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The Boasting Traveler

A MAN who had traveled in foreign lands boasted very much, onreturning to his own country, of the many wonderful and heroicfeats he had performed in the different places he had visited. Among other things, he said that when he was at Rhodes he had leaped to such a distance that no man of his day could leap anywhere near him as to that, there were in Rhodes many persons who saw him do it and whom he could call as witnesses. One of the bystanders interrupted him, saying: "Now, my good man, if this be all true there is no need of witnesses. Suppose this to be Rhodes, and leap for us."


CHAPTER I



THE BETROTHAL





Pere Merlier's mill, one beautiful summer evening, was arranged for a grand fete. In the courtyard were three tables, placed end to end, which awaited the guests. Everyone knew that Francoise, Merlier's daughter, was that night to be betrothed to Dominique, a young man who was accused of idleness but whom the fair sex for three leagues around gazed at with sparkling eyes, such a fine appearance had he.



Pere Merlier's mill was pleasing to look upon. It stood exactly in the center of Rocreuse, where the highway made an elbow. The village had but one street, with two rows of huts, a row on each side of the road; but at the elbow meadows spread out, and huge trees which lined the banks of the Morelle covered the extremity of the valley with lordly shade. There was not, in all Lorraine, a corner of nature more adorable. To the right and to the left thick woods, centenarian forests, towered up from gentle slopes, filling the horizon with a sea of verdure, while toward the south the plain stretched away, of marvelous fertility, displaying as far as the eye could reach patches of ground divided by green hedges. But what constituted the special charm of Rocreuse was the coolness of that cut of verdure in the most sultry days of July and August. The Morelle descended from the forests of Gagny and seemed to have gathered the cold from the foliage beneath which it flowed for leagues; it brought with it the murmuring sounds, the icy and concentrated shade of the woods. And it was not the sole source of coolness: all sorts of flowing streams gurgled through the forest; at each step springs bubbled up; one felt, on following the narrow pathways, that there must exist subterranean lakes which pierced hrough beneath the moss and availed themselves of the smallest crevices at the feet of trees or between the rocks to burst forth in crystalline fountains. The whispering voices of these brooks were so numerous and so loud that they drowned the song of the bullfinches. It was like some enchanted park with cascades falling from every portion.



Below the meadows were damp. Gigantic chestnut trees cast dark shadows. On the borders of the meadows long hedges of poplars exhibited in lines their rustling branches. Two avenues of enormous plane trees stretched across the fields toward the anc

ient Chateau de Gagny, then a mass of ruins. In this constantly watered district the grass grew to an extraordinary height. It resembled a garden between two wooded hills, a natural garden, of which the meadows were the lawns, the giant trees marking the colossal flower beds. When the sun's rays at noon poured straight downward the shadows assumed a bluish tint; scorched grass slept in the heat, while an icy shiver passed beneath the foliage.



Tale of Water Margin


In the final years of the song dynasty china was in a state of political and social turmoil. Besides frequent foreign invasion and a large number of man made and natural disasters there were also constant pheasant rebellion. In order to transform society and make it more equitable and human 108 heroes joined together in Shan-dong province Liang Shan to oppose the local officials and genitures. Thus began the corsages and moving drama on which the novel water margin is based.

Water margin is title Shui-Hu-Zhuan in Chinese and in English it is called all men are brothers or outlaws of the heart. The story originated and was widely told during the northern Tang dynasty. In the early years of the Yuan dynasty from 1271-1368 A.D., Legend has it that Shi Nai-an compiled and edited this long novel. People say that the story of heroes of the greenwoods who are leading characters of water margins is Chinas greatest novel of chivalry. Water margin is based on popular folk tales and fully reflects the thoughts and feelings prevalent at the time. Most importantly the novel depicts comrades among these men and the spirit of justice and accordance to the traditional ideals of the pheasants. Therefore a water margin has gained wide acceptances among the city dwellers as well. Readers can easily imagine that they are fond of the hidden world of the underworld and feel the vigorous life force of the common people the story begins in the Northern Song capital Bian Jing, which is now Kaifeng.

Arriving at the river on tomb sweeping day he picked the landscape of the Northern Song capitol Bian Jing. Rows of shops the hustle and bustle of large crowed that painting fully displayed Bian Jing flourishing economy and vibrant culture. Yet behinds this prosperous background many lurking dangers lay buried beneath the surface.

Because of the power of the Northern Song dynasty much of the empire northern territory was occupied by several barbarian tribes. At the same time the song court was being bankrupt by corrupt ministers who greatly abused their power. In this society corrupt officials and so-called gentlemen of aristocracy constantly bully the weak and cost untold hardship among the peasant In water margin there is a song that movingly portrays that this affection and misery faced by the.

Scorching sun burning like inferno rice stocks have weathered and in unending fields. The famous heart fill like flowing water while young aristocracies wait for time.

Since the local author

ities in Liang Shan-po see them as bandits the common people call them good men. And consider them heroes moreover the peasant perceive that these man have become outlaws not to rob or plunder but to fulfill a much higher purpose.

In the absent of a just society they are forced to join together as brothers for a common purpose and mission. As the heroes travel the rebel's roads their actions are easily identified with and moving to the common people.

(Liang Shan-po)

The leader of the Liang Shan is nick named kindly reign does this name express his ability to give aid in an emergency? Or head off danger or to head of at the right time to lend a helping hand?