The Butterfly Lovers · chapter 3 of 25
The Pomegranate Branch
一枝石榴花
On the morning she leaves home, Yingtai makes a vow over a flowering branch. Then the road north brings her to a willow-lined river crossing, and a stranger.
Hear the chapter
Read what you hear
- Narrator 初夏的早上，祝家花园里的石榴花开得正红。
Chūxià de zǎoshang, Zhù jiā huāyuán lǐ de shíliuhuā kāi de zhèng hóng.
It was an early summer morning, and the pomegranate flowers in the Zhu garden were at their reddest.
- Master Zhu 英台，今天你就要走了。那天你说你知道怎么做，是什么办法？
Yīngtái, jīntiān nǐ jiù yào zǒu le. Nà tiān nǐ shuō nǐ zhīdào zěnme zuò, shì shénme bànfǎ?
Yingtai, today you leave. The other day you said you knew how. So what's your plan?
- Zhu Yingtai 爸爸，您看，这是一枝石榴花。
Bàba, nín kàn, zhè shì yì zhī shíliuhuā.
Look, Father. A branch of pomegranate flowers.
- Master Zhu 这么好看的花，你拿它做什么？
Zhème hǎokàn de huā, nǐ ná tā zuò shénme?
Such pretty flowers. What do you want them for?
- Zhu Yingtai 我要把它种在这里，然后当着您的面发誓。
Wǒ yào bǎ tā zhòng zài zhèlǐ, ránhòu dāngzhe nín de miàn fāshì.
I'm going to plant it right here, and then make a vow in front of you.
- Narrator 英台把石榴花种在花园里，跪在地上，看着天。
Yīngtái bǎ shíliuhuā zhòng zài huāyuán lǐ, guì zài dì shàng, kànzhe tiān.
Yingtai planted the flowering branch in the garden, knelt on the ground and looked up at the sky.
- Zhu Yingtai 我祝英台发誓：我在外面，一定不做对不起祝家的事。
Wǒ Zhù Yīngtái fāshì: wǒ zài wàimiàn, yídìng bú zuò duìbuqǐ Zhù jiā de shì.
I, Zhu Yingtai, make this vow: out in the world, I will never do anything to shame the Zhu family.
- Zhu Yingtai 要是我做到了，这枝花就会活下来，长出叶子，年年开出红花。
Yàoshi wǒ zuòdào le, zhè zhī huā jiù huì huó xiàlái, zhǎngchū yèzi, niánnián kāichū hóng huā.
If I keep my word, this branch will live. It will grow leaves and bloom red every year.
- Zhu Yingtai 要是我做不到，它就会死！
Yàoshi wǒ zuò bu dào, tā jiù huì sǐ!
If I break it, the branch will die!
- Master Zhu 英台，快起来……你真让爸爸吃惊。爸爸相信你。
Yīngtái, kuài qǐlái… nǐ zhēn ràng bàba chījīng. Bàba xiāngxìn nǐ.
Yingtai, get up... You truly amaze me. I trust you.
- Yinxin 小姐，你看！一只蝴蝶停在花上了，它也来送你了！
Xiǎojie, nǐ kàn! Yì zhī húdié tíng zài huā shàng le, tā yě lái sòng nǐ le!
Miss, look! A butterfly has landed on the flowers. It's come to see you off too!
- Zhu Yingtai 蝴蝶，你也留下来，跟爸爸一起看着这枝花吧。
Húdié, nǐ yě liú xiàlái, gēn bàba yìqǐ kànzhe zhè zhī huā ba.
Butterfly, you stay here too, and keep watch over this branch with Father.
- Master Zhu 好孩子。你走了以后，爸爸每天都来看看这枝花。看见它，就像看见你。
Hǎo háizi. Nǐ zǒu le yǐhòu, bàba měi tiān dōu lái kànkan zhè zhī huā. Kànjiàn tā, jiù xiàng kànjiàn nǐ.
Good girl. After you've gone, I'll come and look at this branch every day. Seeing it will be like seeing you.
- Zhu Yingtai 爸爸，您要好好的。三年以后，女儿一定回来！
Bàba, nín yào hǎohǎo de. Sān nián yǐhòu, nǚ'ér yídìng huílái!
Take care of yourself, Father. In three years, I'll come home. I promise!
- Yinxin 小姐，你走得太慢了！男孩子走路，要走大步！
Xiǎojie, nǐ zǒu de tài màn le! Nánháizi zǒulù, yào zǒu dà bù!
Miss, you're walking too slowly! Boys take big steps!
- Zhu Yingtai 银心，你又叫错了。出了家门，我就是祝公子！
Yínxīn, nǐ yòu jiào cuò le. Chū le jiā mén, wǒ jiù shì Zhù gōngzǐ!
