Cher (folk tale)

In a village in the Northern Song Dynasty, there lived two woodcutters named Zhang Ling and Wang Yu. At the time of the story, Zhang Ling was already dying of old age, and Wang Yu was eighteen years old, which was the age of Fang Gang.

Every day, the two of them had to work in the forest, two or three miles from the village. On the way, they had to cross a large river, and they could only cross it by ferry. Villagers have built bridges over the river countless times, but soon after each time, the bridge will be washed away by torrents. Therefore, there is still no bridge on this river.

It was a cold winter night, Zhang Ling and Wang Yu were busy with a day's work, and on the way back from the forest, they happened to encounter a blizzard. They braved the wind and snow to reach the port, but found that the boatman had pulled the boat crossing the river to the bank, but the man was gone. The two had no choice but to search around for a place to stay overnight. Fortunately, they found a makeshift hut for the boatman to rest on the edge of the ferry, and the two hurried inside. Although the hut was very rudimentary, the two were lucky enough to find a place to escape the blizzard in this situation.

There was no brazier in the hut, not even a place to make a fire. The cramped room didn't even have a single window except for the entrance. After Zhang Ling and Wang Yu came in, they locked the door tightly, wrapped themselves in a robe, covered their faces with bucket hats, and huddled on the tatami mats to rest. At first, they didn't feel how cold it was, thinking that this snowstorm should stop before long, and then they could go home.

Zhang Ling was older, his body could not withstand the toss, and he fell asleep not long after lying down. Wang Yu couldn't sleep over and over again, and the sound of wind and snow outside and the sound of snow and water hitting the door panel made him unable to sleep for a long time. The water level of the river is constantly rising, and the hut is like a leaf boat in the sea, constantly shaking and making a creaking sound.

The blizzard grew heavier and heavier, and lasted until midnight before gradually weakening. Wang Yu was shivering with cold under his coat, and he felt more and more cold, so that later, he didn't even have the slightest drowsiness.

Suddenly, Wang Yu felt as if his face had touched a light snowflake, and he opened his eyes suddenly. For some reason, the only door in the hut had been opened, and a woman stood in the middle of the hut, her whole body covered with silver-white snowflakes.

She is snow-white from head to toe, and she looks very beautiful and has an extraordinary temperament. She squatted down beside the sleeping Zhang Ling and kept blowing air into his face, and the breath that came out was a wisp of white smoke, gently fluttering.

Then, the woman walked over to Wang Yu and bent down.

Wang Yu wanted to make a sound, but somehow he couldn't make even a sound. At this time, the woman in white was already slowly approaching Wang Yu, quietly staring at Wang Yu's face, revealing a strange look, which made people shudder. However, her face is so beautiful that people can't help but be fascinated by her.

The woman carefully looked at Wang Yu for a long time, and then smiled quietly and said to him softly: "Stranger, I don't know you, I originally planned to treat you like other men, but seeing that you are pitiful, I can't help but feel sorry for you, because you are so young and handsome!" Don't worry, I won't hurt you! However, you have seen my things here today, and you must not let a second person know, including your loved ones! Don't think that if you go back and secretly tell others, I won't know, as long as you tell this secret, I will know. When the time comes, wherever you flee, I will kill you. Today, I will keep you alive, but please remember my words. ”

After the woman finished speaking, she turned around and opened the door to go out. Wang Yu felt that the body that had been stiff just now could finally move freely, so he got up and looked out through the crack of the door, but there was a white expanse outside, where was the figure of the woman in white?

The fierce wind wrapped in the wind and snow poured in, and Wang Yu quickly found several thick wooden sticks and held the door shut. However, the more he thought about it, the more he felt that this matter was strange, and his body could not help but shiver.

Just before the two of them went to bed, they had locked the door, so how did the woman in white come in? Could it be that the wind blew it away? Or is it that what you have just experienced is an illusion, and the woman in white is just a dream, and she imagined the snow outside the house as a woman in white?

Wang Yu thought about it, and the more he thought about it, the more he couldn't figure it out, and then he pushed Zhang Ling, wanting to call Zhang Ling up to discuss it together. However, he shook for half a day, and Zhang Ling still did not answer. An ominous premonition rose in Wang Yu's heart, and he reached out to touch Zhang Ling's face. At this time, he found that Zhang Ling's whole body was cold, and his body was as stiff as ice cubes. Apparently, Zhang Ling had been dead for a long time.

When the sky was bright, the blizzard finally subsided, and the sun soon rose and illuminated the whole earth.

Wang Yu sat dazed next to Zhang Ling's corpse, motionless and sad. He recalled all the things he worked with Zhang Ling, and his heart was full of mixed feelings. After half a day, he picked up his spirits, picked up Zhang Ling's body, and returned to the village. What had happened that night was like a nightmare swirling around in his head. He didn't dare to tell anyone whether the dream-like woman in white was real or hallucinatory, he couldn't tell. He had always had doubts about the cause of Zhang Ling's death, but he was not sure whether it was the woman in white who did it.

For some time after that, the weather was very cold, and Wang Yu still did his old business every day, going to the forest alone every morning and bringing some firewood back in the evening. The firewood he brought back was taken out by Wang Yu's mother and sold.

In the blink of an eye, another year has passed. This winter, another strange thing happened here.

