法苑珠林 31.61

31.61

東越閩中有庸嶺。高數十里其下北隰。中有大蛇。長七八丈。圍之一丈。土俗常懼。東治都尉及屬城長吏。多有死者。祭以牛羊故不得福。或與人夢。或喻巫祝。欲得噉童女年十二三者。都尉令長並共患之。然氣厲不息。共請求人家生婢子。兼有罪家女養之。至八月朝祭送蛇穴口。蛇輒夜出吞齧之。累年如此。前後已用九女。爾時預復募索。未得其女。將樂縣李誕家有六女無男。其小女名寄。應募欲行。父母不聽寄曰。父母無相。唯生六女。無有一男。雖有如無。女無提榮濟父母之功。既不能供徒費衣食。生無所益不如早死。賣寄之身可得少錢以供父母。豈不善耶。父母慈憐終不聽去。寄自潛行不可禁止。乃往告貴請好劍及齰蛇犬。至八月朝便詣廟中坐。懷劍將犬。先作數石米餈蜜[麩-夫+少]灌之。以置穴口。蛇夜便出。頭大如囷。目如二尺鏡。聞餈香氣先噉食之。寄便放犬。犬就齰齧。寄從後斫。蛇得瘡痛急。因踊出至庭而死。寄入視穴得其九女髑髏悉舉出。乃咤言曰。汝曹怯弱為蛇所食。甚可哀愍。於是寄女緩步而歸。越王聞之。娉寄為后。拜其父為將樂令。母及姊皆有賜賞。自是東治無復妖邪之怪。其歌謠曰至今存焉。

In Minzhong of Dongyue, there was the Yong Mountain Range, several tens of li high, with a northern marsh beneath it. In it was a great serpent, seventy to eighty feet long and one zhang in girth. The local populace was constantly terrified. Many commandery commandants of Dongzhi and senior officials of subordinate towns had died. They sacrificed oxen and sheep to it, yet received no blessing. Sometimes it appeared in dreams to people, or gave warnings to shamans and diviners, demanding to devour virgin girls aged twelve or thirteen. The commandants and town magistrates all shared the affliction, yet its pestilential vapor did not cease. Together they sought and bought servant girls born in households, as well as the daughters of criminal households, and raised them. When the morning of the eighth month arrived, they sacrificed and delivered them to the mouth of the serpent's cave. The serpent would emerge at night to swallow and devour them. It continued thus for consecutive years, having previously consumed nine girls. At that time, they recruited and searched in advance, but could not obtain a girl. In the household of Li Dan of Jiangle County, there were six daughters and no sons. The youngest daughter was named Ji. Responding to the recruitment, she wished to go. Her parents would not allow it. Ji said, 'Our parents have no good fortune, bearing only six daughters and not a single son. Though having us, it is as if having none. Daughters lack the merit to bring honor or succour to their parents; being unable to provide, they merely waste clothing and food. Living with no benefit, it is better to die early. By selling Ji's body, some money can be obtained to support our parents—would that not be good?' Her parents, out of tender affection, would not permit her to go. Ji slipped away secretly on her own and could not be stopped. She then went to the officials to request a fine sword and a snake-biting dog. When the morning of the eighth month arrived, she went and sat in the temple, holding the sword and leading the dog. First, she made several dan of rice cakes, poured honeyed roasted flour over them, and placed them at the mouth of the cave. The serpent emerged at night, its head as large as a grain bin, its eyes like two-foot mirrors. Smelling the fragrance of the cakes, it first ate them. Ji then loosed the dog, which went up and bit it, while Ji hacked at it from behind. The serpent suffered acute pain from its wounds; it then bounded out into the courtyard and died. Ji entered and inspected the cave, finding the skulls of the nine girls, and brought them all out. She sighed indignantly and said, 'You were faint-hearted and weak, and so were eaten by the serpent; how pitiable!' Thereupon the maiden Ji walked back leisurely. When the King of Yue heard of it, he betrothed Ji as his queen, appointed her father magistrate of Jiangle, and bestowed rewards upon her mother and sisters. From then on, Dongzhi had no more anomalous monstrosities. The ballads of that event survive to this day.