Natural Enemies

A long time ago there was an old man who lived in a house down a city alley. High walls hid it from view. He had no family and his only company was a cat and dog.

He never went out to work. He didn't even go out t buy food. No one ever visited him. Naturally, everyone was very curious. But one thief was especially curious.

One night he snuck into a neighbor's courtyard and peeked over the walls. He saw a wonderful garden full of strange stones and waterfalls. In the center of the garden was a house fancy enough for an emperor.

The curious thief climbed over the wall and stole through the garden and into the house. The inside of the house was filled with fine furniture and antiques. Finally, he found the old man in the dining room. Tall pillars of red lacquer ran the length of the room. Gold covered the carvings on the sides of the pillars. On the beams of the ceiling were painted different scenes of China.

The table and chairs were carved from rare purple woods. The old man sat in one chair with both a cat and a dog balanced on his lap. But there were neither plates of food on the table nor any servants to serve them.

The old man smiled at the dog. "And what do you want to eat tonight?"

The dog gave a bark and the old man nodded. "I thought so." He picked up a long slender ivory wand. The stem curved upward to a carved lotus. "As you like it, as I like it, I would like some beef stew."

A big golden bowl of beef stew popped into the air above the table and landed with a clank in front of the dog. The smell was delicious, and he happily began to wolf down his food.

"And what do you want?" the old man asked his cat. The cat merely licked her paws. "The same as usual, I suppose." The old man wished on the wand, and a big steaming carp appeared before the cat. With a disgusted look at the dog, the cat began to eat daintily.

Then the old man wished up his dinner on the wand. There were precious plates of gold encrusted with jewels and bowls carved from solid pieces of jade. But after the old man had drunk his wine, he gave a big yawn. "I think it's time for bed."

He wished the dirty plates all away, and then he and his two pets headed into the bedroom where he lay down on a big four-poster bed covered with silk and pearls. The dog and cat raced for the bed; but though the dog could run faster, the cat could leap higher. She got to the head of the bed first so the dog had to go to the foot.

"Leave some room for me," the old man laughed. He eased in between his two jealous pets. Soon the three were fast asleep.

The thief waited patiently until the old man and his pets had begun to snore. Then he snuck into the room and stole the wand.

The next morning, the old man woke and found his wand was missing. He hid his face in his hands and wept. "I'm ruined. Ruined! And I'm too old to go looking for the thief."

But then he felt something wet on the backs of his hands and he looked up to see that it was his cat and dog licking him. He put his hand on the dog. "Will you be my strong legs and go find him?'' The dog's big tongue licked his hand again.

The old man looked at his cat. "Will you be my clever mind and get the wand?" And the cat's small tongue tickled his other hand.

The two loyal pets left the old man. They looked all over China. They lived by their skills and their wits. The dog sniffed around in alleys for things that people threw out. Sometimes, he had to fight the other beggars. But the dog was big and strong so he always won. He always shared his meals with the cat.

The cat learned how to leap up through kitchen windows and steal food. Often she would eat most of it inside the house. Then she would bring the leftovers to the dog.

Eventually, the two animals heard of a rich man who had appeared out of nowhere. A broad, swift river separated them from his house. "You're strong enough to bear me," the cat said. "You carry me."

"But don't dig in your claws," the dog warned and crouched. The cat leaped onto his back, and the dog slipped into the river. The water was so cold and swift that the dog soon grew tired.

"I can't do it," the dog groaned.

"Yes, you can," the cat urged. "Think of home. Think of hot meals and soft silk."

So the dog went on until he climbed out exhausted on the opposite bank. "Now for the wand," the cat said. She wasn't tired at all and sped up the hill.

"Wait for me," the dog called and, shaking himself off, trotted after the cat.

But the cat did not want to wait for the big, slow dog. She dashed ahead impa-tiently. By now she was an expert at sneaking into houses. She crept silently into the villa. When she heard footsteps, she ducked behind a vase.

The thief strode by in a robe of silk embroidered with gold. Around his neck hung the wand on a golden chain. But he was not as careless as the old man. Two guards accompanied him at all times.

Going outside, the cat just stopped the dog from blundering inside. "We'll have to use both your strength and my wits to get the wand," she explained.

"Anything for the master," the dog promised.

They waited until the thief went for a walk in his garden. The dog suddenly darted out from under a bush and past the two startled guards and leaped on the thief, knocking him over.

"Stop him," the thief shouted frantically. The two guards could not use their swords because they might hurt their employer. Instead, they tried to pull the dog away.

While the dog was fighting for his life, the cat shot in like a small streak of fur. Perching on the rich man's chest, she pressed her paws against the wand. When the thief reached for the wand, the cat bit his hand so he snatched it back.

Silently, the cat wished, "As you like it, as I like it, I would like to be back home with the wand."

As the cat began to fade from sight, the dog barked at her. "Wait for me, wait for me."

But the cat vanished from sight.

The next moment, she was back in the old man's bedroom. The old man lay in a ragged robe on a simple straw mat. He had sold everything else to pay his debts. Through the window, the cat could see that the garden itself had fallen into ruin.

"Thank Heaven, you've come back," the old man said. "I was getting so lonely. I don't care whether you brought back the wand."

But the cat picked up the wand in her mouth and brought it over to the old man. Gently she let it drop into the old man's lap.

"You did bring it back!" the old man cried out. "You blessed animal." He held out his hand. "But where's our other friend? Didn't he come with you? Or did he get tired and go off on his own?"

The cat simply looked up at the old man, and the old man reached his own hasty conclusions. While the old man cursed the dog, the cat curled up on his knees. Both the lap and the magic were hers now.

The old man wished the thief to his just reward and then restored the house. But he never gave another thought to the dog until months later. Suddenly there was a familiar barking outside the gates.

