The Golden Flute, Part 2

In this Chinese legend, a magical boy named Bayberry sets off to rescue his sister, who is imprisoned by a wicked dragon.

Bayberry traveled for many miles, deep into the mountains. He came upon a place where a huge boulder has fallen across the roadway. Travelers had to wiggle by, risking a deadly fall down the mountain. Bayberry decided to move the  boulder so that everyone could use the road safely.

He wedged his stick under the boulder, but it broke. Then he pushed with all his might. Finally the boulder rolled free. To his surprise, there was a golden flute in the hollow where the rock had been. He picked it up and played a tune.

Suddenly, little creatures jumped out of the ground and the bushes. Frogs, lizards and mice all danced to his tune. As soon as he stopped, they all ran away. “Now I know how to take care of this dragon,” he said to himself.

Bayberry climbed on until he came to the summit of the highest mountain. There he saw a terrifying dragon lounging in front of a cave. Bones lay all around him. At the back of the cave, a human girl was digging  with her bare hands. When she stopped to wipe her tears away, the dragon whipped her back with its tail.

“Since you refuse to marry me, you’ll dig out this cave for the rest of your life!”

At once, Bayberry realized this must be Little Red. He rushed forward, yelling, “You fiend, how can you do this to my sister?”

Before the dragon could react, Bayberry began to play on his flute. The dragon couldn’t help himself. Side to side, twisting and looping, he started to dance. Bayberry played faster and faster, and though the dragon roared and threatened, he couldn’t break the golden flute’s spell.

Little Red ran to greet her brother, but he just shook his head. He kept playing the flute, and the dragon kept dancing. Soon it  gasped for breath.

“You are stronger! Take your sister and go, just as long as you let me alone.”

Bayberry didn’t believe him. He made the dragon dance down the mountainside, where there was a deep lake. In went the dragon, kersplash! While waves lapped at the shore, the dragon begged for mercy.

“Let me alone and I’ll stay in this pond forever. I’ll never bother anyone again!” So finally Bayberry let his golden flute rest. The dragon sank down into the pond.

Brother and sister embraced, weeping for joy. They turned to walk home, but the lake began to bubble and churn. Out came the dragon, ready to tear with its awful claws!

Little Red told her brother, “He’s been so wicked all this time. Nothing will make him change.”

So Bayberry started to play again. He danced the dragon back to the middle of the lake. No matter how the monster raged or pleaded, Bayberry kept playing. He played all day and all night, for seven days, until the waters went still at last. The evil dragon was dead.

The siblings set off again, dragging the dragon’s body behind them. Their mother was overjoyed to see them both safe. Then the family made a new house with dragon bones for the pillars and roof, and the scaly skin for walls. The dragon’s horns made an excellent plow, so they all had good crops for the rest of their lives.