Yinxin, you've got it wrong again. Once we're out of the gate, I'm Young Master Zhu!
- Yinxin 是，公子！你这身打扮，真像一个读书人。就是笑的时候，要大声笑，哈哈大笑！
Shì, gōngzǐ! Nǐ zhè shēn dǎban, zhēn xiàng yí gè dúshūrén. Jiù shì xiào de shíhou, yào dàshēng xiào, hāhā dà xiào!
Yes, Young Master! Dressed like that, you look just like a scholar. Only, when you laugh, laugh out loud, a big ha ha ha!
- Zhu Yingtai 哈哈哈！这样像不像？
Hāhāhā! Zhèyàng xiàng bu xiàng?
Ha ha ha! How's that?
- Yinxin 像，太像了！跟老爷笑得一样！
Xiàng, tài xiàng le! Gēn lǎoye xiào de yíyàng!
Perfect! You laugh just like the master!
- Zhu Yingtai 我这身打扮，能骗过爸爸，就能骗过别人！
Wǒ zhè shēn dǎban, néng piàn guò bàba, jiù néng piàn guò biérén!
If these clothes can fool Father, they can fool anyone!
- Yinxin 公子放心，你的秘密，我一个字也不说！
Gōngzǐ fàngxīn, nǐ de mìmì, wǒ yí gè zì yě bù shuō!
Don't worry, Young Master. I won't say a single word about your secret!
- Zhu Yingtai 你？你这个书童，话这么多！哪有书童这么爱说话的？
Nǐ? Nǐ zhège shūtóng, huà zhème duō! Nǎ yǒu shūtóng zhème ài shuōhuà de?
You? You never stop talking! Whoever heard of a book boy who chatters this much?
- Narrator 她们走了好几天的路。一天下午，她们来到一个渡口，河边有很多柳树。
Tāmen zǒu le hǎo jǐ tiān de lù. Yì tiān xiàwǔ, tāmen láidào yí gè dùkǒu, hébiān yǒu hěn duō liǔshù.
They walked for days. Then one afternoon they came to a ferry crossing, where willows lined the riverbank.
- Yinxin 公子，船还没来，我们先在柳树下面坐一会儿吧。
Gōngzǐ, chuán hái méi lái, wǒmen xiān zài liǔshù xiàmiàn zuò yíhuìr ba.
Young Master, the boat isn't here yet. Let's sit under the willows for now.
- Zhu Yingtai 过了这条河，杭州就不远了。我真的要去读书了！
Guò le zhè tiáo hé, Hángzhōu jiù bù yuǎn le. Wǒ zhēn de yào qù dúshū le!
Once we cross this river, Hangzhou isn't far. I'm really going to study!
- Yinxin 公子，你看，柳树的叶子很长，像女孩子的头发。
Gōngzǐ, nǐ kàn, liǔshù de yèzi hěn cháng, xiàng nǚháizi de tóufa.
Look, Young Master, the willow leaves are so long, like a girl's hair.
- Zhu Yingtai 银心！男孩子不说这种话！
Yínxīn! Nánháizi bù shuō zhè zhǒng huà!
Yinxin! Boys don't say things like that!
- Narrator 柳树下面，还站着一个年轻的读书人。他旁边，放着一个大书箱。
Liǔshù xiàmiàn, hái zhànzhe yí gè niánqīng de dúshūrén. Tā pángbiān, fàngzhe yí gè dà shūxiāng.
Someone else stood under the willows: a young scholar with a big book box beside him.
- Yinxin 公子，你看那边！那个读书人在偷偷看你呢！
Gōngzǐ, nǐ kàn nàbiān! Nàge dúshūrén zài tōutōu kàn nǐ ne!
Young Master, look over there! That scholar keeps sneaking looks at you!
- Zhu Yingtai 别怕。我们现在是男孩子……别看他，别看他。
Bié pà. Wǒmen xiànzài shì nánháizi… bié kàn tā, bié kàn tā.
Don't be scared. We're boys now... Don't look at him. Don't look.
- Liang Shanbo 这位公子，你也是去杭州读书的吗？
Zhè wèi gōngzǐ, nǐ yě shì qù Hángzhōu dúshū de ma?
Excuse me, young sir, are you going to Hangzhou to study too?
What changed in the story?
- What does Yingtai do with the pomegranate branch?
“我要把它种在这里，然后当着您的面发誓”
- What does she say will happen to the branch if she keeps her vow?
“这枝花就会活下来，长出叶子，年年开出红花”
- What lands on the branch after her vow?
“一只蝴蝶停在花上了”
- What does Yinxin teach Yingtai on the road?
“要走大步……要大声笑，哈哈大笑”
- Who is waiting under the willows at the ferry crossing?
“还站着一个年轻的读书人。他旁边，放着一个大书箱”