The White Snake · chapter 9 of 25
The Snake in the Yard
院子里的蛇
The magic herb is ready, but Xu Xian will wake up remembering the snake on the bed. Bai Suzhen has a plan, and her sword is ready.
Read what you hear
- Narrator 白素贞回到了家里，许仙还在床上，没有醒。
Bái Sùzhēn huídào le jiā lǐ, Xǔ Xiān hái zài chuáng shàng, méiyǒu xǐng.
Bai Suzhen was home again. Xu Xian still lay in bed, and had not woken.
- Bai Suzhen 小青，别怕，我有办法，官人会相信我的。你看着。
Xiǎoqīng, bié pà, wǒ yǒu bànfǎ, guānrén huì xiāngxìn wǒ de. Nǐ kànzhe.
Don't be afraid, Xiaoqing, I have a plan. He will believe me. Watch.
- Narrator 她拿下身上白色的带子，说了几句话。
Tā ná xià shēnshang báisè de dàizi, shuō le jǐ jù huà.
She took off her white sash and said a few words over it.
Chapter 9 is part of SayMei Stories ($2.99 a month) and SayMei Premium. Part 1 of The White Snake (chapters 1–5) is free, and The Second Cup of Tea, The Great Race: The Twelve Animals, The Kitchen God, Little Red Riding Hood, Beauty and the Beast, Chang'e and the Moon, Alice in Wonderland and Judge Dee's Cases are free from start to finish.
- Xiaoqing 天哪！带子变成了一条白蛇！
Tiān na! Dàizi biànchéng le yì tiáo báishé!
Heavens! The sash has turned into a white snake!
- Xiaoqing 这条白蛇，跟小姐一样白，一样大……
Zhè tiáo báishé, gēn xiǎojiě yíyàng bái, yíyàng dà…
This white snake is just as white as you, Miss, and just as big...
- Bai Suzhen 一样大？小青，你又说我老？
Yíyàng dà? Xiǎoqīng, nǐ yòu shuō wǒ lǎo?
As big as me? Xiaoqing, are you calling me old again?
- Narrator 白素贞拿起剑，一下，两下……七下。
Bái Sùzhēn ná qǐ jiàn, yí xià, liǎng xià… qī xià.
Bai Suzhen raised her sword: one stroke, two... seven.
- Xiaoqing 七段！小姐，你的剑真快！
Qī duàn! Xiǎojiě, nǐ de jiàn zhēn kuài!
Seven pieces! Miss, your sword is so fast!
- Bai Suzhen 把它放在院子里，官人看见了，就会相信我。
Bǎ tā fàng zài yuànzi lǐ, guānrén kànjiàn le, jiù huì xiāngxìn wǒ.
Put it in the yard. When he sees it, he'll believe me.
- Bai Suzhen 小青，叶子做成药了吗？
Xiǎoqīng, yèzi zuòchéng yào le ma?
Xiaoqing, have you made the leaves into medicine?
- Xiaoqing 做好了，两片叶子做了一碗药。小心，很热！
Zuò hǎo le, liǎng piàn yèzi zuò le yì wǎn yào. Xiǎoxīn, hěn rè!
It's ready. Two leaves made one bowl of medicine. Careful, it's hot!
- Bai Suzhen 官人，喝吧，这是仙草……你快醒……
Guānrén, hē ba, zhè shì xiāncǎo… nǐ kuài xǐng…
Drink, dear, this is the magic herb... please wake up...
- Xiaoqing 他动了！小姐，他的手动了！
Tā dòng le! Xiǎojiě, tā de shǒu dòng le!
He moved! Miss, his hand moved!
- Xu Xian 我……我在哪儿？
Wǒ… wǒ zài nǎr?
Where... where am I?
- Xu Xian 我做了一个梦……一个好可怕的梦……
Wǒ zuò le yí gè mèng… yí gè hǎo kěpà de mèng…
I had a dream... a terrible dream...
- Xu Xian 床上有一条大白蛇……啊！你们……妖怪！快走开！
Chuáng shàng yǒu yì tiáo dà báishé… ā! Nǐmen… yāoguài! Kuài zǒukāi!
There was a huge white snake on the bed... ah! You... demons! Get away from me!
