Chinese Fairy Stories E-Book

Norman Hinsdale Pitman

• Herausgeber: Jazzybee Verlag
• Kategorie: Fantasy und Science-Fiction
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 145

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2024

Beschreibung

The author of this book was an American teacher in the Provincial College near Peking, China, and the stories are based on legends picked up among Chinese children. The figures in these fairy tales are demons, gods, dragons and other mysterious spirits that belong exclusively to Chinese folklore, and the book makes a kind of Chinese Arabian Night . There are eleven stories and each has its moral skilfully revealed .

Leseprobe

Chinese Fairy Stories

NORMAN HINSDALE PITMAN

Chinese Fairy Stories, Norman Hinsdale Pitman

Jazzybee Verlag Jürgen Beck

86450 Altenmünster, Loschberg 9

Deutschland

ISBN: 9783988680761

www.jazzybee-verlag.de

[email protected]

CONTENTS:

YOW-TO'S FIRST LESSON... 1

THE BOY WHO SLEPT.. 7

THE BOY AND THE PORRIDGE.. 12

THE GODS KNOW... 19

LO-SUN, THE BLIND BOY.. 26

SING LI'S FORTUNE.. 32

FAIRY OLD BOY AND THE TIGER.. 38

YU-KONG AND THE DEMON.. 45

THE BOY WHO BECAME EMPEROR.. 51

THE ASHES OF DECEIT.. 57

THE BRIDE OF THE DRAGON KING... 62

YOW-TO'S FIRST LESSON

LONG, long ago, not far from the Yellow River, lived a little boy whose name was Yow-to. His father owned a fine pear orchard, famous for its fruit, which for several years brought to the family a comfortable lving.

Up to the time of Yow-to’s birth, it had been a great sorrow in the hearts of his parents that the gods had denied them a son. Again and again they had bewailed their grievous lot, and burned incense in the village temple, offering up prayers to their idols to be spared the curse that would befall them if no son were born into their family. One would think they might have been satisfied with the five rosy-cheeked little daughters who filled their home with sunshine. But no indeed, as each successive girl child came to their home their sadness had grown deeper and deeper, until at last they were in despair. Like all their neighbors they felt that one boy was worth a dozen girls; for was not each girl almost a useless burden upon the family? As soon as they were grown, would they not be married and go into another household to work for other people? On the contrary, a son would continue to live at home and work for his parents as long as they lived, and he would be useful in many other ways.

So great became the desire of this unlucky couple to be blessed with a little boy, that one day in the temple the mother offered publicly to repair at her own expense one of the dingy old dust-covered idols, if the gods would grant her what she asked. Whether the grimy god understood Mrs. Wang’s promise we shall not say, but certain it is that a few months later little Yow- to came to gladden the hearts of his parents. It was not until a year after his coming, however, that they gave him the name by which we shall call him in this story.

On his first birthday, according to Chinese custom, just before the feast was given in honor of the glad occasion, the baby was dressed in the new clothes presented by his grandmother. Then he was seated upon a bamboo sieve which had been placed in readiness on a table. Many objects were put within his reach, among them a book, a brass mirror, a set of money scales, a money counter, a pen, an ink slab, a knife, gold ornaments and fruits.

Near the table stood the proud mother and father watching eagerly for the infant’s first desires. The five sisters, the grandparents, and the other relatives also waited nearby. All were anxious to see which one of the many new playthings about him the child would seize on for his first toy. By this means, according to their belief, they could foretell his future. If he grasped the book or the pencil, doubtless he would become a famous scholar; if the counting frame, the scales, or the gold ornaments, a man of wealth; if the knife, a warrior; if the fruit, a farmer.

For a moment the little fellow looked up from his toys into the eager faces of those about him. He seemed to know that they were awaiting the result of his actions. Then without further delay, stooping over, he stretched out his chubby arms and swept all of the objects into a pile before him, as if by this movement claiming everything in sight.

The guests laughed heartily at this unlooked-for happening.

“ T’a yow to! ” exclaimed the father. “ He wishes all. Yow-to, or Wish-all, then, shall be his name.”

It was thus the little Wang was christened, and from that day all through his childhood his parents saw the wisdom of their choice. There was no object, within his reach or out of it, that Yow-to did not claim. His sisters had nothing they could call their own, for if they had the boldness to deny the slightest desire of their brother, the youngster set up such a howl of rage that they were only too glad to give way to his appeal.

In the orchard the fattest, juiciest, sweetest pears were always his without the asking, and many a time when pears were out of season did the toddler stretch his little arms out toward the naked branches and howl because his sisters were not kind enough to gather him some fruit.

