The WifeThe Wife
A Chinese folk tale
By Emily T.
Once there was an emperor of the Han Dynasty. He was a good emperor and did all the right things. He also had a smart and handsome son. The son's name was name was Shew.
One day, the emperor decided it was time for Shew to get married. So he sent all his servants to the near by land to tell the people of this. The servants then would bring back all the girls who were interested in marrying Shew. The emperor would then choose one of the girls to be Shew's wife.
Soon the servants reached a small village. The servants went to all the houses doing as they were told. They went to a house where two sisters lived together. Ching-Ho, the older sister, was very ugly, but was sweet and pleasant. Sing Young, the younger sister, was pretty, but sour and very mean. Both sisters were trilled when they heard the news. So, the sisters went with the servants to the palace. There were tons and tons of girls at the palace.
Shew was looking very unhappy. He didn't want to marry some one he did not know or love. Soon, it was Ching-Ho's turn to see the emperor and Shew. The first moment the emperor saw her, he pushed her aside.
"This is the ugliest thing I have ever seen," the emperor exclaimed, but Shew gave her a chance. He started to talk to Ching-Ho. He soon found out that they had a lot in common and fell deeply in love with her. The emperor still did not want his son to marry someone who was ugly. So he asked for the next person in line. It was Sing Young. The emperor thought that Sing Young was gorgeous. She even had bound feet! The emperor thought that Sing Young was perfect for Shew.
"This is your new wife, Shew. I hope you are happy," the emperor proposed, holding forward Sing Young.
Shew was very displeased for he loved Ching-Ho, but he gave Sing Young a try just as he had done with Ching-Ho. As they talked, he found they did not like any of the same things and realized how mean she was being to him.
"Wouldn't you give Ching-Ho a chance? Then you will see how I can't marry this girl!" Shew asked of his father.
The emperor did as his son told him, for he was a good emperor. He took Ching-Ho out into the palace garden to talk. Ching-Ho was very pleasant to the emperor and he started to like her. He decided it was all right for Shew to marry Ching-Ho, instead of Sing Young.
So, the next month, Shew and Ching-Ho got married. They were very happy together. Everyone was happy, except Sing Young who didn't get to marry Shew.
Which shows, don't judge a book by its cover!
