an oriental tale

somewhat a Cinese fairy tale ... and a dragon ;)

Episode 1, the emperor's sadness

A long time ago it happened the heaven's great Emperor, Shi Fu Long sat at his throne at his cloud castle and felt a weird grief. His sighing made the clouds shiver and people down on the earth felt his sorrow fall down as rain. He called for his eighty four musicians to play for him and as they were heaven's sons their music was more beautiful and moving than everything a man could ever play. But the emperor's sadness stayed.

So he called for his sixty most beautiful concubines who sang and danced for him. And because they was daughters of heaven they sang melodies a human ear never has heard and they danced with grace and charm a human girl never could reach. But they couldn't banish his melancholy. So he called for his servants to serve a feast for him and his hundred and twenty counselors. And as they all sat around the table and ate and chatted he asked them where his sadness might have came from. But they shook their wise heads shrugged their shoulders and couldn't find an answer to his question.

Shi Fu Long called his jester who came immediately and he asked him the namely question for the reason of his sadness. The jester looked at him and said:” Your highness, I see your melancholy is because you're lonely.” “Don't be a fool,” the emperor said. “How should I be lonely? I've got one hundred and twenty counselors and the same number of concubines, there are eighty four musicians to entertain me, two thousand and four hundred servants cavort in my palace, sixty cooks care for my meals, how should I feel lonely?”

“Oh, master, you're lonely, not alone,” the jester replied. “Your musicians only play the music you tell them to play, your cooks only prepare the meals you say them to prepare, the concubines only dance and sing what you order them to dance and sing the songs you wish to hear. And we, your advisers only tell you what you make us to tell. You're missing a spouse, telling you things you didn't order her to say, singing songs her heart had told her and not you. Who is dancing dances her feeling orders and not your words and who is able to talk to you without any fear.”

Long time the emperor reflected on the jester's words until he recognized he was right. There was no wife who loved him and who was loved by him, but he also didn't know where to find such a woman. At least she should become an emperor's wife and this to be she had to be dignified.

Episode 2, the emperor's search

So Shi Fu Long rose from his throne and turned himself into a dragon's shape. And he rose up to the sky, far above the clouds and he began his quest. Many divine virgins he saw, one more beautiful than the other, bright as the sun or cool as the moon, graceful as only a heaven's daughter can be. Their voices longingly reached out for him carried by the wind when they sang, and amazing voices they were, sweeter than honey. And oh, the grace the were turning and swaying with when dancing as the reed blades dancing in the wind.

But there was none amongst them who was adequate to the emperor. None of the divine beauties was able to reach his heart. So he flew higher, to the spheres of the stars, and what excellent women were to see there! Shining were the hair and skin of the stars' daughters, bright their eyes and lips, and such a wisdom was in their words, what a majestic attitude when striding their ways made from stardust or dwelling the dusts. Again his eyes gloated on the beauty of their apparition, but his heart didn't open when looking at them.

He dived down into the depth of the sea, into the cool ocean. But the daughters of the sea weren't after his fancy, too cold was their mind, and their voices sounded like the hissing of the waves when they sang, and their dances were like the swaying of seaweed in the drift. So the emperor decided to step upon the earth to search for a matching bride.

In his dragon's body he orbited the earth, but he didn't find a woman who suits him. He wavered over wide fields with small villages and there were bouncing farmer's girls, vivid and with red cheeks, but they had no amenity Shi Fu Long appreciated. Their voices sounded like the geese they kept in his ears. And he flew over palaces and saw noble ladies from high birth, but their loveliness was like a canvas'. Ink glamorized their eyes, henna their lips and chalk made their faces and limbs as white as snow. Their movement's charm was rehearsed like an actor's and not pure and truthful.

Over forests, deserts and oceans he did fly, but not one who met his high demands. At last he came to a wonderful land far in the west, where the sun touches the horizon. Fields, meadows and forests were there, between them pretty villages and towns where happy people lived. At a small lake he perceived a couple of girls bathing and plashed at the shallow water.

Becoming curious about their laughter he turned into a fox and sneaked nearer. Amongst them there was a girl, tender as she were shaped from jade with hair as dark as the night. When she laughed it sounded as clear as his heavenly musician's cymbals and her moves were soft and mellow as the reed's in a summer breeze. It was certain to the emperor this was the girl he would take home to his palace as his empress.

Episode 3, the emperor's courting

Unseen Shi Fu Long came back to his palace in the clouds and sent a summoner who had to hurry to her home, heavily laded with gifts for the girl and her parents to tell them his desire to take the girl for his wife. Fortunately he had chosen Lao Niu as summoner, the strongest of his servants, because there were many gifts and the load would have made fail a weaker one.

