Wives in the Mirror
In the unknown lands lies a steppe, ten days on a good horse you ride—you won’t ride around it. The land there—no end in sight, the sky—cannot be grasped by the eye. The sky above the steppe is not blue—it’s crimson. Only at its southwestern edge do the shadows of mountains emerge. Villages and hamlets stand in the steppe.In one hamlet lived a mother with her two sons. The kind old woman raised her sons to be exceptionally clever and wise. Her only concern was how to marry them off. The old woman dearly wanted to cradle grandchildren. But her sons seemed indifferent to their mother’s sorrow. No matter how she pleaded, she couldn’t persuade them. Matchmakers wore out more than one pair of shoes running to the suitors—all in vain. The old woman grieved, unable to sleep or rest. And then one night, exactly at midnight, she rose from her bed, opened the door, and saw the sky studded with stars, while around her was pitch darkness. The old woman lifted her head, sighed, and said:
— My dear children, my dear children, where will you find wives to your liking? She said this, but thought to herself: “Surely, the stars heard me, it’s so quiet around.” No sooner had she thought this than she saw—in the southwestern direction, a shining circle, almost larger than the moon, detached from the earth and flew straight toward her. It landed in the yard. The circle shone so brightly it hurt her eyes. The old woman squinted. When she opened her eyes, she saw an elder standing within the circle, his face kind and handsome, his beard white, and in his hand a staff with a dragon’s head. The rays around the elder shone brighter than the circle itself. The elder smiled—his beard swayed—and spoke in a clear voice:
— I have found wives for your sons.
The wrinkles between the mother’s brows did not smooth out. She spread her hands and replied:
— I fear your efforts are in vain, venerable celestial elder! No one will suit my sons’ hearts. But if you allow, I will look at the brides and speak with the matchmakers.
The elder laughed—his beard floated in the air—and said:
— No need for matchmakers, no need for invitations on red paper, and no need for decorated palanquins either. I will give you two mirrors, each with water chestnut flowers on the reverse side. But do not think that the wives in the mirrors are a deception. On the third day of the third moon, exactly at midnight, take the mirror, turn it to the southwest, and a beam will shoot from it, revealing a wide road. You must follow this road to fetch the brides.
The old man rummaged in his robe, pulled out two round mirrors, and handed them to the old woman. At that moment, it was as if the sun had risen—the shining circle ascended into the sky, flew and floated to the southwest, and disappeared like a falling star.
The old woman returned home, woke her sons, gave the elder son a mirror, and the younger one as well. The elder son looked into the mirror and saw a girl dressed in red, holding a red peony. The girl smiled, lowered her head, admiring the red peony. The elder son forgot that he had seen the girl in the mirror and cried out:
— Mother! She smiled at me, then lowered her head. How can I tell her of my love? Allow us to marry, Mother!
The mother listened, unable to believe her ears, and couldn’t move from her spot. The younger son looked into the mirror and saw a girl sitting, dressed in green, holding a green peony. The girl looked at him tenderly, lowered her head, admiring the green peony. The younger son forgot that he had seen the girl in the mirror and cried out:
— Mother! The girl told me of her love with a tender glance. Allow me to marry her!
The old mother laughed and cried. She said to her sons:
— My dear children, my dear children! Have you lost your minds? You saw beauties in the mirror. How can you take them as wives?
The elder son listened to his mother—his heart sank, and he hung his head. The younger son listened to his mother—he grew sorrowful and frowned.
Time passed, the sons grieved, their brows furrowed. There was nothing to be done, so the mother had to tell them everything as it was.
The third day of the third month arrived. The mother said to her sons:
— I won’t let both of you go, no matter how much you plead. Who knows what awaits you there—happiness or terrible misfortune?
The elder brother said to the younger:
— I will go first, and you stay behind for now.
The mother agreed to let the elder go and said to the younger:
— Your brother is a year or two older than you, let him go first.
Exactly at midnight, the elder son took the mirror, went out into the yard, turned the mirror to the southwest, and immediately a white beam shot from it. In that same moment, mountains emerged from the mist, drawing closer, and the young man saw strange rocks, dense forests, steep cliffs, and iron peaks. The white beam ran into the mountains, grew, and turned into a bright, wide road. The young man bid farewell to his mother and younger brother and set off on his journey.
He walked all night, and at dawn found himself at the foot of a high, steep mountain. He circled the mountain and saw a cliff with a cave glowing with wondrous light. Inside the cave sat an elder, his legs tucked under him, and radiant beams spreading in all directions. The young man remembered his mother’s story about the elder and understood everything at once. He approached the elder, bowed politely, and said:
— Venerable elder! I walked all night, traversing the road from end to end. Where should I now search for that maiden?
The immortal elder began to praise the young man.