- Bai Suzhen 官人，别怕，是我啊！我是你的娘子！
Guānrén, bié pà, shì wǒ a! Wǒ shì nǐ de niángzǐ!
Don't be afraid, dear, it's me! I'm your wife!
- Xiaoqing 许官人，你看清楚！小青哪里像妖怪？
Xǔ guānrén, nǐ kàn qīngchu! Xiǎoqīng nǎlǐ xiàng yāoguài?
Mr. Xu, take a good look! Does Xiaoqing look anything like a demon?
- Bai Suzhen 官人，那不是梦，是真的，你听我说。
Guānrén, nà bú shì mèng, shì zhēn de, nǐ tīng wǒ shuō.
Dear, that was no dream, it really happened. Listen to me.
- Bai Suzhen 那天，一条大白蛇进了我们家，吓到了你。我用剑杀了它。
Nà tiān, yì tiáo dà báishé jìn le wǒmen jiā, xià dào le nǐ. Wǒ yòng jiàn shā le tā.
That day a huge white snake got into our house and frightened you. I killed it with my sword.
- Bai Suzhen 你病了，我去了很远的地方，找我的老师拿药。
Nǐ bìng le, wǒ qù le hěn yuǎn de dìfang, zhǎo wǒ de lǎoshī ná yào.
You fell ill, so I went a long way to get medicine from my teacher.
- Xu Xian 你……你杀了一条那么大的蛇？
Nǐ… nǐ shā le yì tiáo nàme dà de shé?
You... you killed a snake that big?
- Bai Suzhen 你不相信？你自己去院子里看看。
Nǐ bù xiāngxìn? Nǐ zìjǐ qù yuànzi lǐ kànkan.
You don't believe me? Go and look in the yard yourself.
- Narrator 许仙走到院子里，地上有七段白蛇。
Xǔ Xiān zǒu dào yuànzi lǐ, dìshang yǒu qī duàn báishé.
Xu Xian went out into the yard. On the ground lay a white snake, cut into seven pieces.
- Xu Xian 七段……这么大的一条白蛇，原来是真的！
Qī duàn… zhème dà de yì tiáo báishé, yuánlái shì zhēn de!
Seven pieces... such a huge white snake. So it was real!
- Xu Xian 娘子，你的眼泪……对不起，我刚才叫你妖怪。谢谢你救了我！
Niángzǐ, nǐ de yǎnlèi… duìbuqǐ, wǒ gāngcái jiào nǐ yāoguài. Xièxie nǐ jiù le wǒ!
My dear, you're crying... I'm sorry I called you a demon just now. Thank you for saving my life!
- Xiaoqing 许官人，你也叫小青妖怪。小青好难过……小青要去做尼姑！
Xǔ guānrén, nǐ yě jiào Xiǎoqīng yāoguài. Xiǎoqīng hǎo nánguò… Xiǎoqīng yào qù zuò nígū!
Mr. Xu, you called Xiaoqing a demon too. Xiaoqing is so hurt... Xiaoqing is going to become a nun!
- Xu Xian 别，别！小青，对不起！
Bié, bié! Xiǎoqīng, duìbuqǐ!
No, don't! Xiaoqing, I'm sorry!
- Narrator 过了一些日子，许仙的身体好了，又在药店里卖药了。
Guò le yìxiē rìzi, Xǔ Xiān de shēntǐ hǎo le, yòu zài yàodiàn lǐ mài yào le.
Some time went by. Xu Xian was well again, and back in the shop selling medicine.
- Xiaoqing 小姐，店里来了一个小师父。他说，他是从金山寺来的。
Xiǎojiě, diàn lǐ lái le yí gè xiǎo shīfu. Tā shuō, tā shì cóng Jīnshān Sì lái de.
Miss, a young monk has come into the shop. He says he's from Jinshan Temple.
Hear the chapter
What changed in the story?
- What does Bai turn into a white snake?
“她拿下身上白色的带子，说了几句话。……带子变成了一条白蛇！”
- What does Xu think happened when he wakes up?
“我做了一个梦……一个好可怕的梦……”
- What does Xu shout when he sees the two women?
“妖怪！快走开！”
- What story does Bai tell Xu?
“一条大白蛇进了我们家，吓到了你。我用剑杀了它。”
- Why does Xu believe her?
“地上有七段白蛇。……原来是真的！”