The Five Brothers - Part Four

The fourth brother asked the villagers to increase the fire to increase the warmth of the oil.

The villagers realized the obvious that the man could not be killed by fire either. Water, sword and fire could not harm the man. So the villagers decided to smother the man inside a cream cake. The villagers all contributed money to make the flour and all the other ingredients from a giant cream-cake.

The cake was to be made on the plains outside the city walls.

Meanwhile the man was allowed to visit his mother and bid her farewell. This time the fifth brother came out.

The cake was done and the fifth brother was thrown inside it.

The fifth brother could survive without air and this was not a problem for him at all.

The fifth brother was in the cake till midnight and after that, he came out and returned home where he lived happily with his brothers.

Adapted from Chinese Folktales

The Five Brothers - Part Three

The villagers took the brother back to the judge and told the judge that his sentence could not be carried out.

The judge then held that the man had to be dropped into the sea and drowned to death.

The second brother studied the judge on hearing the sentence. “I have to go and tell my mother that I am now sentenced to be drowned to death.”

This was allowed and the second brother went to his brothers and mother and told them all that had happened.

The third brother who could stretch his legs as much as necessary went in place of the second brother.

The villagers carried the third brother and threw him in the water.

However, there the third brother extended his legs so much that he could touch the bottom of the sea. His face always let his face be above water. The villagers were perplexed and then carried him to deeper ocean and the same thing still happened.

The villagers were perplexed and then went back to the judge telling him that they could not carry out this sentence of the judge either.

The judge held that the man be boiled alive.

On hearing this the third brother asked the judge that he had to meet his mother and tell her the latest means of his execution.

The fourth brother came out and went with the villagers and everyone was ready to carry out the latest sentence.

The fourth brother was lowered into a kettle of boiling oil.

The fourth brother sighed because the oil was not even hot enough for a good warm bath for him.

Adapted from Chinese Folktales

The Five Brothers - Part Two

 

The boys who had accompanied the eldest brother were playing with the strange objects found at the bottom of the ocean. They did not pay heed to the eldest brother who was frantically signalling the boys to come back.

The eldest brother could no longer hold the water in and he let all the water back to where it had belonged.

Unfortunately, all the boys who had accompanied the eldest brother drowned in the water.

The eldest brother came back to the village alone. When the other villagers asked him what had happened to their boys, the eldest brother told them everything.

The villagers were furious and dragged the eldest brother before the magistrate. 

The eldest brother shook his head. “I had not asked the boys to come with me. I had agreed only after their parents forced me. After taking them along, I asked the boys to come ashore, but they refused to listen. That is why all this has happened.”

The magistrate held that the eldest brother was to be decapitated for his actions.

However, before being decapitated, the magistrate allowed the eldest brother to go and visit his mother for one last time.

The eldest brother went home and told his family all that had happened.

The second brother came out this time in place of the first brother.

The second brother knelt with bowed head and the headsman came with the knife and nicked the second brother.

Nothing happened to the second brother.

Better knives were brought, but still nothing happened.

The villagers then wondered what to do.

Adapted from Chinese Folktales

The Five Brothers - Part One

 

Once there lived an old woman who had five sons who looked alike. It was not just that, each of the five brothers had some special characteristics. The first brother could hold the entire ocean of water in his mouth for some time. The second brother’s skin was so hard that even steel could not damage his skin. The third brother could extend his legs as much as he wanted. The fourth brother was immune to fire and the fifth brother could live without breathing air.

The five brothers never told their neighbours about their peculiar characteristics and always maintained it as a secret from outsiders.

The eldest brother who could hold the entire ocean in his mouth supported the entire family by fishing. The eldest brother went to the sea and swallowed the ocean for some time and then brought back plenty of fish. After getting the fish, the eldest brother made sure that the waters in the ocean were back at its place.

Then the eldest brother took the fish back to his home.

The neighbours saw the rich haul that the eldest brother collected every single time and they all wanted the eldest brother to teach their children how to fish.