The old man opened them to see his tired, dusty dog. One ear was torn, and he was badly scratched. The old man frowned. "Now that the cat's made everything right, you've decided to come back. Well, it's too late."

The cat, fat and sleek, strolled up behind the old man. "Tell him, tell him," the dog barked angrily.

But the cat merely began to lick itself. And then the old man had shut the gates on the dog. "Stop making so much noise," the old man shouted over the gates. "Or I'll send you to the Himalayas."

The dog slunk away so the cat had the old man all to herself. But all dogs remember the cat's treachery, and dogs have hated cats ever since then.

Las Cuatro Barras Catalanas

Reinaba en Francia Carlos I cuando invadieron el país los normandos.

El emperador envió a su sobrino Vilfredo el Velloso, conde de Barcelona, una carta, en la que le pedía que acudiera en su ayuda con sus guerreros.

El conde se puso en camino inmediatamente con sus mesnadas y entró en la batalla, batiendo a los normandos, que se retiraron vencidos.

Una flecha se hicó en el pecho de Vilfredo, junto al corazón. Fue retirado a una tienda, donde le visitó el emperador.

Quiso el tío recompensar al sobrino por su hazaña dándole riquezas y bienes. Éste rehusó toda recompensa, doliéndose únicamente de que, a pesar de las muchas victorias que había obtenido en las diversas batallas en que había tomado parte, su escudo de armas era liso: campo de oro, sin insignia ninguna que revalara sus muchas gestas.

El emperador Carlos, entonces, mojó en la herida de Vilfredo los cuatro dedos de su mano derecha y los pasó de arriba abajo por el escudo, marcando en él las cuatro barras de sangre que adornan el escudo de Cataluña, Valencia y Aragón.

Under the Starfruit Tree

Once there were two brothers whose parents died. The parents left everything to their older son-everything, that is, but the starfruit tree, which they left to their younger son.

The older son lived very well in the large house that his parents had left him. He wore silk robes and hired workers to cultivate his fields so he did not have to soil his hands. He spent his time playing chess with his friends or listening to music. He seldom visited his younger brother, who was very poor, and all but forgot him.

The younger son had no place to live, so he built a shack under the starfruit tree. He dressed in rags, the only clothes he could afford. He spent his days taking care of his starfruit, pruning the tree when necessary, and clearing the fallen fruit and leaves from the ground. He sold his fruit at the market in the morning and from a stand under his tree in the afternoon. He barely managed to make a living.

One day, as he gathered the fallen leaves from under the tree, he heard a rush of air above him and saw a great shadow cast upon the ground. He looked up and saw an eagle circling overhead to perch on the highest branch of the starfruit tree. The whole tree shivered under the large bird's weight. The eagle looked down over its beak at the astonished young man and said, "Boy, I crave some of your fruit."

"I do not mind if you help yourself," the young man said, "but since this is the only way I can keep alive, please leave some for me."

The eagle ate some of the fruit and flew away. It came again the next day, ate more fruit and left. This went on for several days.

Every day the young man looked anxiously at the diminishing supply of fruit left on the tree. One day, while the eagle was eating his fruit, the young man said, "Sir, tomorrow I shall have just enough to sell at the market."

"Very well, boy," the eagle answered. "Sew a sack and tomorrow place it under the tree."

The young man did as he was told The next day the eagle swept down the bag hanging from the tree trunk. The eagle coughed twiced, dropped a bar of gold into the bag, and flew away without eating any fruit. The boy took the gold into his town and bought everything he needed. He found that he could afford much more than he bought; he was wealthy now.

News of his sudden fortune reached the older brother's ears. He hurried to visit brother, who still lived under the starfruit tree, and asked how true the story was. When his brother told him everything, the older brother offered to trade his home and all he owned for the starfruit tree. His brother agreed.

So the younger son now owned a large house in the village, fields with crops, and all the wealth the eagle had given him. He was most comfortable indeed.

The next day the older son sat under the tree and scanned the skies for the eagle. The eagle did not come that day. The young man was most upset. Neither it did come the following day. But on the third day, just as he was about to set off for the village to complain to his younger brother, he heard a great flapping of wings and saw the tree cast into the shadow of the eagle.

As the eagle swooped down to the tree, the young man shouted up to the bird, "If you want to eat the starfruit, you must give me something in return."

"Very well," the eagle said. "Tomorrow put a pouch under the tree."

The older brother was prepared with a large bag that he promptly put under the tree. He waited impatiently for tomorrow. When the eagle returned the following day, the young man climbed the tree hastily and reached out ot hold on to the eagle by clutching his legs. He wanted to be sure the eagle left the bar of gold before it flew away.

The eagle in return grasped the young man in it's claws, flapped its wings, and soared into the sky. It flew until they were over the ocean, where it released its hold on the older brother. Too late, the older brother learned that it really did not pay to be greedy.

The Rabbit Steals the Elephant's Dinner

Kalulu the rabbit was one day watching the children of Soko the monkey playing in the trees, and saw one monkey reach out his tail and catch his brother round the neck, holding him a helpless prisoner in mid-air.

Kalulu thought that this was splendid, and though he had no long tail, he could twist forest creepers into a noose. During the next few days numbers of animals were caught in this way and held fast in the forest thickets, only escaping with difficulty. They thought that it was only an accident, but had they known, it was Kalulu who was experimenting with his noose.

At last Polo the elephant decided to make a new village, and, being king of the animals, he called every living thing in the forest to come and help him build it.

All came with the exception of Kalulu. He had caught a whiff from the delicious beans which Polo's wives were cooking for his dinner, and when the beans were cold Kalulu came out of the bushes and ate them up.

Polo was furious when he reached home and found that his beans had been stolen. Whoever could have taken his dinner?

