Wednesday, August 30, 2006
Hay Houh Lai
Good morning,
A story of a village champion against injustice
In Teochew operatic skits there is a character named Hay Houh Lai, meaning Summer Rain Come interpreted word for word. HouhLai also means fox by the same sound. HouhLai is a gifted scholar and he is a kind of folklore hero, one who champions the abused, the mistreated and restores justice in his own way, which could end up quite drastically.
There was a time when a beggar sought charity from a tailor. This skinflint tailor not only rejected him but also abused and kicked the poor tattered beggar out of his shop. HouhLai witnessed the incident. He took the beggar to a secluded corner and gave him the trousers he was wearing; his half nakedness was not noticeable because of the outer gown. Then he went to the tailor shop. The tailor welcomed him gleefully and brought out five pairs of expensive trousers for him to try. HouhLai found them unsuitable and returned them.
The tailor was quick to notice that one pair was not returned and pointed to the one HouhLai was wearing, and he accused HouhLai of stealing the trousers. An argument arose and the two decided to take the case to the magistrate.
At the magistracy the tailor accused HouhLai of stealing his pair of fine trousers of superb quality and workmanship, whereas HouhLai suggested that the tailor being in the business could easily notice such good characteristics, and he maintained that it was one he was wearing all the time, and he even pointed out the particulars and unique features of the trousers. A check was made and it was found that the trousers fitted exactly what HouhLai had described. The distressed tailor was given some strokes of the paddle as punishment and ordered to recompense HouhLai with three taels of silver. HouhLai showed the silver he received to the magistrate and the two left the magistracy, the tailor whimpering and HouhLai laughing.
As soon as they were out of the magistracy, HouhLai gave the silver back to the tailor and advised him to be kind in future. The tailor accepted the silver happily. Thereupon HouhLai ran back into the magistracy shouting, and he informed the magistrate that the tailor had snatched the silver from him. Under such circumstances and with such prejudice the tailor was severely reprimanded again by the magistrate, and he was given more strokes of the paddle.
Then as the two came out of the magistracy HouhLai asked the tailor whether he wished to have his silver back. The miserable tailor was in no mood with all the misfortune he just had as to have anything more to do with HouhLai; he just hobbled away whimpering back to his shop. Meanwhile HouhLai gave the silver to the beggar who praised him all the more, saying that he was really a very good man.
Have a nice day.
Ronald
A story of a village champion against injustice
In Teochew operatic skits there is a character named Hay Houh Lai, meaning Summer Rain Come interpreted word for word. HouhLai also means fox by the same sound. HouhLai is a gifted scholar and he is a kind of folklore hero, one who champions the abused, the mistreated and restores justice in his own way, which could end up quite drastically.
There was a time when a beggar sought charity from a tailor. This skinflint tailor not only rejected him but also abused and kicked the poor tattered beggar out of his shop. HouhLai witnessed the incident. He took the beggar to a secluded corner and gave him the trousers he was wearing; his half nakedness was not noticeable because of the outer gown. Then he went to the tailor shop. The tailor welcomed him gleefully and brought out five pairs of expensive trousers for him to try. HouhLai found them unsuitable and returned them.
The tailor was quick to notice that one pair was not returned and pointed to the one HouhLai was wearing, and he accused HouhLai of stealing the trousers. An argument arose and the two decided to take the case to the magistrate.
At the magistracy the tailor accused HouhLai of stealing his pair of fine trousers of superb quality and workmanship, whereas HouhLai suggested that the tailor being in the business could easily notice such good characteristics, and he maintained that it was one he was wearing all the time, and he even pointed out the particulars and unique features of the trousers. A check was made and it was found that the trousers fitted exactly what HouhLai had described. The distressed tailor was given some strokes of the paddle as punishment and ordered to recompense HouhLai with three taels of silver. HouhLai showed the silver he received to the magistrate and the two left the magistracy, the tailor whimpering and HouhLai laughing.
As soon as they were out of the magistracy, HouhLai gave the silver back to the tailor and advised him to be kind in future. The tailor accepted the silver happily. Thereupon HouhLai ran back into the magistracy shouting, and he informed the magistrate that the tailor had snatched the silver from him. Under such circumstances and with such prejudice the tailor was severely reprimanded again by the magistrate, and he was given more strokes of the paddle.
Then as the two came out of the magistracy HouhLai asked the tailor whether he wished to have his silver back. The miserable tailor was in no mood with all the misfortune he just had as to have anything more to do with HouhLai; he just hobbled away whimpering back to his shop. Meanwhile HouhLai gave the silver to the beggar who praised him all the more, saying that he was really a very good man.
Have a nice day.
Ronald
# posted by chunmu @ 7:40 PM 