It is not strange that Yow-to grew from a greedy infant into a very selfish boy. His parents humored him on all occasions, as thoughtless parents often do, not seeing that they were encouraging a wrong spirit. Sometimes when the meals were poor and scant, his sisters suffered from hunger while Yow-to’s bowl was so full that he threw away the morsels right and left. If the other children dared to ask for what was left over, he answered, “ No, you are only girls.”

In the village school, however, Yow-to did not fare so well. His playmates would not yield first place to him, which made him very unhappy. His selfish heart coveted the bright colored kites sent aloft by his schoolmates at playtime, and many a time he cried himself into a rage because they would not let him hold the string. At home his father would try to comfort him by promising to buy bird-kites larger and finer than the others, but this did not satisfy him. He wanted all the things his comrades were enjoying.

“ Yow-to won’t let us keep anything,” complained the eldest sister once in the presence of her mother. “ No matter how much he has already, he’s bound to lay his hands on whatever we are touching.”

“ There, there, don’t find fault,” replied Mrs. Wang soothingly. “ Don’t you know, he is a boy, and you must always humor boys and give way to them? ”

“ All right,” said the little girl, “ the next time a dog gets after me, I’ll give him to Yow-to.”

Through all his boyhood only one person ever took Yow-to to task for his selfishness. This was his grandmother, but she did it so good-naturedly that he did not remember five minutes afterward what she said.

Thus he grew from a boy to a young man, when, feeling very old and wise, he said to his father: “ How can you expect me to make any

money, if you keep me housed up forever here at home? Just give me a chance, and I’ll show you what a fellow of my ability can do.”

His father was somewhat amused but felt pleased to hear that he was willing to do something toward his own support.

“ All right, my boy,” said he, “ I’ll give you a start. I’m not sure you are old enough to go to work for yourself, but I can soon find out. To-morrow you may take a wheelbarrow, fill it with the choicest pears you can find in the orchard, and sell them along the river road. Then we shall see.”

Yow-to was delighted with his father’s plan. Early the next morning he hurried into the orchard to make first choice of the fruit, and by breakfast time his barrow was laden with the largest and mellowest of Chinese pears.

It was the middle of August, and a sweltering day. The whole world seemed thirsting for the rain that would not fall. As far as the eye could see, the great highway was dotted with blue-clad laborers going to their work, while early-rising hucksters laden with their wares were pushing forward toward the village markets. Other men were walking beside their donkeys in the dusty road, urging on the patient little beasts that stumbled along beneath their loads.

As Yow-to journeyed on, pushing his tempting wares before the eyes of thirsty travelers, he knew well that it would be a good day for selling, and he resolved to charge a higher price for pears than his father had suggested, thinking to please him at nightfall with the news of better profits.

Many a hard bargain did he drive, and many a copper cash jingled merrily in his moneybag. Yet, so large was his one-wheeled cart that, when he sat down at noon by the roadside to rest beneath a shade tree, some pears still remained for the afternoon. Nearby were other toilers also resting, who became his customers and then lolled back in the shade eating contentedly the liquid fruit. A few who had no money eyed the big pears wistfully.

As Yow-to sat munching his wheaten cake he heard someone suddenly approach just behind him, and turning he beheld a bent old man looking longingly in his direction. The stranger’s scant beard was white as snow, and his cue had scarcely hair enough to braid.

“What is it, old teacher?” said Yow-to respectfully, as the old man came nearer. “ Would you like to buy a pear? They are the best on the market.”

“ Alas, yes, young man,” said the sage, “ but I have no money.”

“ Oh,” said Yow-to, a chill coming all at once into his voice, “ I see.”

“ But, my friend, I feel sure you can well afford to give an old man one of your pears. You have so many, and I crave but one.”

Yow-to made no answer, but, leaning over, picked out one of the fattest pears. The stranger’s face lighted up as he saw it, but Yow-to, instead of offering the fruit to him, began to set his own teeth in it.

“ Then you refuse to give me one, you who have so many? ” said the old man sadly. “ I have traveled many weary miles since daylight. I am past sevent, and have not had this day a morsel of bread or a sip of tea.”

“ I did not come this far in the broiling sun to give out alms,” replied Yow-to shortly. “ There are beggars enough passing my father's gate each day to eat up everything that grows inside his orchard. If you have money, I am ready for business; if not, why bother me any longer? ”

Several of the stragglers under the tree now came up, ready to have a part in what was going on; but they did not take sides with the young merchant.

“ But I am dying of thirst and you can save me,” pleaded the man. “ Would you see me perish? ”

“ Give the old fellow a pear, boy, and be done with it,” said a bystander. “Judging by the price you charge, you can afford to do a little for charity. If you don’t want to give him your largest, pick the smallest in the pile, but, for the sake of pity, don’t let the old uncle drop by the roadside.”

But Yow-to would not be coaxed into parting with a penny of what might be taken to his father. The pears were his, he told them, and not to be thrown away, not even the smallest, but sold for good copper cash.