Next day he told the lion to lie in wait nearby, and to pounce upon the thief if one appeared. Now Kalulu was hiding in the bushes and heard the plan, so he spent that night in twisting a big noose, which he set in a side path close to the cooking pots.

Next morning, when the animals had gone to work on the new village, Kalulu strolled out into the open and began to eat Polo's beans, with one eye on the place where he knew that the lion was hiding. Having finished his meal Kalulu ran off, when, as he expected, Ntambo the lion leapt out in pursuit. Kalulu bolted through the noose that he had set, and when Ntambo followed he was caught and swung into mid-air, where he wriggled and squirmed till evening, when the animals returned to the village and set him loose. Ntambo was too ashamed to saythat he had been fooled by a little rabbit, so simply said that some unknown animal had ensnared him.

Next day Mbo the buffalo was set to watch the beans of his chief, but Kalulu had set a great noose between two palm trees. When Kalulu had finished his meal of the chief's beans and was strolling away, the buffalo burst out at him, but the rabbit ran between the two palm trees, and when the buffalo followed he was caught by the noose and swung into mid-air, where he wriggled and squirmed till evening, when the animals returned to set him loose.

Mbo the buffalo was so ashamed that he would not say how he had been outwitted, merely remarking that there must be some misdoer dwelling among them.

The leopard, the lynx, the wart-hog and the hunting dog were all fooled in the same way, and still Kalulu stole Polo's daily bowl of beans.

At last Nkuvu the tortoise, wiser than the rest, went privately to King Polo the elephant and said, "If your wives will smear me with salt and put me into your dinner of beans tomorrow, I will catch the thief."

Next day Nkuvu was secretly smeared with salt and hidden in the beans. The worthless rabbit again determined to get his dinner without working for it, and having set his noose, he sauntered up to the cooking pots when all the animals were out at work and began to eat. He thought that the beans were even nicer than usual. They were so deliciously salty. But before Kalulu could finish, Nkuvu had bitten tightly on to his foot.

The rabbit screamed, he pleaded, he threatened and offered bribes, but all to no purpose. Nkuvu said nothing, but simply held on to Kalulu's foot, and when the animals returned from the building of the new village Kalulu was still a prisoner.

At once the animals saw who the thief really was, and they determined to pay him back exactly as he had treated them. For six days he had to do without any dinner, and every day they went off to work leaving Kalulu tied by a noose to a tree. By the time that this punishment was finished the rabbit was so thin that the animals took pity on him and let him go, warning him that it was better to work for his food than to steal it, and that though a thief may escape for a time, he will at last surely be caught.

Hombres Maravillosos

En épocas remotas, cuando todavía no existían ni trenes ni automóviles ni ningún otro modo de locomoción, sucedió que un hombre, corredor de profesión, al enterarse de que estaba enfermo el rey, se lanzó a la carrera en la dirección de Madrid.
Durante la marcha, observó a un hombre que, inclinado hacia el suelo, aplicaba el oído a la tierra. Acercándose a él, le preguntó:

-Buen hombre, ¿Qué haces en esa postura?
-Estoy tratando de escuchar el ruido de la semilla al reventar.

Vivamente impresionado el corredor, insistió:

-¿Pero, es que tú oyes el ruido que hace la semilla al reventar?
-¡Ya lo creo que sí!-aseguró el hombre del oído penetrante.
-Ya veo que tú eres más inteligente que los demás. ¿Por qué no te vienes conmigo a Madrid? Como el rey está enfermo, ¡Quién sabe si nos necesitará!.
-¡Ah!, Pues me parece muy bien. Te acompañaré.

Salieron, pues, los dos camino de Madrid. Mientras caminaban, les llamó la atención un hombre que, con los dos pies clavados en el suelo, apuntaba con el cañón de su escopeta hacia las nubes.
Se aproximaron para preguntarle:

-¿A qué se debe esta actitud tan extraña?
-Pues, mirad -les contestó-; en este momento acabo de hacer blanco en aquel animal que empieza a descender desde las alturas.

Ninguno de los dos hombres, por más esfuerzos que hacían, llegaban a alcanzar nada con sus ojos.

-Pero, ¿dónde ves ese animal?
-¡Allá! -apuntaba concretamente el cazador-. ¿Pero es que no lo veis?

Los dos hombres se miraron atónitos y le propusieron:

-Buen hombre, estamos maravillados de tu hazaña. Estamos seguros que nadie puede hacer lo que tú haces. ¿Por qué no te vienes con nosotros a Madrid? El rey está enfermo y acaso necesite nuestra ayuda.

El cazador, colgándose la escopeta al hombro, aceptó también la propuesta:

-De acuerdo; me voy con vosotros.

Caminaban los tres en la dirección de Madrid, cuando observaron a un hombre que se sonaba persistentemente la nariz.

-Pero, ¿a qué viene toda esa aparatosa insistencia en sonarte la nariz? -le preguntaron, aproximándose a él.
-Os llama la atención, ¿verdad? -les contestó un tanto socarrón-. Pues, merced a este extraño comportamiento, consigo mover aquel molino de viento con sólo el soplo de mi nariz.

Los tres compañeros no salían de su asombro y se aventuraron a invitarle:

-Nosotros vamos a Madrid porque sabemos que el rey está enfermo. Si te animas a acompañarnos. A lo mejor puede necesitar de nuestra ayuda.

-¡Andando! -respondió decidido.

De esta manera, el equipo quedaba integrado ya por cuatro personas. Apenas habían recorrido un buen trecho de camino, cuando se ofreció ante sus ojos la estampa de un leñador que, a golpe de hacha, cortaba un enorme madero. Entablaron diálogo:

-¿Ya vas a poder cortar todo ese tronco a golpe de hacha? -le preguntaron curiosos.
-Sí, iCómo no!
-Y, ¿cómo vas a poder transportar todo ese peso después de cortado? -volvieron a insitir.
-Cargándomelo sobre el hombro -contestó con naturalidad el leñador.

