show a three, I will punish myself with one big cup, then pass it to one of you.”
Hsi-shih looked up and threw the dice and shouted, “There's no one on the first throw!”
Green Pearl trilled a line of poetry in a sweet voice: “When my husband doesn't come, the cold night is long.”
Miss Silk laughed in great admiration and said, “The double-meaning in this line is magnificent.” She also chanted a line: “The Jade Lady's earrings dangle in the autumn wind.”
Monkey thought, “Now it's my turn. I can remember several lines of other kinds of writing, but thinking of poetry makes my head ache. What's more, I don't know if Beautiful Lady Yü knows poetry or not. If she doesn't, I'll be all right; if she does, I'll give myself away.”
Green Pearl said, “A line, please, Beautiful Lady.” Monkey answered evasively, “I can't write poetry.”
Hsi-shih laughed and said, “The Selected Poems of the Beautiful Lady has circulated throughout the Central Plain. Even tiny children know that Beautiful Lady Yü is talented in composing tz'u - and fu- style poetry. And here today you're acting coy!”
Monkey had no choice but to raise his face and seek inspiration. He was lost in thought a long while, then asked the group, “Is it all right if I don't use a line from an ancient poet?”
Green Pearl said, “You'll have to ask our leader.”
Monkey asked Hsi-shih and she said, “What difference does it make? Once you compose a line, it'll be the same as one from the ancients!”
Everyone inclined her ear to listen and Monkey chanted a line: “I regret my heart follows clouds and rain in flight.”
Green Pearl asked Miss Silk, “What do you think of the Beautiful Lady's line?”
Miss Silk replied, “Who would dare say the Beautiful Lady's poetry is not good? Only this line somehow smacks of monkishness.”
Hsi-shih laughed and said, “The Beautiful Lady was once a nun for half a month.”
Monkey said, “Oh, don't tease. Would you please pass the dice bowl on?”
Hsi-shih quickly handed the dice bowl to Green Pearl, who lifted her hand and tossed the dice. She shouted, “The second throw doesn't show a two!”
Hsi-shih said, “It's easy for you to confess but hard for me.”
Green Pearl asked, “But sister, what's so hard for you to confess?”
Hsi-shih exclaimed, “Hmph! You're trying to embarrass me! You must know I've had two husbands!”
Green Pearl persisted, “Even though we have different names we're all your flesh and blood. What harm is there in it? I've got an idea—why don't you give us a line about King Wu and then one about young Fan?”
Hsi-shih heard this and straightaway confessed:
Young Fan: Green years on Willow Stream .
King Wu : Rosy cheeks in a jade palace .
Young Fan: Vowed to the sun on K'un-lun Mountains .
King Wu: Slept the night beneath a wu-t'ung tree .
Young Fan: Lamented the moon on Five Lakes .
King Wu: Grieved day-long once drunk .
After hearing this, Green Pearl tipped her cup and made her own confession:
I have a peak of pearls;
Ten-thousand piculs of tears.
Tonight in Fragrance-gripping Pavilion;
Another year in Snow-spread Hall.
Green Pearl sighed with each word. Hsi-shih said in a loud voice, “Penalty! I wanted you to tell about delights, but instead you tell about sorrows!”
Green Pearl admitted her guilt and accepted a wine penalty. Meanwhile Miss Silk tried to get Monkey to go next, while Monkey deferred to her. They bandied back and forth, but neither would confess. Finally Green Pearl said, “I've got another idea. Sister Silk, you say one line, and then you say one, Beautiful Lady.”
Hsi-shih said, “That can't be done. Hegemon Ch'u has a valiant and heroic air. Young Shen is fair of face, gentle and warm. How could they be put together?”
Miss Silk laughed and said, “It's all right. She is she and I am I. Let me confess
Hsi-shih looked up and threw the dice and shouted, “There's no one on the first throw!”
Green Pearl trilled a line of poetry in a sweet voice: “When my husband doesn't come, the cold night is long.”
Miss Silk laughed in great admiration and said, “The double-meaning in this line is magnificent.” She also chanted a line: “The Jade Lady's earrings dangle in the autumn wind.”
Monkey thought, “Now it's my turn. I can remember several lines of other kinds of writing, but thinking of poetry makes my head ache. What's more, I don't know if Beautiful Lady Yü knows poetry or not. If she doesn't, I'll be all right; if she does, I'll give myself away.”
Green Pearl said, “A line, please, Beautiful Lady.” Monkey answered evasively, “I can't write poetry.”
Hsi-shih laughed and said, “The Selected Poems of the Beautiful Lady has circulated throughout the Central Plain. Even tiny children know that Beautiful Lady Yü is talented in composing tz'u - and fu- style poetry. And here today you're acting coy!”
Monkey had no choice but to raise his face and seek inspiration. He was lost in thought a long while, then asked the group, “Is it all right if I don't use a line from an ancient poet?”
Green Pearl said, “You'll have to ask our leader.”
Monkey asked Hsi-shih and she said, “What difference does it make? Once you compose a line, it'll be the same as one from the ancients!”
Everyone inclined her ear to listen and Monkey chanted a line: “I regret my heart follows clouds and rain in flight.”
Green Pearl asked Miss Silk, “What do you think of the Beautiful Lady's line?”
Miss Silk replied, “Who would dare say the Beautiful Lady's poetry is not good? Only this line somehow smacks of monkishness.”
Hsi-shih laughed and said, “The Beautiful Lady was once a nun for half a month.”
Monkey said, “Oh, don't tease. Would you please pass the dice bowl on?”
Hsi-shih quickly handed the dice bowl to Green Pearl, who lifted her hand and tossed the dice. She shouted, “The second throw doesn't show a two!”
Hsi-shih said, “It's easy for you to confess but hard for me.”
Green Pearl asked, “But sister, what's so hard for you to confess?”
Hsi-shih exclaimed, “Hmph! You're trying to embarrass me! You must know I've had two husbands!”
Green Pearl persisted, “Even though we have different names we're all your flesh and blood. What harm is there in it? I've got an idea—why don't you give us a line about King Wu and then one about young Fan?”
Hsi-shih heard this and straightaway confessed:
Young Fan: Green years on Willow Stream .
King Wu : Rosy cheeks in a jade palace .
Young Fan: Vowed to the sun on K'un-lun Mountains .
King Wu: Slept the night beneath a wu-t'ung tree .
Young Fan: Lamented the moon on Five Lakes .
King Wu: Grieved day-long once drunk .
After hearing this, Green Pearl tipped her cup and made her own confession:
I have a peak of pearls;
Ten-thousand piculs of tears.
Tonight in Fragrance-gripping Pavilion;
Another year in Snow-spread Hall.
Green Pearl sighed with each word. Hsi-shih said in a loud voice, “Penalty! I wanted you to tell about delights, but instead you tell about sorrows!”
Green Pearl admitted her guilt and accepted a wine penalty. Meanwhile Miss Silk tried to get Monkey to go next, while Monkey deferred to her. They bandied back and forth, but neither would confess. Finally Green Pearl said, “I've got another idea. Sister Silk, you say one line, and then you say one, Beautiful Lady.”
Hsi-shih said, “That can't be done. Hegemon Ch'u has a valiant and heroic air. Young Shen is fair of face, gentle and warm. How could they be put together?”
Miss Silk laughed and said, “It's all right. She is she and I am I. Let me confess
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