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Story 115: Princess Pearl Shoes Folktales

Princess Pearl Shoes

Author: Anonymous

Once upon a time, in a town in Tibet, there lived a poor old couple and their son Dundup Tashi. The only property the family owned was an old ax that had been used for countless lifetimes.

No matter it’s windy, rainy or snowy, the old man takes this ax and climbs up very high hills every day, chops back a large bundle of firewood, and sells it to restaurants in the city in exchange for some tsampa and tea. Provide for his son and his old wife.

The life of the poor was really miserable, and to make matters worse, when Dundup Tashi was fifteen years old, his father fell to his death while cutting firewood. The old grandmother hugged her son and cried sadly: “Son, what will happen to our lives in the future?” Dundup Tashi said: “Grandma, don’t be sad. From tomorrow on, I will just go up the mountain to chop firewood.”

From the next day on, no matter it was windy, rainy or snowy, the son took the ax left by his father and went to the mountains every day to cut firewood, carry it back and sell it to restaurants in exchange for some tsampa tea, so as to maintain the lives of the two of them. . Neighbors praised him and said, “Dondup Tashi is a good young man.”

One time, Dundup Tashi was tired from chopping firewood. He saw a big stone next to him, which was round and bulging, like a lion’s head, so he lay down on it to rest. Who would have thought that this big stone would suddenly speak human words: “Young man! Young man! Please come down from my head. I can give you any treasure you want.”

At first, Dundup Tashi was shocked. After a while, I became bolder. He thought: “I am a human being and he is a stone. What should I be afraid of?” Then he said: “Brother Shishi, I don’t want any treasures. Please give me a piece of household equipment for cutting wood. Look at my axe, which is similar to the old woman’s. It’s the same, it’s like a toothless tooth.”

After saying that, there was only a “crack” sound, and a golden ax was spit out from the big stone like a lion’s head. It was bright and sharp. The young man jumped up like it. He raised the golden ax and chopped down on the big pine tree. The rough tree fell down with a crash. He hid the ax in his arms, ran and jumped home, and told his old grandmother the happy news.

With the golden ax to chop firewood, the mother and son’s life gradually improved. Some days later, when Dundup Tashi was chopping firewood, a terrible strong wind came from nowhere. Stones as big as sheep’s heads were blown all over the mountain, and the firewood that Dundup Tashi had just cut was scattered in all directions.

While yelling and scolding, he picked up the firewood. Unexpectedly, there was a very delicate little shoe hanging on a branch. The satin upper was embroidered with flowers of seven colors and inlaid with sparkling pearls.

The young man was very surprised, so he took the shoe to consult a chef with whom he was usually close. The chef is a man who has seen the world. He picked up the pearl shoe and looked at it three times, turned it over and looked at it three times, and finally said: “Ah, tsk, tsk, this is a precious shoe. I can’t figure out who wears it.” West Street There is a tea shop over there with the door facing south, and there is a businessman named Qiang Jiu in the shop, go and ask him!”

Qiangjiu was a traveler, and his team of mules and horses traveled to the mainland every year to transport tea and silk. He looked at the shoes, and his wrinkled face immediately filled with a smile. He patted Dundup Tashi on the shoulder and said, “Haha, friend! You are rich! These are the embroidered shoes worn by emperors and princesses from the mainland. Let’s go to the capital. , you can make a lot of money by selling shoes to the emperor.”

The young man thought for a moment and said, “No, I’ve gone to the capital. Who will feed my grandma?” Qiangjiu said, “When the delicious food reaches your mouth, don’t push it out with your tongue. I’ll let the store take care of your grandma’s food.” Just let the guys help me a little bit.”

Dundup Tashi followed the businessman Qiang Qiang for many days and finally arrived in the capital where the emperor lived. They saw a notice as big as a white tent posted on the city wall as tall as black rock. Neither of them could read Chinese, so they asked an old man with a white beard to ask. The old man shook his head and sighed repeatedly: “Oh! Our emperor has only one precious daughter, who was blown away by the evil wind not long ago.