Los cuatro compañeros se sentían impresionados por la fuerza de aquel leñador, y como en las ocasiones anteriores, le dijeron también a él:

-¡Si quieres acompañarnos camino de Madrid.! Nos han informado que el rey está enfermo. Y, ya sabes, vamos a ofrecernos por si nos necesita.
-También yo me voy con vosotros.

Y así es como este quinteto humano dio cima a su empeño, presentándose delante de la puerta del palacio real. Estaban los cinco hombres al acecho, ante la puerta de palacio, buscando la primera oportunidad para entrar, cuando acertó a pasar el médico del rey.
El médico, después de visitar al ilustre enfermo, le recetó con urgencia agua de un lejano balneario.
Las gentes de palacio, ofrecieron, nada menos, que siete pellejos de buey llenos de oro a quien antes trajese el agua prescrita. Al tener noticia de tal demanda, uno de los cinco, que para eso era
corredor, se ofreció para cumplir el encargo.
Pero una mujer avispada, que también estaba a la expectativa, salió, asimismo en busca del agua
rnedicinal. Partieron los dos contendientes, provistos de cántaros para el agua. Los demás, se quedaron nerviosos esperando el desenlace.
Muy pronto, el hombre aventajó a la mujer. Pero, he aquí, que, cuando el hombre venía, ya de vuelta, con su carga de agua, se encontró con la mujer. La mujer le dijo:

-Hombre, ya ves que tienes ganada la apuesta. Vamos a pararnos a charlar un rato mientras descansamos.

Mientras descansaban y hablaban, la mujer, que tenía toda la ilusión cifrada en ganar la apuesta, ofreció al hombre la adormidera. Casi inmediatamente, el hombre dormía profundamente con la cabeza reclinada sobre una piedra. La mujer aprovechó esa circunstancia para hacerse con los cántaros del hombre llenos de agua y, dejando allí mismo el suyo vacío, salió apresuradamente hacia Madrid.
Los compañeros aguardaban, entre tanto, impacientes queriendo saber alguna noticia del curso de la carrera. El hombre que oía el ruido de la semilla al germinar, adivinó por el ruido, los pasos de la mujer. Se acercó a sus compañeros:

-Tenemos mala suerte. La mujer viene aventajando al hombre. Hemos perdido.

No es para contar el nerviosismo que se apoderó de aquellos hombres. Entonces, el cazador, avizoró el horizonte, y pudo observar que su compañero, con la cabeza recostada sobre una piedra, dormía
profundamente. Sin pensarlo ni un solo instante, se echó al hombro la escopeta, y disparó un tiro tan certero, que hizo diana, rompiendo la piedra sobre la que descansaba.
Despertó el hombre, y tomando el cántaro vacío, se fue velozmente a llenarlo de agua al balneario.
Recorrió su camino con tanta rapidez, que pudo llegar a Madrid antes que la mujer.
Le dieron los siete pellejos de buey llenos de oro y cargaron todo el peso sobre las espaldas del hombre forzudo.

Volvían felices y contentos, cantando, hacia sus casas, cuando los madrileños, arrepentidos de la generosidad de su premio que empezaron a juzgar excesivo, marcharon tras de ellos con una numerosa tropa. Pero el hombre que, con el soplo de su nariz movía el molino, los aventó a todos como si fueran hojas secas. A partir de aquel día, disfrutaron de la vida con abundancia de dinero.

El Tordo, la Paloma y el Zorro

El tordo, la paloma y el zorro se asociaron para trabajar juntos en la explotación de un monte. El zorro les propuso:

-Yo me comprometo a cavar toda la finca a condición de que vosotros os encarguéis de cercarla.

El tordo y la paloma cercaron la finca. A continuación, el zorro añadió:

-Yo me comprometo a sembrar el trigo a condición de que vosotros os encarguéis de cavar.
El tordo y la paloma cavaron la finca. Todavía el zorro insistió:

-Yo me comprometo a realizar toda la labor de la siega a condición de que vosotros sembréis el trigo.

De este modo, el zorro consiguió que el tordo y la paloma realizaran todas las faenas.

Llegó, por fin, la hora del reparto. El zorro, dirigiéndose a la paloma y al tordo, decidió:

-Porque tú eres blanca, para ti la paja. Porque tú eres negro, para ti la cizaña. Y porque yo soy el zorro de cabeza rubia... para mí los trigos dorados.

The Bright Pearl

Long, long ago there was a snow-white Jade Dragon, living in a rock cave on the east bank of the Celestial River. In the great forest across the river lived a beautiful Golden Phoenix.

Leaving their home every morning, the dragon and the phoenix met each other before going their different ways. One flew in the sky, while the other swam in the Celestial River. One day both came to a fairy island. There they found a shining pebble and were fascinated by its beauty.

"Look, how beautiful this pebble is!" Golden Phoenix said to Jade Dragon.

"Let's carve it into a pearl," said Jade Dragon.

Golden Phoenix nodded in agreement. Then they started working on it, Jade Dragon using his claws and Golden Phoenix her beak. They carved the pebble day after day, month after month, until they finally made it into a perfect small round ball. In high spirits Golden Phoenix flew to the sacred mountain to gather dewdrops and Jade Dragon carried a lot of clear water from the Celestial River. They sprinkled and washed the ball with dew and water. Gradually the ball turned into a dazzling pearl.

They had become attached to each other and both loved the pearl dearly. Neither wanted to go back to the cave and the forest. So they settled down on the fairy island guarding the pearl.

It was magic pearl. Wherever it shone, things grew better. Trees became green all the year round, flowers of all seasons bloomed together and the land yielded a richer harvest.

