The White Snake · chapter 23 of 25
Xiaoqing Comes Back
小青回来了
Xiaoqing returns to Jinshan Temple to settle her score with Fahai, and years later Mengjiao hears a secret at the pagoda.
Read what you hear
- Narrator 长江边的金山寺前，飞来了一片青光。
Cháng Jiāng biān de Jīnshān Sì qián, fēilái le yí piàn qīng guāng.
A green light came flying down before Jinshan Temple, by the Yangtze.
- Fahai 看见青光，就知道是你了，青蛇。
Kànjiàn qīng guāng, jiù zhīdào shì nǐ le, qīngshé.
When I saw the green light, I knew it was you, green snake.
- Xiaoqing 法海，小青回来了！我在峨眉山修行了七年！
Fǎhǎi, Xiǎoqīng huílái le! Wǒ zài Éméi Shān xiūxíng le qī nián!
Fahai, Xiaoqing is back! I've practiced on Mount Emei for seven years!
Chapter 23 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 七年前，你抓了我家小姐。我说过：法海，你等着！
Qī nián qián, nǐ zhuā le wǒ jiā xiǎojiě. Wǒ shuō guo: Fǎhǎi, nǐ děngzhe!
Seven years ago you took Miss away. I told you: Fahai, just you wait!
- Fahai 我等着呢。
Wǒ děngzhe ne.
And I have been waiting.
- Xiaoqing 你这个坏和尚！我家小姐做错了什么？
Nǐ zhège huài héshang! Wǒ jiā xiǎojiě zuò cuò le shénme?
You wicked monk! What did Miss ever do wrong?
- Fahai 她偷了银子。她的大水，害了镇江很多人。
Tā tōu le yínzi. Tā de dà shuǐ, hài le Zhènjiāng hěn duō rén.
She stole silver. And her flood harmed many people in Zhenjiang.
- Xiaoqing 许官人是小姐的！是你不让他回家！
Xǔ guānrén shì xiǎojiě de! Shì nǐ bú ràng tā huí jiā!
Mr. Xu belonged to Miss! You're the one who wouldn't let him go home!
- Xiaoqing 看我的飞刀！
Kàn wǒ de fēidāo!
Here come my flying knives!
- Narrator 法海的禅杖一动，飞刀都掉进了长江里。
Fǎhǎi de chánzhàng yí dòng, fēidāo dōu diào jìn le Cháng Jiāng lǐ.
One sweep of Fahai's staff, and every knife fell into the Yangtze.
- Fahai 青蛇，你跑不了了。
Qīngshé, nǐ pǎo bu liǎo le.
Green snake, you can't get away now.
- Xiaoqing 放开我，放开小青！
Fàngkāi wǒ, fàngkāi Xiǎoqīng!
Let go of me! Let Xiaoqing go!
- Narrator 小青没有法术了，变回了一条小青蛇。
Xiǎoqīng méiyǒu fǎshù le, biàn huí le yì tiáo xiǎo qīngshé.
Xiaoqing's magic ran out, and she turned back into a little green snake.
- Fahai 小青蛇，你和白蛇一样，不听话。
Xiǎo qīngshé, nǐ hé báishé yíyàng, bù tīnghuà.
Little green snake, you're just like the white snake. You never listen.
- Guanyin 法海，这条青蛇，给我吧。
Fǎhǎi, zhè tiáo qīngshé, gěi wǒ ba.
Fahai, give this green snake to me.
- Fahai 是，观音菩萨。
Shì, Guānyīn Púsà.
Yes, Guanyin.
- Guanyin 青蛇，你对白蛇的心，是真的。到我的小瓶子里来，好好修行吧。
Qīngshé, nǐ duì báishé de xīn, shì zhēn de. Dào wǒ de xiǎo píngzi lǐ lái, hǎohǎo xiūxíng ba.
Green snake, your heart for the white snake is true. Come into my little vase, and practice well.
- Xiaoqing 小青以前天天说，要去当尼姑……现在好了，真的要修行了！
Xiǎoqīng yǐqián tiāntiān shuō, yào qù dāng nígū… xiànzài hǎo le, zhēn de yào xiūxíng le!
