life. Since he had now had enough to eat and +drink he thought to himself: "Bad, bad! The mischief I have done +cannot well be repaired. If they catch me my life will be in danger. I +think I had better go down to earth again and remain a king!" With +that he made himself invisible, went out at the Western Gate of +Heaven, and returned to the Mountain of Flowers and Fruits, where he +told his people who received him the story of his adventures. + +When he spoke of the wine-nectar of the peach garden, his apes said: +"Can't you go back once more and steal a few bottles of the wine, so +that we too may taste of it and gain eternal life?" + +The Ape King was willing, turned a somersault, crept into the garden +unobserved, and picked up four more barrels. Two of them he took under +his arms and two he held in his hands. Then he disappeared with them +without leaving a trace and brought them to his cave, where he enjoyed +them together with his apes. + +In the meantime the seven fairies, whom the Great Saint had banned to +the spot, had regained their freedom after a night and a day. They +picked up their baskets and told the Queen-Mother what had happened to +them. And the cup-bearers, too, came hurrying up and reported the +destruction which some one unknown had caused among the eatables and +drinkables. The Queen-Mother went to the Lord of the Heavens to +complain. Shortly afterward Laotzse also came to him to tell about the +theft of the pills of life. And the Bare-Foot God came along and +reported that he had been deceived by the Great Saint Who Is Heaven's +Equal; and from the Great Saint's palace the servants came running and +said that the Saint had disappeared and was nowhere to be found. Then +the Lord of the Heavens was frightened, and said: "This whole mess is +undoubtedly the work of that devilish ape!" + +Now the whole host of Heaven, together with all the star-gods, the +time-gods and the mountain-gods was called out in order to catch the +ape. Li Dsing once more was its commander-in-chief. He invested the +entire Mountain, and spread out the sky-net and the earth-net, so that +no one could escape. Then he sent his bravest heroes into battle. +Courageously the ape withstood all attacks from early morn till +sundown. But by that time his most faithful followers had been +captured. That was too much for him. He pulled out a hair and turned +it into thousands of Ape-Kings, who all hewed about them with +golden-clamped iron rods. The heavenly host was vanquished, and the +ape withdrew to his cave to rest. + +Now it happened that Guan Yin had also gone to the peach banquet in +the garden, and had found out what Sun Wu Kung had done. When she went +to visit the Lord of the Heavens, Li Dsing was just coming in, to +report the great defeat which he had suffered on the Mountain of +Flowers and Fruits. Then Guan Yin said to the Lord of the Heavens: "I +can recommend a hero to you who will surely get the better of the ape. +It is your grandson Yang Oerlang. He has conquered all the beast and +bird spirits, and overthrown the elves in the grass and the brush. He +knows what has to be done to get the better of such devils." + +So Yang Oerlang was brought in, and Li Dsing led him to his camp. Li +Dsing asked Yang Oerlang how he would go about getting the better of +the ape. + +Yang Oerlang laughed and said: "I think I will have to go him one +better when it comes to changing shapes. It would be best for you to +take away the sky-net so that our combat is not disturbed." Then he +requested Li Dsing to post himself in the upper air with the magic +spirit mirror in his hand, so that when the ape made himself +invisible, he might be found again by means of the mirror. When all +this had been arranged, Yang Oerlang went out in front of the cave +with his spirits to give battle. + +The ape leaped out, and when he saw the powerful hero with the +three-tined sword standing before him he asked: "And who may you be?" + +The other said: "I am Yang Oerlang, the grandson of the Lord of the +Heavens!" + +Then the ape laughed and said: "Oh yes, I remember! His daughter ran +away with a certain Sir Yang, to whom heaven gave a son. You must be +that son!" + +Yang Oerlang grew furious, and advanced upon him with his spear. Then +a hot battle began. For three hundred rounds they fought without +decisive results. Then Yang Oerlang turned himself into a giant with a +black face and red hair. + +"Not bad," said the ape, "but I can do that too!" + +So they continued to fight in that form. But the