One day the Queen Mother of Heaven left her palace and saw the brilliant rays shed by the pearl. Overwhelmed by the sight, she was eager to acquire it. She sent one of her guards to go in the middle of the night to steal the pearl from Jade Dragon and Golden Phoenix while they were fast asleep. When the guard came back with it, the Queen Mother was very pleased. She would not show it to anyone, but immediately hid it in the innermost room of her palace, to reach which one had to pass through nine locked doors.

When Jade Dragon and Golden Phoenix woke up in the morning they found the pearl gone. Frantically, they searched high and low for it. Jade Dragon looked into every nook and cranny at the bottom of the Celestial River, while Golden Phoenix combed every inch of the sacred mountain, but in vain. They continued their unhappy search day and night, hoping to recover their treasured pearl.

On the birthday of the Queen Mother, all the gods and goddesses in Heaven came to her palace to offer their congratulations. She prepared a grand feast, entertaining her guests with nectar and celestial peaches, the fruit of immortality. The gods and goddesses all said to her, "May your fortune be as boundless as the East Sea and your life last long like the South Mountain!" The Queen Mother was excited and, on a sudden impulse, declared, "My immortal friends, I want to show you a precious pearl which cannot be found either in Heaven or on earth."

So she unfastened nine keys from her girdle and unlocked the nine doors one after the other. From the innermost room of her palace she took out the bright pearl, placed it on a golden tray and carried it carefully to the center of the banquet hall. The whole hall was instantly lit by the pearl. The guests were fascinated by its radiance and greatly admired it.

In the meantime, Jade Dragon and Golden Phoenix were continuing their fruitless search. Suddenly Golden Phoenix saw its bright light. She called to Jade Dragon, "Look, isn't that the light from our pearl?"

Jade Dragon stuck his head out of the Celestial River and looked. "Of course! No doubt about it! Let's go and get it back."

They flew towards the light, which led them to the palace of the Queen Mother. When they landed there, they found the immortals crowding around the pearl and praising it lavishly. Pushing through the crowd, Jade Dragon and Golden Phoenix shouted together, "This is our pearl!"

The Queen Mother was so enraged by their claim that she snapped, "Nonsense! I'm the mother of the Heavenly Emperor. All treasures belong to me!"

Jade Dragon and Golden Phoenix were infuriated by her remarks. They protested, "Heaven did not give birth to this pearl, nor was it grown on earth. It was carved and polished by us. It took many years' hard work."

Shamed and angry, the Queen Mother clutched the tray tightly while ordering her palace guards to eject Jade Dragon and Golden Phoenix. But they fought their way back, determined to snatch the pearl from the Queen Mother. The three struggled over the golden tray with all their might. As the tray shook amidst the tussle, the pearl fell off, rolled to the edge of the stairs and then dropped into the air.

Jade Dragon and Golden Phoenix rushed out of the palace, trying to save it from being dashed to pieces. They flew beside the falling pearl, until it slowly landed on earth. When it touched the ground the pearl immediately turned into a clear, green lake. Jade Dragon and Golden Phoenix could not bear to part from it, and so they changed themselves into two mountains, remaining forever by the side of the lake.

Since then Jade Dragon Mountain and Golden Phoenix Mountain have quietly stood beside the West Lake.

El Sacerdote que Alcanzaba a Ver La Meca

Un sacerdote musulmán fue invitado a comer por una devota pareja. Al cruzar el umbral de la casa, el mulá grito repentinamente: "¡Fuera! ¡Fuera!", como si estuviera espantando a un animal. Su anfitrión le preguntó por qué gritaba así y el sacerdote le explicó:

-Acabo de ver un perro que se colaba en la sagrada Kaaba de La Meca. Por eso lo he espantado.

El anfitrión quedó profundamente impresionado por los poderes espirituales de aquel mulá que le permitían ver lo que sucedía en La Meca, a miles de kilómetros de distancia.

Pero la señora de la casa tenía sus dudas. Al servirle la comida al sacerdote, escondió el curry debajo del arroz. Y el mulá, al ver curry en los demás platos y en el suyo no, echó un vistazo a su alrededor.

-¿Quieres algo? -le preguntó la mujer.
-No veo curry en mi plato -dijo el mulá.
-Tu que alcanzas a ver La Meca -replicó ella-, ¿no puedes ver lo que hay debajo del arroz?

Bopoluchi

A number of young girls were drawing water at the village well and telling each other their fantasies of when and whom and how they would marry.

One of them said, "My uncle will come loaded with wedding presents and dress me in brocade, and I'll get married in a palace."

Another said, "My uncle is coming soon with a camel-load of sweets."

The third said, "Oh, my uncle will be here in no time in a golden carriage filled with jewels."

Bopoluchi was the prettiest of them all and she looked sad---she was an orphan and had no one in the world to arrange a marriage for her or give her a dowry. Still, not to be outdone by the others, she said, "And my uncle will bring me dresses, sweets, and jewels in golden plates."

A robber, disguised as a peddler selling perfumes to country women, happened to be sitting near the well. He heard what Bopoluchi said. He was so struck by her beauty and spirit that he decided to marry her himself. So the very next day, he disguised himself as a rich farmer and came to Bopoluchi's hut with trays full of silken dresses, sweets, and rare jewels---things he had looted and put away.

Bopoluchi could hardly believe her eyes, for it was just as she had fantasized.

The robber even said he was her uncle, her father's long-lost brother, and had come home to arrange his niece's wedding with one of his sons.

Bopoluchi couldn't believe her ears, but she believed him and was ecstatic. She packed up her few belongings and set off with the robber.

But as they went along the road, a crow in a tree croaked:

"Bopoluchi, beware!

Smell the danger in the air!

It's no uncle that relieves you

But a robber who deceives you!"

"Uncle," said Bopoluchi, "that crow croaks in a funny way. What does it say?""Nothing," said the robber. "All the crows in this country croak like that."