Xiaoqing used to say every day she'd go and be a nun... and now look, she really has to practice!
- Xiaoqing 小姐，小青先走了，你等着小青！
Xiǎojiě, Xiǎoqīng xiān zǒu le, nǐ děngzhe Xiǎoqīng!
Miss, Xiaoqing has to go now. Wait for Xiaoqing!
- Narrator 青蛇进了观音菩萨的小瓶子。九年过去了。
Qīngshé jìn le Guānyīn Púsà de xiǎo píngzi. Jiǔ nián guòqù le.
The green snake went into Guanyin's little vase. Nine years went by.
- Jiaorong 梦蛟，你十六岁了。明天，你就要去京城考试了。
Mèngjiāo, nǐ shíliù suì le. Míngtiān, nǐ jiù yào qù jīngchéng kǎoshì le.
Mengjiao, you're sixteen now. Tomorrow you leave for the exam in the capital.
- Jiaorong 衣服带了吗？书和钱，都带了吗？
Yīfu dài le ma? Shū hé qián, dōu dài le ma?
Have you packed your clothes? Your books and your money?
- Mengjiao 都带了，姑姑。这次，不是五个钱了！
Dōu dài le, gūgu. Zhè cì, bú shì wǔ gè qián le!
All packed, Aunt. And this time it's more than five coins!
- Jiaorong 你这个孩子！去吧，先去雷峰塔，跟你妈妈说再见。
Nǐ zhège háizi! Qù ba, xiān qù Léifēng Tǎ, gēn nǐ māma shuō zàijiàn.
You rascal! Go on, then. Go to Leifeng Pagoda first and say goodbye to your mother.
- Mengjiao 妈妈，是我，梦蛟。我要去京城考试了。
Māma, shì wǒ, Mèngjiāo. Wǒ yào qù jīngchéng kǎoshì le.
Mother, it's me, Mengjiao. I'm going to the capital for the exam.
- Bai Suzhen 梦蛟，你的声音不一样了，你长大了。
Mèngjiāo, nǐ de shēngyīn bù yíyàng le, nǐ zhǎngdà le.
Mengjiao, your voice has changed. You've grown up.
- Mengjiao 妈妈，我一定会当状元，回来救你！
Māma, wǒ yídìng huì dāng zhuàngyuan, huílái jiù nǐ!
Mother, I'll become top scholar, I promise, and come back to save you!
- Bai Suzhen 去京城的路上，你先去金山寺。你爸爸在那儿。
Qù jīngchéng de lù shàng, nǐ xiān qù Jīnshān Sì. Nǐ bàba zài nàr.
On your way to the capital, stop first at Jinshan Temple. Your father is there.
- Mengjiao 我爸爸在金山寺？那是法海的地方！
Wǒ bàba zài Jīnshān Sì? Nà shì Fǎhǎi de dìfang!
My father is at Jinshan Temple? That's Fahai's place!
- Bai Suzhen 他在那儿当和尚。金山寺有五百个和尚，你要自己去找。
Tā zài nàr dāng héshang. Jīnshān Sì yǒu wǔbǎi gè héshang, nǐ yào zìjǐ qù zhǎo.
He's a monk there. Jinshan Temple has five hundred monks. You'll have to find him yourself.
- Mengjiao 五百个和尚……哪一个是我的爸爸呢？
Wǔbǎi gè héshang… nǎ yí gè shì wǒ de bàba ne?
Five hundred monks... which one is my father?
Hear the chapter
What changed in the story?
- Where has Xiaoqing been for seven years?
“我在峨眉山修行了七年”
- What happens to Xiaoqing's flying knives?
“飞刀都掉进了长江里”
- What does Guanyin ask the green snake to do?
“到我的小瓶子里来，好好修行吧”
- Why does Mengjiao go to Leifeng Pagoda at sixteen?
“先去雷峰塔，跟你妈妈说再见”
- What does his mother tell him about his father?
“你爸爸在那儿……他在那儿当和尚”