TRAVEL AND BREATH IN CHINA

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Once upon a time, in the enchanted mountain of the He-Mei, lived a white snake and a green snake. But these weren t ordinary, garden variety of snakes. No, they were snakes extraordinary magical forces of change and discovery. That was a good life, peaceful and honest, and really, unless for the momentary lapses into sloth snake-dom, she was able t complain. They had everything they needed their summit mountain retreat: slithering and endless sun, plenty of rat tails to Munch to make more friends as they visit in a year, and of course many tempting to conjure up potions.

But, like all magical creatures, they are simply boring. Normally, this wasn t much of a problem, because there were many distractions to He-Mei. But on this particular day, neither Green nor White Snake Snake was more than a pair of coils.

“Let us for a hike,” said White Snake.

Green snake lifted its tail centimeters above the ground and lobbed their minds into the cobalt sky (it was boring, after all). Whitesnake waited to her best friend s indifferent silence, but refused to abandon. She smiled with all their catches, “Come on. It’ll be fun.”

Green Snake grinned involuntarily to Whitesnake s cheerful persistence, then let yourself be a long and ready to exhale once again grateful for Whitesnake s just society. “Oh, all right. But no steep hills! Promise?”

“Promise.”
Fortunately, fate on this day, the sky was a sapphire sparkling with diamonds sinewy, round the old sun directly over head a perfect solution for snake malaise. So, before long, even snakes were wiggling away, parading through the dew-spotted grass, raising their tails in greeting all the other creatures who also enjoy the beautiful afternoon. As the peak of the He-Mei, the snake friends stopped by with a view to the valley below. You could see the human-Hang Zhou city in the distance. The possibilities for the discovery were endless, and the two snakes fell under the spell of her imagination

Green Snake broke the silence. “What do you think life would be if we are the legs and arms?” she asked with a flash of purple-red tongue.

“They think that if we human beings?” Asked White Snake, the eyes continue with the idea.

“I think so,” said the green snake. “I mean, wouldn t be nice if we could reach, and grasp an apple from a tree, or hug each other when we wanted.”

“Yes. We could be like the White Rabbit, use our legs to swim like carp in a pond. We could even have a dragon to ride Hang-Zhou, if we wanted.”

“Why don t we use our magic powers to look into the women,” said the green snake. She smiled, pleased with her idea. “Now that would be fun!”

“Hmmmm,” said White Snake with a quick flip of its tail. She thought for a minute, then replied: “I don t, why not. How about we go into the kitchen and cook us a Homo sapien potion.”

And the two went snakes, hissing and giggling about their secret arrangements. If they are at home, they went right to work, mixing a smidgen of this and a few that one piece of the truth here, a fib or two to mix and whipped cream, cooking and toiling until finally, they had two of champagne jars filled to the top with a sweet bubbling liquid the color of Plum Blossoms.

“Bottoms up”, said the green snake.

“Change,” said White Snake.

Glug, glug, glug. The snakes emptied their glasses in gluttonous, and, as the last hit to swallow their bellies, they stared into each other like mirror and gasped as cylindrical torsos bent and sprouted long graceful arms, legs, hips. Within seconds, two women are face to face, intimidated by the other s grace.

With its greenish hue (people call it olive), Green Snake beauty was wild and exotic. Their thick mane flowed from the back like a river ebony. Their skin was soft and supple, velvety long lashes framed her sparkling brown eyes. She even had the lips. S Whitesnake beauty, on the other hand, was so cool and metallic, that it is similar to a hologram. As unique as a sparkling snowflake, her face shone like a diamond in white gold. The breath, the Ruby from her lips gracefully carved the air in and out, in and out, swirling around the summit of their bones checked. Her hair around her face like moonless sky, and their new human shape fits like a woman s should.

Everyone was so intrigued by the other s Shapeshift that all former snakes could only stand and watch each other s splendor. The night passed, then another and another until finally the moment was, and in compliance, both snakes lady clasped hands and spoke with a Whoop: ‘It is time to go into the city. ” And arm and arm went up the steep and windy road to the bustling city of Hang Zhou. Suitcaseless. Because they were magic snakes, uh em ladies, which meant they could have a whip smart outfit, if they pleased.

As they rounded the west end of the Great Lake and behind the long line of Garnet Flying Banner on the West Gate-Hang Zhou, a stranger dressed in a blood red cape rode on a horse, whipped cream, the air between them.

“Did you feel that?” Lady Green asked, his eyes red after the appearance in the distance.

“It leaves me speechless,” said Mrs White as she drew a colorful feather fan from the still swirling air and tried to talk with her.

“He must Hsu Sheng. People are respected botanist. Do you have all the bags he had on his horse. He must ve been in the woods for weeks. I can only wonder what kind of drinker he s. Let spy on him and find out, “said Lady Green.

“Ummmm,” said White Lady, as she stood, and began her fan turning in the sky.

“Are you listening to me?” said Lady Green. “Whitesnake?” They squinted at her friend.

“Huh?”

Green Lady turned around and Lady White. “Come on girl, we’ve got some human life to live. Lets go enjoy.”

The fan was quiet. “… What?” Said Lady White.

Lady Green Lady grabbed White by the shoulders and looked directly into the eyes, as she stressed on the words, “LET S GO SPY on him.”

I. .. what? “Lady White dropped her fan and bent over him to be.

“Let s go spy on him.”

“No. .. I think we can t. It wouldn t true, and it would not be easy. We women now, remember”

“No, we will not. We again snakes. And also, we have magic. We can not be anything we want,” said Lady Green. “So, it’ll be our first adventure.”

“No, if we are at home, it is as a visitor, not spies. We are knocking on the door like all the ladies would respectable Chinese. It is only right,” said White Snake. They pointed their fingers in a feigned angry, then took her dress and dashed forward.

“If I didn t know better, I think, d in love again,” said Lady Green, waving over her shoulder as she ran to her friend. “Hurry up, we ve got to get there in time for dinner.”

Yes, if you, dear reader, to believe such things, it was love at first sight. And it seems that Hsu Sheng felt the same way. As the two ladies came to his door, the large, cool cucumber Hsu was too nervous to open the door. Okay, so it wasn t ruffled, but he found himself at a loss for words — doesn t that something happened to him very often. In fact, he had hard to believe, to remember the last time. There were many full moons ago. Yes, it was the meeting that diverted the course of his destiny. Fa Hai.

He looked at the twilight sky and released, the thought. Then, without his eyes from White Lady still missing another beat, Hsu invited them both within and as Lady Green — — had predicted to dinner. And oh, what a magnificent spread was. A very fitting first human food for the traveling snake ladies. It started with a plate of oranges, mandarins, persimmons, fresh green leaves still attached.

For good health, longevity and lasting relationships, said Hsu hold down the hill of the color. White Lady imaged each a piece of the bright orange sun was behind her beloved mountain home.

