The Tale of the Mighty Dragon Woman
By Chloe H.
Once upon a time, just outside a small village in China, there lived an old woman named Lin Chou. The village was filled with children walking and playing along the streets, and the sun shining all over. Lin Chou decided she needed some food from the market.
When she arrived in town, and began to make her way down the rugged streets of the village, she heard loud screaming voices. As Lin Chou turned, she heard all of the children screaming, "Dragon Woman, Dragon woman!"
Lin Chou was old, a slight, round hump was in her back, and her skin looked scaly and dragon-like. So every day she went to the village the children would scream the words, "Dragon Woman, Dragon woman!" But it didn't bother Lin Chou. She simply continued down the rough sidewalks.
Along the way, Lin Chou surprisingly saw Chou Yi-han. His coat was an off-and-on pattern of dark black spots and light white ones.
ChouYi-han was a panda bear, and one of Lin Chou's good friends. He and his son, Chen Luan-fen, lived right next to Lin Chou's house, and they had been friends ever since the two moved there. As Chou Yi-han and Chen Luan-fen approached Lin Chou, she smiled brightly, eager to see her friends.
"Hello, Chou Yi-han, Chen Luan-fen," Lin Chou said. Chou Yi-han nodded, as he always did, and Chen Luan-fen followed.
"Daddy, daddy, the ox is coming. The great mighty ox!" Chen Luan-fen shouted in excitement.
"Hush, small one. You're in the presence of Lin Chou, and will be respectful," his father explained.
Lin Chou stared for a moment, wondering about this ox the child spoke of. Lin Chou spoke, her voice nervous and shaky, "Who is this ox you speak of Chen Luan-fen?"
"He is a drummer, and is going to drum and throw fire and do all sorts of things to the whole village!" This made Chen Luan-fen even more excited.
Lin Chou did not know why she felt the way she did, but for some reason she felt queasy and uneasy about this mysterious ox.
After Lin Chou gathered the goods she needed, and finished her discussion with Chou Yi-han and Chen Luan- fen, she hurried down the street, anxious to begin her gardening.
As Lin Chou arrived home, the sky appeared dark, and hazy clouds were seen all over. Lin Chou decided she would plant a few of the rare bamboo shoots she had picked up at the market. As Lin Chou gardened, she felt the soil's moisture on her dry hands, and as she looked up into the sky she realized it was raining. It was raining so hard the drops that hit her hands felt like pellets of ice. As Lin Chou stood up, a pointy smooth horn was in her pocket. She removed it, and examined it thoroughly. As Lin Chou gazed at the horn she saw and felt an oval-like dent.
Lin Chou quickly scrambled into her cottage, closing the door securely behind her. She peered out through the door, and saw the great hills of China piled up one after another. Lin Chou slowly placed her old scaly finger on the indentation in the oval.
"I, Wei Pang. Warn you. Ox. Come take children. Give horn. Children come back," it rumbled. Lin Chou shivered in place. An ox! Could it be this same ox that little Chen Luan-fen had spoke of?
Lin Chou jumped and moved slightly backward. After all, she had never heard a horn, speak. Although Lin Chou was a little frightened over the horn, Wei Pang, speaking, she heard everything it had to say and remembered it. However, she didn't quite understand it.
The next day Lin Chou decided to do calligraphy indoors, which she occasionally did when the weather was foggy. There were sparkles of sunshine here and there, but mostly the fog was everywhere.
Lin Chou had fairly poor eyesight so even though some sunshine was seen, the fog was so deep that Lin Chou did her calligraphy inside where the light was brighter. However, as Lin Chou enjoyed her calligraphy, she heard something from a distance. She hurried over to the table and saw that Wei Pang said yet another thing.
"The appearance of one may hide great mystery and talent."
Lin Chou was in great confusion yet again, however she was getting clues here and there from Wei Pang.
Though Lin Chou was busy with her calligraphy she couldn't help but think about what, Wei Pang said.
Later, the fog disappeared and it was all sunshine outside. Lin Chou, because the weather was nice, decided to take a walk outside and kept Wei Pang close in her pocket.
Lin Chou passed markets and valleys and places of all sorts. As she passed the village, she thought she saw a bright orange flicker go by. Could it be the fire flames Chen Luan-fen had said the ox would bring? Surprisingly, Lin Chou did not stop. Lin Chou did not know where she was going or when she would be there, her legs simply kept on walking.
Finally, Lin Chou's busy legs stopped. It appeared as though Lin Chou was alone, but sure enough the loud voices of the children's singing was heard.
"Dragon Woman, Dragon Woman!" they called.
Suddenly, Lin Chou felt an odd feeling. She grasped Wei Pang tightly and as she did, the outline of an animal came galloping over the hill. A large round drum was in its bulky hands, and spear-like weapons were in a sack on its back. Its coat was shaggy and the color was chocolate brown. An ox! Lin Chou was very nervous now. Wei Pang had said an ox would steal the children, or that's what she thought it said.
As the ox made his way over the hill, he came over to Lin Chou and said in a gruffly, demanding voice, "Great old one, have you any idea where I can get food?"
Lin Chou did not answer, and the ox grunted away, but as he turned he saw the children. The large ox licked its lips and his mouth drooled. Snarling, he let out his tongue and screamed out into the air, "Say goodbye to your old friend, children!" As he said this, his sharp teeth showed and Lin Chou ducked down.
All of a sudden Lin Chou changed. Her back became straight and she turned all different colors. She became a dragon! A dragon to save the children. But the ox was strong. Lin Chou threw Wei Pang at the evil ox, and spit a roaring blaze of fire at him, and he disappeared into the ground. All of the children cheered, and cried out, "Hail to the Dragon Woman! Hail to the Dragon Woman!"
Suddenly Chou Yi-han and Chen Luan-fen appeared, as well as all of Lin Chou's friends.
And from then on everyone lived happily ever after. Always remembering the Dragon Woman's story and the proverbs she and Wei Pang left for all of the children to hear. Respect your elders because one day you'll be one, and, the appearance of one may hide great mystery and talent.
The End