the mosquito story (from vietnam)
Once, long ago, there was a handsome farmer. He was so handsome that he could choose any wife he wished. This farmer had a small but productive farm passed down from his father and his grandfather before him. The village matchmaker, an old woman, decided that he needed a wife. She went to all the nearby villages, looking for a wife who would be worthy of this handsome farmer. After looking for a number of days, she found a lovely girl who lived with her family two villages away from the farmer’s. All of her life, this girl had been told that she was beautiful and could have any husband she wished. Because she was beautiful, she was also told that she did not have to work, cook, clean and sew.
When the matchmaker came to her village, this beautiful girl waited until all the rest of the girls in the village were examined. Then she came forward. After all, she was more beautiful than all the other girls in the village and she really wanted to marry and leave home in order to see the rest of the world.
The matchmaker examined all of the girls and returned to the village of the handsome farmer to tell him of the choices. When he heard about the beautiful girl, he decided to choose her. He needed a wife to sew and cook and have his babies. Besides, the planting season was due to start soon. If he did not marry soon, he would have to wait until the following year to marry because planting and harvesting would involve all of his time.
And so, the matchmaker arranged the marriage between the handsome farmer and the beautiful village girl. After the wedding, they moved into the house that had been his father’s and his grandfather’s before him. It was an ordinary farm house but very comfortable and sturdy. Because she had not learned how to cook and clean very well, the farmer’s wife was clumsy and awkward, often spilling or breaking things as she struggled to get her tasks completed. One day, as she was slicing some vegetables, the knife slipped and cut her finger. The cut was very bad and, because she did not know what to do, she bled to death. The farmer, who by this time loved her very much, came home for lunch and found her on the floor. He began wailing and sobbing and crying that his beloved wife had died. What was he to do without her? The spirits heard his lament and told him to get the knife and prick his finger. When he did this, he was to let three drops of his blood fall upon her. This he did. When the third drop of blood touched her, she sat up, alive again. He was very happy. And life continued as it had before.
After a few weeks more of cooking, cleaning and sewing, the beautiful young girl who was now the farmer’s beautiful wife became tired of the work and very discontented. After all, she had been raised to expect only the best when she married and being a farmer’s wife was not what she had envisioned. One day, as she was taking time from her chores, she sat on the side of the canal, hoping that she could get through another day. A magnificent boat appeared in the distance. As it grew closer, she began dreaming about being on the boat, traveling away from the farmer, his house and all the tasks that she had to do.
When the boat came very near, she noticed that a handsome prince sat on the deck. This prince noticed the farmer’s beautiful wife and told his crew to stop the boat. After the gangplank was lowered, the prince walked onto shore and introduced himself to the farmer’s wife. He said that she was very beautiful and deserving of more than being a farmer’s wife. If she came away with him she could have all she deserved. As a prince, he had many riches and could give the farmer’s wife silks, jewels, and the perfumes from far away places. He also said that she would never have to cook again. She thought about her family, the farmer and her duty as a wife and daughter. She also thought about the silks, jewels, and perfumes. She also thought about having the luxury of having someone cook for her whenever she became hungry. She thought and thought and finally decided to go with the handsome prince. He told her to leave her clothes as he would buy the things she needed. They boarded the boat and it sailed away up the canal.
When the farmer came home for his dinner, he found an empty kitchen. At first, he thought she had cut herself again. He looked in every room. His beautiful wife was nowhere to be found. Finally, a neighbor took pity on him and told him where his wife was. He stopped being sad and became very angry. After some thought, he decided to go after her. He left his farm during the planting season, and followed the prince’s boat.
After many days of travel, he came upon the boat. The prince had gone into a nearby village to buy supplies and presents for the farmer’s wife. The wife remained on the boat. When the farmer appeared, the farmer’s wife said, “I am not going back with you. I do not want to spend my life cooking and cleaning.” The farmer, who was very mad, said, “That’s fine. I do not want you to come back. But I do want my three drops of blood.” His wife, agreeing that he should have those three drops of blood, picked up some scissors and cut her little finger. As the first drop of blood fell, she began to shrivel. The next drop of blood made her dry up even more. By the time the third drop of blood fell, she was as tiny as a mosquito and began buzzing around the room. The farmer listened carefully and heard her saying, “I want my blood back. I want my blood back.”
The farmer turned and left, returning to the farm that had been his father’s and his grandfather’s before. He married the plain girl who lived next door and lived happily ever after. And this is why only the female mosquitoes bite. They are trying to get their blood back so that they might again become that beautiful princess with silks, jewels and rare perfumes.
