Chi Li Slays the Serpent

This myth is found on page 330 in the World Mythology book, is a

very old Chinese story. This version of the Myth originated around 317
A.D.
The story takes place in the Kingdom of Yueh. A serpent lives in
the mountains here and every year on a specific day of the eighth
month it demands a young girl which it eats. The serpent has killed
anyone who has tried to kill it so the people now give into its demands.
In a small village in the Kingdom a girl named Chi Li decides to
tell her parents that she is going to sacrifice herself to the serpent. She
is one of 6 daughters and has no brothers. She knows how important it
is that there is a son in the family and tells her parents she will only be
helping them by giving them one less mouth to feed. She goes against
her fathers protests and volunteers anyways under the condition that
she is provided with a serpent-hound and a sword. On the chosen day
she heads to the mountain and brings rice balls moistened and
flavoured with malt sugar.
When she arrives at the serpents cave she places the rice balls
outside. The serpent is too distracted by them that it doesnt notice Chi
Li release the serpent hound. With Chi Li using the sword, she and the
hound kill the serpent.
Chi Li enters the cave and comes across the skulls and bones of
the previous sacrifices. She believes it is pitiful that the other girls did
not put up a fight.
After returning from the mountain the King hears Chi Lis story.
She soon becomes Queen and her family becomes very wealthy.
Chi Li is the only character who really appears in this story. She is
very selfless, intelligent, brave, and strong. In these times women were
less appreciated then men but she proves that they can be valuable as
well. This is the lesson that this myth demonstrates. This shows a

characteristic of myth as well as the fact that there is violence included

as well.