Reading Notes: China, Part B

Here is a photo of a fox, which appeared in several of the stories, photo credit: pixnio

Here are my second notes from my favorite parts of the Chinese Fairy Book by R. Wilhelm, translated by Frederick H. Martens.

The Little Hunting Dog
A man lived by himself but was plagued with fleas and gnats. One day a swarm of tiny hunters, no more than two inches tall, arrived with hunting dogs and falcons. They killed all the fleas and gnats and then went away again. However, they left behind one hunting dog. The man made it a home in a box and every day the dog searched his bed and killed all the fleas. One night, the dog climbed into his bed to sleep with him but the man rolled over and squished it.

Fox-Fire
A poor man saw a fox breathing out an elixir of life. He crept up and stole it and ate it. For years, he could interact with the spirit world. He helped people with illnesses and became rich from the gifts of the grateful. One night he felt someone patting his back and he threw up the elixir of life. The fox grabbed it and took it back.

Retribution
A young boy saw a water carrier struggle with an old man. The old man pushed the water carrier who fell and died. Since his death appeared to be an accident and the old man said nothing, he was never punished. Years went by and the same boy, now a man, saw the spirit of the water carrier enter the home where a child was being born. He was reincarnated. Later, the reincarnated child threw stones at pigeons. One hit the old man and he fell and died. His death, too, appeared to be an accident.

The Sorcerer of the White Lotus Lodge
A sorcerer told his pupils to watch a bowl covered by another bowl but not to look inside, then he left. As soon as he was gone, the pupils uncovered the bowl and found a tiny ship floating in the water. They capsized it and then righted it and covered the bowl once more. The sorcerer appeared and yelled at them for disobeying them. They denied looking in the bowl but he said his ship had capsized. Later he left again and told them to keep a candle lit. They fell asleep and the candle went out. The sorcerer criticized them saying he had had to walk fifteen miles in the dark. One of his pupils made fun of him so he turned the pupil into a pig and sent him to the butcher's. The pupil's father sent soliders after him. The sorcerer was caught with his wife and son but on the road a giant appeared. The wife went to fight it and was eaten, then the son, and finally the sorcerer. At that point, the giant left and the soldiers realized they had been tricked.

The Three Evils
This is the story of an obnoxious warrior who plagued his town. A newcomer arrived and the townspeople told him of the three evils, one of which was the warrior. The newcomer went to the warrior and told him of the evils. The warrior, ashamed, vowed to save the town. First, he fought and killed a tiger, and then a water dragon, finally, he left and joined the army where he died honorably.