After Green Lady had devoured most of the fruit, Hsu was a sweet tray. But it wasn t an ordinary candy box, it was as Hsu called it “the tray of togetherness”, an octagonal plate, a dazzling array of sweets — candied melon and red melon seeds, lychee nut, kumquat, coconut, peanuts, Lognan, lotus seed — all of which claimed Hsu, gave a kind of reasonable happiness. White Lady can be found on the coconut and lotus seeds — Miteinander Hsu she said. Many children.

(My heavens, it moves fast, like a snake, “thought Lady Green dug, as in the candied melon. At least he knows how to romance.)

If the trio are not interested in the candy box, came from Jai. A vegetarian dish made of lotus seeds (more children, as White Lady Green Lady was under the table), ginkgo nut, black moss seaweed, dried curd, bamboo shoots — once again all the ingredients represented happiness. If the pot was empty, the snake that it was ladies t eat another bite. Hsu shushed them, and only brought more. And much more. And much more. Before the stroke of midnight the host and his mysterious guest was taking a dictionary full of magical food, including a giant fish, a whole chicken, including head, tail and feet, Zong Zi (a type of sticky rice wrapped in reed leaves), a steamed wheat bread called man tou, a bowl uncut noodles, sweet puddings and cakes. The Snake Lady wouldn t have to worry about another meal for weeks.

“Gong Hey Fat Choy,” Hsu says, lifting his glass of wine to the wood beams that framed his elegant but simple apartment.

“Happy New Year?” Lady White asked. They looked around at the hanging scrolls, the freshly painted red door, the plum blossom sprigs, incense burning on the family alter. “That is true. My goodness, in all the excitement, I d forgotten. It is the first new moon in winter solstice.”

“You re right!” said Lady Green. “Spring comes, because I’m at the beginning of my winter lots …”

“This is the reason why we’ve had such a feast,” interrupted White Lady Batting her eyelashes Hsu on how they met their girlfriend s shin.

“Ouch … I. .. uh … what a New Year s ve you treat us, Mr. Sheng,” said Lady Green.

“Please call me Hsu,” he paused and filled his lungs, before you continue. “So ladies, forgive me if I m being rude, but I must ask. What you will find here alone in the big city, but as at home with your family?”

“I would ask you, something like Mr. Hsu said …”, White Lady.

Hsu sighed and shrugged his shoulders under the weight of his burden. “It is a very long history, far too long and tired to say on this wonderful New Year. It is the Year of the Metal Snake, you know. The White Snake,” says Hsu, located in White Lady as the fireworks started exploding outside.

Lady White caught before they gasped.

“Come on you two lotus seeds,” said Lady Green. Their smiles tell the fans they already had the future. “Lets go outside and catch some of the other fireworks.”

So if you hadn t already guessed, fate was on the night of the spring — literally across the sky in cascading color. And for the rest of the new year, the threesome was not segregated. Except, of course, for the stolen moments between Lady White and Hsu, when Lady Green (who wanted it could be Lady Green Snake) did admire or a peony, a red couplet.

Over the next 15 days, they are all dragon dance, parade, festival possible. She went to the temple and prayed to our ancestors, thousands of people at a dog birthday (on the second day of the new year, the snakes discovered believes to be the birthday of all dogs). They stayed at home to welcome the god of wealth, then spent days wandering all over the city calls Hsu s many friends and business partners. Hsu showed them how to make offerings to the Jade Emperor, and led them to the special New Years seven vegetables drink from local farmers. But above all, the snakes like the nights when they co-hosted dinner for Hsu s friends at home, lavish celebrations, the city talks about his two charming guest, “the D seemed to have, from the heavens.

The Lantern Festival on the last day of New Years celebrations, Hsu and Lady White work. According to truth, everyone, including Lady Green, was relieved. Once the green snake heard the news, she swept her friend in a nearby garden to talk. The sky was bright with lanterns, the full moon dangled overhead. The children were laughing in the distance.

“Oh, my friend, I’m so happy for you. It is what you asked,” said Lady Green.

“Yes, I have to ask for change didn t I?” White Lady said with a giggle. “However, falling in love was not what I d expected. I thought more about a few new skills, maybe a potion or a plant I d never seen before.” They paused. “But I think Hsu, and I will be happy together. Don t you?”

“He is the only creature I want to let you away from me.” A tear glittered like an opal, as they rolled after Lady Green face.

“But I m not … I’m away?” Whitesnake said, her voice a bit recognizes that they never thought before.

“I am a snake,” said Lady Green with a sigh. “As a man woman is fun and all, but I prefer using my whole body when I do. I think the legs more of a hassle. And this strange obsession with eating three meals per day, I don t know how they do it . I have no desire, but I have to eat or people think I m rude. And then there is that which they call bed. It is too soft for me. I miss my hole! ”

“That’s funny, but I thought Haven t have a snake at all since we ve been here,” said Lady White.

“Of course not, you walk back to about lotus petals. I m happy for you, I really am.”

“They will want the wedding won t you?” White Lady clasped her hands against her chest and stared into her eyes steady friends.

“Of course. But then I must go home. For He-Mei.”

“Oh, even words of our house are so beautiful. Be it safe for me?”

“Yes, my friend.”

“If you want my hole to a snake who will appreciate it, care for it.”

“I promise.”

Lady White stared at the bare cherry tree next to them, on the courage, before they make their final question. They already knew the answer, “You come back to the Hang-Zhou to visit me?”

“I will never be too far away, no matter how many miles between us,” said Green Snake as she hugged her oldest and best friend in the whole world.

The marriage, at the Spring Equinox, it was really a shelf affair. Waterfall cake, Mantong music, ecstatic poetry, dancing until dawn — not a single detail was missed. Thousands of people attended, and all agreed it was the nicest wedding they had ever been to — in fact, the celebration was soon known all over the city as “the little new year of love.” If people had magic Hsu was alone with Lady White as his partner, she knew that he had twice as high as the magnetism — as a couple, they were unstoppable.

Take a break from all the gossip, Lady White and Hsu spent two months alone amorous, honeymoon in Guangzhou on the South China Sea. It was a wonderful holiday, they lounged on the shore, saw the birds, the sunrise walks that lasted until noon. But all the while she never stopped planning and presentation, as they could of their talents and something really inspiring in the Union. The children come later, the first time they needed to make the world a better place for everyone, big and small.

Given the fact that Hang Zhou was an important trading partner of the city along the Silk Road, and both were experts of herbs and potions, they decided that a herbal medicine store. It was easy, the division of tasks: Hsu loved barter trade and was a relentless haggler he would collect herbs import, prices, and the Finance Office, White Lady, because of their intuition and easy way with people, before the brewing and remedial measures. They would together spend Sunday, the gathering of plants and herbs in the forests outside the city. Appointments with a name for her business but was a bit problematic.

“I think we should Herbal green forests,” said Hsu.

White Lady gesture toward the sky. “Too boring.”

“How about many mountains medicines?” Hsu said.

“Too stiff, it reminds me of the many mountains in addition to tea shop on the east side of town.”

