Short Short Story WISDOM Of The SERPENT

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 286, 3 December 1938, Page 14 (Supplement)

Short Short Story WISDOM Of The SERPENT

AT the end of the seventeenth century there dwelt in Ningting—within an arrow's flight of the spot where the Great Wall sweeps up towards Lingchow one Chung, a sardonic and very fat bandit chief who called himself Lord of the Hills and Bringer of Sweet and Sudden Death, whose spears ravaged the countryside. He was of tin. weight of .'Xlst and the expanse of lijs stomach awed all beholders. Hit rat-tailed moiistaebios dressed i with olive nil and tli»• ji«*rfnmo of musk trailed down to the ground. ' his Chung desired, above all tilings, to hp flip most ferocious- mid riehest"--bandit in all China.

By--Peter Cheyney

Ho desired also to capture and to put to death his hated rival Tok Hi. whose spears swept the countrv on the other Hide of the Valley of Stones, and whose son Ling-Tok. 11 deadly archer, took pleasure in shooting arrows Ihroii"h CiiiirigM outpost sentries. K On n summer's evening, ga*pin™ a little from heat and hecause of a )ar"e meal of hot spiced dogs fat and sweet herbs, Chung sat beneath a silk ennopv. Towards him, came Lis daughter. Twinkling Emerald, whose beautv made men catch their breath. Oh lord of the stars, esteemed parent of this most grateful child, hear the prayer of your entirely unworthy daughter," she said. "Speak on, my daughter," replied Chung, wheezing a little, "remeinberin« always that the moderate demand of the obedient child is as the burble of fresh, flowing water to the thirsty parent." The eyes of 1 winkling Kmcrahl were fist down upon the ground. Celestial parent." she murmured, t my presumption be forgiven bv mv angelic father. Hut mv heart is of lend. Each day I sigh for love and each night weep because I desire to be the wife of Ling-Tok, the son of Tok-Hi." The wrath of Chung rumbled within xiivn like a volcano. "May yellow dogs defile the tombs of my ancestors," he wheezed. "May the sacred grave of my great-grandfather become the receptacle for bad fruit' Am I struck with the palsy or in this truly the voice of my daughter which J hear speaking words so bitter that my ears uro turned Hour? "How does the hitherto obedient daughter dare to present such a petition h-i *, '| >r, 1 er 'y "too-yielding parent? What devil gives Ler courage to speak such words?" r

"Oh. my father," said Twinkling Emerald. "Hear me. But yester eve I walked beyond the lily garden into the Valley of Pools. There in a hut lives a great sorcerer who hath but lately come hither. This -eer, called Isao. has a message from the spirits which *-ays that vou" shall give a chain of rubies and that I shall be the wife of Ling-Tok whom 1 love." (hung rose with difficulty. "I'"i in pence, my daughter.'' he said. j'llt out thc-c e\ ii thought- from a our 'j 1 . 1 ' 1 "', 1 ui " til,k this sorcerer—this ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ Chung stood out -ide the hut of T-ao, the soi cere r, with >i\ -pen rineii. Against the far wall, in the *haif-diirkne-s, s !t t. I-ao. whose bent form was covered uitli a dirty yellow robe, and whose eyes shone through great, blackglassed spectacles. Accursed relative of badly-disposed rock snakes," said Chung, "before consigning vou to the hamis of mv welltrained torturers tell me what madness came upon you that yon should advise i I my daughter, Twinkling Emerald, that I shall give you a chain of rubii-s and that she shall be the bride of Linir-Tok." Isao - -Voice was thin and old. "Lord of the earth." he piped. '•Everything is not what that thing seems. Do I not know that voiir supremely beautiful daughter has! each evenimj met and talked to Ling-Tok in the Valley of Stones? 1 hercfore I sent her to you, knowing that voii would come to me. and so that I could suggest to you that tomorrow when she goes to meet Ling-Tok. in the evening, six of your spearmen shall follow her and seize him, so that you may hold him for a great ransom." Now Chung laughed so loudly that his stomach trembled. "By the tomb of my great-uncle." lie said. J'his is good talk. For this I will give voli the rubies." A\ lien the shadows of the next evening fell Chung waited beneath his canopy. Soon, his eyes saw, toiling towards liiin. one of his spearmen clut ching a wound.

[ "Father of the moon," wailed this man. "You are betrayed. We were surprised in ambush by 30 spearmen of Tok-Hi. your enemy. And tliev have taken your daughter." Chung arose from his seat. "Bring me hot iron*."' he rumbled. "And two yellow snakes in a sack. Ihi- sorcerer Isao shall take three days to (1 ii ■: nh eight spearmen and four torturer- (.'hung ,-tooil outside the hut of T.-a... "C'lne on, oh. striped carrion dog." he roared. "Bring out the chain of ruliie- which 1 gave to you and p-av lor >wei-t deatli to release you from the elbeii-nt and quite amazing tortures to which I sh.lll now put vou."' I -,io eame out of the hut. I hen he threw oir the dirty yellow rolm and the blaek-gla ssed spectacles.: ami lining ga-oed in amazement, for bcloic ii:m -tood Ling-Tok. He was dre-<ed in a robe of green silk and upon his left wrist was the chain of rubies. In his right hand was a jewelled dagger.

Dollier! A on> / cannot get the beastly umbrella shut."

"Oh, father-in-law-to-be," he said. "Most gracious of men. "This plot was made by your daughter, Twinkling Emerald, and my unworthy self. It was I who sent word to mv father Tok-Hi to capture your (laughter and, in his yamen, at this moment, she speaks the same words to him as I speak to you. "He cannot demand a ransom for her because I am here your prisoner. You cannot demand a ransom for ine because he holds her. "there, lord of the stars, send word to my father Tok-Hi. Tell him that to-morrow evening you will send me with ail escort of six spearmen to the \ alley of Stones. "Tell him also that you will send with me a helmet tilled with precious stones as ransom for your daughter. "Tell him to send to meet us, Twinkling Emerald, with a like escort and a helmet filled with jewels as a ransom for me. 'fhen with the jewels as dowry I winkling Emerald and my unworthy self will, accompanied by the 12 spearmen, journey to the hills above Yulin, where, blessed—we hop?—by our respective fathers prayers, I propose to set up for myself—as a bandit chief. But, esteemed parent-in-law, if you do not agree to this then will I drive this dagger into my heart, and Twinking Emerald—who hath a dagger in her >lecve will do the same, after which neither you nor my own honourable father will ever again have face, for your names will be laughing stock in e\ery bazaar in China, and yellow dogs will yawn when they set eyes-upon you both." On the next evening Chung sat beneath his canopy of purple silk and laughed until his great stomach trembled. And away on the rocky road towards \ulin rode Ling-Tok with his arm about twinkling Emerald. Behind them, carrying two helmets filled with were 12 spearmen. And Ling-Tok sang a song of love and of the devotion of unworthy children to their honourable parents.