Chinese Fairy Book (Richard Wilhelm)

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THE
CHINESE FAIRY
BOOK
EDITED BY
DR. R. WILHELM
TRANSLATED AFTER ORIGINAL SOURCESBY
FREDERICK H. MARTENS

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WITH SIX ILLUSTRATIONS IN COLOR BY

GEORGE W. HOOD
 NEW YORK
FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY
PUBLISHERS

Copyright, 1921, by
FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY

All Rights Reserved

Printed in the U. S. of America

P R E FA C E

The fairy tales and legends of olden China have in common with the "Thousand and One Nights" an oriental glow and glitter of
precious stones and gold and multicolored silks, an oriental wealth of fantastic and supernatural action. And yet they strike an exotic
note distinct in itself. The seventy-three stories here presented after original sources, embracing "Nursery Fairy Tales," "Legends of
the Gods," "Tales of Saints and Magicians," "Nature and Animal Tales," "Ghost Stories," "Historic Fairy Tales," and "Literary Fairy
Tales," probably represent the most comprehensive and varied collection of oriental fairy tales ever made available for American
readers. There is no child who will not enjoy their novel color, their fantastic beauty, their infinite variety of subject. Yet, like the
"Arabian Nights," they will amply repay the attention of the older reader as well. Some are exquisitely poetic, such as "The Flower-
Elves," "The Lady of the Moon"or "The Herd Boy and the Weaving Maiden"; others like "How Three Heroes Came By Their Deaths
Because Of Two Peaches", carry us back dramatically and powerfully to the Chinese age of Chivalry. The summits of fantasy are
scaled in the quasi-religious dramas of "The Ape Sun Wu Kung" and "Notcha," or the wierd sorceries unfolded in "The Kindly
Magician". Delightful ghost stories, with happy endings, such as "A Night on the Battlefield" and "The Ghost Who Was Foiled," are
paralleled with such idyllic love-tales as that of "Rose of Evening, or such Lilleputian fancies as "The King of the Ants" and "The
Little Hunting Dog". It is quite safe to say that these Chinese fairy tales will give equal pleasure to the old as well as the young. They
have been retold simply, with no changes in style or expression beyond such details of presentation which differences between
oriental and occidental viewpoints at times compel. It is the writer's hope that others may take as much pleasure in reading them as he
did in their translation.

FREDRICK H. MARTENS.

CONTENTS
PAGE

. . . . . . . . . . . . .P.REFACE
.............................................................................. v
NURSERY FAIRY TALES

CHAPTER

. . . . . . . . . . .I. .W. OMEN

. . . . 'S. .W
. .ORDS
. . . .P.ART
. . .F. LESH
. . . .AND
. . . B. LOOD
..................................................... 1
. . . . . . . . . . .II. .T.HE
. .T.HREE
. . . .R
. HYMSTERS
...................................................................... 4
. . . . . . . . . .III
. . .H.OW
. . .G.REED
. . . .FOR
. . . A. .T.RIFLING
. . . . . T. HING
. . . . L. ED
. . A. .M. AN
. . .TO. .L.OSE
. . .A. G
. .REAT
. . . .O.NE
............................... 6
. . . . . . . . . .IV
. . .W. HO
. . .W. AS
. . .THE
. . .S.INNER
. . . .?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
. . . . . . . . . .V
. . .T.HE
. .M
. AGIC
. . . . C. ASK
...................................................................... 10
. . . . . . . . . .VI
. . .T.HE
. .F.AVORITE
. . . . . . OF
. .F
. ORTUNE
. . . . . . AND
. . . .THE
. . .C.HILD
. . . OF
. . .ILL
. . L. UCK
........................................... 11
. . . . . . . . . VII
. . . .T.HE
. .B. IRD
. . .WITH
. . . .N.INE
. . .H.EADS
............................................................... 13
. . . . . . . . .VIII
. . . .T.HE
. .C. AVE
. . . OF
. . .THE
. . .B.EASTS
................................................................. 17
. . . . . . . . . .IX
. . .T.HE
. .P. ANTHER
........................................................................... 20
. . . . . . . . . .X
. . .T.HE
. .G. REAT
. . . . F. LOOD
...................................................................... 24
. . . . . . . . . .XI
. . .T.HE
. .F.OX
. . AND
. . . .THE
. . .T.IGER
................................................................. 27
. . . . . . . . . XII
. . . .T.HE
. .T.IGER
. . . '.S .D. ECOY
..................................................................... 28
. . . . . . . . .XIII
. . . .T.HE
. .F.OX
. . AND
. . . .THE
. . .R.AVEN
................................................................. 29
. . . . . . . . .XIV
. . . .W. HY
. . .D.OG
. . AND
. . . .C.AT
. .ARE
. . .E. NEMIES
............................................................. 30
LEGENDS OF THE GODS