Hsu saw and examined his fingernails. “Jade Remedies Directives Mercantile and then?”

“Too firmly.

“Okay, Miss” to “. Ve you my suggestions, what do you have in mind?” Hsu ran his fingers through his mound of black hair and stared evenly into her eyes.

Pleased about the challenge, White Lady held his gaze and smiled. “I think we should name the Green Snake medicines.”

Hsu paused, then shook his head. “Green Snake medicine? That sounds frightening. I don t think people would like it.”

“Scary? That’s ridiculous,” she snapped. Snakes aren t afraid, unless you provoke them. “He has all her strength to move from Baring its teeth and hiss. Could it be that Hsu, her favorite man who could be afraid of their true nature? The thought made her tremble inside.

Hsu has a pained look White Lady, confused by her sudden anger. “Relax. It’s just a name.”

True enough, she wants she could tell him that he is innocent comment felt like a knife to her soul. But it was T. She knew that Hsu was an honest man, and that if he knew who they are used, they are always within the d, d it is divided into two parts: forced secrecy to protect his wife from exile , on the one hand, yet not bound by conscience to live, the freedom of the full truth on the other side. She could t bare to him this pain. They said that he had never seen his friends, his beloved community, with its secret inside. If only the people weren t so panicked about snakes.

You soft. “I m sorry. I just don t understand the fear. Yeah, snakes give some people the creeps, but they also symbolize natural healing power. You change, energy in motion. The eternal and spiral wave. You are nationals to herbs than mountains and Jade. ”

“So are you saying that with Snake in our name, we will help people over their fear of change and mystery?”

“It s an opportunity to focus on them,” said White Lady, already feeling better. Hsu was so compassionate, so understanding. She smiled at him. “It is the year of the snake, the year of marriage, after all.”

Hsu his arms around her waist and grinned at her sparkling eyes. “And you think I m the seller.”

So it was. Hsu accepted White Lady s proposal to change course, and the couple decided their business, “Green Snake and trade remedies.” Even if it is only in name, at a hidden, that White Lady needed something tangible to their beloved friend close by.

They work on the goal as soon as they returned home from their honeymoon. Within a few days, Hsu found empty shop in the center of the city s trade. There was once a physician office, and it was perfect for their needs. It had a large space in the back, a lounge and retail area, and a small study carried out on the left side, where Lady White could keep their books and talk with customers private. White Lady has on the decoration, and Hsu went out in search of inventory. The Mid-Autumn Festival, a sign hung open in front of the door.

“Green Snake remedies and Commercial” was an immediate success. Word spread quickly and soon they were serving people from all over China as well as traders from foreign countries. Lady White and Hsu were friendly and generous, and no one felt rushed or hurried, when they in their presence — even if it has 20 people waiting to see. The patients were surprised at Lady White ability to “see” in their illness and the medications that they are most needed. Your herbs have been at a fair price, and who is not in a position to pay for free treatment.

Driven by the energy of love — for each other, the plants, and the people they served — Lady White and Hsu worked continuously for two years. Festival came and went, Imperial parties were hardly noticed, even the anniversary of their meeting hardly shifted its focus. They were so much fun that they force themselves to days, and usually meant traveling in an unknown forest on the trail of a rare plant or some old person had told them has.

Two and a half years after their company, they finally agreed to a real vacation — that is, if you have a four-month journey along the Silk Road was a holiday. Many of her friends protested, warning that the trip was too dangerous for a man and a woman of their importance to the community. But both were ripe for an adventure, especially now that they have a good friend named Go Chen led a caravan through the southern route s Road. White Lady wanted to find out whether the stories around the dinner table D includes true — even more, they wanted to experience a few exciting stories of their own. Hsu long to see beyond the border town of Jiayuguan, a city he often visited when he was a bachelor, the last trading outpost for Chinese merchants. Both hope they can still be the long, harsh Takla Makan desert and make it the way to Dunhuang, the oasis town of aspiring people heralding as a center of Buddhist art and learning. They had something they wanted to pray for.

As the couple cuddled in her bed at night, before they joined the caravan, White Lady has unusually quiet.

“What makes you so seriously my dear? Are you nervous about the trip?” Hsu whispered. His whole body tingled in anticipation.

They caressed her belly and looked into his eyes, until both felt an eternity give. “We are pregnant.” The first half of her prayer was answered.

The next morning, the couple and their baby to be load their equipment on camels and headed west in the direction of the Hexi corridor, with a caravan of thirty-five. The extension to the north, further than the eye can imagine, was the Gobi Desert, White Desert, the first lady had ever seen (it was a mountain, after all the snake). To her, she resembled an endless parchment scroll, a place for them to paint their dreams and see them filled with ink range. The Nan-Shan mountains in the south were much more impressive than they had hoped, though less fertile than those he loved her expression. Between remote locations cloudy summit infertility and Stark, the ragged line of chatty animals and men, claws dancing silk and spices, family heirlooms traded for new flavors, seemed small and insignificant. Even so, Lady White felt grateful to be part of such a tiny size.

Since Hsu had volunteered to work with the Scouts, White Lady spent the days following the opening of their trip to hear how Go Chen entertained them with old stories of the mountains in the distance.

“Do you know what the mountains really are,” Go Chen asked his camel drawing even closer to their s at the end of their second morning.

“They are pillars separating heaven from earth,” she replied. She brought her red silk handkerchief to her face to wipe the trickle of sweat ran from that has woven her.

“Yes, the sky would fall if it weren t for China highest mountains. Do you know the story of the Goddess Nu wa?”

Close the eyes and lifting her face towards the sun directly overhead, Lady White let a sigh claimed. “Not yet.” She looked at him and extended a soft smile. “Wilt thou be with me?”

He rubbed the soft leather reins gently through your fingers. “In ancient times, a large gap between the gods happened, what the sky to break up large pieces and send blue tumbling to the ground, destroying villages and devastating crops. The people retreated into caves and prayed for the gods to the onslaught of sky. Finally, after weeks of death and destruction, the Goddess Nu Wa answered her call. ”

Go Chen abruptly stopped and shouted something in a dialect they didn t understand, his second in command. He cleared his throat and spat. “I m sorry. The animals need water fast.”. He paused before continuing, “They called a meeting with the warring gods, and their great teaching skills, finally convinced them to end their stupid argument. Once they had their peace treaty in hand, Nu Wa began repairing sky. you hire a team of semi-gods to the earth to fly and pick up the pieces of blue, as they consider carefully sewn back into the seams of the sky. Although much better than it was, the sky still sagged terribly, almost touch the soil in some places. jumbledup, Nu Wa sat down on a cloud and had to think deep in thought, like a giant turtle, almost as old as the sky itself, from the earth and floated on a cloud in the vicinity .

   Uh … um … em em ex … … … Excuse me excuu goddess, Turtle finally said, his voice whispering spooky.