A little farther on, they met a peacock which, as soon as it caught sight of the pretty girl, began to scream:

"Bopoluchi, beware!

Smell the danger in the air!

It's no uncle that relieves you

But a robber who deceives you!"

"Uncle," said the girl, "that peacock screams in a funny way. What does it say?"

"Oh, nothing," said the robber. "All the peacocks scream like that in this country."Then a jackal slunk across the road and began to howl:

"Bopoluchi, beware!

Smell the danger in the air!

It's no uncle that relieves you

But a robber who deceives you!"

"Uncle," said Bopoluchi, "that jackal howls in such a funny way. What does it say?"

"Oh, nothing," said the robber. "All the jackals howl like that in this country."

So Bopoluchi traveled with him many miles till they reached the robber's house. Once they were inside, he locked the door and told her who he was and how he wanted to marry her himself. She wept and wailed, but the pitiless robber left her with his ancient crone of a mother and went out to make arrangements for the marriage feast.

Now Bopoluchi had long, beautiful hair that reached down to her ankles, but the mother of the robber was so old she didn't have a hair on her head.

"Daughter," said the old hag, as she was getting the bridal clothes ready, "how did you manage to get such beautiful hair?"

"Well," replied Bopoluchi, "my mother had a way of making it grow by pounding my head in the big mortar for husking rice. At every stroke of the pestle, my hair grew longer and longer. It's a method that never fails."

"Maybe it will work for me, too, and make my hair grow," said the old woman, who had always wanted long hair and never had very much."Maybe it will. Why don't we try it?" said Bopoluchi.

So the old mother put her head in the mortar, and Bopoluchi pounded away with such force that the old woman died.

Then Bopoluchi dressed the dead body in the scarlet bridal dress, seated it on the bridal chair, drew the veil over its face, and put the spinning-wheel in front of it, so that when the robber came home he might think it was his bride. Then she put on the old woman's clothes, picked up her few belongings, and stepped out of the house as quickly as possible.

On her way home, the robber saw her hurrying by. He had stolen a millstone to grind the grain for the feast. She was scared he would recognize her, but he didn't. He thought she was some old woman hobbling along. So Bopoluchi reached home safely.

When the robber came home and saw the figure in the bridal dress sitting in the bridal chair spinning, he thought it was Bopoluchi. He called her to help him with the millstone, but she didn't answer. He called again, but she still didn't answer. After calling a few more times, he flew into a rage and threw the millstone at her head. The figure toppled over, and when he came close, it wasn't Bopoluchi at all but his own old mother with her head bashed in. The robber wept and cried aloud and beat his breast because he thought he had killed his own mother. Soon it became clear to him that Bopoluchi was no longer around and had run away. He was wild with rage and ran out to bring her back, wherever she was.

When she reached home, Bopoluchi knew that the robber would certainly come after her. Every night she begged her neighbors to let her sleep in a different house, leaving her own little bed in her own little house empty. But she couldn't do this forever, as she soon came to the end of friends who would let her sleep in their houses. So she decided to brave it out and sleep in her own bed, with a sharp billhook next to her. Sure enough, in the middle of the night four men crept in, and each seizing a leg of the bed, lifted it up and walked off. The robber himself held the leg close behind her head. Bopoluchi was wide awake, but she pretended to be fast asleep until they came to a deserted spot and the thieves were off their guard. Then she whipped out the billhook and in a flash cut off the heads of the two thieves at the foot of the bed. Turning around quickly, she cut off the head of the third thief, but the robber himself ran away in a fright and scrambled up a nearby tree like a wild cat before she could get at him.

Bopoluchi cried out to him, brandishing her billhook, "Come down, if you are a man, and fight it out!"

But the robber would not come down. So Bopoluchi gathered all the sticks she could find, piled them around the tree, and set fire to them. The tree caught fire, and the robber, stifled by the smoke, tried to jump down and broke his neck.

After that, Bopoluchi went to the robber's house and carried off all the gold and silver, jewels, and clothes that were hidden there. She had them brought home to her village in silver and gold platters, on camels and donkeys. She was now so rich she could marry anyone she pleased.

Reason and Fortune

Once Reason met Fortune on a footbridge.

"Let me pass," said Fortune.

Reason was inexperienced and did not know who should go first and said: "Why should I let you pass? You are not better than me."

The one who manages to do more," answered Fortune, "is better. Can you see that boy who ploughs the field? Get inside him and if he is better with you than with me, I will let you pass any time and anywhere we will meet.

Reason agreed and got inside the boy's head.

When the boy felt reason in his head, he began to think: Why should I plough field all my life? I could be happy somewhere else too."

He stopped ploughing and went home.

"Daddy," he said, "I do not like farming, I would like to learn to be a gardener."

His dad said: "Have you become a fool?" But when he thought it over, he said: "If you want to, Vanek, you can, God be with you. Your brother will inherit our house from me instead of you."
Vanek lost the house but he did not mind it. He went away and began to learn at the royal gardener. He learnt very quickly and the gardener did not have to teach him much. Soon Vanek began to learn himself and did not need the gardener.

The gardener did not like it but when he saw that everything is being done well, he was satisfied: "I see that you are wiser than me," he said and let Vanek do everything himself.

The garden was nicer and nicer and the king was very pleased and walked in the garden very often with the queen and their only daughter. The daughter was very beautiful girl but she stopped speaking when she was twelve and nobody heard her to speak since that time. The king was troubled by it very much and announced that who would teach her to speak, becames her husband. Many young kings, princes and dukes came to try it but nobody managed it. The princess was silent.

"Why couldn't I try it too? Maybe, I will be lucky," thought Vanek, "I will be asking her, she has to answer me."

