The Water Bucketre

A Chinese Folk Tale.

- Phillis Gershator

WHEN SHUI_ MU WAS still a baby, her parents arranged for her to marry a boy in another village. Then, while still a child, even before she had grown old enough to marry him, she was sent away to live with his family.

Like a good daughter, she helped the boy’s mother wash, sew, cook, sweep, garden, scrub, polish, mop, and shop. But the harder Shui-mu worked, the more work she was given, all day long and late into the night. Though Shui-mu tried hard to please, no matter how exhausted she was, Mother always found fault.

“Lazybones, didn’t you see this speck of dirt on the floor?” Mother would scream. “Sweep it again!”

At mealtimes, she’d shout, “Taste these pickled vegetables! They’re far too salty!” And to prove it, she threw them to the pigs.

She was never satisfied, however spotless the floor or saltless the pickles.

Once Shui-mu grew a little older and strong enough to carry water, Mother dismissed the water carriers. “We cannot tolerate idleness, Shui-mu,” she said. “Since the water carriers no longer work for us, you must carry the water from the well yourself.”

“How can I feed the pigs, mend the clothes, cook the food, clean the house, and carry all the water, too?” Shui-mu asked. “The day isn’t long enough.”

“How can you do it? What a question! Do you have two arms and two legs? You ungrateful girl, do you think you can talk back to me? Do you think you can disobey your future husband’s mother? My son will hear of this!”

Roused from his afternoon nap, Shuimu’s future husband did hear of it, and said sleepily, “Shui-mu, my mother cannot do all the chores herself. You have to help. The least you could do is carry a bucket of water once in a while.”