Chinese Fairy Tales
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 [100] 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 [101] 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 [102] sums, he was not successful. The magicians only
cheated him.
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