The eldest brother refused at first. But the neighbours were relentless.

Finally having no choice, the eldest brother took some of the boys from the neighbouring houses to the sea for fishing. 

When the eldest brother reached the sea, the eldest brother gulped the entire water and kept it in his mouth.

After that the eldest brother directed the other people to take the fish from the bottom of what had been the ocean.

Adapted from Chinese Folktales

உருவு கண்டு எள்ளாமை வேண்டும் பாகம் 3

  

வருடங்கள் பல கழிந்தன.  சர்வீக்கு தன் மகளைப் பற்றியோ,  சாங்கை பற்றியோ எந்த விதமான விபரமும் தெரியவில்லை.  ஆனால் அவருக்கும் அவர் மனைவிக்கும் தன் மகளை பார்க்க வேண்டும் என்ற ஆவல் எழுந்தது . ஆகவே தன்னுடைய மகனை அழைத்து அவர்கள் எங்கு இருக்கிறார்கள் , எப்படி இருக்கிறார்கள் என்று தெரிந்து வருமாறு கூறினார் .

அவ்வாறே அவருடைய மகனும் வெகு தூரம் சென்று  அவர்களை தேடத் தொடங்கினார்.  ஒரு ஆடு மேய்க்கும் சிறுவனை  சந்தித்தார் . அந்த சிறுவனிடம்”  உனக்கு சாங்கும்,  அவர் மனைவியும் எங்கு இருக்கிறார்கள் என்று தெரியுமா? “  என்று கேட்டார் . அதற்கு அந்த ஆடு மேய்க்கும் சிறுவன் “ அவர்கள் இருக்கும் கிராமம் அருகில் தான் இருக்கிறது.  நான் உங்களை அங்கு அழைத்துச் செல்கிறேன்”  என்று கூறினார்.  காடு மலை தாண்டி வெகுதூரத்தில் அவர்கள் ஒரு இடத்தை அடைந்தனர்.  பசுமையான மரங்கள் அடர்ந்த சோலையில்,  ஒரு வீடும் அதைச் சுற்றி பெரிய கோட்டையும் இருந்தது.  இங்கு தான் சாங்கும் அவர் மனைவியும் இருந்தனர் .  அந்த இடத்தில் ஏராளமான வேலைக்காரர்கள் இருந்தனர்.  அவர்களில்  ஒருவன் சர்வீயின் மகனை அரண்மனைக்குள் அழைத்துச் சென்றான். அங்கு சர்வீயின் மகன் ஒரு இளமையான பணக்கார தோற்றத்துடன் ஒருவர் இருப்பதை பார்த்தார்.   உற்றுப் பார்த்தால் தெரிந்தது , அவர் சாங்  என்று.  சர்வீயின் மகனை மிகவும் கௌரவத்துடன் உள்ளே அழைத்த  சாங்,  “ உன்னுடைய சகோதரி உள்ளே தலைவாரிக் கொண்டிருக்கிறாள் . இப்பொழுது உன்னை பார்க்க வருவாள்”  என்று கூறினார்.  சிறிது நேரத்திற்கு பிறகு சர்வீயின் மகனை ஒரு பெரிய அறைக்குள் அழைத்துச் சென்றனர்.  அங்கு சந்தன மரத்தால் ஆன பெரிய பெரிய தூண்கள் , சந்தனத்தால் ஆன ஜன்னல்கள் இருந்த ஒரு பெரிய அறையில்,  அவனுடைய சகோதரி ஒரு ராஜகுமாரி போல் அமர்ந்திருந்தார் . அவள் அணிந்திருந்த ஆடைகள் மிகவும் அழகாகவும் பணக்காரத்தனமாகவும் இருந்தது . ஆனால் அவள் தன் சகோதரனை அழைத்ததில் , அவ்வளவு ஆர்வம் இருக்கவில்லை . பெயரளவிற்கு தன் பெற்றோர்களை பற்றி விசாரித்துவிட்டு,  வேலைக்காரர்களிடம் தன் சகோதரனுக்கு ஒரு அறையை ஏற்பாடு செய்துவிட்டு , அவனை அங்கே தங்கச் செய்தனர்.  பிறகு அவர்கள் இருவரும் அருகில் இருந்த மலையின் உச்சியில் இருந்த ஒரு தேவதையை பார்க்க தனியாக சென்றனர்.