He went to the king and was led to the room where the king's daughter was. She had a small dog and liked him very much because the dog was very smart and understood everything she wanted.

When Vanek and the king entered the room, he did not even notice the princess but began to talk to the dog: "I heard that you are very smart and I want advice from you. We were three journeymen--a carver, a tailor and me. Once we went through a forest and we had to sleep there. We were scared of wolves so we made fire. Each of us was to watch for some time. Firstly, the carver watched and because he had not much to do. He took a piece of wood and made a nice girl of it. Then he woke the tailor. The tailor saw the girl and asked what it was. 'You see,' said the carver, 'I did not know what to do, so I made this girl. If you want you can make dress for her.' The tailor took scissors, neddle and thread and began to sew. When the dress was made, he put it on the girl. Then he asked me to watch. I asked what the girl was. 'You see,' said the tailor, 'the carver made this girl and I sewed the dress for her. If you want, you can teach her to speak.' And I really taught her to speak. In the morning, when they woke up, everybody wanted to have the girl. The carver said: 'I made her.' The tailor said: 'I made dress for her.' I also wanted to have the girl. Tell me, little dog, who should have the girl?"

The dog was silent but the princess answered instead of him: "Who else than you should have her? What is carver's girl without life? What is tailor's dress without speech? You gave her the best gift--life and speech--you should have the girl."

" You decided about yourself," said Vanek, "I gave speech and new life to you, so you should be mine."

One of the king's counsellor said: "His Majesty will give you a good raward because you managed to give speech to the princess but you cannot marry her, you are not of a noble origin."
The king said: "You cannot marry her. I will give you a good reward."

Vanek, however, did not want even hear about the reward: "The king promised: 'who will make his daughter speak, will marry her.' The king's word is law and if the king wants people to behave according to law, he must behave in that way too. The king must give me his daughter."
"Bind him up," shouted the counsellor, "he said that the king must do somethhing, he will die. Your Majesty, his head should be cut."

The king said: "Cut his head off."

Vanek was bound up and led to the place of execution. When they came there, Fortune said to Reason: "You see, he is not very well with you, his head will be cut. Get out so I can get into your place."

When Fortune got inside Vanek, the headsman's sword broke. Before they brought another sword, the royal bugler came and after him the royal coach.

The king's daughter said to her father that Vanek was right and the king's word should not be cancelled and that the king can make duke of Vanek.

The king said: "You are right, he will be the duke."

They sent a coach for Vanek and istead of Vanek's head, the head of the counsellor was cut because his advice was not wise.

When there was the wedding reception, Reason came there but seeing he would meet Fortune, he ran away. Since that time, when Reason meets Fortune, Reason gets away so Fortune can pass.

The Bachelors and the Python

There were only two unmarried men in the village. All the rest had found suitable partners, but Kalemeleme was so gentle that he would not stand up for his own rights, or anyone else's, while Kinku was so bad-tempered that no one could stand his tantrums for long.
Thus these two lived in unhappy loneliness, until one day Kalemeleme took his bow and arrows and going into the forest in the early morning, when the dew was on the grass, he shot a grey wild-cat and a brown wild-cat.

On his way home he met Moma, the great rock python, mightiest snake in the forest, and was about to shoot when Moma pleaded, "Gentle one, have mercy on me, for I am stiff with cold. Take me to the river where it is warm."
Touched with pity, Kalemeleme took the great reptile on his shoulders to the stream and threw him in.

Moma lifted his head above the reeds and said, "Thank you, gentle one. I have seen your loneliness. Throw in your grey wild-cat and your brown wild-cat and take what the water-spirit gives you."

Kalemeleme threw his grey wild-cat and his brown wildcat into the river. Immediately the water began to ripple and grow redder and redder until beneath the surface there appeared a great, red, open mouth.

He put in his hand and pulled out a gourd. He took it home and opened it, when out stepped . . . the most beautiful girl that was ever seen, and she was as good as she was lovely. She could weave mats, plait baskets, and make pots; she kept the house so neat, and cultivated the garden so well, she prepared the food so carefully and helped her neighbors so willingly, that soon Kalemeleme and his beautiful wife were the favourites of the village.

Kinku came to him and asked, "Tell me, Kalemeleme, where did you get your wife?"
"The water-spirit gave her to me," Kalemeleme replied, and he told him the circumstances.
"Well, I want a wife too," said Kinku, so he took his bow and his arrows and went off into the forest when the sun was boiling hot overhead.

He killed a grey wild-cat and a brown wild-cat. On his way home he too met Moma, the mighty python, wilting with the heat under a bush. He was about to shoot when Moma pleaded, "Mercy, Kinku. Have mercy on me for I am suffocated with this heat. Take me to the river where it's cool."

"What! Take you, a loathsome reptile? Find your own way to the river!"

"Very well. Come along." And the snake glided through the undergrowth, while Kinku followed.
Moma plunged into the water and, lifting his head above the reeds, he called out, "Kinku. I have seen your loneliness. Now throw in your grey wild-cat and your brown wild-cat and take what the water-spirit gives you."

Kinku threw in his grey wild-cat and his brown wildcat. At once the water began to ripple and became redder and redder, until beneath the surface Kinku saw a huge open mouth.
He put in his hand and drew out a pumpkin. He staggered home with it. It became heavier and heavier as he went, and at last he dropped it. It cracked, and out stepped . . . the ugliest woman that ever was, and before he could recover from his shock she boxed him soundly on the ears, and taking him by the nose she said, "Come on, Kinku. I am your wife."

She didn't give him the chance to say "no", but pummelled him and biffed him, bullied him and blamed him. She led him a dog's life, for she was as lazy as she was hideous. "Kinku, carry the water! Kinku, cut the firewood! Kinku, cultivate the garden! Kinku, cook the meal!" while she simply lay about and abused him.Of course Kinku blamed the water-spirit, but had he only known it, he had nobody to blame but himself.