A startled Nu Wa somersaulted from their cloud and almost fell to the earth itself. Fortunately, they caught hold of a low-hanging shreds and climbed back on her perch, tightened. What do you want, turtle?

Turtle put his head into his shell and started to leave.

   Oh, please don t go Turtle, “she said, remembering how turtles are senstive. I m not disturb them. I’m worried because I don t know-how to the sky and wide open as it once was. I’m afraid I m not the man.

The turtle is the top of his head and looked carefully Nu Wa s wrinkled forehead. He put his head out of the way and (just in case she got mad again) fast that their problem might be resolved if they would him to lie on his back and his legs upstretched to support the four quarters of sky. Subsequently, the troubled goddess clapped his hands together in relief and gratefully accepted the generous turtle s solution.

So, from that moment on, the turtle s legs was the most sacred mountains of China — high access to all the heavenly realms. And today, practices and mystic turtle live in the columns, have been living for thousands of years for rare and exotic herbal elixirs, hosting all kinds of wild celebrations for the magical atmosphere and powerful gods who are visiting us. ”

White Lady lifted her face and directed her words in the direction of the sun. “I thank you. Thank you for the wonderful fairytale Go Chen.”

Go Chen followed her gaze upward. “My deepest joy woman. Of course, Nu Wa, and the turtle will never call it a fairy tale.”

She hesitated a moment, deciding whether they really wanted to hear the answer. “Go Chen is … He-Mei is one of those pillars sacred?”

“Oh yes,” said Chen, in his voice after a long silence, White Lady left alone with their memories of the He-Mei. Soon, their thoughts of Misty fog, bamboo endless seas, mountains, clouds limit set filled the large space around the ever-advancing caravan.

Save for the hastily prepared meals and robust Sleeps their journey through the lower part of the Hexi Corridor and easy, other than a small skirmish with a couple of wild dogs, without incident. By late morning on the tenth day, the caravan reached Jiayuguan, stopping briefly to fetch supplies and a few additional guests. Before sunrise on the day eleven, the caravan behind the protective wall along the northern border of China and was back in the direction Dunhaung.

Hsu was with Lady White S side, and she was relieved because this was the treacherous leg of their journey — the Takla Makan desert. It was a hostile environment full of terrible stories of drought and famine, men lose their heads and walk into nothingness, never to be seen again.

“The Tekla Makan is so long that they are a year to go from end to end,” Go Chen s words from a week earlier in White Lady s ears. He had her s — the caravan route in the Takla Makan s — narrowest point, it would a month. “Then we will see running water again,” he promised. She thought of the trip before, nothing to see, but brown sand rises and towers in the Buttes. Dreißig lange Tage und Nächte der ausgetrocknete Backofen Luft, tierische Abfälle und Verweilen rationiert! Nein Lotus Saatgut Süßigkeiten, keine frische Kumquats. Nur getrockneten Fisch und Reis, Wasser sorgfältig aufgeteilt und ausgegeben werden — alles gemessen zum letzten. Sie wusste, dass der Wüste würde testen ihre Geduld und Kraft, und obwohl sie glaubten, ihr Körper wäre es, sie betete, hatte sie, was sie hat, um gegen die Stimmen.

Auf ihrem vierzehnten Nacht in die Takla Makan, unter einem riesigen Schüssel von Schaumwein Himmel, White Lady und Hsu Liebkosungen neben einem winzigen Öl Feuer, ihre Betten Schichten um sie herum wie Falten der gemütlichen Backwaren. Lady White sprachen begeistert über die Fahrt, überrascht, wie friedlich sie fühlte, wie mühelos ihren Weg war so weit. Obwohl Hsu lächelte und hörte, hatte das Gefühl, dass White Lady Schwere um ihn herum, und bald fiel in einen höflichen Schweigen. Hsu die aus dem Feuer und verpackt seine Arme um ihre Taille und hielt fest. Als sie versucht, sich ein wenig, er packte schwieriger. Sie wunderte sich, warum er so schien auf die Beibehaltung ihrer in der Nähe.

“Was ist denn meine Liebe?”

Hsu seufzte, seine Last zu schwer zu tragen allein. “Mein Bruder nur Li Jou verschwand irgendwo in der Nähe von hier. Auf seinem vierzehnten Nacht in die Takla Makan.”

Sie atmete tief. Sie d immer gewusst, er hatte schmerzhafte Geheimnisse versteckt, aber sie war schockiert zu erfahren, ein Bruder. White Lady, die ihre Finger zu seinem Tempel und streichelte, die Annahme der Sinnlosigkeit ihrer Worte.

“Li Jou Absicht war auf der Suche nach Erleuchtung,” Hsu ging auf. “Ein Mönch namens Fa Hai davon überzeugt, ihn zu verkaufen, sein Erbe und Reisen nach Indien, um mehr zu erfahren über die großen Lehrer namens Buddha. Ich warnte ihn zu warten, dass sie zu spät im Jahr für Wohnwagen zu günstigen Bedingungen, aber er wouldn t hören. Er war jung und overconfident. In der Nacht, bevor er nach links, haben wir in einem Kampf, und er hat mich von Eifersucht, sagte, ich war Aussaat Angst aus meinem egoistischen Wünsche für spirituelle Erfüllung. ”

Sie konnten sehen, Hsu s glitzernde Tränen in den starlight. “Wann ist das passiert?”

“Fast fünfzehn Jahre alt”, sagt Hsu, sein Ton signalisiert, dass das Gespräch war. Er rieb ihren Bauch, und sie fühlte die zittern in der Hand, White Lady wusste sie nicht mehr wissen über Li Jou bis Hsu war bereit, zumindest sie jetzt verstanden, warum ihr Mann war, so die Absicht hat, die Pilgerfahrt nach Dunhuang.
Am nächsten Morgen, sobald die Karawane bewegt hat, White Lady gesucht Go Chen.

“Erzählen Sie mir mehr über die Wüste Stimmen?”

“Sie sind besonders gefährlich, später im Jahr”, sagte Chen Go “, wenn die Sonne brennt so heftig, dass der Wohnwagen kann nur dann in der Nacht. Weary aus unbeständig tagsüber schlafen, der Reisende den Augen verloren gehen die Lichter in der schwarzen Himmel und sein Geist — rutscht weg, wenn diese etwas zurückgibt, wird die Karawane ist nirgendwo in Sicht. Scared und allein, ruft er aus, und der Geist Stimmen Antwort, süß, als wären sie seine Begleiter, manchmal sogar fordern ihn nach dem Namen. Aber sie are not his companions; they are enemies sent to lure him away from the path. If he chases them, forgets that they aren t real, he loses himself to the desert s brutal hospitality.”

Goose bumps formed on her arms despite the sweltering heat. “Then we are lucky to be traveling by day aren t we?”

“It is more than luck, magic lady,” said Go Chen. He patted the back of her exposed hand in a fatherly gesture. “Hsu knows the dangers, which is why he wanted to make sure you and your child were on an early passage through the Takla Makan. But don t be fooled. The spirit voices are alive in the daylight too. Travelers often hear them as instruments, the clash of arms, the thunder of hoofs—sounds that draw the fatigued from the marked trail in search of fellow travelers, never to be seen again.”

