Closer to the center of that small town, there lived a beautiful young girl named Fuxia. One day, she met a handsome young man who was strolling by her home. He was tall, dark, and handsome - as every good fairytale hero should be.
"Dear girl," he called out to Fuxia. "I've never seen a woman as beautiful as you are in my whole life! Would you come on an adventure with me?"
Because it was hot and Fuxia was bored, she agreed to go exploring with the man. Soon after, they arrived at the foot of the pagoda.
(Image information: "Kaijusen-ji's Five-storied Pagoda" by 633highland 2006.)
"Wouldn't it be adventurous to climb up to the very top?" he asked.
Fuxia was a little nervous about climbing that many steps, but she had nothing better to do. So the young man and Fuxia went inside the pagoda and climbed. Fuxia huffed and puffed. Her calves ached, and her back grew weary. At long last, they reached the top. From so far up, they could see miles in every direction. The Chinese countryside was beautiful and lush and captivated Fuxia's attention.
While Fuxia was distracted, the man began to climb down without her! And as he did so, he took the steps with him until she was trapped on top of the old pagoda.
"Stop! Come back!" Fuxia called. But as she watched the man leave, he changed into a hideous ogre! He gnashed yellow teeth and glared with red eyes. He had terrible green horns that protruded from his bald yellow head. Fuxia was terrified.
She was trapped on that pagoda for weeks. Each day the ogre would bring her food to eat, and she would have to endure the sight of his true form.
But one day, another young man walked by the pagoda. She called down to him frantically, and when he saw her stuck up there, he vowed to save her. This man was very fit and very brave, and he knew he could rescue her.
Just then, the ogre came tromping through the trees. The rescuer hid and surprised the ogre. He bravely fought the ogre and cut off his head with his sword.
Then the brave man went to find a very tall ladder, and propping the ladder up against the pagoda, he climbed up to rescue Fuxia.
She was so pleased to be free, and the young man was so pleased to have helped her that he proposed on the spot, and she said yes.
Author's Note: This story was inspired by "The Maiden Who Was Stolen Away" from The Chinese Fairy Book, which was edited by R. Wilhelm and translated by Frederick H. Martens (1921). In the original, she is blown away by a cyclone and blown into the path of the ogre, who traps her on the pagoda because she won't marry him. And the rescuer is the girl's brother in the original. I changed it because I wanted this to be a love story after all.
Hello dearie :)
ReplyDeleteHehe, this was a wonderful story! I haven't ever heard the original one before, but you followed the storyline really well! I'm glad you changed it to a love story, those are always more satisfying to read when there's a damsel in distress involved.I want her to be rescued by a handsome man and live happily ever after! Which I'm sure many other people want as well, so this was perfect :) Keep up the wonderful work!
Hey, Alissa!
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed your story! I liked that you changed to have a happy ending after all. Even though love stories tend to have cliché endings, your story kept me guessing the whole time I was reading. I wasn’t sure if Fuxia was going to have to learn to love the ogre for who he really was so that he would turn back into the handsome man, or what was going to happen! So you did a really nice job making it original!
Hey Alissa,
ReplyDeleteI really liked your revision of the story. It seems like a much more western retelling and fits in with many of the stories we were told as children and made it overall more realistic and believable. It is really cool you found a five story pagoda picture to fit your story. I know everyone enjoys a good love story and could not help but think of Shrek, but your version caught me off guard. Great job!
I thought your voice in this fairy tale was great! I love them comment about how he was "tale, dark and handsome- as every good fairytale hero should be." It plays on the fact that you know its a cliche fairy tale and it gives it a lightness and sense of humor. After reading your Author's note I was impressed how you took the original and made it your own. I would have never known that the girl did not follow the handsome man up to the mountain but was instead blown by a cyclone. I thought the original was most likely written the same. Your version is very believable, as in many fairy tales the young lady is captivated by the looks of a dashing man. I also enjoyed how you made the rescuer her future husband and not her brother. It definitely adds to the"happily ever after" fairy tale theme.
ReplyDeleteI love the way you started the story by telling about the building! It really brings the center of attention around the setting. Poor Fuxia being left at the top made me nervous for her! I wonder if she learned her lesson not to trust someone just because they are handsome at first. It surprised me that she said yes to a proposal from the brave man who rescued her! I like the changes you made to this story in relation to the original. Good job!
ReplyDeleteI read this story in that unit too! I definitely like your version much better. It seems more possible for the girl to be tricked into climbing the pagoda than for her to be carried there by a cyclone, only Dorothy does that. I'm glad you made it a love story too. No girl wants to be saved by her brother if there's a brave man near by haha. Good job!
ReplyDelete