Folk tale: Release dragon snakes

The following story is from the Qing Dynasty Pu Songling Zhiwei novel "Liaozhai Zhiyi", which has been slightly changed when translated.

There is a snake trickster in Dong County, let's call him Zhang San, who makes a living by raising snakes and performing snake plays.

Zhang San raised a lot of snakes, two of which were blue, the big one was called Daqing, the small one was called Erqing, and the two green snakes had red dots on their foreheads, flexible and gentle, very obedient, as long as Zhang San gave orders, the green snake would always do it.

Zhang San liked these two green snakes very much, and he was also better to them than other snakes.

A year later, Daqing died, and Zhang San thought of finding another snake to make up for it, but he never saw the right one.

One night, Zhang San stayed in a temple on the mountain.

After dawn, he opened the bamboo tube he had brought with him and found that Erqing was also gone, and he was heartbroken and almost couldn't think of it.

He called around to look for it, and looked at every grass, but he never found Xiao Qing.

Later, a few steps out of the door, I heard a sound in the firewood, and I saw that it was actually Erqing!

Lost and regained, Zhang San cried with joy!

The wonderful thing is that Erqing was followed by a small snake, Zhang Sandaxi, fed Erqing, pointed at the little snake and said: I thought you were dead, was this little guy recommended by you?

Take out food for the little snake to eat, and although the little snake refuses to leave, he does not dare to eat.

After Erqing saw it, he held the food and fed it to the little snake, as if the host gave the food to the guests.

Zhang San took out food again to feed the little snake, and the little snake ate it with confidence.

After eating, the little snake followed Erqing and entered the bamboo tube.

Later, Zhang San began to breed and train this little snake, the little snake had a good spirit, and soon learned it, just like Erqing.

Therefore, Zhang San named it Xiaoqing.

Since then, Zhang San has often taken Erqing and Xiaoqing to perform shows and made a lot of money.

Snake keepers do snake play performances, the largest only uses snakes of about two feet, more than two feet, generally will be thrown away.

Because if it is big, it will be very heavy, it is inconvenient to bring it and it will not be very flexible, and people who watch the play also feel afraid.

Erqing was already more than two feet old, and Zhang San had always felt that it was docile, so he did not throw it away.

After another three years, Erqing was already more than three feet long, and the bamboo tube could hardly fit, so Zhang San decided to throw her away.

One day, Zhang San came to Dongshan, Zixian County, and felt that it was good and suitable for release.

He fed Erqing the food, and then said a few words of blessing to let Erqing leave.

Erqing came out of the bamboo tube, did not go far and came back, wandering by the bamboo tube.

Zhang San persuaded: Go, go!

There is no feast that will last for a hundred years, and it is time for us to separate.

From now on, you will be hidden in the mountains, and you will definitely become a dragon in the future!

This little bamboo tube, where is your long-term residence?

Erqing listened and left.

After a while, it came back again, holding the bamboo tube on its head, and the little green inside was also moving, as if it wanted to come out.

Zhang San suddenly realized: It seems that Erqing is going to leave Xiaoqing.

He opened the bamboo tube and released Xiao Qing, and after Xiao Qing came out, he and Er Qing were entangled together, spitting out their tongues at each other, as if they were saying parting words.

It didn't take long for both snakes to leave.

Zhang San was thinking about whether Xiao Qing would come back, found that Xiao Qing had returned, entered the bamboo tube, and later, Zhang San took Xiao Qing to perform, and also looked for a suitable snake as a gap, but he never saw a good one.

Xiao Qing gradually grew up, and it was no longer convenient to carry and perform, and Zhang San was very anxious.

Later, Zhang San got a snake, which was also docile, but in the end it was not as good as Xiao Qing.

At that time, Xiaoqing was already as thick as a child's arm.

Going back, let's talk about Erqing.

Erqing was in the Middle of the East Mountain, at first he only dared to hide, but later his courage slowly grew, and he often came out to forage for food, and the local woodcutters went up the mountain to cut firewood, which was often seen.

After a few years, Erqing was already more than nine feet long, as thick as a large bowl, and there might be a sense of territory, and it slowly learned to drive people away.

When pedestrians pass by, they are afraid to even pass by.

On this day, Zhang San passed by dongshan, and after the big green snake heard it, it flew from a long distance, like a fierce wind.

Zhang Sanyi looked, good fellow, a long, thick bowl mouth of the big snake running towards him, scared to hold the head rat.

Zhang San ran wildly, while looking back at the big snake, the big snake was getting closer and closer, Zhang San found that there was actually a red dot on the forehead of this big blue snake, and suddenly remembered that it should be Erqing.

So, he put down his flat burden and said loudly: Erqing, Erqing, it's me!

When the great green snake heard this, it suddenly stopped.

Erqing came to Zhang San, recognized it, and suddenly became a small bird, rubbing Zhang San's hands and legs, still wrapped around Zhang San's body, just like Zhang San had taught it in the first place.

Zhang San also found that Erqing recognized himself and made love to himself.

However, at this time, Erqing was already long, thick and heavy, and probably did not know the weight, Zhang San was wrapped around it too tightly, and almost couldn't breathe.

However, Zhang San did not dare to resist and could only let Erqing entangle him.

After a long time, Erqing came down from Zhang San's body.

Zhang San looked at Erqing, took out the bamboo tube, blessed Xiaoqing and said: I have long wanted to release you, and there has been no good time.

Now well, Erqing is here, you go with it, you can also count as a partner.

Xiao Qing was in the bamboo tube, and seemed not to recognize Er Qing, or he might be afraid and did not dare to come out.

Zhang San said to Erqing again: It was originally brought by you, and now you can take it away.

By the way, I want to tell you: deep mountains and old forests, there is no shortage of food, you eat grass and trees, eat rabbits and mice, this is the nature of nature, there is nothing wrong with it.

However, you must not eat people, otherwise you will commit a great sin and will be punished by heaven.

At this time, Xiao Qing had already come out and was intimate with Er Qing, and after hearing what Zhang San said, the two snakes actually nodded, and seemed to understand.

Zhang San waved his hands, signaling them to leave.

Therefore, the big snake is in front and the small snake is behind, slowly going farther and farther.

Everywhere they went, the grass and trees were flattened and parted, falling to both sides.

Zhang San stood and looked in the direction where the two snakes had left, until he couldn't see the snake anymore, and then he left.

After that, when there were people, the two big snakes disappeared, the local area returned to normal, and people did not have to worry about being eaten by snakes.