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Story 107: Wang Lingse Qujie and His Concubine Mei Duolingzi Folktales
Wang Lingse Qujie and His Concubine Mei Duolingzi
Author: Anonymous
Once upon a time, in Charongding, there lived a king named Lingse Qujie. He had a beautiful concubine named Mei Duolingzi. The king’s brother Aku was very greedy for the beauty of the concubine Mei Duo Lingzi and wanted to take advantage of her all the time.
Once, the princess left Charongding to visit her parents in her hometown. Within a few days, Aku came to take Mei Duo Lingzi back to the palace without telling her brother Lingse Qujie. Not knowing it was a lie, the concubine hurriedly packed her bags and followed Aku on horseback. On the way they passed, there was a very dangerous mountain with many ferocious man-bears living on the mountain (called “Zhe Mo” in Tibetan, which is said to be Zhe in ancient books). Aku said with a smile: “Concubine, it’s getting dark, so I have to spend the night here. Tonight, will you sleep with me? Or sleep with the human-bear?”
After hearing this, the concubine was so frightened that she trembled like a leaf, knelt on the ground and begged: “Aku, Aku, I can’t live with you, nor can I live with a man or a bear. Let’s hurry on, Let’s go back to Charongding! Wangling Sequjie is waiting for us! Abba Tana Gunqin is waiting for us! Aunt Bai Meimingdo is waiting for us!” Aku saw Mei Duolingzi. Not obeying his will, he pushed her to the edge of the man-bear cave, rode a horse and led a horse away.
When Mei Duo Lingzi got up from the ground, she met a grown-up bear who was as scary as a devil. When it saw the beautiful concubine, it opened its big mouth and let out a strange laugh, and also danced a swaying dance. Mei Duolingzi had never seen such a situation before, and she fainted on the spot. However, the man-bear did not eat her, but took her into the cave and made her his wife, taking care of her very carefully.
It’s just that every time the man-bear goes out to find food, he always moves a few big rocks to block the cave door, fearing that the girl will escape. Later, Mei Duo Lingzi became pregnant and gave birth to two little human bears. The adult bear howled so much that he no longer blocked the door with big rocks.
Once, a businessman from Charongding passed by and saw a naked woman with long hair all over her body, crawling in the ditch to drink water like a wild animal. He was shocked at first, but when he took a closer look, he felt that she looked like Princess Mei Duo Lingzi. So he kept on traveling day and night to tell Wang Lingse Qujie the unfortunate news. When the king heard the merchant’s report, he was surprised and saddened.
He mounted a fast horse alone, carrying a waist knife, a musket, tsampa and salt, and rushed to Renxiong Mountain to rescue his concubine. He hid in a big tree and saw the adult bear coming out of the cave, the little bear coming out of the cave, and after a while, the concubine Mei Duolingzi also came out of the cave. He jumped down from the tree and spread salt and tsampa as he walked. Mei Duo Lingzi followed, grabbing the salt and tsampa to eat. They came to a secluded place and sang the song:
Please listen to it,
Princess Mei Duolingzi,
Can’t you remember,
Our charongding?
Can’t you remember,
Is Abba Tanagunqin?
Can’t you remember,
Is Grandma Bai Meimingduo?
Can’t you remember,
Is my king’s color curved?
After a while, Mei Duo Lingmei shook her head and sang:
Our Charongding place,
I really can’t remember it.
Abba Tana Gunchen,
I really can’t remember it.
Grandma Baimei Mingduo,
I really can’t remember it.
King’s Ridge is colorful and winding,
I really can’t remember it.
After singing, he went back to the man-bear cave like a wild beast. King Wangling’s color was not discouraged, and he hid in the big tree again early the next morning. He knew that after eating salt and tsampa, Mei Duolingzi could remember the past and speak human language. He sprinkled snow-white salt and fragrant tsampa again, led the concubine to a secluded place, and sang yesterday’s song again. After a while, Mei Duo Lingzi had a painful expression on her face and tears in her eyes. She replied:
Our Charongding place,
I remembered a little bit;
Abba Tana Gunchen,
I remembered a little bit;
Grandma Baimei Mingduo,
I remembered a little bit;
King’s Ridge is colorful and winding,
I remembered a little bit.
The cruel brother Aku,
and left me beside the man-bear cave;
A whole year or two,
I don’t live like a human being anymore.
When the king heard this, he felt very sad; he held his poor concubine in his arms and shed tears of sorrow. The concubine told him that it was getting dark and the man-bear was about to return to his cave. If we encounter a man-bear, our lives will be over. You go up the mountain tomorrow morning, bring a set of clothes and two horses, and pick up the little man and the bear. The concubine also begged the king, Ling Sequjie, not to kill the adult bear.
The next day, the king came to pick up the concubine with clothes and two horses. The concubine wanted to take the two little bears with her. The king said: “Your horse’s legs are not strong, so you can ride on it first! My horse is fat.” If you have strong legs, then bring the little bear.”
The king rode to the middle of the river, and when the concubine wasn’t paying attention, he pulled out his sword and killed the little bear. The king rode to the other side on horseback, just when the bear was chasing him down the mountain. As it ran, it tore apart the trees on the road and roared in a horribly miserable voice: “My girl! My girl!”
The king and his concubine Mei Duolingzi returned to Charongding. When the people found out about this, they all said that Aku was more cruel than the bear, so they swarmed to the palace and beat him to death.
Narrated by: Yuzhen, Chengguan District, Shigatse
Written by: Liao Dongfan
Note: This story is spread in Shigatse, Shannan, and other places. Regarding Aku’s fate, some said he was killed by King Ling Sequjie, and some said he was eaten by a bear after escaping.