“I have heard such sounds, like a steady drum, a heartbeat beckoning me somewhere I long to be but cannot describe. This is why I am always grateful for the little bells around the animal s necks.”

“Yes, listening to their sounds keeps us from forgetting, from straying off the path.” He paused and looked up at the sky. “We hope.”

This time, Go Chen s hopes weren t in vein, as nobody in the caravan wandered off into the desert. The next two weeks passed without another word about Li Jou or the voices, although Lady White was keenly aware of the omission. Go Chen and his men were highly skilled leaders, and all admitted their journey was the least eventful they had ever had—they only lost one man (a sick monk traveling to Dunhaung to die) and four animals. Go Chen credited their safe passage to Dunhaung to the charms of Lady White.

“We will return for you and your family in a month s time,” Go Chen told Hsu. The two men shook hands and then bowed.

“We ll be ready,” said Hsu. His face relaxing for the first time since the caravan had entered the Takla Makan.

  

The oasis town of Dunhaung was far more than Lady White or Hsu, had expected. In Chinese “Dun” means grandness and ” Huang” means prosperity, and Dunhuang was certainly bustling with both. Nourished by melted snow from neighboring mountains, this lush retreat had all the cosmopolitan flair of a silk road outpost—all night cafés alive with multi-lingual chatter, a palatial trading hall, exotic goods from all over the world. But it was different than other silk road stopovers in China. Calmer, more peaceful. Artists and scholarly devotees seemed to be at work behind every door, and their sacred arts infused the narrow streets—even the marketplace danced with an air of exalted priorities.

Since it was still early in the traveling season, the couple had no trouble finding a place to stay. They chose a riverside dwelling along the Northwest part of town, near Dunhaung s oldest Buddhist monastery, which was only about 600 years old, very new for China, even in those days. Hsu and Lady White were immediately enamored love with the bells and cymbals chiming intermittently through the silence, somehow making the stillness even crisper. Every morning began with the deep throated chants of the monks, and every night, they closed their eyes to the gong of remembered dreams.

Grateful to have a break from their busy city life, the couple passed most days reading, talking and gathering plants beside the surging river. They took evening walks through the monastery gardens and encountered many seekers who had relinquished everything to come to Dunhaung and study the Buddha s teachings. While some were from as far away as Europe, the majority were Chinese. Lady White knew that every young Chinese man they saw made Hsu think of Li Jou.

Yet, despite the lingering specter of Li Jou, Lady White and Hsu were immensely happy. Dunhaung felt safe and friendly, not overly pious or dogmatic. And after all her worry about the desert voices, Lady White was relieved to settle herself among such untroubled serenity.

“I think it is special here because of the Buddha s influence,” Lady White told Hsu on their seventh day in Dunhaung. They were gathering dates and palm leaves in the forest at the edge of the monastery.

“Perhaps you are correct,” said Hsu.

“Why do you say it so grudgingly? Do you blame the Buddha for Li Jou s fate?” She saw the sting of her words on his face. She didn t want to be cruel, but she had to be honest.

He exhaled purposefully, quelling his rising anger. “Possibly. Yet, I am beginning to realize that Buddhism is not a charlatan s religion. At least not in Dunhaung.”

“Your troubles with Buddhism are caused by more than your brother aren t they?” She tickled him playfully with a palm frond, hoping to lighten the heavy mood. “What other mysteries do you have sheltered inside that golden skin.”

Hsu laughed, thankful that Lady White was his best friend as well as his wife. He knew her questions were for his benefit, not hers. “I too sought to reach enlightenment in this lifetime.”

“Who is to say you won t reach it.”

Hsu lowered his head. “I no longer practice the techniques,”

“But you practice other techniques.”

Hsu threw a date into the basket.
“So, it was really you who introduced Li Jou to the Buddha s teachings,” said Lady White

As if to keep the shame from leaking out, Hsu placed his basket on the ground and wrapped his arms around himself. “Yes.”

“And why can you not forgive yourself for it? The Buddha s words are very good.”

“I have. It is Fa Hai I cannot forgive.”

“The monk?”

“Yes, he was my teacher. And Li Jou s. But after a while, I stopped trusting him. There was something wrong, a hunger for power that cheapened the teachings. But my brother was more idealistic, a victim of his willingness to believe. When Fa Hai convinced my brother to sell his portion of the family jade to the Hang-Zhou monastery to finance his travels, I knew. After the deal was made, I followed Fa Hai through the city. He ended up at the estate of a corrupt royal family. I made some inquiries and found out Fa Hai made twice as much as he gave my brother. I doubt the monastery received a single gold coin.”

“Did you confront him,” asked Lady White.

“Yes. But he was very clever, and I very young. When my brother disappeared, I visited the family compound and tried to buy back the jade. They wouldn t sell at any price, and in the end, I was so angry that I swore I would never step foot in a temple again.”

“Where is Fa-Hai now?”

Hsu stopped to watch a monkey and her baby gather dates. “The last I heard, he was living in a cave outside of Dunhaung—attempting to made amends for his former ways.”

“Are you ready to forgive him?”

“I think the time has come.”
A couple of days before Go Chen and his men were due to return Dunhaung to pick them up, the couple decided they were ready to visit the caves. They packed a days worth of supplies and, at sunrise, headed north from the monastery gates, following the wide river gully. It was an easy hike and barely a couple of miles upriver, before the sun had even peeked into the valley, Lady White noticed dozens of caves dug into the steep cliffs ahead.

They stopped and listened. An odd cacophony of digging and chiseling, interspersed with chants and giggles, every once in a while a wild hoot, bounced through the canyon walls. Hsu seized Lady Whites hands and pulled her close to him so he could touch her belly. They hugged wordlessly, then continued walking, both excited by the mysterious world they were approaching. They stopped again when they were directly below a maze of paths twisting toward the rickety planks that seemed to stabilize each sandstone opening. Countless monks were working on their masterpieces; murals and carvings were everywhere.

“My God, each cave is a living work of art,” said Lady White, the joy in her voice bouncing off the canyon wall and coming back to her from the other side of the river.

“I had heard the Caves of Magao were spectacular, but I had not expected beauty as grand as this,” said Hsu, whispering to keep his voice from echoing.

After pointing up towards a particularly colorful cave, Lady White scrambled toward the nearest path like an excited child. “Lets go see who s working in that one.”

She scaled the cliff like a seasoned climber, Hsu close behind, rushing through the cave s opening so quickly, she nearly knocked over the old monk who was meditating inside. Although initially annoyed by the intrusion, the monk softened when he realized the sincerity of his visitors and gifted them with a much needed history lesson before he shoed them away.