 

 பாகம் 3 முடிந்தது .

உருவு கண்டு எள்ளாமை வேண்டும் - பகுதி இரண்டு

அடுத்த நாள் சர்வீக்கு பெரிய அதிர்ச்சி காத்திருந்தது . சாங் அவருடைய வீட்டிற்கு அவர் கூறிய தங்கத்தை எடுத்துக் கொண்டு வந்துவிட்டார் . சர்வீக்கும் அவருடைய மனைவிக்கும் தாங்க முடியாத அதிர்ச்சியாக இருந்தது.  என்ன செய்வது என்று தெரியாமல் தவித்தனர் . ஆனால் சர்வீயின்  பெண் “சாங்கிற்கு நாம் வாக்கு கொடுத்து விட்டதால் நிச்சயம் அவருக்கு என்னை மணமுடித்துக் கொடுக்க வேண்டும்.  நம் வாக்கை நாம்  மாற்ற முடியாது”  என்று கூறினார் . சர்வீக்கு இது அதிர்ச்சியாக இருந்தாலும் அவரால் வேறு ஒன்றும் செய்ய முடியவில்லை.  இருவருக்கும் திருமணம் முடிந்ததும் , அவர்கள் அந்த ஊரிலேயே இருந்தனர் . சாங்கும் பழைய படியே தோட்டத்தில் வேலை செய்து கொண்டிருந்தார்.  அவருடைய மனைவியும் அவருக்கு தோட்டத்தில் எல்லாவிதமான உதவியும் செய்ததுடன் சமையலறையும் அவரே கவனித்துக் கொண்டார்.  இப்படி சிறிது நாட்கள் சென்ற பிறகு சர்வீயின் உறவினர் ஒருவர் வந்து “ தாங்கள் தங்கள் மகளை இப்படி ஒரு முதிய தோட்டக்காரருக்கு மணமுடித்துக் கொடுத்தது மிகவும் துரதிர்ஷ்டமானது . குறைந்த பட்சம் அவரை இந்த ஊரில் இருந்து துரத்தி விடுங்கள் “ என்று அறிவுரை கூறினார் . சர்வீ  சாங்கையும் தன்னுடைய பெண்ணையும் ஒரு விருந்துக்கு அழைத்து , அவர்கள் இந்த ஊரில் இருப்பதால் தனக்கு தர்ம சங்கடமாக இருப்பதினால்,  அவரை ஊரை விட்டு சென்று விடுமாறு கூறினார் . இதைக் கேட்டவுடன் சாங்கிற்கு வியப்பாக இருந்தது . “ உங்கள் மகள் உங்கள் அருகில் இருப்பதை நீங்கள் விரும்புவீர்கள் என்று நினைத்தேன் “ என்று கூறினார் . ஆனாலும் “ தங்களுக்கு விருப்பம் இல்லை என்றால் நாங்கள் நாளைக்கு வேறு இடத்திற்கு சென்று விடுகிறோம் “ என்று கூறி விடை பெற்றார்.

 பாகம் 2 முடிந்தது

உருவு கண்டு எள்ளாமை வேண்டும் பகுதி 1

 

இன்று நாம் பார்க்கப் போகும் கதை சீனாவின் பழங் கதைகளில் இருந்து எடுக்கப்பட்டது.