ape's baboons were +much frightened. The beast and planet spirits of Yang Oerlang pressed +the apes hard. They slew most of them and the others hid away. When +the ape saw this his heart grew uneasy. He drew the magic +giant-likeness in again, took his rod and fled. But Yang Oerlang +followed hard on his heels. In his urgent need the ape thrust the rod, +which he had turned into a needle, into his ear, turned into a +sparrow, and flew up into the crest of a tree. Yang Oerlang who was +following in his tracks, suddenly lost sight of him. But his keen eyes +soon recognized that he had turned himself into a sparrow. So he flung +away spear and crossbow, turned himself into a sparrow-hawk, and +darted down on the sparrow. But the latter soared high into the air as +a cormorant. Yang Oerlang shook his plumage, turned into a great +sea-crane, and shot up into the clouds to seize the cormorant. The +latter dropped, flew into a valley and dove beneath the waters of a +brook in the guise of a fish. When Yang Oerlang reached the edge of +the valley, and had lost his trail he said to himself: "This ape has +surely turned himself into a fish or a crab! I will change my form as +well in order to catch him." So he turned into a fish-hawk and floated +above the surface of the water. When the ape in the water caught sight +of the fish-hawk, he saw that he was Yang Oerlang. He swiftly swung +around and fled, Yang Oerlang in pursuit. When the latter was no +further away than the length of a beak, the ape turned, crept ashore +as a water-snake and hid in the grass. Yang Oerlang, when he saw the +water-snake creep from the water, turned into an eagle and spread his +claws to seize the snake. But the water-snake sprang up and turned +into the lowest of all birds, a speckled buzzard, and perched on the +steep edge of a cliff. When Yang Oerlang saw that the ape had turned +himself into so contemptible a creature as a buzzard, he would no +longer play the game of changing form with him. He reappeared in his +original form, took up his crossbow and shot at the bird. The buzzard +slipped and fell down the side of the cliff. At its foot the ape +turned himself into the chapel of a field-god. He opened his mouth for +a gate, his teeth became the two wings of the door, his tongue the +image of the god, and his eyes the windows. His tail was the only +thing he did not know what to do with. So he let it stand up stiffly +behind him in the shape of a flagpole. When Yang Oerlang reached the +foot of the hill he saw the chapel, whose flagpole stood in the rear. +Then he laughed and said: "That ape is really a devil of an ape! He +wants to lure me into the chapel in order to bite me. But I will not +go in. First I will break his windows for him, and then I will stamp +down the wings of his door!" When the ape heard this he was much +frightened. He made a bound like a tiger, and disappeared without a +trace in the air. With a single somersault he reached Yang Oerlang's +own temple. There he assumed Yang Oerlang's own form and stepped in. +The spirits who were on guard were unable to recognize him. They +received him on their knees. So the ape then seated himself on the +god's throne, and had the prayers which had come in submitted to him. + +When Yang Oerlang no longer saw the ape, he rose in the air to Li +Dsing and said: "I was vying with the ape in changing shape. Suddenly +I could no longer find him. Take a look in the mirror!" Li Dsing took +a look in the magic spirit mirror and then he laughed and said: "The +ape has turned himself into your likeness, is sitting in your temple +quite at home there, and making mischief." When Yang Oerlang heard +this he took his three-tined spear, and hastened to his temple. The +door-spirits were frightened and said: "But father came in only this +very minute! How is it that another one comes now?" Yang Oerlang, +without paying attention to them, entered the temple and aimed his +spear at Sun Wu Kung. The latter resumed his own shape, laughed and +said: "Young sir, you must not be angry! The god of this place is now +Sun Wu Kung." Without uttering a word Yang Oerlang assailed him. Sun +Wu Kung took up his rod and returned the blows. Thus they crowded out +of the temple together, fighting, and wrapped in mists and clouds once +more gained the Mountain of Flowers and Fruits. + +In the meantime Guan Yin was sitting with Laotzse, the Lord of the +Heavens and the Queen-Mother in the great hall of Heaven, waiting for +news. When none came she said: "I will go with Laotzse