The Cricket
P'u Sung-ling, China (1640-1715)
Literal Comprehension:
"The Cricket" is a story. It was written by a Chinese writer, P'u Sung-ling during 18th century. It is based on cricket fighting in China. It goes back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907), and it is still a popular pastime today. As in the story, success depends in part on locating good specimens, and in part on feeding and rearing them properly.
Cricket fighting was a popular pastime (holy) in China locating good specimen of cricket feeding and rearing them properly was considered a great job. Crickets were also sold and kept for their singing. The people have to supply cricket for the men to test in battle. The Magistrate appointed the Floral Shede the royal suppliers of the cricket to the court. The Magistrate asked Make Good, the neighborhood head to collect the Rare and understanding/outstanding specimen of cricket. Make Good was pedantic and unassertive. He couldn't force the people to pay the taxes .His property was finished (exhausted) to make up the money out of his own pocket.
When Make Good couldn't supply the cricket, he felt frustrated and wanted to die but his wife advised him to search for the cricket himself. Make Good started searching for the cricket carrying the bamboo tube on wire cage from morning to evening. He found some weak and inferior specimen of cricket. The Magistrate warned Make Good to provide best cricket within 10 days .He had to face the punishment of 100 strokes. As he was unable to find any worth cricket, he was bitten badly until his blood ran down both his legs.
Make Good wife consulted a fortune teller who issued a slip of paper which showed a sketch of a neglected shrine behind which/where a small mountain, huge rocks, vegetation a cricket and a frog could be found /seen. Fascinated by the cricket, the woman folded the paper and went home to show it to her husband.
Make Good examined the picture which reminded him a Buddhist temple east of the village Make Good caught a cricket with a large body and a long tail. It had dark green neck and golden wings. He took it to him and placed it in a tub and fed it all kinds of grains. Unfortunately, Make Good's son uncovered the tub one day and the bug leaped out of the sight. By the time the desperate boy hunted it down and trapped it under his hand, a legs was turn off and its belly were split. Distracted from fear, the boy ran down from home. The mother thought it was the day of their ruin when the father knew about it, he felt as if he had been drenched with ice. The boy was found in well, looked as if dead. Both husband and wife were desperate. However, they have some relief when the boy had a slight sign of breathing he seemed to recover but it would take more time.
Make Good caught another outside from the wall. Its wings were like plum blossoms (flower) and had a long legs and square head. He caged the cricket and took good care of it and he was afraid if it could please the authorities or not. Make Good was overjoyed when his small cricket got victory over the big cricket named (crab-shell green) in a test match. His cricket leaped (jump) extended its tail, stretched its antenna and caught hold off enemy neck. It even defeated the Rooster by biting in its crest. The cricket was presented to the Magistrate who angrily rebuked for bringing of such a weak, little bug. The magistrate tested it a combat, the cricket defeated all other insects.
Finally, Make Good was rewarded .The insect was presented to the governor. The governor was delighted and offered it to emperor with the/a detail account of its success. It was tested against another cricket but none could defeat it. Besides, Make Good cricket could dance in rhythm.
The magistrate received the commendation from the governor and the emperor Make Good was granted as a degree by the educational officer. After a years, Make Good's son recognized full consciousness. His vital spirits restored. He told his father that he had become a cricket while he was sleeping. His body left light and he had the power to make swift leaps and grew skilled in combat.
Make Good was richly rewarded by the governor. He acquired 100 hectors of farmland a two story building, thousand of ships and oxen, splendid carriage and beautiful finely (clothes).
Interpretation:
The story tries to show the importance of freedom as well as the beliefs on superstitions and fate. It is based on real event which happened during Ming reign. In an autocratic system of government one does not feel secure. People get punishment and torture without any obvious reason. They cannot go against the rulers. In the story, the common people were compelled to fulfill their rulers' demand without any questions. If they failed to get mighty crickets for the rulers, they would be severely punished. More than that, the story reveals human weakness. Basically, human beings are savage. They get pleasure after watching animal fighting and killing each other.
Critical Thinking:
This story is based on gothic tale. Death and reappearance are presented. After reading this story, I put some questions: can a cricket outsmart a rooster? Do you think, a cricket dances on tune of musical instruments? How can Make-good's son become a cricket? Does a fortune teller have capacity to find the place of crickets? The story has revealed that, the society has still belief on superstition.
Assimilation:
After reading this story, now I recall my school days. Our seniors used to run after cocks. They used to ask us gathering cocks and they enjoyed fighting cocks. We were made to speak louder so that cocks fighting could be more interesting. Even the adults used to enjoy a lot.