இது ஒரு முதிய தோட்டக்காரர் ஒருவரின் கதை.  அவர் பெயர் சாங் . அவருக்கு அடுத்த வீட்டில் சர் வீ  என்ற ஒரு பணக்கார,  அதிகாரம் மிக்க ஒருவர்,  குடியிருந்தார் சர்வீ தன்னுடைய மகளுக்கு திருமணம் செய்ய முடிவெடுத்தார் . இதை கேட்ட முதியவர் சாங்கிற்கு,  அவளை மணம் முடிக்க வேண்டும் என்று தோன்றியது . ஆகவே அந்த ஊரில் இருந்த ஒரு பெண  திருமணத்தரகரை  அணுகினார் . அந்த பெண்ணிடம்  சர்வீயிடம் சென்று தனக்கு அவரது பெண்ணை மணம் முடித்து கொடுக்குமாறு கேட்கச் சொன்னார் .  அந்தப் பெண் சாங்கை திட்டி விட்டு, “ உன் வயது என்ன,  அந்தப் பெண்ணின் வயது என்ன,  என்று எண்ணாமல் எப்படி என்னிடம் இதை செய்யச் சொல்கிறாய்”  என்று கேட்டு அங்கிருந்து சென்று விட்டார்.  மறுநாள் சாங் அந்த மணத் தரகரை அழைத்து ஒரு பெரிய விருந்து வைத்து,  அவருக்கு ஏராளமான பணத்தையும் கொடுத்து,  மறுபடியும் சர்வீ யின் பெண்ணை தனக்கு மணமுடித்துக் கொடுக்குமாறு வேண்டினார்.  அதற்கு மறுத்த அந்த தரகரிடம்”  நீ சர்வீயிடம் சென்று என் ஆசையை கூறு.  ,அவர்களுக்கு இதில் விருப்பம் இல்லை என்றால் அப்படியே விட்டு விடலாம் “ என்று கூறினார் . அந்த மணத்தரகரும் சாங்கிடம் பணம் பெற்று இருந்ததால்,  வேறு வழி இல்லாமல் சர்வீ இடம் சென்று பேசுவதாக கூறினார் . சர்வீ தன்னிடம் மிகவும் கோபமாக பேசுவார் என்று அவளுக்குத் தெரியும் . ஆனாலும் வேறு வழி இல்லாமல் சர்வீயிடம் சென்று முதியவர் சாங்ன் ஆசையை கூறினார் . இதை கேட்டவுடன் சர்வீக்கு அடக்க முடியாத கோபம் வந்தது . ஆனாலும் அதை அடக்கிக் கொண்டு,  நிச்சயம் சாங்கால் செய்ய முடியாது என்று தெரிந்தும் அவரிடம்”  இரண்டு மரகத அணிகலன்களும் , நானூறு பவுன் நகையும் கொடுத்தால் , என் மகளை மணமுடித்துக் கொடுப்பேன்”  என்று கூறினார்.  சர்வீக்கு நிச்சயம் தெரியும்,  இது சாங்கால் முடியாத காரியம் என்று.

 பகுதி ஒன்று முடிந்தது

The Story of Old Dschang, the Gardener - Part Five

 

When Sir We’s son came back to his village, he found that Wang had disappeared.

A few years later, Sir We’s son was walking across a meadow, he saw the plaw-boy who had taken him to Old Dschang’s house.

The plow boy was thrilled to see Sir We’s son. “My mistress wanted me to give this to you.”

The plow boy removed ten ounces of gold gave it to Sir We’s son.

“Where is Old Dschang?” Sir We’s son asked eagerly.

The plow boy smiled. “As of now, Old Dschang and Wang are drinking tea in the inn."

Sir We’s son eagerly followed the plow-boy to see his brother-in-law again.

However, when Sir We’s son reached the inn, the entire place was empty.

Sir We’s son turned and he was surprised to find that the plow-boy who had brought him there was also missing.

Since that time no one had heard of Old Dschang.

Adapted from Chinese Folktales

The Story of Old Dschang, the Gardener - Part Four

Old Dschang mounted his dragon. Old Dschang’s wife rode on a phoenix and then they all left for the Mountain of the Fairies.