. . . . . . . . . XV
. . . .H.OW
. . .THE
. . .F.IVE
. .A
. .NCIENTS
. . . . . .B.ECAME
. . . . .M
. EN
...................................................... 35
. . . . . . . . .XVI
. . . .T.HE
. .H. ERD
...B. .OY
. .AND
. . . THE
. . .W
. .EAVING
. . . . .M
. .AIDEN
..................................................... 37
. . . . . . . . XVII
. . . . .Y.ANG
. . .O
. ERLANG
.......................................................................... 42
. . . . . . . .XVIII
. . . . .N.OTSCHA
.............................................................................. 44
. . . . . . . . .XIX
. . . .T.HE
. .L.ADY
. . . OF
. . THE
...M. .OON
................................................................. 53
. . . . . . . . . XX
. . . .T.HE
. .M
. ORNING
. . . . . . AND
. . . THE
. . .E
. .VENING
. . . . .S. TAR
....................................................... 55
. . . . . . . . .XXI
. . . .T.HE
. .G. IRL
. . .WITH
. . . .THE
. . .H.ORSE
. . . .'S. H
. .EAD
. . .OR
. . THE
. . .S
. ILKWORM
. . . . . . .G
. .ODDESS
....................................... 56
. . . . . . . . XXII
. . . . .T.HE
. .Q. UEEN
. . . . OF
. . .H.EAVEN
................................................................... 58
. . . . . . . .XXIII
. . . . .T.HE
. .F.IRE
. . -G
. . OD
....................................................................... 61
. . . . . . . XXIV
. . . . . .T.HE
. .T.HREE
. . . .R
. ULING
. . . . .G. ODS
................................................................ 62
. . . . . . . .XXV
. . . . .A. L. EGEND
. . . . . OF
. . .C.ONFUCIUS
.................................................................... 64
. . . . . . . XXVI
. . . . . .T.HE
. .G. OD
. . .OF
. .W
. .AR
.................................................................... 66
TALES OF SAINTS AND MAGICIANS

. . . . . . .XXVII
. . . . . .T.HE
. .H. ALOS
. . . . OF
. . THE
. . . .S.AINTS
................................................................ 71
. . . . . . .XXVIII
. . . . . .L.AOTSZE
.............................................................................. 73
. . . . . . . XXIX
. . . . . .T.HE
. .A. NCIENT
.....M . .AN
.................................................................... 75
. . . . . . . .XXX
. . . . .T.HE
. .E. IGHT
. . . .IMMORTALS
. . . . . . . .(I)
............................................................... 76
. . . . . . . XXXI
. . . . . .T.HE
. .E. IGHT
. . . .IMMORTALS
. . . . . . . .(II)
............................................................... 82
. . . . . . .XXXII
. . . . . .T.HE
. .T.WO
. . .S.CHOLARS
....................................................................... 84
. . . . . . .XXXIII
. . . . . .T.HE
. .M
. ISERLY
.....F . .ARMER
.................................................................... 88
. . . . . . .XXXIV
. . . . . .S.KY
. .O'D
. . .AWN
......................................................................... 90
. . . . . . .XXXV
. . . . . .K.ING
. . .M.U. OF
. . .D. SCHOU
..................................................................... 95
. . . . . . .XXXVI
. . . . . .T.HE
. .K. ING
. . .OF
. .H
. .UAI
. .N
. AN
................................................................. 99
. . . . . . .XXXVII
. . . . . .O.LD
. .D
. SCHANG
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
. . . . . . .XXXVIII
. . . . . .T.HE
. .K. INDLY
. . . .M
. .AGICIAN
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
NATURE AND ANIMAL TALES

. . . . . . .XXXIX
. . . . . .T.HE
. .F.LOWER
. . . . .-E
. .LVES
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
. . . . . . . . . XL
. . . .T.HE
. .S. PIRIT
. . . .OF
. . THE
. . .W
. .U.-L
. .IAN
. .M
. .OUNTAIN
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
. . . . . . . . .XLI
. . . .T.HE
. .K. ING
. . .OF
. . THE
. . .A
. NTS
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
. . . . . . . . XLII
. . . . .T.HE
. .L.ITTLE
. . . .H. UNTING
. . . . . .D.OG
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
. . . . . . . .XLIII
. . . . .T.HE
. .D. RAGON
.....A. .FTER
. . . .H.IS. .W. INTER
. . . . .S.LEEP
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
. . . . . . . .XLIV
. . . . .T.HE
. .S. PIRITS
. . . . .OF
. . THE
. . . Y. ELLOW
. . . . .R
. .IVER
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
. . . . . . . . XLV
. . . . .T.HE
. .D. RAGON
. . . . .-P
. .RINCESS
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
. . . . . . . .XLVI
. . . . .H.ELP
. . .IN. .N.EED
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
. . . . . . . XLVII
. . . . . .T.HE
. .D. ISOWNED
. . . . . . .P. RINCESS
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
. . . . . . .XLVIII
. . . . . .F.OX
. .-F. IRE
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
GHOST STORIES