“This is the oldest of the Magao caves,” said the old monk, his posture unwavering, his unblinking eyes fixed on enlightenment. “It is a vision that was carved over three hundred years ago by Le Zun. This humble monk hiked into the mountain gully one evening and saw shafts of light shining upon the cliff like a thousand Buddhas. Seeing it as a sign from the Great Teacher, Le Zun threw himself to the ground and pledged to erect a monument so all who entered the canyon could witness and receive the gifts of the Buddha.”

“How long did it take Le Zun to carve the thousand Buddhas?” said Hsu.

The old man ignored the question; either because he didn t hear it or didn t deem it important enough for words. “Several years later, Fa Liang, another monk from China came to dig the second cave. Today monks come from all over the world to carve caves to express their gratitude to the infinite nature of the Buddha.”

For the remainder of the day, the couple met as many of these working monks as they could. They climbed from cave to cave, listening to lore and sharing their tea and snacks with any monk who d let them—which was fewer than they d expected since most fasted while they worked so as not to dilute the clarity of their vision. One by one, the monks revealed a section of the carved library. The series of caves reminded Lady White of chapters in a book, with each cave connected to another, depicting Buddha in his various guises and teachings. Many murals were highly religious, examining the strife between good and evil, as well as the happiness that arises when a seeker overcomes attachment and recognizes that heaven and earth are one. The caves also explored secular themes, incorporating various decorative patterns to tell the ordinary details of life, including politics, music, poetry, medicine, farming, hunting, and the travelogues of the foreign envoys and merchants on the Silk Road.

The couple left the grottos with just enough light to make their way back to Dunhaung in the shadows. Both were deep in thought, reflecting on all they had seen and learned that day.

As the monastery came into view, Lady White broke the silence. “Are you disappointed that we didn t see Fa Hai today?”

“We did see him.”

She stopped walking and faced him, “What? And you didn t tell me?”

“Remember the monk in the forth cave, the one who refused to talk?”

Lady White nodded, understanding the reason for Hsu s silence. “He was creepy.”

“That was Fa Hai. He looked so ghastly, so pitiful; I didn t want our discussion of him to spoil our beautiful day.”

“Did you notice the strange way he looked at me, like he was dissecting me.”

“Yes. He felt like a hungry ghost.”

“That is why I didn t talk to you about him—I didn t want the energy of our discussion to strengthen his hungry ghost. I don t know if it helped, but I prayed to the Buddha about him.”

“So did I,” said Hsu. He opened the monastery gate and turned towards her, touching her back protectively and guiding her inside. “Well, we are safe here, the comfort of our little retreat. Shall we see if the monks have leftovers for three?”

Lady White’s face softened into a relieved smile. She was ready for a warm meal.

  

Their final days in Dunhaung passed quickly, and although they were going to miss their simple days in the oasis very much, both were glad to see Go Chen when he arrived to escort them back to Hang-Zhou. While happy to see them too, their caravan leader groaned when he noticed their packs had doubled to accommodate the many gifts they d acquired for friends. Still, extra weight and all, the return journey through the Talka Makan and home was even smoother than their first crossing—possibly because Lady White and Hsu were so rested and relaxed. In no time, they were walking the streets of Hang-Zhou, mixing up remedies at Green Snake and gobbling dim sum with friends—just like they had always done.

On the surface, life had returned to normal, yet inside, something had changed. It was if the desert and Dunhaung had taken root in a way neither had anticipated, had inexplicably altered their view of the world. Both were more reflective, even more determined to do whatever it took to make the world a better place. They had begun to regard their lives through the eyes of impermanence, yet were resolved to do whatever it took to make every moment solid as gold.

Friends mistakenly attributed their more serious outlook to anxiety about the coming baby, and in hopes of lightening their mood, a few of their closest companions conspired to throw them a party.

“We will have it at my house. A triple celebration: dragon boats plus a welcome home, welcome baby party. Coconut and lotus seed cakes for everybody,” said Asu, Lady Whites most trusted neighbor.

“It feels like all we ve been doing is partying since we ve been back. I ve had enough. What I really want is to focus on work,” said Lady White.

Asu tossed Lady White s objection into oblivion. “Nonsense. A true celebration will do you and Hsu good.”

“If you say so,” sighed Lady White, knowing that when Asu made up her mind, resistance was futile.

The party took place two weeks after their return; it was a gibbous moon in mid-June, the height of the Dragon Boat Festival. Like many other merchant s houses, Asa s home was resplendent in boat festival decorations, with calamus and Chinese mugwort draped across tables and hung from windows. Seven large tubs of plum wine sat on the kitchen floor and wine cups were being filled as soon as they were emptied—wine drinking was highly encouraged during the Dragon Boat races since it was purported to help drive away spirits. Earlier in the day, much of the city had gathered at the lake near the West Gate to watch the packs of slender boats with ornately carved dragon heads race through the water. It was a lively celebration, with infectious sportsmanship and keen competition between the crews. This year, a collective of rice farmers from a nearby village swept the race and captured the hearts of spectators. After the award ceremony, Asa invited the rowing rice farmers and their relatives to the party, and they accepted, bringing barrels of specially distilled rice wine to commemorate their victory.

“A quadruple celebration it has become!” announced Asu to her guests, rising her cup high in the air.

“Yes to rice farmers and boat races” said a voice in the crowd.

“And to the baby to be” said another.

“Don t forget the parents,” said a third. It was an unfamiliar voice, uttered errily, cyrptic, almost like a proverb. The guests craned their heads to see who had made the odd toast. Hsu and Lady White remained motionless as their eyes found each other from opposite sides of the room. They didn t need eyes to determine who the well-wisher was.

The guests cheered loudly, and, Lady White, alarmed by their unexpected guest, rushed towards Hsu. She barely walked three steps before she was intercepted by Asu.

“Are you enjoying the party my friend?”

“Yes,” replied Lady White, her feet still moving in Hsu s direction. Through the ocean of faces, she saw Fa Hai closing in.

Asu swayed from left to right in attempts to seize a candied melon from a passing try. She popped it in her mouth, then grabbed Lady White s hand with her sticky fingers. “This party has turned out much better than I thought. Everybody is so happy.”

Lady White s face grew tense. Maybe because they re all drunk, she thought. She checked herself, “Yes, it is a very lovely party. Thank you.” She managed a half, but polite smile as she wrestled her hand away and ran over to Hsu. But by the time she reached him, he was alone. Fa Hai had disappeared as swiftly and furtively as he d arrived.

“Where is Fa Hai?” said Lady White.

Hsu s lip was trembling, his face pale. “Gone.”

“What did he say?”

Hsu shook his head, unable to speak.

Lady White looked into his frightened eyes and her heart sank to her knees. “You must tell me.”

He paused and stared into her eyes. “I don t know how to.”

She felt his confusion, his wavering trust. Her intuition told her it was bad. Perhaps Fa Hai had seen inside her that day in his cave. Perhaps he knew who she really was. The idea plunged her into a chasm. She took a deep breath and stopped the horrible march of thoughts. “Just start from the beginning.”