to the +Southern Gate of Heaven and see how matters stand." And when they saw +that the struggle had still not come to an end she said to Laotzse: +"How would it be if we helped Yang Oerlang a little? I will shut up +Sun Wu Kung in my vase." + +But Laotzse said: "Your vase is made of porcelain. Sun Wu Kung could +smash it with his iron rod. But I have a circlet of diamonds which can +enclose all living creatures. That we can use!" So he flung his +circlet through the air from the heavenly gate, and struck Sun Wu Kung +on the head with it. Since he had his hands full fighting, the latter +could not guard himself against it, and the blow on the forehead +caused him to slip. Yet he rose again and tried to escape. But the +heavenly hound of Yang Oerlang bit his leg until he fell to the +ground. Then Yang Oerlang and his followers came up and tied him with +thongs, and thrust a hook through his collar-bone so that he could no +longer transform himself. And Laotzse took possession of his diamond +circlet again, and returned with Guan Yin to the hall of Heaven. Sun +Wu Kung was now brought in in triumph, and was condemned to be +beheaded. He was then taken to the place of execution and bound to a +post. But all efforts to kill him by means of ax and sword, thunder +and lightning were vain. Nothing so much as hurt a hair on his head. + +Said Laotzse: "It is not surprising. This ape has eaten the peaches, +has drunk the nectar and also swallowed the pills of life. Nothing can +harm him. The best thing would be for me to take him along and thrust +him into my stove in order to melt the elixir of life out of him +again. Then he will fall into dust and ashes." + +So Sun Wu Kung's fetters were loosed, and Laotzse took him with him, +thrust him into his oven, and ordered the boy to keep up a hot fire. + +But along the edge of the oven were graven the signs of the eight +elemental forces. And when the ape was thrust into the oven he took +refuge beneath the sign of the wind, so that the fire could not injure +him; and the smoke only made his eyes smart. He remained in the oven +seven times seven days. Then Laotzse had it opened to take a look. As +soon as Sun Wu Kung saw the light shine in, he could no longer bear to +be shut up, but leaped out and upset the magic oven. The guards and +attendants he threw to the ground and Laotzse himself, who tried to +seize him, received such a push that he stuck his legs up in the air +like an onion turned upside down. Then Sun Wu Kung took his rod out of +his ear, and without looking where he struck, hewed everything to +bits, so that the star-gods closed their doors and the guardians of +the Heavens ran away. He came to the castle of the Lord of the +Heavens, and the guardian of the gate with his steel whip was only +just in time to hold him back. Then the thirty-six thunder gods were +set at him, and surrounded him, though they could not seize him. + +The Lord of the Heavens said: "Buddha will know what is to be done. +Send for him quickly!" + +So Buddha came up out of the West with Ananada and Kashiapa, his +disciples. When he saw the turmoil he said: "First of all, let weapons +be laid aside and lead out the Saint. I wish to speak with him!" The +gods withdrew. Sun Wu Kung snorted and said: "Who are you, who dare to +speak to me?" Buddha smiled and replied: "I have come out of the +blessed West, Shakiamuni Amitofu. I have heard of the revolt you have +raised, and am come to tame you!" + +Said Sun Wu Kung: "I am the stone ape who has gained the hidden +knowledge. I am master of seventy-two transformations, and will live +as long as Heaven itself. What has the Lord of the Heavens +accomplished that entitles him to remain eternally on his throne? Let +him make way for me, and I will be satisfied!" + +Buddha replied with a smile: "You are a beast which has gained magic +powers. How can you expect to rule here as Lord of the Heavens? Be it +known to you that the Lord of the Heavens has toiled for eons in +perfecting his virtues. How many years would you have to pass before +you could attain the dignity he has gained? And then I must ask you +whether there is anything else you can do, aside from playing your +tricks of transformation?" + +Said Sun Wu Kung: "I can turn cloud somersaults. Each one carries me +eighteen thousand miles ahead. Surely that is enough to entitle me to +be the Lord of the Heavens?" + +Buddha answered with a smile: "Let us make a wager. If you can so much +as leave my hand with one of your somersaults, then I will beg the +Lord