“ Think how much merit you can win by doing this good deed,” suggested one.

“ If you wish somebody to win merit,” said Yow-to, “ buy the pears with your own coin, and give it to the beggar yourself.”

At the word “ beggar,” the aged man’s face flushed to a deep red, and he seemed to remain silent only by great effort. The stranger whom Yow-to had challenged, unwilling to lose credit in the eyes of those around him, and at the same time realty feeling sorry for the man, quietly counted out the price of a pear.

The graybeard took the gift with a sigh of gratitude and was soon enjoying it to the full. Each mouthful apparently gave him as much pleasure as the water of life, and not until the last morsel had disappeared did he turn to the group around him. Beckoning them closer, he bade them watch him carefully.

“ Look,” he said, taking a seed which he had saved from the pear; “ behold in this tiny seed a power which will teach each of us a lesson.”

Curious to see what he would do next, the group who had by this time gathered about the speaker fixed their eyes sharply on him. Stepping from under the shade tree, he hollowed out a place in the soil and planted the seed. After covering it gently with the soft earth which, strange to say, seemed to grow darker and richer at his touch, he asked if one of the crowd would kindly fetch a pot of water. Ready to help along in the strange thing which seemed about to take place, a little boy ran to do the wizard’s bidding.

The water was brought and poured upon the spot where he had buried the seed.

Five minutes passed by—then, “ Look, look! ” cried the astonished crowd. “ Wonder of wonders! a tree is springing up! ”

Sure enough, as Yow-to and the others looked, they saw slender shoots growing before their very gaze. As the planter continued to water his miniature tree, so intense was the excitement round about him, that one and all forgot the burning heat of the August sun. Higher and higher grew the pear tree. Branches sprang from the parent trunk, leaves began to form upon the graceful twigs, until at last a beautiful full-grown tree stood where before the soil had been desolate and barren.

“ He is a fairy! ” shouted one man.

“ A tree god more likely,” said another.

“ The holy one,” cried a third.

But the old man paid no attention to these comments.

“ Hark ye,” said he, “my labor is not ended.”

They craned their necks again, and saw a thousand tiny buds appearing, which swelled in turn and blossomed until the tree was one mass of fragrant flowers. The petals faded, leaving in their stead a crop of infant pears upon the magic tree. Larger and larger grew the fruit, until at last the strong limbs bowed low beneath the burden.

All those present stood as in a dream, believing that they had been taken suddenly into the heart of fairyland. Then they heard the old man say: “ Pick, eat, and be filled. As you have been merciful unto me, so shall your mercies be returned to you.”

Plucking the largest pear within his reach, he handed it to the man who had befriended him. This was the signal for a general stampede, for each one present was wildly anxious to taste of what had been so marvelously produced before his very eyes. So great had the crowd become by this time, that when the last man had taken his share not one pear remained upon the tree.

Then the wizard stepped up to the tree, and rapping upon the bark with his fingers, paused as if awaiting another marvel. At once the tree began to shrivel; the leaves turned brown and withered. Where but an instant before the grateful shade had cooled the passers-by, once more the sun beat down upon their heads.

When there was nothing left but a gnarled piece of wood no larger than a cane, the fairy laid hold of this as one would seize a walking stick, and, saying nothing to the gaping crowd, strode forth along the dusty highway.

The people looked after him until he had disappeared from sight, too amazed to speak.

Yow-to, awaking with a start from his dream of wonder, turned toward his wheelbarrow, thinking it high time to start about his own business. As he looked, another wonder met his gaze—the little cart was entirely empty. A cry of surprise escaped his lips, and in an instant the meaning of the whole thing flashed before him. He had been given, by a miracle, the true reward of the selfish.

Yow-to had learned his first lesson.

THE BOY WHO SLEPT

“ LO-LI,” said a little boy’s father one day,

“ I shall have to go to the other side of

the city this morning to see a drover.

I want you to watch the gate for me, so that no dogs get in here; for if anything should happen to that old sow, I don’t know how we should get through the winter. If I can sell her, the drover will come back with me to take her off.”

“ All right,” answered Lo-li promptly, “ I’ll take good care of everything.”

But no sooner was his father out of sight than the lazy little fellow curled up in his sunshine and went to sleep.

Lo-li and his father lived in a little one-room mud cabin, with thatched roof, in the outskirts of Peking. The bare hut was furnished only with the usual brick bed built in one end of the single room, with a few ragged blankets piled at one side, a small oven made of clay, an iron pot, a few broken dishes, and one or two wooden stools. Needless to say, the Changs were miserably poor. In fact, the only wealth they had besides the squalid hut and the still more wretched yard was the sow which Mr. Chang now wished his son to tend. The court in front of the house was so small that she had scarcely room to wallow, and as a result, more than half the time she lay stretched out on the mud floor of the cabin.