THE MAX IN THE MOON.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXII, Issue 46, 23 February 1901, Page 3 (Supplement)

THE MAX IN THE MOON.

A CHINESE LEGEND.

This legend forms the basis for the belief of the Chinese people that marriages are fore-ordained, and accounts of tn'eir ready acceptance of a life partner on the choico of parents. It shows, too, why divorce is a thins unknown in the Flowery Kingdom. The Chinaman "uelievrs that marriages are made in heaven anil controlled by the god of the Moon, and that what is tied together there must surely come together here as well. Spring had almost decided to say goodbye to the people of Qu Tong, and welcome summer, prolific in rarest flowers and softest breezes, knocked for entrance at the strong door in the wall of, this ancient Chinese city. It was more than a tKousand years ago, but as Wai Goo gazed out of his class-room window he was seized with the same impulses which wouia have filled the soul of the average youngster of to-day.

Charming- was the night, fine the moon, and sick was Wai Goo of his studies, tfor Wai Goo was eighteen, and overflowing with the enthusiastic romanticism of youth. Already he was an acknowledged leader in the younger set of the best Qu Tong society. For Wai Jong, his father, was the chief magistrate of the city, and was known as an estimable man. Besides his blood was the bluest of any in ancient Qu Tong-.

Unnoticed by his' more studious companions, Wai Goo left the study room and sauntered forth into the garden, filled with the poetry of nature—the love of the fleecy clouds, of the .silvery moon, of fne soft sighing leaves, and the beautiful blossoms, of the life on earth and all its pleasures. Seated on a rustic bench, Wai Goo rejoiced in the picture before him. The moon was full; the college grounds wore silent, save for the gentle sounds of nature. The delicate rustle of foliage and flowers seemed appropriate to tills scene of quietude. Above a darkly frowning mountain brought into bold relief the long, low row of college buildings at its base, snowy in their whiteness. Oriental plants and shrubs cast their luxuriant fragrance all about, and the warm night air was heavy with the scent of many petals.

Sparkling fountains dashed their crystal splendour high in the air, the- constant plash of their falling waters sooth.'ng ttie listener, who sat alone—alone with nature. And Wai Goo was happy.

i But of a sudden he realised that he was not alone, for seated on the shrub before him he discerned the shadowy flgtire of a quaint'old man—white whiskered and weird and misty. His glance was unearthly; his garments seemed to be" woven of silvery flame. Strangest of all, however, were the myriad tiny human-like figures the aged visitor carried on his back and In his arms and strung- about his girdle. "They were tied together in pairs, and there were millions of them—no larger than the pistils of the smallest flowers in the college garden. "Stop!" cried Wai Goo, for the phantom was disappearing. The old man halted. Then, with all the veneration of "The young Chinaman of all times for superior age, Wai Goo saluted the white beard, and said:— "Pray, tell me, father, what are those little creatures. They seem to be alive." A smile played over the old man's countenance as he answered:— "Each pair represents a real man and a real woman now living on this earth." "And who are you?" importuned the young student. The old man pointed with solerfinly upraised finger at the fair, full moon above, and said:— "I am the man from the moon." "The man from the moon!" exclaimed Wai Goo. "Why, then I have seen your face from afar?" "True, true." And, looking back at the silvery sphere, Wai Goo saw that the features of the man were missing from its face. "And what do you here?" "I control the heart destinies of all on earth. All marriages are foreordained from the moon; each life is bound to another, and, unless some accident happens to the little mannikins 1 hold and they became separated, the real people on earth must come together sooner or later. My task is to keep them together, and 1 generally succeed. The real human beings have no control over marriages. I attend to that." Wai Goo was transfixed with wonder. "Good-night, son of the earth, and forget not the words of the man from the moon." "Wait! Wait!" called the wonderstruck student, and he sank to his knees to beseech the old stranger to stay. "Oh! tell me my fate, good man from the moon!" Searching: through the myriad little figures, the old man drew one pair from the .struggling- mass and said:— "Your future wife, lad, is one month old. She lives in Qu Tong. on Chuan Tsin Street, near unto the great temple." And in another moment the man from the moon had faded from Wai Goo's sight, and, gazing back at the moon, the young student saw that the features of the man had returned to its face. .Wai Goo knew not what to do, so he forced himself to return to the halls of learning and retire to the dormitory in which he had a share and to sleep. Day had not long- taken the place of night when Wai Goo was out in the streets of Qu Tong and searching- for the house on Chuan Tsin Street, near the great Temple; where lived the baby girl, one month old, who was foreordained to be his wife. Rage filled the proud young fellow's soul, for he thought it humiliation to be tied for life to a girl who was then only a squalling infant. He told no one of his secret, but repaired at once to the street the man from the moon had named. Blinded by his anger, he had some difficulty in finding the house the moon man had described, but find it he did at last, and there to be sure in front of the house was the baby daughter of the family, one month old. Fury filled Wai Goo's heart. Some evil" power must have brought his nervously twitching hand into contact with the dagger suspended at his girdle, for in another moment, scarcely knowing what he did, this strong- young man had viciously stabbed and lashed the helpless little child across the face and* head. Wild screams of terror from the old nurse who held the wounded child soon brought an angry throng of Qu Tong citizens, and Wai Goo, owing to his prowess as an athlete, and runner, escaped without having been recognised. And he went away, this hitherto amiable youth, filled with the longing of the hardened murderer that his innocent victim would die of the injuries ho had inflicted. So he treasured the story of his crime, and none was the wiser for his guilty knowledge.

Time passes quickly. Therefore, consider that years have passed' between this paragraph and the last, and the influential Wais have removed to another province far away, where Wai Jong Is still a power in the service of the Government. I-Ic is proud or his son Goo, for the student who talked with the man from the Moon is now a settled man of thirtysix, who has made a name for himself in the community of which he lives.

And about this time came from another city an old friend of the aged Wai Jong, who had a daughter fairer tnan any other girl in the province. She was eighteen, Wai Jong spoke proudly of his'big son and his old friend spoke proudly of his beautiful daughter. So, before long it had been arranged between the two parents that their children were to be united as husband and wife. The magnilicent Lan Gue and Wai Goo had never laid eyes upon each other, but that made no difference, if their respected parents wanted them to marry;

So Wai Goo and Lan Gue were married, and as the young bride was possessed of that raresTof dowries, a sweet disposition, and of ways that were winning, their married life was happy. But husbands of all lands and times have longed to know all about their wives, a.TiA this .n'ft* proved

true in VTai Goo's case in mediaeval China.

For the pretty little wife diminished ho? beauty greatly, her liege lord thought, biplastering down over her eyebrows c heavy bang. Long and frequent thinking on this subject brought Wai Goo to tha conclusion that his wTi'e had something on her forehead to hide, and, surprising her at her toilet one day, he brushed aside the bang, and beholfT just over tha left eyebrow a cruel and deeply ugly scar.

"Explain!" he exclaimed

Lan Gue was greatly agitated by thi3 discovery, but she told how when she was a babe an unknown man had attacked her with a knife in front of her parents' house, in Chuan Tsin Street, in the city of Qu Tong. Then, with bowed head and face bedewed with tears, Wai Goo said:— "The man from the Moon told the truth."