Sir We’s son remained in the castle while Old Dschang, his wife, came back after sunset.

Soon Sir We’s son had to leave and go back to his own home. 

Old Dschang gave Sir We’s son eighty ounces of gold and a straw hat.

The old straw hat was special. 

Old Dschang looked grave. “If you ever need any more money, go to the old Wang’s drug shop in your city. Show him this straw hat and he will give you ten million pieces of copper.”

After that the plow-boy who had brought Sir We’s son to this castle took the man back.

When Sir We’s son had told everyone what had happened, everyone thought that Old Dschang was a saint or that Sir We’s son had had a magical vision.

The money that Old Dschang gave Sir We’s son lasted for nearly six years.

After the money was over, Sir We’s son went to Wang’s drug shop.

Wang asked to look at the straw hat. At that time a young girl from the inner room came to look at the straw hat. “I have woven this hat for Dschang. If it has a red thread inside it, this is the very same hat that I wove for Dschang.”

Turned out there was a red thread in the hat.

Wang gave ten million pieces of copper to Sir We’s son.

After that Sir We’s son went to look for Old Dschang and found that no had heard of Old Dschang anymore.

It came to be believed that Old Dschang was really a saint.

Adapted From Chinese Folktales

The Story of Old Dschang, the Gardener - Part Three

Many years passed after this. 

Sir We had no news of his daughter of Old Dschang.

But Sir We and his wife were longing to see their daughter. So they sent their son to make enquiries. The son walked for a long time and finally came across a plow-boy. “Do you know about Old Dschang and his wife?”

The plow-boy came near the son. “The village where Old Dschang and his wife live is not far from here. I will take you there.”

After that they crossed a hill, came to a brook and crossed it and crossed another hill. There was a valley there. In the middle between the green trees there were houses and towers.

That was where Old Dschang had his house.

There were plenty of servants taking care of the palace in the valley. One of the servants led Sir We’s son inside the palace.

There Sir We’s son saw a dignified man in a flowing turban with silk and red slippers come to the palace. The man seemed youthful. 

Sir We’s son looked closely at the man and realized that this was Old Dschang.

Old Dschang smiled at Sir We’s son. “Your sister is combing her hair and she will come here to welcome you.”

Sir We’s son was finally shown to a huge room where the beams were made of sandalwood, the doors were made of tortoise-shell and the windows had blue jade and the curtains were made of string of pearls. The steps leading to his sister’s room were made of green nephrite.

The sister had a magnificently rich dress and looked beautiful.

The sister was however not very cordial to the brother and carelessly asked about the well being of the family and general and then prepared a room for the brother to live in.

That very evening, the sister and Old Dschang left the brother alone in the castle, because they were to go for an excursion to the Mountain of the Fairies.

Adapted from Chinese Folktales

The Story of Old Dschang, the Gardener - Part Two

The next day Sir We was shocked. 

Old Dschang came to his house and he gave the exact quantity of gold and jewels that Sir We had asked.

When Sir We saw this, he was shocked. So was his wife.

However, Sir We’s daughter encouraged her parents. “You have promised to marry me to Old Dschang if he gives all this. He has done what was asked of him. Father should not go back on his word now. He should marry me to the old man.”

Sir We realized that he had no choice and he married his daughter to Old Dschang.

After his wedding, Old Dschang still worked as a gardener. His wife helped in all the work - including fetching the water and also building the kitchen fire by herself.

A few days later Sir We’s relative came to see him. “It is bad that you have married your daughter to such an old wrinkled man. It is best if you ask them to leave this part of the country and settle elsewhere.”

Sir We arranged a banquet and called Old Dschang and his daughter to it. After everyone had eaten their food, Sir We told Old Dschang what he had in mind.

Old Dschang looked surprised. “I thought you would want your daughter near you. That was the reason I stayed here. However, if you want us to leave, we will leave the place immediately.