After searching for several months, there is still no trace at all. The notice said: ‘Who can If you find a princess and want to be an official, give her the position of prime minister; if you want to make a fortune, give her a bushel of gold and silver.'”

The businessman was even more happy after hearing this, and quickly took Dundup Tashi to see the emperor. They walked through many markets and passed through many gatehouses. Many big houses with golden roofs and red walls appeared in front of them. The young man felt that they were more beautiful than snow-capped mountains and colorful clouds. Qiangjiu said: “This is the palace.”

While the two of them were talking, a large group of warriors with golden helmets appeared. He blocked the way with a spear and shouted: “No noise!” Dundup Tashi was startled. The businessman hurriedly stepped forward and said: “Hey, we are from Tibet. We know the news about Princess Sisi and came here to report it.”

The warrior informed the emperor, and the emperor said: “Quick! Quick! Invite them in!”

Dundup Tashi and Qiangjiu followed the warriors up many stone steps, passed through many halls, and finally saw the emperor. The emperor sat on a golden chair and looked like a kind old man. He listened carefully to the young man’s story, looked at the shoes over and over again, and concluded that the news was correct. So he sent a red-nosed minister with a hundred soldiers, asked Dundup Tashi to lead the way, and searched for the princess as quickly as possible.

Dundup Tashi thought for a while and said: “Emperor, this can’t be done! I have to go up the mountain every day to collect firewood to support my old grandmother. I went to look for the princess. What will her old man eat?”

After hearing this, the emperor not only did not lose his temper, but was very happy and praised Dundup Tashi for his filial piety. He said: “Young man, there is no need to worry.” He ordered the businessman Qiangjiu to withdraw enough property from the treasury and go back to take good care of Dundup Tashi’s grandmother.

Besides, Dundup Tashi led the ministers and soldiers and rode on horseback quickly. These horses were ridden by emperors and generals and could run faster than birds. They ran during the day and at night, and finally arrived at the place where Dundup Tashi was chopping firewood. They saw a drop of blood on a rock, and searched along the blood stain. They found the blood stain missing next to a large rock cliff that could only be reached by looking up. There is a hole at the bottom of the cliff. It is black and rumbling, like the mouth of a beast, and the bottom cannot be seen.

The red-nosed minister said: “Look, the devil lives in this cave. Who can go down and have a look?” Soldiers, you look at me, I look at you, no one signed up. Dundup Tashi said: “Then, let me go first!”

The soldiers quickly took off their belts and connected them into a long, long belt. Dundup Tashi grabbed the strap and slid down slowly. After an unknown amount of time, his feet touched the ground.

It was so dark inside the cave that I couldn’t see my fingers. Dundup Tashi groped forward when he suddenly saw a red fire bead flashing in the distance. I walked over and saw that it was an old woman squatting there cooking. When the old woman saw the young man, she stuck out her tongue in surprise and said, “This is where the devil lives. Did you come here to seek death? While the devil is sleeping, you can run away quickly!”

Dundup Tashi said: “I won’t leave. I came specifically to find the princess. She only wore one shoe and was injured. Old granny, have you seen her?”

The old woman said: “I’ve seen it! I’ve seen it! I cook for the devil, how could I not have seen it before! The princess doesn’t want to be the devil’s wife. The devil is very angry and will eat her soon!” Xi gave the old woman a handful of fried highland barley and a piece of dried beef, and then asked: “Old grandma, tell me quickly where the princess is imprisoned and where the devil lives.” The old woman pursed her lips while eating fried rice. Highland Barley, while pointing the direction.

The young man followed the old woman’s instructions and walked into the stone house where the devil lived. He took out the golden ax from his arms and waved it gently a few times. Suddenly, the golden ax was like a burning torch, flashing thousands of brilliant golden lights.