At dusk on this day, Wang Yu was walking on the mountain road home as usual, when suddenly, a young girl chased after him from behind. She was very beautiful, with a slender figure, red lips and white teeth, and a very charming smile. Wang Yu couldn't help but say hello to her, and the girl also responded gently. Her voice, as crisp and sweet as a bird, sounded very comfortable, and Wang Yu couldn't help but be moved.

Wang Yu then walked with the young girl, chatting along the way. The girl said that her name was Xue'er, and because her parents had recently died, she had to go to the county town to rely on a relative, and wanted to ask this relative to help her find a job as a maid or a cook, and survive by her own ability.

Wang Yu had a good feeling for this girl he had never known, staring at her intently, already fascinated by her. He plucked up his courage and tentatively asked, "You... Are you already married? ”

After Xue Er listened, her face was slightly red, and she replied shyly: "No." ”

Without waiting for Wang Yu to speak, Xue Er immediately asked, "Are you already married?" Or, do you already have a favorite woman and are waiting to be married? ”

Wang Yu sighed, shook his head, and said, "No, now I don't even have a problem with my own food and clothing, and there is an elderly mother in the family to support, how can I afford to support other people?" And I was young, and it was too early to marry and have children, so I never seriously considered it. ”

After saying these words, neither of the two people answered the call for a while, and walked silently for a while. Although the two have no language to communicate, when their eyes meet, each can read the affection from the other's eyes, and everything is in silence. By the time they were about to arrive at the village, their hearts were so closely linked that they were inseparable.

Wang Yu invited Xue'er to his home to take a break and have a cup of tea. Xue Er did not refuse, shyly agreed, and returned home with Wang Yu.

After returning home, Wang Yu's mother warmly received the uninvited guest and specially prepared a hot meal for Xue'er. After Wang Yu's mother heard about Xue'er's situation, she said: "Since you are already homeless, if you want to go to the county seat, it is better to live here for the time being, and it is not too late to pass when the situation improves." ”

Xue'er couldn't help Wang Yu's mother's repeated retention, plus she already had a secret promise to Wang Yufang, so she pushed the boat along the water and stayed. Soon after, Xue'er married Wang Yu as his wife, and after the marriage, the young couple was very affectionate, and Xue'er was also very capable, cleaning up the family in an orderly manner, which won the favor of the old man.

Xue'er's virtuous and capable ability was also looked at by the neighbors, and everyone praised Xue'er as a good daughter-in-law. Five years later, Wang Yu's mother died of illness, and before she died, she said to her son: "The daughter-in-law you chose is very good, and she really has vision." After I leave, you must not treat her badly, otherwise I will die blind! ”

In the years after the young couple got married, Xue'er gave birth to a total of ten children for Wang Yu. These children are lively and cute, with a snow-white complexion and outstanding appearance.

However, what is surprising is that after Cher gave birth to a child, her figure and appearance have not changed, and she is still as bright and moving as when she first came, without any signs of aging. The nearby villagers thought it strange that many of the women of Xue'er's age were old, and Xue'er had given birth to ten children, and her face was still as young as when she first came to the village, which was really strange.

One night, the children were already asleep, Xue Er was doing needlework in front of the faint light, Wang Yu looked at Xue Er's face under the lamp, and his mind recalled the snowy night on the edge of the ferry port a few years ago, and the enigmatic woman in white. He couldn't help but say, "Hey! Your face, and the way you bow your head and do needlework, reminds me of something strange that happened eighteen years ago in the winter. The snow fell very heavily that day, and I was on the edge of the ferry in the forest, and I saw a fair-skinned woman who looked as beautiful as you, and she looked like... It's too much like you. ”

Cher bowed her head and didn't even look at him, and continued to do needlework.

Wang Yu did not notice the change in Xue'er's face at all, and still talked to himself about the terrible experience in the small hut at the ferry, and the woman in white leaned over to blow air at Zhang Ling, then bent down and smiled at herself, sparing his life. When he arrived at dawn the next day, he found that Zhang Ling had died mysteriously, which was probably the poisoner of the woman in white, and he said so devotedly that he completely forgot the warning of the woman in white.

Xue Er did not lift her head, silently doing needlework. Wang Yu continued: "At first I thought that what happened that day was just a dream, that the woman in white looked so beautiful, and her smile was so soul-catching, but then I thought about it carefully, and the woman in white must not be a person, because she was as white as snow." In fact, whether I was dreaming at that time or actually seeing such a woman, I still can't tell myself. ”

At this moment, Xue Er suddenly stood up, threw the needlework aside, and then walked over to Wang Yu, bent down, leaned against his ear, and said bitterly: "The woman in white you saw at that time, that is me!" That's who I am now! Cher! You remember exactly what happened that night was not your hallucination, I did, and I solemnly warned you not to mention it to anyone. But now, you have broken your vows. In terms of children's points, I don't want to hurt your life, but I have to leave you. After I leave, you have to take good care of these children, if the children suffer a little grievance, I will not spare you! ”

As she spoke, Xue Er screamed loudly, and the voice of mourning was like a cry, gradually becoming smaller and smaller in the wind. Then, her figure gradually blurred like fog, and then floated up the roof beams, opened the skylight and flew out.

Since then, Cher seems to have disappeared completely, and no one has ever seen her again.