Chinese Fables Read online

  “Where are your guests?” Ai-tse asked.

  “You are late, Sir; you missed the lively talk,” his Lordship scolded. “My guests have gone home to eat their dinner!”

  A Change of Fashion

  The Lord Hsuan-Kung of Ch’i fell in love with the color red. He took to wearing a red coat with every change of costume. Never mind that his robe was peacock blue or pansy purple or jade green, he topped it off with a coat of red damask or red brocade. Always he wore red shoes to match.

  Before long Hsuan-Kung noticed that every courtier was also wearing red. When he looked down from his dais on any assemblage of his court, he beheld a sea of red in its very shade and variation—carmine, scarlet, ruby, carnelian, vermilion, cerise, crimson, magenta.

  Not one courtier was daring enough to wear a color that would be conspicuously different in that sea of red. The Lord Hsuan-Kung smiled benignly—how he loved red!

  But it was not long before reports reached him of grumbling and unrest among the members of his court and the merchants of his city.

  “What are they saying?” he inquired of his spies.

  “The complaints are many,” reported the spy, drawing a sheaf of papers from the sleeve of his red cloak. “The merchants grumble that they can’t make a profit on goods they don’t have, or on goods they have but can’t sell. They’re out of red silk; there’s a surplus of white silk because the dyers are out of red dye. The warehouses are full of silk in other colors, but nobody will buy it. Sire, your merchants are unhappy!”

  “And my court—what is it saying?”

  “Ah, your courtiers are just as unhappy.” The spy pulled out another sheaf of papers from his sleeve. “Red overpowers personality, they say. It diminishes the wearer, turns the complexion sallow. It becomes boring. Lady Jasmine hates it and threatens to leave her husband. Your courtiers wonder how you can be so blind to the glories of...purple...gold...saffron!”

  The next morning the Lord Hsuan-Kung made his appearance at court in a white silk coat. He was as delighted over the astonished gasps that met him as he had been over the cries of praise for every new red coat.

  The next day not a red coat was to be seen. In the whole of the city it is a matter of record that the shops had a run on white silk that week, followed in quick succession by runs on yellow, blue, green, and lavender.

  The Practical Bride

  Based on Hsieh-yü

  (Source 1368-1643)

  The Wrong Audience

  Based on Mou-tse

  (Source 200 BCE-220)

  Stealing the Bell

  Probable Source Lii-shih ch'un-ch'iu

  (Source 250-200 BCE)

  Sakyamuni and Lao-Tse

  Based on Hsieh-yü

  (Source 1368-1643)

  The Same Sickness

  Based on Ying-hsieh-lu

  (Source 1368-1643)

  Everybody's Talking About It!

  Based on Ai-tse wai-yü

  (Source 1368-1643)

  The Vigilant Sentry

  Based on Hsieh-yü

  (Source 1368-1645)

  Kwan-Yin, the Goddess of Mercy

  Based on Chin-ku ch'i-kuan

  (Source 1368-1643)

  The King of Beasts

  Based on Chan-kuo ts'e

  (Source between 500-250 BCE)

  A Small Gift

  Based on Chung-kuo yü-yen

  (Date not listed)

  Cooking the Duck

  Based on Ying-hsieh lu

  (Source 1368-1643)

  What's in a Name?

  Based on Ying-hsieh lu

  (Source 1368-1643)

  The Same Difference

  Based on Lish-tse.

  (Source 500-250 BCE)

  Scaring the Tigers

  Based on Hsieh-yü

  (Source 1368-1643)

  The Dragon Slayer

  Based on Chuang-tse

  (Source 500-250 BCE)

  No Takers

  Based on Chung-kuo-yü-yen.

  (Date not listed)

  The Egg

  Based on Hsueh-t'ao hsiao-shuo

  (Source between 1368-1643)

  Welcome Guests

  Based on Hs'eh-t'ao hsiao-shuo

  (Source between 1368-1643)

  A Change of Fashion

  Based on Han-fei-tse

  (Source between 500-250 BCE)

  Lak-Khee Tay-Audouard's

  whimsical illustrations are inspired by Chinese folk art. At the same time, basic elements of traditional Chinese art have been incorporated. Natural materials like earth, charcoal, ground tea powder, pressed leaves and sackcloth have been used to better portray the rustic quality of these tales. These pencil and wash illustrations were done on bamboo rag paper.

  Published by Tuttle Publishing, an imprint of Periplus Editions (HK) Ltd.

  www.tuttlepublishing.com

  Copyright©2013 by Shiho S. Nunes

  Illustrations©2013 Lak-Khee Tay-Audouard

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without prior written permission from the publisher.

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Nunes, Shiho S., 1917-Chinese fables : the dragon slayer and other timeless tales of wisdom/by Shiho S. Nunes; illustrated by Lak-Khee Tay-Audouard.

  v. cm.

  ISBN: 978-1-4629-1172-1 (ebook)

  1. Fables, Chinese--Translations into English. 2. Tales--China. [1. Fables. 2. Folklore--China.] I. Tay-Audouard, L. K., ill. II. Title.

  PZ8.2.N96Chi 2013

  398.2--dc23[E]

  2012029059

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