His hands rubbed the sides of his pant legs absently as he worked to find the courage to speak. “He told me he had a vision…that you came to him…but not you as I think you are, not as how you stand before me now…” His words trailed off.

“What do you mean, wasn t me? Who was it?” whispered Lady White, already knowing the answer.

Hsu paused, tears welling in his eyes. “He said it was you as a white snake.”

Her worst fears were true. “How can you believe such nonsense,” she blurted. She saw Hsu calculate the speed and defensiveness of her words. “You know Fa Hai,” she covered. “You know the lengths he will go to for power, for revenge. Maybe your feud isn t over, maybe he still wants to control you.”

“That is exactly what I said to him,” said Hsu. “But he told me he was different now, that Dunhaung had given him new life.”

“Then why did he come?”

“He insisted that he d come for my sake; because of our past karma, because of Li Jou. He said he felt he owed it to me,” said Hsu.

“You don t believe him do you?” said Lady White.

“Of course not,” said Hsu, but the doubt in his voice was obvious. He clenched his fist and pressed it into his opposite hand a couple of times before noticing the row of full wine cups on the table beside them. He grabbed a glass and drank it in one swallow. He took another, drank it, then baited her with a third glass. “Here. Want one?”

Lady White winced, stung by her husband s suspicion, by the lies she told. Thinking back, she thought of their initial months together, the many times he d quizzed her about her uncanny abilities, how he d teased her about her “serpentine charm”, questioned her right to see inside people the way she did. Out of a mix of guilt and desire to draw suspicion away from herself, she accepted the glass and emptied it. Yet she knew this too was a sign of broken trust: in all their years together, Hsu had never seen Lady White accept a drink of alcohol.

He took the empty cup and placed another in her hand, this one so full that it sloshed over the rim and created a pink pond on the floor between them. She brought the wine to her lips and paused. She had to be careful. The child growing inside her had already weakened her control over her magical powers, and as a snake spirit in a human body, she was in double danger—especially during the dragon boat festival when all of China was drinking to drive away spirits like herself. But her mind had already grown cloudy from the last glass, and without fully weighing the consequences, she swallowed quickly, as if this would prove that Fa Hai incorrect: No spirit masquerading as a human would ever be foolish enough to do what she was doing.

Hsu emptied his third glass and looked at her through sheepish eyes, his suspicion waning. Her plan was working. “I don t feel much like celebrating anymore,” he said. “Lets us go home and lay down together. After a good night of sleep, all of this craziness will seem like a bad dream.”

Lady White felt the room sway and reached out to Hsu to steady herself. “Yesssssssss. letsssss go home ssssssssss.” She swooned and, just before she hit the floor, Hsu scooped her into his arms.

Luckily for both of them (Hsu too was dizzy from wine), home was right next door, which meant he didn t have to carry her very far. Good thing, cause just as Hsu s feet crossed into the safety of their bedroom, she lost control of her human form, and in a flash of color, like sunlight hitting a diamond, Lady White s female body vibrated then disappeared.

Hsu s jaw flew open and he flung his head from side to side, gasping, his body trying to reject the horror happening in front of him. As his wife drew herself into a coil at his feet, his breath faltered and he whispered “Fa Hai was right…you…you are a sna….” just before his limp body thudded to the floor. White Snake writhed over to him and felt his pulse with her neck. It was gone.

Knowing she had to act quickly, White Snake mustered her strength and dragged Hsu into the cellar. She laid him on the floor in the corner, hoping the relatively cool temperature below the house would buy her more time. It was a long trek to Er-Mai, but she had to go. White Snake would have no chance of bringing Hsu back to life and resuming her life as a human without the help of her beloved friend. It wouldn t be an easy trip: the wine, her pregnancy, Fa Hai; all conspired against her and she was exhausted. She prayed for the energy to make the all night journey.

As she set off down the road, the bright moon began to fill her with hope, and soon she was slithering briskly along the moonbeams leading up the mountain. She imagined her friend s face beckoning from inside the moon, while the memory of Hsu s gentle touch urged her on, and the baby growing inside her human form begged for a chance to live. Miraculously, she reached the summit before dawn.

“Green Snake, Green Snake. Where are you? It’s me, White Snake,” she called out as she got closer to her friend s hole. She slid above it and peered in “Green Snake, my beloved friend, are you home? Please, oh please, answer me!” There was no response. She tried again, still no response. White Snake began to cry; soon, a waterfall of tears poured into Green Snake s home.

“Glug, glug. hssssssssss. WHAT! How can there be water on my head. It’s too soon for the rains,” said a sleepy voice from deep inside. It was Green Snake.

“Green Snake, it is me, White Snake. Wake up. I need your help. Please hurry.”

Green Snake scrambled above ground and embraced her long lost friend. “My god, it’s you! I thought I would only see you in my dreams for the rest of my life. What are you doing here,” her voice faltered, “as a snake?”

Without wasting a second, White Snake told her old friend everything: about Green Snake Mercantile, the pregnancy, their trip to Dunhaung, Fa Hai, and the boat festival disaster. She looked into her friends amazed eyes and concluded, “when Hsu saw me turn into a snake in front of him, he was literally scared to death. I cannot save him without you. My magic is too weak to make the remedy from the resurrection plant.” She collapsed into her friend s arms. “Oh Green Snake, will you help me?”

“My life is yours, dear friend,”

White Snake s tears returned, except this time they rained with relief. “You have no idea how much I ve longed to see you again, longed for the sanctuary of your devoted presence.”

“You bet I do. Friend, I too have missed you far more than memories can alleviate.” She too was crying. She squeezed her friend quickly, then brushed away both of their tears with a soft flick of her tail. “Enough of our blubbering; there will be time to catch up later. For now, we must focus. We have less than 24 hours to locate and administer the plant.”

Quicker than a darting tongue, the two snakes rushed off to the Kunlun meadow in the southern summit. Luckily, the plant was in season, and its long flowering vines were in plentiful supply. Both snakes grabbed a handful of the purple trumpets and hurried back to Green Snake s hole. They were inside mixing the resurrection potion when White Snake heard footsteps above the hole.

“Do you hear that? It sounds like a human,” said White Snake.

“I agree,” whispered Green Snake. “But who could it be? I haven t seen a human in this part of the mountain in over 100 years.”

White Snake peeked through the secret lookout hole and confirmed her suspicions. “It is Fai Ha, the monk.”

“I know you are in there She Snakes,” boomed Fai Ha s voice from above.

“Why do you torment us?” asked White Snake. “Why do you insist on ruining the peace of our lives.”

“Why don t you accept your fate, your deception, and return Hsu to his rightful place in the universe,” answered the monk. “His boddhisattva spirit belongs to humankind, and you have seduced him from his true calling.”

“How can you make such a claim,” interjected Green Snake.

“He was born to be a monk,” said Fai Ha. “It is time for him leave your snake den and serve mankind.”

