9 猎人海力布

Lesson Nine

Hunter Talepool

1. In Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, there is a moving folk story.

2. Once upon a time there was a hunter named Talepool.

3. He is eager to help others. Every time he comes back from hunting, he always gives his prey to everyone, leaving only a few parts for himself.

4. Everyone respects him very much.

5. One day, when Talepool went hunting in the mountains, he suddenly heard a voice calling for help in the sky.

6. He looked up and saw an eagle holding a small white snake flying over his head.

7. He hurriedly drew his bow with an arrow, aiming at the eagle.

8. The eagle was injured and ran away without the little white snake.

9. Talepool said to the little white snake, “Poor little guy, go home quickly!”

10. The little white snake said, “Dear hunter, you are my savior, and I want to repay you.

11. I am the daughter of the Dragon King. If you come back with me, my father will reward you well.

12. There are many treasures in my father’s treasure house. You can have anything you want.

13. If you don’t like them, you can have the gem my father put in his mouth.

14. As long as you have that gem in your mouth, you can understand what all kinds of animals.”

15. Talepool thought, “I don’t care about treasures. But it’s great for a hunter to understand animals.”

16. He asked the little white snake, “Is there really such a gem?”

17. The little white snake said, “Yes, of course.

18. But you can only know for yourself what the animals say.

19. If you tell it to others, you will become a stone.”

20. Talepool nodded and followed the little white snake to the Dragon Palace.

21. The old Dragon King was very grateful to Talepool and wanted to thank him.

22. The old Dragon King led Talepool into the treasure house, letting him choose treasures and take whatever he loved.

23. Talepool didn’t want any treasures. He said to the Dragon King, “If you really want to give me something as a souvenir, please give me the gem in your mouth.”

24. The Dragon King thought for a moment, then spit out the gem in his mouth and gave it to Talepool.

25. When Talepool left, the little white snake followed him and told him again and again, “Dear hunter, you should remember that no matter what the animals say, don’t tell others.

26. If you say it, you will soon become a stone, and you will never be resurrected!”

27. Talepool thanked the little white snake and went home.

28. Talepool has this gem, which made hunting very convenient.

29. He held the precious stones in his mouth, and could understand the language of birds and animals, and knew what animals were on the mountains.

30. From then on, every time he came back from hunting, he gave everyone more prey.

31. This has gone on for several years.

32. One day, he was hunting in the deep mountains when he suddenly heard a flock of birds talking about something.

33. He listened carefully. The bird in charge said, “Let’s fly somewhere else quickly!

34. This evening, the mountains here will collapse and the earth will be flooded. A large number of people will be drowned!”

35. Talepool was shocked to hear the news.

36. He hurried home and said to everyone, “Let’s move to another place quickly!

37. We can’t live in this place anymore!”

38. After listening to this, people felt very strange. They couldn’t understand why they should move to another place for they have lived there well?

39. In spite of his anxious urge, no one believed him.

40. He said, with tears in his eyes, “I promise that what I said is true.

41. Believe me and move away!

42. Or it will be too late!”

43. An old man said to him, “Talepool, you are our good neighbor. We know you never tell lies.

44. But if you want us to move today, you have to tell us the truth.

45. We have lived at the foot of the mountain for generations. With so many people, old and young, it’s not easy to move.”

46. It was useless for Talepool to be worried. If he did not tell the truth, nobody would believe him.

47. Time was urgent, and the disaster would come soon and take the lives of villagers.

48. To save the villagers, he had to sacrifice himself.

49. Thinking of this, he calmly said to everyone, “This evening, the mountains here are going to collapse and the flood will submerge the earth.

50. You see, the birds are flying away.”

51. Then he told the truth how to get the jewel, how to hear a flock of birds talking about refuge, and why he could not tell the news to others.

52. No sooner had Talepool said this than he turned to stone

53. Everyone was very sorry and grieved when they saw Talepool turn into stone.

54. With tears in their eyes, they read the name of Talepool, supported the old man, led the children, and drove the cattle and sheep to a far distance.

55. When they were walking on the road, suddenly the clouds were thick, the wind was howling, and then it was pouring rain.

56. In the middle of the night, they heard a great noise, the mountain collapsed, and the flood gushed from the ground, and their village was submerged.

57. People have been commemorating Talepool from generation to generation. It is said that the stone named “Talepool” can still be found now.