The Fish Basket Goddess: A Tale from Ancient China
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The Fish Basket Goddess: A Tale from Ancient China
Long ago there was but one way to reach the great capital city of Luoyang. Each day people came from all directions. Some were merchants selling silk and tea, others were students, anxious to take their imperial examinations. In order to reach the city, however, all people had to cross the great wide river. Because the trip was long enough, learning coachs would bring sweets and other foods for their children to enjoy as they slowly crossed the wide waters.
People would open their lunch boxes filled to brimming with roasted pig, scallion chicken, steamed fish and sweet teas. The families would laugh and play together as they made their way to the city gates across the cool river.
One day River Dragon was awakened by the merry festivities of the people on their boats. "I’m bored," he said to himself, "it is time I had some fun!" And so River Dragon raised his great golden tail and slashed the river water. He spun and spun the water until it became a torrent of waves, white and furious. The people were thrown out of their boats, children calling fearfully as lunches and goodies sank miserably to the bottom of the river.
"Oh my," River Dragon said to himself, "This is fun. Look at all those people whining and crying. They are wet to the bone! What fun it is, dunking these silly ones. I don’t suppose they will wake me with their loud noises now!" But River Dragon was having too much fun to stop his swirling of the water.
At last a little girl climbed out of the angry waves to the water’s edge. She sat on the banks of the river and cried. "What am I to do?" the little girl cried. "My pork bun has sunk to the bottom of the river. I am hungry and I have nothing to eat!"
Up in her heavenly palace, the Goddess of Compassion, Guan Yin, heard the sorrowful cries of the people below. She descended to the river bank and called to the River Dragon.
"Honorable Dragon King!" She called. The Dragon King was curious to see this beautiful maiden standing by his river’s edge so bravely, so he came to her call.
"Honorable Dragon," Guan Yin began again as the dragon approached. "Please stop making these waves. You are causing much sadness and grief to the people of China."
But the River Dragon only laughed and said, "I know. Isn’t it fun? No, I do not believe I will stop. It is delightful to watch these people tossing to and fro on the waves. They amuse me."
Guan Yin thought for a moment. "Then I suppose I shall have to think of another way." The River Dragon only laughed again, "Good Fortune to you, lovely maiden!" And off he went to continue to set the waves spinning and swirling.
Guan Yin disguised herself as a fishmonger and went in the city to the marketplace. There she set up a large basket and sat beside it. In the basket where the most beautiful fish the people had ever seen. Their scales shone with all the colors of the rainbow and they appeared fresh and tasty. It was not long before all the fish were sold and the people begged for more. Guan Yin said to the people. "Let us play a game. See my empty basket? Whoever throws the most coins into it, I will marry. But whatever coins miss the basket, we shall use to build a bridge so that you may walk safely over the Dragon King’s river."
All the young men agreed happily and the coins began to fly forward. Try as they might, however, not one coin landed in the large basket. It was not long before the people had gathered enough money to build their bridge.
The Dragon King was greatly saddened when he could no longer have his fun throwing the people into his river. He glumly sank to the river’s bottom and has not been seen since.