By the light of the axe, Dundup Tashi saw that the room was full of human bones and skulls. On a pile of human skins, sprawled out on a pile of human skins, slept a devil with a blue face, a red beard, and a snore louder than thunder. On both sides of the devil’s forehead, squatting are two toads. Their bellies bulge and shrink, and their eyes are big and round. They are the devil’s lifeblood frogs.

At first, Dundup Tashi was shocked. This was his first time dealing with demons. Slowly, I became less afraid. He thought: “I am a human and he is a ghost, what should I be afraid of!” Dundup Tashi spat a few times in the palm of his hand, raised his ax high, and slashed at the foreheads of the two squatting toads.

The devil screamed in pain. , turned over and jumped up. The young man didn’t flinch, he ran behind the devil and chopped another guy on the back of his head. The devil fell to the ground motionless, like a huge pillar falling down.

Dundup Tashi was so happy that he almost danced. He took advantage of the situation and pushed open the right door inside. He saw a girl as cute as the bright moon, sitting on the right side of her head and crying sadly. There was no shoe on his right foot, and the snow-white ankle was stained with blood.

The princess didn’t know who he was and was so frightened that Suosuo trembled. Dundup Tashi performed a Tibetan salute and said respectfully: “Princess, don’t be afraid, I am sent by the emperor to save you.” The princess asked fearfully: “Then, the devil…” The young man laughed and said: ” Are you a devil? Give me two axes and kill him.”

The princess was so happy that she fainted in Dundup Tashi’s arms, and her shiny tears rolled down on him. Dundup Tashi carried the princess on his back and used the golden ax to light the way back to the place where she had been hung up by her belt. At this time, the princess woke up. She was ashamed and grateful. She didn’t know how to repay the young man, so she took off the diamond ring from her hand and put it on Dundup Tashi’s hand.

At this time, the old woman who cooked for the devil crawled over and knelt on the ground, kowtowed repeatedly, and asked to be taken out of the devil’s cave. The young man agreed generously.

Dundup Tashi gave a signal and lowered his belt over the hole. The first time he pulled up the old woman, the second time he pulled up the princess. At this moment, the red-nosed minister became convinced. He thought: “If Dundup Tashi can’t get out, the credit will go to me. Delicious food will be eaten even to death; profitable activities will be done even if there is no morality.” So, leaving Dundup Tashi behind, he escorted the princess and rushed back to the capital day and night to ask for the reward.

The princess returned to the imperial palace, and the whole city celebrated as if it were a new year. The emperor suddenly remembered Dundup Tashi and asked, “Why is that Tibetan boy who picked up the pearl shoes missing?” The red-nosed minister sighed three times and said, “Emperor, don’t mention that boy who knows his kindness but doesn’t repay it! He walked away halfway and slipped away like a mouse.

This time it was me who risked my life to kill the devil and rescue the princess!” The emperor believed Red Nose’s words, rewarded him with a lot of gold, and promoted him to the throne. Internal phase. There is only a lovely princess, but she often misses the Tibetan boy who rescued her. However, she lived in the backyard of the deep palace and did not understand the conspiracy of the red nose. Besides, she was a public student after all, so how could she have the nerve to tell the emperor.

That day, the brave Dundup Tashi was waiting in the cave, but no one came to meet him. He knew that the minister was playing a trick, and he was very angry. He sat on the stone, missing his old grandmother and a little bit about the beautiful princess. As I thought about it, I shed tears unconsciously.

Suddenly, there were sounds of “thumping” and “thumping” nearby. Dundup Tashi thought: “Good guy, there are still devils in the cave!” He quickly took out his ax and ran towards the place where the noise was made. Through the golden light shining from the axe, I saw a very large iron box. He raised his ax and chopped on the iron box. He heard a “Dazaka” sound, the lid of the box opened, and a small green dragon jumped out from inside, shaking its head and tail, and tumbling left and right.

Xiao Qinglong shed tears and said: “Young man, I have been locked in an iron box by the devil for I don’t know how many years. Thank you for saving my life!” Dundup Tashi said: “It’s too early to say anything about saving my life.” If we can’t get out of the magic cave, neither of us will survive.” Xiao Qinglong said with a smile: “It’s easy to handle, it’s up to me.” Then he asked Dundup Tashi to ride on its back, with its mouth wide open and its tail With a shake, and with a roar of landslides and ground cracks, they had risen to the ground.

