The Dutch Carpet by Pu Songling
A Chinese coastal officer refuses to let numerous Dutch traders ashore but grants them as much land as a carpet will cover. They stretch the small carpet until it covers about an acre, then use knives to take ground extending several miles.
By Pu Songling · Genre: Short Story, Fantasy · 302 words
First lines
Formerly, when the Dutch[1] were permitted to trade with China, the officer in command of the coast defences would not allow them, on account of their great numbers, to come ashore. The Dutch begged very hard for the grant of a piece of land such as a carpet would cover; and the officer above-mentioned, thinking that this could not be very large, acceded to their request. A carpet was accordingly laid down, big enough for about two people to stand on; but by dint of stretching, it was soon enough for four or five; and so they went on, stretching and stretching, until at last it covered about an acre, and by-and-by, with the help of their knives, they had filched a piece of ground several miles in extent.[2]
Genres
- Short Story — A single brief episode follows the traders' request, the officer's concession, and the enlargement of their plot.
- Fantasy — A carpet initially large enough for two people stretches until it covers about an acre.
Tags
foreign trade · land seizure · deception · expanding carpet · coastal defences
What this Textopian page supports
The Dutch Carpet is listed on Textopian as a short story by Pu Songling, dated Date unknown.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Pu Songling
- Date: Date unknown
- Language: English
- Genres: Short Story, Fantasy
- Length: 302 words
- Structure: 1 section, 3 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Difficult (10th-12th Grade)
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