NO, 2 FOLK RELIGION IN SOUTHWEST CHINA — GRAHAM 87 



discussed the matter very earnestly. Then they elected the snake to 

 ride on the goose, and the frog to ride on a bird, to follow the crow 

 and the yellow bee and to fly up into the sky, to carry out the plan 

 they had determined upon to save life. 



On the morning of that day the Sky Mother had just gone out of 

 the door of her palace. There was a yellow bee which buzzed and 

 stung her hand. Then she turned back to the water jar and stretched 

 out her hands to wash them. A poisonous snake came out from under 

 the water jar and opened its mouth and bit her. The Sky Mother 

 immediately fell down on the ground and fainted. Because of the 

 poison, her leg swelled larger and larger. Then the King of the Sky 

 and all the people in the palace were frightened stupid. The daughter 

 of the King of the Sky was especially very sad. 



Suddenly from the rear of the house the croaking of the frog was 

 heard. The King of the Sky asked, "What is this?" An old servant 

 answered, "It is the frog croaking." The King of the Sky knew that 

 the frog could heal the wound caused by the snake bite. He was about 

 to send a person to invite the frog when the frog leaped through the 

 window. He examined the Sky Mother once, then talked with the 

 King of the Sky about her illness. He said, "This illness is very 

 serious. H you want it cured, please promise me a reward." The 

 King of the Sky said, "That is very easy. You may have gold, silver, 

 and precious things as you desire." The frog shook his head and 

 said, "I do not want these things at all." The King of the Sky asked 

 him, "What do you want?" The frog looked at the daughter of the 

 King of the Sky and said timidly that all he wanted was the king's 

 daughter to be married to Ch'iao-mu-shih-ch'i. The King of the Sky 

 thought about it for a while and then answered, "Go ahead and treat 

 her quickly. After the disease is cured, I will urge her to marry him." 

 The frog jumped in front of the Mother of the Sky, and was about 

 to treat her. A servant girl was nauseated by the frog and scolded 

 him. This made the frog very angry. He was also afraid that the 

 King of the Sky would not keep his word. He therefore asked the 

 King of the Sky, "Please answer me honestly as to whether you 

 promise or not." The King of the Sky answered him deceitfully. 

 He said, "We may talk about it again after you have cured her." The 

 frog then jumped back toward the King of the Sky and said that the 

 disease was very serious. "I am going away now," he said. 



Then the daughter of the King of the Sky became anxious. She 

 could not endure it, for her affection for her mother was very deep. 

 She then said bashfully, "You treat my mother's illness quickly. I am 



