中国古代神话故事三则

ThemythofancientchinaWhatismyth?Mythisthestoryorfolktalesformancienttimes,especiallyisonethattoldtoexplainnaturaleventsortodescribecertainpeopleofearlyhistory.愚公移山OldFoolMovesMountainsOnceuponatime,thereweretwolargemountaincalledWang-wuandTai-hang,whichsatbetweenOldManYuandthenearestvillage.Everyday,OldManYuhadtowalkmanyextramilesinordertocirclearoundthesetwomountains,andfinallyhedecidedtosimplymovethemountainoutofhisway.OldManYucalledtogetherhischildrenandgrandchildrenandsays“IamgoingtomoveWang-wuandTai-hang.Thefamilycheered.Theyoungeststoodandaskedwherethemoutaincouldbemoved.OldManYuthoughtforasecondandsaysIwilldumpitinthesea.Andso,heledallhischildrenandgrandchildrentomovethemountainlittlebylittle,daybyday.Inspiredbyhisspirit,hisneighborsandvillagerswerealsojoinedhim.Althoughonlyatinyportionofmountainhadbeencartedintothesea.AshopkeeperinthevillagelaughedatOldManYu.Yourdreamisfoolish.Youareold,Besides,Wang-wuandTai-hangismonstrous,Itisimpossibleforyoutoremovethem.OldManYushookhisheadandsmiled.Youareright,butyourvisionisshort.Ihavechildrenwhohavechildrenwhowillbearmorechildren.Astimegoeson,Wegetstrongerandthemountaingrowsweaker.WangwuandTaihangwillberemovedintheend.TheoldmanYu’sspiritalsomovedtheGodofHeaven,thentheGodsenttwoenduritoearthandremovedtwomountainsovernight.Fromthattime,abroadwayappearedinfrontofOldmanYu’shouseinsteadofanyblockage.精卫填海JingweifillsuptheseaOnceuponatime,thereisanemperorYan,peoplealsocalledhimtheShennongduetohisenlightenmentofgrowingcropandtheinventionofherbalmedicine.EmperorYanhadayoungestdaughterwhoenjoyswimmingverymuch,andsheoftenswimmingintheEastsea.Oneday,whilethegirlwasenjoyingherselfinswimming,astrongwindroseontheseaandherlifewasburiedbythesurgingwaves.Afterherdeath,herspiritturnedintoabeautifulbird.Asitflewovertheroaringsea,itcriedsadlyinthesoundjinwei,jingwei.ThatwaswhypeoplecalleditJingwei.Thebirdhatedtheseasomuchthatitdecidedtofillitupeventotakeathousandyears.Everyday,itflewtoandfrombetweenthemountainandthesea,carryinginatwigorapebblefromthemountainanddroppingitintotheseayearafteryear.Afterthebravebirddied,HeroffspringkeptcarryingtwigsandpebblesfromthemountaintotheEasternSeawithouttakingarest.PeopleusedthestoryofJingweitopraisethosewhoarebeaveandpersistentfromthousandyearsago.嫦娥奔月TheChang'sflytothemoonOnceuponatime,abravemannamedHouYi,whohadshotdowntheNineSunsforthesakeofpeople’slives.AndhehasabeautifulwifenamedChang'e.Theywereallimmortalandwerelivingahappylife.Butitdidn’tlastlong,theGodofHeavensenthisHeavenlyGeneraltoHouyiandChang’eandtoldthemthattheywillbepunishedforshootingdowntheNineSuns,whichisaheavycrimeagainstthelawofheaven.AndlatertheHeavenlyGeneralleftandtooktheirimmortallifeandabilityawayasapunishment.Theywillneverflybacktotheheaven.TheonlywaytoregainthepowerofimmortalistofindtheQueenMotherofKunlungMountainwhohastheelixirofimmortality.Houyisaidgood-byetohisdearwifeandstartedhisjourneyThejourneyislong,andit’shard,HoweverHouyiagainstalloddsarrivedKunlunpalacewheretheQuennMotherlives.HouyimettheQueenMotherinthesplendidpalace,andtheQueenMotherpraisedhimafterheardhismeritsandhisadventureontheroad.ShegaveHouyitwopillsofelixir:“Takeone,youliveforever;taketwo,youwillbeimmortalagain.”Houyireturedwiththeelixir,andtheydecidedtotakeoneforeachthenextday.“Tolivetogetherforeverisalsogreat,thoughwecan’tbeimmortalagain”Houyisaids.ButHouyididn’tknowthathiswifestillmissthelifeoflivingintheheavenasaimmortal.Guiltyasshefelt,ShehadtookbothtwopillsofelixirwhenHouyiwassleeping.Gradually,herbodybecamemoreandmorelighter,shefinallyfloateduptothesky.HoveredabovetheHouyiforawhile,sheflewtothesky.Unexpectedly,shewasdirectlytakentothemoonsomehow.TheallonthemoonwereadesolatepalacenamedGuanghan,acherrybaythatcouldneverbecutdownandtwoanimal—arabbitandatoad.Chang’erealizedthatshewon’tbeabletoreturntotheearthanymoreduetotheelixirshehadtook.Andregretassheis,stayingaloneintheGuanghanPalacetilltheendoftimewillbeherdestinyandpunishmentforgreed.TheEnd!