Reading Notes: Chinese Fairy Tales, Part B

Puppy eating by Max Pixel

People showed up at the scholar’s room and their horses and dogs killed all the pesky bugs. The people left but didn’t realize they were missing one pup. This was now his pup forever. The pup will continue to kill off/eat all bugs for him. I’m not sure if he smashed the pup or the pup was smashing more vermin at the end? I think he flattened the pup… this is so tragic.

A fox preparing an elixir? And a farmer ate it. He was now possessing powerful features. Then he burps it back up and the fox took it back. Another story about foxes, except this one is about foxes that talk like humans. The story is very descriptive.

Oh my goodness, this man accidentally killed the water carrier and the boy was a witness. The boy was seeing ghosts. He also killed a man like his father did… by mistake and not owning up to their accident.

Pagoda, ogre, stuck up above, thrown old clothes, disbelief. Next story, the monk was deceived and the girl was actually a scheming flying ogre. Story that talks about pupils a lot.

I liked the quote, “Revolt is seething round about us like boiling water in a kettle.” Whoever the mandarin is sure knows how to influence someone with his words…. For Dschou Tschu took everything he said to heart.

Many festive items spoken of. Stories usually includes sobbing and tears, but not much about laughter and true happiness.


Bibliography: Chinese Fairy Book by Wilhelm