Chinese Fairy Tales
THE THREE RHYMSTERS
ONCE
there were three daughters in a family. The oldest one married a
physician, the second one married a magistrate; but the third, who was
more than usually intelligent and a clever talker, married a farmer.
Now
it chanced, once upon a time, that their parents were celebrating a
birthday. So the three daughters came, together with their husbands, to
wish them long life and happiness. The parents-in-law prepared a meal
for their three sons-in-law, and put the birthday wine on the table.
But the oldest son-in-law, who knew that the third one had not attended
school, wanted to embarrass him.
“It is far too tiresome,” said
he, “just to sit here drinking: let us have a drinking game. Each one
of us must invent a verse, one that rimes and makes sense, on the
words: ‘in the sky, on the earth, at the table, in the room,’ And
whoever cannot do so, must empty three glasses as a punishment.”
All
the company were satisfied. Only the third son-in-law felt embarrassed
and insisted on leaving. But the guests would not let him go, and
obliged him to keep his seat.
[5] Then the oldest son-in-law began: “I will make a start with my verse. Here it is:
“In the sky the phenix proudly flies, On the earth the lambkin tamely lies, At the table through an ancient book I wade, In the room I softly call the maid.” The second one continued: “And I say:
“In the sky the turtle-dove flies round, On the earth the ox paws up the ground, At the table one studies the deeds of yore, In the room the maid she sweeps the floor.” But
the third son-in-law stuttered, and found nothing to say. And when all
of them insisted, he broke out in rough tones of voice:
“In the sky—flies a leaden bullet, On the earth—stalks a tiger-beast, On the table—lies a pair of scissors, In the room—I call the stable-boy.” The other two sons-in-law clapped their hands and began to laugh loudly.
“Why
the four lines do not rime at all,” said they, “and, besides they do
not make sense. A leaden bullet is no bird, the stable-boy does his
work outside, would you call him into the room? Nonsense, nonsense!
Drink!”
Yet before they had finished speaking, the third
daughter raised the curtain of the women’s room, and stepped out. She
was angry, yet she could not suppress a smile.
“How so do our
lines not make sense?” said she. “Listen a moment, and I’ll explain
them to you: In the sky our leaden bullet will shoot your phenix and
[6] your turtle-dove. On the earth our tiger-beast will devour your
sheep and your ox. On the table our pair of scissors will cut up all
your old books. And finally, in the room—well, the stable-boy can marry
your maid!”
Then the oldest son-in-law said: “Well scolded!
Sister-in-law, you know how to talk! If you were a man you would have
had your degree long ago. And, as a punishment, we will empty our three
glasses.”
Note: This is also a fairy-tale traditionally handed down.
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