— You are a brave youth! You walked all night, traversing the road from end to end. But that maiden lives on a high mountain. Go west, cross Tiger Mountain, ford the stream of Water Monsters, and you will see the house of an evil sorceress. The sorceress has turned that maiden into a red peony, keeping her in the garden behind the house. Sneak into the garden and point the magic mirror at the peony. In that instant, the peony will turn into a beauty. Now decide for yourself—will you go further or not?
The young man thought and said:
— Since I’ve come this far, I won’t return home without the maiden.
The old man said:
— If you know no fear, I will help you. Take this whip and a ball of thread, and I will teach you what to do with them. But remember: if you falter, the whip and thread will lose their power.
The old man then took out a whip and a ball of white thread, taught the youth what to do with them, and showed him the path he must take.
The youth set off on that path, wandering and circling until he reached the summit of a mountain. He looked ahead and saw another mountain standing there. Its stones were like trees in a forest, each more wondrous than the last. Beyond the mountain, black mist swirled. The youth stood for a moment and then headed toward that mountain. He walked and walked, climbing steeper and higher, until it seemed he might fall into an abyss. He grew weary, drenched in sweat, when suddenly two tigers rushed down the mountain toward him—huge, with spotted coats. In an instant, they were before him, jaws gaping. The youth swung the whip once, twice, thrice, and shouted:
— Hey, tigers! Guardians of the mountain! Clear the way! I walk this world in search of a bride.
As soon as he spoke, the tigers snapped their jaws shut, lowered their heads, and ran away.
The youth climbed to the summit. Looking down, he saw a gorge below—no stones, no trees, only a raging torrent. He descended the mountain and approached the water. He took out the ball of thread, tore off a strand, threw it into the water, and shouted:
— Hey, monsters, guardians of the waters! Quickly build a bridge from shore to shore. I walk this world in search of a bride!
No sooner had he spoken than the water roared and churned, and in that same moment, the monsters surfaced. They had fish tails, human torsos and heads, and were clad in turtle shells. They began to pull the thread, stretching it to the other shore, where it transformed into a bridge. The youth swung the whip and stepped onto the bridge. It was narrow—just a single log. He glanced down: the water was green, and the monsters were closing in, their red eyes fixed on him. Fear gripped the youth, and he thought, "The bridge is so narrow, I might fall into the water." As soon as he thought this, his legs gave way, and his head spun. Oh no! The log instantly turned into a thin thread. The youth fell into the water, and the monsters dragged him to the depths.
The mother waited for her eldest son, but he never returned. A year passed. She comforted herself, but anxiety gnawed at her heart. On the third day of the third month, the younger son said to her:
— Mother! A year has passed since my brother left. Today, I will go in search of a bride for myself!
His mother replied:
— But your brother has not yet returned. Aren’t you afraid to go, my son?
— He hasn’t returned, but I will surely come back.
The mother’s heart ached for her eldest son, and she said:
— Go, but take care. Whether you find a bride or not, return home. And be sure to find out what happened to your brother—where he is and what became of him.
The son promised to do as his mother asked. At midnight, he went into the yard and turned a cherished mirror to the southwest. A white beam shot from the mirror, growing and transforming into a broad, bright road that stretched all the way to the steep mountains. The younger son bid his mother farewell and set off.
He walked all night. At dawn, he reached the end of the road and saw an immortal old man, from whom radiant beams extended in all directions. The old man gave the youth a whip and a ball of thread, taught him what to do with them, and said:
— At this time last year, your brother came here. He fell into the water, and the monsters dragged him to the depths. Now decide: will you go on or not?
Hearing that his elder brother had fallen into the abyss, tears rolled down the youth’s cheeks, and he said to the old man:
— Come what may, I will go.
The old man listened, then showed him the way to the maiden. The youth walked on, swinging the whip, crossed Tiger Mountain, and approached the raging torrent. He took out the ball of thread, tore off a strand, threw it into the water, and shouted:
— Hey, monsters, guardians of the waters! Quickly build a bridge from shore to shore! I walk this world in search of a bride!
As soon as he spoke, the water roared and churned, and the monsters surfaced. They had fish tails, human torsos and heads, and were clad in turtle shells. They began to pull the thread, stretching it to the other shore, where it transformed into a bridge. The youth stepped onto the bridge, narrow as a single log. He swung the whip, did not look down, and paid no attention to the monsters. His knees did not tremble, and his head remained clear. He safely crossed to the other shore. He traversed one mountain, then another, and suddenly saw a house nestled among emerald cypresses and green pines. As he approached, he sensed a wondrous fragrance filling the air. He did not go to the gate but circled the house as the old man had instructed. He approached and saw a walled courtyard, with a garden of flowers visible beyond the wall. He did not linger to admire the flowers but struck the wall with the whip, which instantly turned into a rope ladder. He climbed into the garden, pulled up the ladder, and it became a whip again. In the garden, he found two peonies—one green, one red. Each was more beautiful and fragrant than the other. He aimed the mirror at the green flower and called out:
— Lü-mei! Green sister!
In that instant, the flower transformed into a maiden—the very one he had seen in the mirror.