La Flauta de Xuan

Hace muchísimos años, en una pequeña aldea en los montes de Asturias vivían Xuan y María. Xuan subía todos los días al monte a cuidar de sus vacas y sus ovejas. Mientras, María le esperaba en casa preparando queso, cuidando de las gallinas y haciendo la comida.

Xuan buscaba los mejores pastos para su ganado y cuando encontraba un buen lugar para ellos, se echaba debajo de un árbol a comer queso y luego se entretenía tocando la flauta. La flauta de Xuan no era una flauta cualquiera: era mágica. La había heredado de su padre, y éste de su abuelo, y éste de su bisabuelo, y así desde hacía muchísimas generaciones. Y siempre la tendría el pastor que subiera al monte porque sin ella corría un grave peligro.

Los montes de Asturias estaban llenos de cuélebres, unas serpientes verdes y rojas con cabeza y alas de dragón que tenían el tamaño de un hombre, y de guaxas, unas brujas feas y encorvadas que sólo tenían un diente en su boca.

Pero también había en los bosques Xanas, que son las hadas buenas y unos pequeños duendecillos llamados trasgos que fueron los que hicieron esta flauta para que los pastores de la familia de Xuan pudieran defenderse de los cuélebres y las guaxas. Éstos se mantenían alejados de allí donde sonara la xipla, que era el nombre que le daban a esta flauta.

Un día, Xuan andaba muy cansado por el monte porque la noche anterior había sido la fiesta de su aldea y, ya se sabe, quien va de romería se arrepiente al otro día. Así, Xuan buscó una buena pradera para el rebaño y allí se tumbó bajo un roble a comer queso y a dormir esa siesta que tanto le pedía el cuerpo.

Cuando despertó, la flauta no estaba donde la había dejado. Miró por todas partes: entre las ovejas, entre las vacas, bajo el roble,... Incluso miró a ver si es que se la había olvidado allá donde había estado haciendo pis antes de echarse a dormir. Pero nada, no estaba. La flauta había desaparecido.

Y es que mientras él dormía, el cuélebre mayor y la guaxa de ese bosque, que le habían estado espiando, le robaron la flauta. Ahora Xuan estaba indefenso ante multitud de peligros que le acechaban. Él lo sabía y por eso volvió muerto de miedo a su casa a contarle a María lo que le había pasado.

Cuando atravesaba un pequeño bosque de avellanos que había antes de su casa, una luz blanca intensísima apareció ante él. Era una xana, el hada buena del bosque de la que le habían hablado cuando era niño y que pensaba que no era más que un mito. Ésta le dijo: "Xuan, no busques más la flauta porque te la han robado el cuélebre mayor y la guaxa. Lo único que puedes hacer es preparar una infusión con estas hierbas y dárselas a las ovejas. Mañana sube al monte y espera". Entonces Xuan intentó hablar, preguntarle cómo sabía todo eso, cuál era su nombre. Pero fue inútil. Con una xana no se conversa. Hay que estar lo agradecido por poder verla. Sólo dijo: "No hables, Xuan. Ve y dale a María las hierbas y que prepare la infusión. Que la fuerza os acompañe. Vete Xuan". Y desapareció.

En cuanto llegó a casa, le contó a María todo lo ocurrido y ésta preparó enseguida la infusión y se la dio a las ovejas para que la bebieran. Al día siguiente Xuan subió al monte con miedo por no llevar su flauta protectora pero confiando en que el remedio de la xana hiciera algún tipo de efecto. Sin embargo, pasaban la horas y nada ocurría.

Cuando Xuan vio que el sol se dirigía hacia la cumbre que estaba al oeste, decidió que ya era hora de irse porque en caso contrario se le iba a echar la noche encima. Al pasar por el bosque de avellanos cercano a su casa oyó un estruendo enorme a su izquierda. Miró allí y vio a cuatro enormes cuélebres que se lanzaban sobre sus ovejas. Él no podía hacer nada. Eran enormes y estaban muertos de hambre. Incluso la guaxa participaba del festín: con su único diente mordía la cabeza de un animal para chuparle la sangre. El miedo le impedía moverse. Ni siquiera pudo esconderse. Allí estaba, viendo como aquellos seres repulsivos devoraban sus ovejas.

Entonces ocurrió. Los cuélebres se fueron haciendo cada vez más y más pequeños. Primero adoptaron el tamaño de la guaxa, luego el de la oveja y, finalmente, se hicieron tan pequeños como el brazo de un bebé. Y la guaxa, que se reía de ellos al ver como se transformaban, comenzó también a menguar. Menguó y menguó hasta ser más pequeña que ellos. Y los cuélebres, viendo que ya no podían comer una oveja porque era mucho más grande que ellos, atacaron a lo único que se podían llevar a la boca, la guaxa. Y cuando se relamían del último bocado se dieron cuenta del tamaño que tenía Xuan con relación a ellos e intentaron huir de él, pues era un gigante para ellos, pero no pudieron volar porque las alas se les habían caído al menguar. Ahora ya ni siquiera eran cuélebres chiquititos. No eran más que lagartos. Y todos los lagartos que corretean por Asturias en la actualidad son sus descendientes. Ahora, además, nos hacen un bien, porque se comen los insectos. Así que cuando estés en Asturias y veas un lagarto, no lo mates, obsérvalo y recuerda que antes fueron unos seres monstruosos que atemorizaban a los asturianos y que ahora redimen sus pecados ayudándonos.

A todo esto, Xuan y María vivieron felices el resto de su vida. Él iba al monte con el rebaño y con la flauta, para no perder la tradición, y ella le esperaba y, a su vuelta, tomaban juntos una botella de sidra, como harás tú cuando vayas a Asturias a ver los lagartos.