of the Heavens to make way for you. But if you are not able to +leave my hand, then you must yield yourself to my fetters." + +Sun Wu Kung suppressed his laughter, for he thought: "This Buddha is a +crazy fellow! His hand is not a foot long; how could I help but leap +out of it?" So he opened his mouth wide and said: "Agreed!" + +Buddha then stretched out his right hand. It resembled a small +lotus-leaf. Sun Wu Kung leaped up into it with one bound. Then he +said: "Go!" And with that he turned one somersault after another, so +that he flew along like a whirlwind. And while he was flying along he +saw five tall, reddish columns towering to the skies. Then he thought: +"That is the end of the world! Now I will turn back and become Lord of +the Heavens. But first I will write down my name to prove that I was +there." He pulled out a hair, turned it into a brush, and wrote with +great letters on the middle column: "The Great Saint Who Is Heaven's +Equal." Then he turned his somersaults again until he had reached the +place whence he had come. He leaped down from the Buddha's hand +laughing and cried: "Now hurry, and see to it that the Lord of the +Heavens clears his heavenly castle for me! I have been at the end of +the world and have left a sign there!" + +Buddha scolded: "Infamous ape! How dare you claim that you have left +my hand? Take a look and see whether or not 'The Great Saint Who Is +Heaven's Equal,' is written on my middle finger!" + +Sun Wu Kung was terribly frightened, for at the first glance he saw +that this was the truth. Yet outwardly he pretended that he was not +convinced, said he would take another look, and tried to make use of +the opportunity to escape. But Buddha covered him with his hand, +shoved him out of the gate of Heaven, and formed a mountain of water, +fire, wood, earth and metal, which he softly set down on him to hold +him fast. A magic incantation pasted on the mountain prevented his +escape. + +Here he was obliged to lie for hundreds of years, until he finally +reformed and was released, in order to help the Monk of the +Yangtze-kiang fetch the holy writings from out of the West. He honored +the Monk as his master, and thenceforward was known as the Wanderer. +Guan Yin, who had released him, gave the Monk a golden circlet. Sun Wu +Kung was induced to put it on, and it at once grew into his flesh so +that he could not remove it. And Guan Yin gave the Monk a magic +formula by means of which the ring could be tightened, should the ape +grow disobedient. But from that time on he was always polite and +well-mannered. + + Note: This tale, like "The Pilgrim's Progress," is an + allegory, the ape symbolizing the human heart. Yet + despite its allegorical character, a number of + mythological and fairy-tale motives are incorporated in + it. The ape himself suggests Hanumant, the companion of + Rama. Yo Huang is the Lord of the Heavens. The stone ape + is the stone heart of natural man. The Buddhas, blessed + spirits and gods, represent the ideals of Buddhism, + Taoism and Confucianism. Sun Wu Kung: In Chinese apes + are called Hu Sun, but the word Hu having an unlucky + meaning, the Master chooses Sun as a family name, while + at the same time the letter-sign is freed from the + radical indicating an animal. Wu Kung--"the magic + awaking to nothingness" (Nirwana). The different ways: + magic, the way of raising spirits; the sciences: The + three faiths are: Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism; to + these are added six "schools": the Yin-Yang School, the + Mo-Di School, Medicine, War, Law, Miscellaneous, so that + nine directions in all are represented. Quiescence is + the Taoism for non-activity, while Action is the Taoism + for care of the body, as inaugurated by We Be Yang. The + Devil-King of Chaos, i.e., sensuality, whose seat is + supposed to be in Kidneys. "Red garments," colors, here + all have an allegorical meaning. Death, i.e., Yama. The + Evening Star is the star of metal; Sun Wu Kung also + personifies a metal, hence the Evening Star appears as + his apologist. As regards Li Dsing and Notscha see No. + 18. As regards the Queen Mother of the West, see No. 15. + As regards Yang Oerlang, see No. 17. Guan Yin is + generally worshipped throughout China as the Feminine + goddess. The motive of the magic flight is found + frequently in fairy-tales the world over. Guan Yin is + often represented holding a vase, Bau Ping. Laotzse's + circlet or ring is the Tao. The eight elemental powers, + i.e., Ba Gua. Buddha: while Sun