Legend of the White Serpent（白蛇傳）- part I

It's been years since I first heard the story of the white serpent. I forgot when I heard it or who I heard it from, but the story is pretty much the same.

A schoolboy was on his way to the market when he met a group of kids casting stones on a white serpent. He rescued the snake and set it free, then continued his journey to the marketplace.

Years elapsed, the white serpent is now a powerful demon that can turn into the shape of a human. Her human form is an attractive lady named Bái Sù Zhēn（白素貞）. She knows the boy reincarnated as an educated young man named Xǔ Xiān（許仙） who lives near Xihu（西湖）. She goes to Xihu to wait for him.

At Xihu, she meets a green serpent. The serpent asks Bái to be its mentor. Bái agrees and turns it into a girl dressed in green. Bái calls her Xiǎo Qīng（小青）.

Xǔ Xiān works for his brother-in-law at an herbal medicine shop and lives with his sister and brother-in-law. One day a monk comes to the shop and asks Xǔ Xiān to go to the temple to pay his respect for his ancestors. Xǔ Xiān pays his visit on the Tomb Sweeping Day. As usual, the rain pours down heavily. Xǔ Xiān takes a boat home. On his way home, he sees a lady dressed in white and a girl dressed in green standing in the rain at the river bank. He asks the crew to let the women on board.

As the lady embarks onto the boat, Xǔ Xiān finds himself falling for the beautiful lady. Not knowing what awaits him, they had a wonderful time and landed near the herbal shop. Not wanting the affair to end, Xǔ Xiān gives her an umbrella so Bái and Xiǎo Qīng would have something to keep them out of the pouring rain. The next few days, Xǔ Xiān visits Bái asking for the umbrella, but in truth, he just wants to meet with her. Quickly the two lovebirds are engaged.

(to be continued...)