. . . . . . . .XLIX
. . . . .T.HE
. .T.ALKING
. . . . .S
. ILVER
. . . . .F.OXES
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
. . . . . . . . . . .L. .T.HE
. .C. ONSTABLE
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
. . . . . . . . . .LI
. . .T.HE
. .D. ANGEROUS
. . . . . . . . R. EWARD
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
. . . . . . . . . .LII
. . .R.ETRIBUTION
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
. . . . . . . . .LIII
. . . .T.HE
. .G. HOST
....W. . HO
. . .W. AS
..F. .OILED
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
. . . . . . . . .LIV
. . . .T.HE
. .P. UNISHMENT
. . . . . . . . OF
. . .G.REED
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
. . . . . . . . . LV
. . . .T.HE
. .N. IGHT
. . . .ON
. . THE
. . .B
. .ATTLEFIELD
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
. . . . . . . . .LVI
. . . .T.HE
. .K. INGDOM
. . . . . .OF
. . THE
. . .O
. .GRES
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
. . . . . . . . LVII
. . . . .T.HE
. .M
. AIDEN
. . . . .W
. .HO
. .W
. .AS
. .S. TOLEN
. . . . .A. WAY
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
. . . . . . . .LVIII
. . . . .T.HE
. .F.LYING
. . . .O
. .GRE
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
. . . . . . . . .LIX
. . . .B.LACK
. . . .A.RTS
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
HISTORIC LEGENDS

. . . . . . . . . LX
. . . .T.HE
. .S. ORCERER
. . . . . . . OF
. . THE
...W. . HITE
. . . .L.OTUS
. . . .L.ODGE
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
. . . . . . . . .LXI
. . . .T.HE
. .T.HREE
. . . . E. VILS
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
. . . . . . . . LXII
. . . . .H.OW
. . .T.HREE
. . . .H.EROES
. . . . .C. AME
. . . .B.Y. T. HEIR
. . . .D. EATHS
. . . . .B.ECAUSE
. . . . . .OF
. . T. WO
. . .P. EACHES
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
. . . . . . . .LXIII
. . . . .H.OW
. . .THE
. . .R.IVER
...G. .OD
. .'S. W
. . EDDING
. . . . . .W. AS
. . .B.ROKEN
. . . . .O. FF
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
. . . . . . . .LXIV
. . . . .D.SCHANG
. . . . . .L.IANG
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
. . . . . . . . LXV
. . . . .O.LD
. .D
. RAGONBEARD
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
. . . . . . . .LXVI
. . . . .H.OW
. . .M. OLO
. . .S
. TOLE
. . . . THE
. . . L. OVELY
. . . . . R. OSE
. . . -B
. .ED
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
. . . . . . . LXVII
. . . . . .T.HE
. .G. OLDEN
. . . . .C
. .ANISTER
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
. . . . . . .LXVIII
. . . . . .Y.ANG
. . .G
. UI
. . F. E. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
. . . . . . . .LXIX
. . . . .T.HE
. .M
. ONK
. . . .OF
. .THE
. . . Y. ANGTZE
. . . . . -K
. . IANG
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
LITERARY FAIRY TALES

. . . . . . . . LXX
. . . . .T.HE
. .H. EARTLESS
.......H . .USBAND
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
. . . . . . . .LXXI
. . . . .G.IAUNA
. . . . THE
...B. .EAUTIFUL
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
. . . . . . . LXXII
. . . . . .T.HE
. .F.ROG
...P. .RINCESS
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
. . . . . . .LXXIII
. . . . . .R.OSE
. . . OF
. .E
. .VENING
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
. . . . . . .LXXIV
. . . . . .T.HE
. .A. PE
. .S
. .UN
. .W
. .U.K. UNG
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288

This work is a translation and has a separate copyright status to the applicable copyright protections of the original
content.

Original:
This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published before January 1,
1923.

The author died in 1930, so this work is also in the public domain in countries and areas where the
copyright term is the author's life plus 80 years or less. This work may also be in thepublic domain
in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to
foreign works.
 This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published before January 1,
1923.

Translation: The author died in 1932, so this work is also in the public domain in countries and areas where the
copyright term is the author's life plus 80 years or less. This work may also be in thepublic domain
in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to
foreign works.

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