Wu Kung is equipped to + struggle against all external powers, he is conquered by + Buddha, who does not combat him, but subdues him by his + omnipresence. The Monk of the Yangtze-kiang is Huan + Dschuang, see No. 69. The circlet or ring which can be + made tighter when the ape does not obey, reappears in + Hauff's fairy-tale of "The Young Englishman," as a + cravat. + + +THE END + + + + +Transcriber's Note + +Archaic spelling, e.g. rimes, phenix, is preserved as printed. Variable +spelling has been made consistent where there was a prevalence of one +form; otherwise it is preserved as printed, e.g. Kaiutschou & +Kiautschou, Laotzse & Laotsze. + +Punctuation errors have been repaired. Hyphenation, and capitalisation +of proper nouns, has been made consistent. Typographic errors, e.g. +omitted or transposed letters, have been repaired. + +The following amendments have been made: + + Page 24--repeated 'the' deleted--"... "The Wolf and the + Seven Kids," ..." + + Page 76--(I) added to end of title for consistency with + the table of contents--"THE EIGHT IMMORTALS (I)" + + Page 82--omitted word Lan added--"Lan Tsai Ho, who is also + pictured as a woman, ..." + + Page 82--(II) added to end of title for consistency with + the table of contents--"THE EIGHT IMMORTALS (II)" + + Page 85--omitted word Yuan added--""We are Liu Tschen and + Yuan Dshau. Only a few days ago ..."" + + Page 289--superfluous 'the' deleted before 'Evening'--"Only, + the King had kept back Rose of Evening ..." + +Page 186--mentions the "Su Tsi Hia"--other similar references in the +text are to the "Sin Tsi Hia" but, as the transcriber has been unable +to confirm whether this is from the same source, it has been preserved +as printed. + +Page 224--refers to a serving-maid holding a "red flabrum in her +hand." Flabrum is a Latin word for breeze. This may be a typo for +flagrum, a kind of scourge, but as it is impossible to be certain, it +has been preserved as printed. + +Page 227--mentions a man who "descended to the upper story"--this +should probably read "ascended to the upper story" but has been +preserved as printed. + +Page 278--mentions a man "now, when young and old"--this may be an +error for "young and bold" but has been preserved as printed. + +A number of the notes to the stories refer to other stories. On page +17, there is a reference to No. 81. There is no story with this +number, and, as the transcriber was unable to determine which story +the author was referring to, it has been preserved as printed. + +The following amendments to references have also been made: + + Page 17--67 amended to 68, and Fee amended to Fe--"... + (see No. 68, "Yang Gui Fe")." + + Page 24--48 amended to 49--"... the same beast as "the + talking silver fox" in No. 49, ..." + + Page 41--37 amended to 34--"... (comp. "Sky O'Dawn," No. + 34); ..." + + Page 52--73 amended to 74--"... occurs in the tale of Sun + Wu Kung (No. 74)." + + Page 64--68 amended to 69--"As regards the Monk of the + Yangtze-kiang, comp. with No. 69." + + Page 75--31 amended to 30--"... frequently used in the + preparation of the elixir of life (comp. No. 30)." + + Page 83--63 amended to 51--"As regards the field-god, see + No. 51." + + Page 137--62 amended to 63--"... the old river-god Ho Be + (Count of the Stream), also mentioned in No. 63, ..." + + Page 142--75 amended to 74--"As regards the Dragon-King + of the Eastern Sea, see Nos. 18 and 74." + + Page 142--45 amended to 46--"With regard to So Pi-Lo and + Lo-Dsi-Tschun, see No. 46." + + Page 251--64 amended to 65--"... the Prince of Tang + mentioned in No. 65." + + Page 251--49 amended to 50--"... and the ten princes of + the Nether World, comp. Nos. 38 and 50." + + Page 251--73 amended to 74--"As regards one of the + legendary companions of Huan Dschuang on his journey, + see No. 74." + + Page 329--68 amended to 69--"The Monk of the + Yangtze-kiang is Huan Dschuang, see No. 69." + +Illustrations have been moved where necessary so that they are not in +the middle of a paragraph. The frontispiece illustration and advertising +material has been moved to follow the title page. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Chinese Fairy Book, by Various + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE CHINESE FAIRY BOOK *** + +***** This file should be named 29939.txt or 29939.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/9/9/3/29939/ + +Produced by David Edwards, Sam W. and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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