The next day, Old Dschang gave a straw hat to wear and seated her on a donkey and Old Dschang walked next to her and they left the place.

Adapted from Chinese Folktales

The Story of Old Dschang, the Gardener - Part One

 

There was one an old man who was called Old Dschang. He worked as a gardener. 

Old Dschang’s neighbour was Sir We. Sir We was a very powerful man in the country. Once Sir We decided to get his daughter married.

As soon as Old Dschang heard this, he was very happy. He invited the old match-maker to his house and asked her to recommend him as a husband for Sir We’s daughter.

The old woman scorned at the old man and walked away without replying.

The next day Old Dschang invited the match-maker to his house again and gave her dinner. He again asked the old woman to recommend him as a husband for Sir We’s daughter.

“She is young! You are too old. Such a marriage is wrong.”

Old Dschang sighed. “Just tell her parents about my wishes. If they do not wish to proceed any further than I will never bring it up again.”

The old match-maker woman had taken money from Old Dschang and she knew that she did not have any other choice.

The old woman knew that Sir We was going to be furious with her, but she still went to Sir We’s house and told him about Old Dschang.

Sir We was very angry. 

So the old woman told Sir We about how she had come here.

Sir We angrily scowled. “Tell that old man that if he brings me two white jade stones and four hundred ounces of gold, I will give him my daughter in marriage.”

Sir We was sure that old Dschang could do no such and it was just to mock the old man that Sir We imposed such a condition.

After that the old matchmaker went to old Dschang and told her what had happened.

Adapted from Chinese Folktales

The Flower-Elves - Part Four

 

“How can I help you?” The scholar was dazed.

“You need to make a scarlet coloured flag every New Year’s day and you have to paint the sun, moon and five planets on it. You have to put the flag on the eastern part of your garden. Then we will be safe.”

“But the New Year has already passed this year!” The scholar fumbled and reminded the maidens.

“Set up the flag on the twenty-first day of this month. That way we will be safe from the East Wind.”

The scholar agreed to do what was asked of him and the maidens vanished from there.

On the right day, the scholar set up the flag and even before the scholar could finish the East wind started to blow. However, the scholar quickly finished the flag and planted it in the eastern side of the garden.

A wild storm swept through the place. Trees from the nearby forests were uprooted.

However nothing happened to the flowers in the scholar’s garden.

That was when the scholar realized that among the maidens who had come to see him Salix was the Willow, Prunophora was the plum, Punica was the Pomegranate and Perscia was the peach.

The scholar also realized the zephyr-aunts were the spirits of the winds.

After the storm had passed the scholar’s flag kept the flowers completely safe.

So as a token of gratitude, the Flower-Elves brought him beautiful flowers as gifts.

When the scholar ate the flowers that he had been given, he grew young like a man in his twenties.

The scholar had also got his hidden wisdom and became an Immortal.

Adapted from Chinese Folktales

The Flower-Elves - Part Three

The food was unlike anything that the scholar had tasted in his entire life. 

After food, the women danced and sang and their dance was as beautiful as the butterflies and the scholar no longer knew whether he was on heaven or earth.

However, after all this, one of the zephyr aunts accidentally spilled nectar on Punica’s dress.

Punica was angry and yelled at the zephyr-aunt.

One thing led to another and it became a full-fledged yelling fight between all the women.

By the end of it, the zephyr-aunts walked out of the party in a huff. On seeing this, the young maidens who had come to the scholar’s house and started all this walked towards the meadow and just disappeared amongst the flowers there.

The scholar was stuck in a dreamy stupor of what had happened in the evening and he was no longer sure of what had or was happening.

The next evening the young maidens came back to the scholar’s house.

This time they looked desperate. “We are the flowers that live in your gardens. Every year during the storm, the winds try to uproot us. The zephyr-aunts protected us from the winds. However, from today the zephyr-aunts will not protect us.”

The maidens nodded at the scholar. “You are the only one who can save us. Will you help us?”

Adapted from Chinese folktales