The youth said:
— Green sister! I have come for you. Let us flee!
The maiden looked him up and down, smiled, then turned her head and gazed at the red peony. Her brow furrowed, and tears like pearls rolled from her eyes.
— I cannot leave. I cannot abandon my elder sister. Even if we escape the clutches of the evil sorceress, I would grieve for her all my life.
As she spoke, dewdrops gleamed on the red peony, a pearl on each petal.
The young man understood everything and became sad. The elder brother had not found the red sister; the water monsters had destroyed him. And what could he do without his little mirror? Then the green sister said to him:
"Let's hurry back to the house; the evil sorceress has returned."
No sooner had they entered the house than the sorceress appeared in the front yard. The young man peeked through the crack in the door and saw that the sorceress was dressed in silk and velvet, but her face and hands were hairy. The sorceress stood in the yard, sniffed the air, pointed her finger at the door, and began to curse:
"Ah, you wretch, you're seeking your own death! How dare you turn into a human? Who allowed you to bring a strange man into the house?"
The sorceress kicked the door, shattering it into splinters. She swished her skirt, and a gust of wind howled through the house. But with that little mirror, no spells could harm them. The sorceress couldn't turn the green sister back into a flower. Seeing that things were going badly, the old woman smiled and said:
"Look, dear, what a handsome young man! I'll marry you off to him."
The young man and the girl remained silent, not uttering a word. But the evil sorceress continued:
"You don't know that we have countless mules, horses, cows, and sheep in our house. And tonight, thieves will come. Let the young man guard the house with me, and tomorrow I'll let you go with him."
Having said this, the sorceress left. The girl became distressed and said:
"The old witch will destroy you. She has nothing—no mules, no horses, no cows, no sheep. She's gone to summon wolves, creeping reptiles, tigers, and leopards."
The young man comforted the girl:
"I have a magic whip that protects against wolves, creeping reptiles, tigers, and leopards."
The girl calmed down, and her heart felt lighter.
The evil sorceress led the young man to a desolate mountain and then disappeared. Night fell. The young man looked around—no mules, no horses, no cows, no sheep—nothing was there. Only thorny bushes grew. Suddenly, he saw wolves, creeping reptiles, tigers, and leopards approaching, their green eyes gleaming, but they dared not come closer. The young man found a flat spot, lay down, and slept until dawn.
Seeing that she couldn't destroy the young man, the old sorceress pretended to cry and said:
"I love my dear daughter so much! If she leaves, I'll die of sorrow. I thought and thought and decided to go with you."
Hearing this, the girl sensed something sinister. Surely, the old woman planned to destroy them on the journey. Clever Lü-mei said to the old woman:
"I agree for you to come with us, but you won't be able to keep up with the young. You'll get tired. If you want, you can become big or small as needed. So, make yourself small and climb into this copper jar. I'll carry you on my back. I won't harm your hands or break your legs. You can sleep or sit as you like. Is that good?"
The evil sorceress had been thinking only of how to destroy the young man and the girl. Hearing the girl's words, she shrank down to the size of a rat. With a hop and a skip, she jumped into the copper jar, and that was exactly what Lü-mei wanted. She quickly sealed the jar. Then she told the young man to bring the lid, and they tightly closed the jar. They set off together. When they reached the gorge of the Water Monsters, they threw the jar into the water. Lü-mei sat on the ground and wept. She cried and lamented:
"Ah, cursed sorceress! You tormented me and my sister, turned us into flowers for your amusement. I can't abandon you, sister! When will we meet again?"
Lü-mei wept, her tears flowing. The clouds couldn't hold back and began to cry, raining down teardrops. The pine trees couldn't bear it and wept, their tears glistening like dew on the branches. The young man remembered his elder brother, couldn't hold back, and wept aloud. The murky green water shimmered, and the black clouds dispersed. An immortal old man descended from the heavens in a radiant circle. He waved his staff and shouted:
"Hey, water monsters, bring the young man to the shore! He has roamed the world searching for a bride!"
The monsters obeyed—fish tails, human heads, and turtle shells—and brought the elder brother to the shore. It was as if he had never been at the bottom of the stream among the terrifying water monsters. The magic mirror with the water chestnut flowers had protected him from harm. The old man took the young man by the hand and pulled him up. Hey! The young man stood up, rubbed his eyes, and said:
"Was it all just a dream?"
He saw his younger brother, embraced him, and the immortal old man ascended into the sky and disappeared.
The brothers returned to the sorceress's house and entered the garden. The elder brother took the mirror, pointed it at the red peony, and called:
"Hong-jie! Red sister!"
In that instant, the flower turned into a girl. She was the one the elder brother had seen in the mirror. The girl looked at the young man and smiled.
The dark clouds in the mountains dispersed, and the people celebrated the wedding. The mother waited for her elder son and his wife, and she waited for her younger son and his wife. And they lived in joy and harmony.
More fairy tales