Xiao Qinglong said to Dundup Tashi: “Gold will not be thrown away, and kindness will not be forgotten. I don’t have anything to give you, just leave a horn as a souvenir!” After that, he put his head on the black stone A collision on the cliff caused the black stone cliff to sway left and right, and a dragon horn jumped down in front of Dundup Tashi. As for the little green dragon, it reluctantly flew back to the high sky.

Dundup Tashi picked up the dragon horn and returned to the city. He visited his grandmother and found that she was living well under the emperor’s care. He found the businessman Qiangjiu and entered the magic cave to rescue the princess and obtain the dragon horn. Tell him what happened. Qiangjiu patted him on the shoulder and congratulated him and said: “Haha, friend, you are rich again! This dragon horn is the rarest treasure in the world. We can present it to the emperor, not to mention we will get many, many rewards. It can also expose red-nosed lies.”

They rushed to the capital again and saw the emperor. Dundup Tashi respectfully presented the dragon horn. The emperor said: “Isn’t this the Tibetan young man who picked up the pearl shoes last time?” Dondup Tashi said: “It’s me.” The emperor was unhappy and said: “Last time in front of me, you swore to rescue the princess. , why did he slip away like a mouse halfway through?”

When the red-nosed minister saw Dundup Tashi, he broke out in a cold sweat. Then he thought: “What a huge lie, and a huge truth. As long as I don’t change my words, there is no way this kid can explain it.” Then he took the emperor’s hand. At the beginning of the conversation, Dundup Tashi was scolded. The spit flew like hailstones on the young man’s face.

Dundup Tashi stepped forward and said to the emperor: “Emperor, I said I rescued the princess, and he said he rescued the princess. This matter is as easy as breaking an egg. Just ask the princess to come out and bear witness.”

The princess and the old woman walked into the hall and immediately said happily at the same time: “Ah, tsk, tsk! The young man who rescued us is here!”

After hearing this, the red-nosed minister was frightened and anxious. He stepped forward to meet her and said, “Princess, was it too dark in the cave at that time? Your eyes were blurred. It was me who rescued you. How could it be him?” !”

Dundup Tashi said to the red-nosed minister: “Very good, you said you rescued the princess, then take out your certificate and see!”

Red Nose couldn’t answer, “This…that…” he stuttered for a long time. The emperor asked the young man: “Then, what evidence do you have?”

Dundup Tashi said: “Of course!” and quickly took out the diamond ring the princess gave him) from his arms.

At the same time, the princess knelt before the emperor and shyly recounted how she had been rescued by the boy. Red Nose never dreamed that the princess would leave the ring to Dundup Tashi. He saw the emperor’s face full of anger and frightened like a ball of wet cow dung. He was lying in front of the emperor’s throne, kowtowing and begging for mercy, with tears and snot flowing all over the floor. Because he knew very well what would happen if he deceived the emperor.

The emperor greatly appreciated Dundup Tashi’s bravery and honesty, and ordered his ministers to entertain him with the most sumptuous banquet. At a banquet filled with one hundred and eight dishes, the emperor asked him if he wanted to be the interior minister, or if he wanted buckets of gold and silver. Dundup Tashi replied sincerely: “Emperor, I don’t want to be the interior minister. I don’t want gold or silver, I just want the princess to marry me as my wife and live a happy life.”

The emperor agreed to the young man’s request and held a grand wedding for them both. After getting married, Dundup Tashi took the princess and happily returned to Tibet to visit her grandmother. Well, the merchant Qiangjiu, the emperor gave him many gold and silver treasures, and his caravan returned more frequently between Tibet and the mainland.

Narration: Wangqing, Langjiexue Commune, Gongga County
Recorded on August 6, 1979
Compiled in January 1981