“Serve mankind? Can Hsu—or we—do anything less? With or without monk’s robes, all who are born are equal servants of the Buddha. Including snakes. We were among the twelve creatures who came to the river when the Buddha called. We are united under the heavenly stars. All of our actions, all of our thoughts, are a fulfillment of the great teachers wishes. We answer he calls of all the creatures in this world.”

“You have changed the cycle of suffering. My mistaken actions were responsible for his despair, and it is my karma to return Hsu s rightful smile.”

“Do you think the Buddha cares who puts the smile on a man s face as long as it is present and of good conscious. In the name of Buddha, won t you please admit your jealousy, your misplaced ego. Why is it so hard to accept that Hsu has found true happiness,” said White Snake.

“Possibly your actions have contributed to Hsu s happiness,” interjected Green Snake. “What if your meditations in the Dunhaung Caves, your willingness to withdraw from the world in search for inner peace created the doorway that allowed White Snake and Hsu to fall in love.”

“Oh Fa Hai,” cried White Snake, her voice growing more anxious with every passing minute. “Can t you see that my love for Hsu is true, truer than anything I have ever known.”

Green Snake thrust herself above ground, pulling White Snake up along side her. With fierce determination, she locked into Fa Hai s eyes in a way that only snakes are capable of. “You foolish monk. Can t you see the future karma you are creating with your desire to do good. Must you continue to interfere with their joy because of your attachment to the past? We are wasting precious time.”

Jarred into awareness by the truthful force of Green Snake s words, Fa Hai sunk to his knees and began to sob, conceding the shortcomings of his logic. “Budhha, oh my master, please give me the strength to forgive myself.”

White Snake pulled Fa Hai to his feet and wrapped her tail around him. “Do not despair old man. All will be forgiven when we administer the cure and return the light to Hsu s eyes.”

Green Snake nodded and held the resurrection tincture out to him. “Here. Add your prayers to the tincture so it may become even more potent.”

He reached out and took the cure, clutching it tightly to his heart. “Oh wise and beautiful snakes! How will I ever repay you for your patient counsel. You truly speak for the compassionate Buddha in all of us, ” said Fa Hai, heaving under his own joyous sobs.

“You can repay us by joining us. Come on, lets go save Hsu,” said White Snake as she took off down the hill. She wasn t about to start celebrating until her husband was standing safely beside her pregnant human form.

The three reached Hang-Zhou just before the noontime rush. As soon as they were safely inside the house, Green Snake and Fa Hai united their magic and turned White Snake back into her human self. Then, the three of them carried his motionless body to the bedroom, and Lady White covered her husband with blankets to stimulate body heat. She leaned her swelling womb against him and brought the potion to his cracked and withered lips. He looked ghastly. She prayed they weren t too late.

She sang as she administered the liquid cure drop by painstaking drop onto his tongue, “Come back, my darling husband, return to me, return to the people who love and need you,”

Green Snake and the monk chanted simple tones and prayers behind her. When the bottle was empty, White Lady joined the other two and the three continued to chant over Hsu s motionless body, aware that it would take hours—maybe even days—for the resurrection potion to take effect. If it took effect at all.

At sundown that night, Green Snake wordlessly offered to go to the market and buy them all something to eat, but Lady White and Fa Hai shook their heads. Yes, thought Green Lady, food would distract their prayers. If Hsu couldn t eat, neither would they.

“You are right,” agreed Green Snake, continuing to communicate with her companions telepathically. “But my intuition tells me that our watch needs fortification. I will go to the vegetable venders and buy some oranges to make into a longevity nectar for Hsu when he wakes up.”

“Good idea,” answered Lady White without speaking. “There is a supply of dried ginseng in the pantry which should be boiled down and added to the mix. It will strengthen all of us.”

Green Snake went off to the market as the other two continued their vigil, alternating between chants and silent meditation until Green Snake returned. Green Snake ceremoniously offered White Lady the longevity nectar, which the now human snake accepted with great attention and then placed the cup on the ground above Hsu s head in hopes the nectar would reinforce their determination and provide added enticement for Hsu.

Hours passed. More hours passed. The sun rose and set for a second time, yet Hsu did not move. Lady White began to fear that they had administered the resurrection remedy too late. She closed her eyes and prayed with all her might, inwardly admitting her primary mistake. She had been wrong, foolishly wrong, to lie to Hsu about her true identity.

Slowly, lips trembling, she began to speak aloud, “Hsu, darling Hsu. My husband. I am so very, very sorry that I didn t tell you the truth, did not tell you I was a snake. I thought I was protecting you, saving you from having to lie to others. I thought your human society wouldn t understand, would denounce you for choosing me, a White Snake, for your wife.

“Then, as time passed, and my inner voice insisted that I tell you the truth—told me I was deceiving my greatest love—I sent it away. In my selfishness, I convinced myself that you wouldn t want me if you knew my true, serpentine identity. Please, please, my only love, please forgive me. Please come back so we can start our life anew, rebuild our relationship on truth. Don t make me raise our baby alone. Can you hear me? My darling, Hsu? Come back to us. Open your eyes. Say yes to life, tell me you will be my husband again, tell me you will be father to our child,” her voice trailed off. She squeezed her eyelids together and pressed her lips to his, mentally weaving a bond of infinity from his life to hers.

“Look at his toes,” cried Green Snake. “I think they re moving.”

“Yes. He s alive,” said Fa Hai.

Lady White opened her eyes and scanned them down his body. It was true: Just like thick earth worms moving through the soil, his toes were inching beneath the mound of blankets. She threw her arms around Hsu s neck and covered his face with tearstained kisses. “Oh yes. Darling, you ve come back to us.”

Hsu fluttered his eyes and moved his lips, but no sound came out. He was too weak to speak. Lady White gently laid her finger on mouth, “Shhhhh. Save your strength. Now you must drink this.” She brought the longevity nectar to his lips.

After he drank what he could, which wasn t much, Lady White took a sip and offered it to Green Snake, who drank and held the rest out to Fa Hai. “Were it not for your added prayers, these two may never have found each other again.”

“Thank you for believing in me.” The monk brought his palms to his heart and bowed his head before taking the nectar.

Hsu jerked upward, surprised to hear Fa Hai s voice and saw Green Snake wrapped around his feet. He began to mutter.

“Sssssshhhh,” said Lady White, no longer masking her true essence. “The bad dream is over, and soon you will know the whole truth. For now, it is enough for you to know that you are surrounded by love.”

Hsu smiled up at his wife tenderly and, warmed by the protection of her gaze, feel into a deep, deep sleep.

It was two weeks before Hsu woke up again. In the meantime, Lady White, Green Snake and Fa Hai worked in the shop and entertained the steady stream of visitors. Not wanting to get ino a similar situation again, Lady White came out as her true self, and soon, the whole city knew the true story of the Lady White and her friend the Green Snake. Although shocking and deliciously tantalizing, the gossip quickly dissipated under the purity of truth and, as happens in all fairy tales, everybody learned a lot from each other and then lived happily ever after.