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The country of the
cannibals (2)
About that time another merchant was driven by stress of
weather to the country of the cannibals, and had hardly stepped
ashore before he observed a young man whom he knew at once to
be of Chinese origin. The young man asked him whence he came,
and finally took him into a cave hid away in a dark valley and
concealed by the dense jungle. There he bade him remain, and in
a little while he returned with some deer's flesh, which he gave
the merchant to eat, saying at the same time that his own father
was a Chiao-chou man. The merchant now knew that the young
man was Hsu's son, he himself being acquainted with Hsu as a
trader in the same line of business. "Why, he's an old friend of
mine," cried the latter; "his other son is now a colonel." The
young man did not know what was meant by a colonel, so the
merchant told him it was the title of a Chinese mandarin. "And
what is a mandarin?" asked the youth. "A mandarin," replied
the merchant, "is one who goes out with a chair and horses; who
at home sits upon a dais in the hall; whose summons is answered
by a hundred voices; who is looked at only with sidelong eyes,
and in whose presence all people stand aslant; - this is to be a
mandarin." The young man was deeply touched at this recital,
and at length the merchant said to him, "Since your honoured
father is at Chiao-chou, why do you remain here?"
"Indeed," replied the youth, "I have often indulged the same
feeling; but my mother is not a Chinese woman, and, apart from
the difference of her language and appearance, I fear that if the
other cannibals found it out they would do us some mischief."
He then took his leave, being in rather a disturbed state of mind,
and bade the merchant wait until the wind should prove favourable, when he promised to come and see him off, and charge him
with a letter to his father and brother.
Six months the merchant remained in that cave, occasionally
taking a peep at the cannibals passing backwards and forwards,
but not daring to leave his retreat. As soon as the monsoon set in
the young man arrived and urged him to hurry away, begging
him, also, not to forget the letter to his father. So the merchant
sailed away and soon reached Chiao-chou, where he visited the
colonel and told him the whole story. Piao was much affected,
and wished to go in search of those members of the family; but
his father feared the dangers he would encounter, and advised
him not to think of such a thing. However, Piao was not to be deterred; and having imparted his scheme to the Commander-in-
Chief, he took with him two soldiers and set off.
Adverse winds prevailed at that time, and they beat about for
half a moon, until they were out of sight of all land, could not see
a foot before them, and had completely lost their reckoning. Just
then a mighty sea arose and capsized their boat, tossing Piao into
the water, where he floated about for some time at the will of the
waves, until suddenly somebody dragged him out and carried him
into a house. Then he saw that his rescuer was to all appearances
a cannibal, and accordingly he addressed him in the language of
the country, and told him whither he himself was bound. "It is
my native place," replied the cannibal, in astonishment; "but
you will excuse my saying that you are now 8000 li out of your
course. This is the way to the country of the Poisonous Dragons,
and not your route at all." He then went off to find a boat for Piao, and, himself swimming in the water behind, pushed it along
like an arrow from a bow, so quickly that by the next day they
had traversed the whole distance.
On the shore Piao observed a young man walking up and
down and evidently watching him; and, knowing that no human
beings dwelt there, he guessed at once that he was his
brother. Approaching more closely, he saw that he was right; and seizing the young
man's hand, he asked after his mother and sister. On hearing that
they were well, he would have gone directly to see them; but the
younger one begged him not to do so, and ran away himself to
fetch them. Meanwhile, Piao turned to thank the cannibal who
had brought him there, but he, too, had disappeared. In a few
minutes his mother and sister arrived, and, on seeing Piao, they
could not restrain their tears. Piao then laid his scheme before
them, and when they said they feared people would ill-treat them,
he replied, "In China I hold a high position, and people will not
dare to show you disrespect." Thus they determined to go.
The wind, however, was against them, and mother and son
were at a loss what to do, when suddenly the sail bellied out to-
wards the south, and a rustling sound was heard. "Heaven helps
us, my mother!" cried Piao, full of joy; and, hurrying on board
at once, in three days they had reached their destination. As they
landed the people fled right and left in fear, Piao having divided
his own clothes amongst the party; and when they arrived at the
house, and his mother saw Hsu, she began to rate him soundly
for running away without her. Hsu hastened to acknowledge his
error, and then all the family and servants were introduced to
her, each one being in mortal dread of such a singular personage.
Piao now bade his mother learn to talk Chinese, and gave her
any quantity of fine clothes and rich meats, to the infinite delight
of the old lady. She and her daughter both dressed in man's
clothes, and by the end of a few months were able to understand
what was said to them. The brother, named Pao [Leopard], and
the sister, Yeh [Night], were both clever enough, and immensely
strong into the bargain. Piao was ashamed that Pao could not
read, and set to work to teach him; and the youngster was so
quick that he learnt the Sacred Books and histories by merely
reading them once over. However, he would not enter upon a
literary career, loving better to draw a strong bow or ride a
spirited horse, and finally taking the highest military degree. He
married well; but his sister had some trouble in getting a husband, because of her being the child of a cannibal woman.
At length a serjeant, named Yuan, who was under her brother's
command, and had become a widower, consented to take her as
his wife. She could draw a hundred-catty bow, and shoot birds at
a hundred paces without ever missing. Whenever Yuan went on a
campaign she went with him; and his subsequent rise to high rank
was chiefly due to her.
At thirty-four years of age Pao got a command; and in his
great battles his mother, clad in armour and grasping a spear,
would fight by his side, to the terror of all their adversaries; and
when he himself received the dignity of an hereditary title, he
memorialised the Throne to grant his mother the title of "lady".
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