Breathing heavily Lao Niu arrived at the girl's home and declaimed his request to her parents. And as he laid down the gifts in front of them, how did widen their eyes! Precious silk was there, spices from the most distant reaches of the earth, gold and precious stones as no man's eyes ever had seen, a cane for her father he could use in his days of age, fully shaped from ivory, sandals for the girl's mother from finest sandalwood, scenting as a whole garden. Dresses for each one of them, sewn as fine only divine tailors could do, ornamented with seams of pure gold and silver. But the girl turned towards the summoner and said:” Tell your lord I'll thank him for his gifts, they please my eyes, but my heart's not to gain with them.”

So poor Lao Niu came back to his emperor empty-handed and told him the girl's words. Shi Fu Long was full of rage the earthly girl had rejected his petition. He called his general, Gao Zhanshi. He sent him to the girl's home and with him an army of twelve thousand heavenly warriors.

Under their horses' hoofs the ground shivered as they rode on and their coming was to hear a long time before seeing the dust of this army. And they stopped in front of the girl's home and the hearts of her parents were worried to death. But the general dismounted his horse and bent down in front of them to repeat his master's request. But again the girl said:” I'll thank your lord for this undue honor he gives to me. Many battles this army may win, but never my heart.”

And again one of his servants had to step in front of the emperor to admit his defeat. And again the emperor's rage grew. He turned into his dragon shape and flew down to the earth.

Episode 4, the abduction

In front of his chosen one's home he breathed fire and threatened to destroy all the villages, fields, forests and estates around if she didn't come with him. But again the girl kept steady. “Oh, I fear your might,” she said. “Fear I feel for my parents and the people living at the villages. But as much I shiver my heart could not open for you.”

Shi Fu Long roared from rage and pain in a way the earth shook and the skies darkened. With his mighty claw he grabbed the girl and lifted up into the sky. Jiao Gunjang, the girl did stay without any emotion, happy the emperor didn't follow through with his menace. And he flew away to heaven , to his palace in the clouds. Softly, because she still owned his heart he put her down at her apartments where the handmaidens did care for her. He himself returned to his throne and called his jester.

As he came the emperor told him about his harm, but the jester started laughing. “My high lord,” he said, “ you can't win a woman's heart in this way. No riches, power or violence can gain a woman's love. You gave her gold and jewels where a flower would have been enough, you sent an army where you should have been singing a tender song from your heart, and you took her with you with talons where you only needed to reach out your hand. Do open your heart to her and she will open hers.” This was the way the jester spoke, and he made reflective the emperor a lot.

Episode 5, how the emperor won the girl's heart

Day by day the emperor reflected what's to do. Then he made a decision. Again he sent a summoner, but this time a female, small and tender, called Xiao Tianxian, the little fairy, who was told to find the most beautiful flower in heaven and bring it to Jiao Guniang. And the fairy started to search the fairest flower in heaven. All the noble roses, the proud lilies and too the gracious orchids she abandoned. On a meadow she found small flowers, unimpressive and fine, with shimmering blossoms and nice rolling leaves. This one she took and brought it to the girl.

And as the girl took the flower it was the first time that days she smiled. She said:” Willingly I'll take your master's gift. Tell him I'd like it much more than all the treasures of heaven.”

Xiao Tianxian wavered to the emperor and told him the message and a smile found its way to his face too.

But on the emperor reflected about the jester's words. He had talked about a song and he thought to call for the Laureate Da Hua. But then he remembered the jester said the song should come from his own heart so he called for ink and paper and started writing on his own. But yet after a few words he ripped the paper to pieces, too simple seemed the written words to him. Also the next sheet he disliked, this time the words were too bombastic. And he started a third time and now he let the heart lead the feather and not the head and so line by line flew onto the paper.

As he had ended he called for his Guquin. He walked to the garden, to Jiao Guniang's window and started playing. So fine and tender was his playing even the crickets paused their calls not to disturb his melody. Still the sound reached his beloved's ear and full of curiosity she stepped towards the window and bent forward to see the musician.

And she saw Shi Fu Long as he played and she heard the words he sang, simple but coming from his deepest heart and the warmth of affection flew through her breast. That were no great words the emperor was singing, no ballad, no poem, only the love he felt to her, and as he ended she picked a blossom from a bush near her window and threw it to him. So he recognized he had started to allure her love.

And as he stood in front of her door after that and knocked she opened and stepped towards him with a smile, because inside her she still had chosen him. She didn't show him her feelings until now, because he had not shown his inner feelings to her. But now she came to him and as he reached out his hand the girl took it and let herself take her in his arms.