The Thunder God by Pu Songling
After paying for his friend Hsia's burial and supporting his family, Lê turns from study to trade and feeds a destitute stranger. The stranger saves Lê and his cargo from a river storm, takes him among the clouds, and reveals himself as the God of Thunder; Lê helps distribute rain over his village and takes a star home. When his wife swallows the star, Lê dreams that Hsia identifies himself as that star and promises to become his son; she subsequently bears a clever boy named Star, who earns his master's degree at sixteen.
By Pu Songling · Genre: Supernatural Fiction, Short Story · 1,805 words
First lines
Lê Yün-hao and Hsia P‘ing-tzŭ lived as boys in the same village, and when they grew up read with the same tutor, becoming the firmest of friends. Hsia was a clever fellow, and had acquired some reputation even at the early age of ten. Lê was not a bit envious, but rather looked up to him, and Hsia in return helped his friend very much with his studies, so that he, too, made considerable progress. This increased Hsia's fame, though try as he would he could never succeed at the public examinations, and by-and-by he sickened and died. His family was so poor they could not find money for his burial, whereupon Lê came forward and paid all expenses, besides taking care of his widow and children.
Genres
- Supernatural Fiction — A stranger rescues Lê through extraordinary feats, carries him among the clouds, and reveals himself as the God of Thunder.
- Short Story — A compact prose narrative follows Lê's acts of generosity, the stranger's repayment, and the birth of his gifted son.
Tags
generosity · friendship · shipwreck · rainmaking · stars · reincarnation
What this Textopian page supports
The Thunder God is listed on Textopian as a short story by Pu Songling, dated Date unknown.
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- Work type: Short story
- Author: Pu Songling
- Date: Date unknown
- Language: English
- Genres: Supernatural Fiction, Short Story
- Length: 1,805 words
- Structure: 1 section, 4 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
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