聊斋志异故事:鹦鹉许婚

This is a story from Strange Tales from Make-Do Studio. Old man Gan had two sons. He died when the second was only five. After his death， the parrot he had kept flew away. The second son grew up into a very handsome young man. His brother and sister-in -law decided to choose as suitable girl for him. One day， the second son met a very beautiful girl in the fields. Looking around to make sure that nobody was about， the girl said in a low voice， "Your father betrothed us when he was alive. Why are your brother and sister-in -law looking for somebody else？" Having never heard of this， the second brother rushed back to tell his elder brother， who was ignorant of this too. Several days later the elder brother met a tearful， beautiful girl on his way. On inquiring， the girl said，"My name is A'ying and I was betrothed to the second son of the Gans and now they want to break off the betrothal." The elder brother hurriedly dismounted and said， "I'm the elder son of the Gans. I really didn't know my father had betrothed my grother to you. Please come with me to my home." When they met at home， the second brother saw that she was the girl he had met in fields. So， the two married. One year， on the Mid-autumn Festival， the sister-in-law sent for A'ying. Despite repeated prompts by her husband A'ying didn't go. The next day， the sister-in-law came asking why A'ying had become so sad the previous night. By then， the second brother realized his wife had magic power. Also， he believed she was not a human being， so he told her to leave."Yes，" A'ying explained."I'm not a human being. I'm a parrot， your father's parrot. Your father betrothed me to you when you were very young. As I can't bear you children，I have long wanted to leave. I was only held back by the kindness you have shown to me. Now I'm leaving. Take good care of yourself." So saying， she turned into a parrot and flew away.
　　When old man Gan was alive， he had often joked to his second son， "When the parrot grows up you take her as your wife." And when he wanted the boy to feed the bird he would say，"Go and feed your wife." The bird had come to fulfil his wish.
　　《聊斋志异》中的故事。甘翁膝下二子。大儿子叫甘玉，二子名甘珏。甘珏五负那年甘翁谢世，他生前喜爱的一只鹦鹉也随之飞走。甘珏长大后，风姿秀美，哥嫂一心要为他选一美貌姑娘为妻。一天，甘珏在郊外遇到一绝色女子，少女四顾无人，便低声对甘珏说：“你家令尊，为我俩订下婚约，你哥嫂为什么还四处为你说亲？”甘珏说不知道订婚一事。回家后问哥嫂，都说不知道。隔了几日，甘玉骑马外出，途中见一美丽女子垂泪，便上前问话，女子说：“我叫阿英，曾许甘家二郎，现在甘家想赖婚。”甘玉听后，急忙下马说：“我是甘家大郎，先人许婚，实在不知，快请到家里。”到家后才知，这就是甘珏遇到的那女子。于是，二人成婚。一年中秋，嫂嫂派人来请阿英，丈夫催促阿英快去，但阿英始终没动身。第二，嫂嫂来问，昨晚见阿英，不知为什么不高兴。甘珏大吃一惊，这才知阿英有分身术，怀疑她是妖怪，请她离去。阿英说：“我本不是人，是令尊给我订的婚约，我不能生育早想走，但你们对我太好，我不忍心离去，今天告辞，望多保重。”说完变作一只鹦鹉飞云。全家人这才醒悟，甘翁在世时，曾对甘珏开玩笑说：“鹦鹉长大给你作媳妇。”还经常对甘珏说：“快喂喂你媳妇。”仙鸟不悔前盟，变少女嫁给甘珏。