THE TALENTED TOAD

Once upon a time two good pals named Ha and Dong lived in a village. The two were so close that they even promised each other that, should one have a son and the other a daughter, they'd have them marry each other. But, alas, while Dong's wife gave birth to a son, whom he named Bao, Ha's wife gave birth to a talking toad. Ha and his family were sad, but they raised the toad as their daughter nonetheless.

When Bao was 10, his parents suddenly fell ill. Knowing he wouldn't live much longer, Dong told Bao of the promise. Bao was shocked, but being a faithful sort he had to obey. "At least I'll consider the toad as my sister," Bao thought. When his parents died, Bao moved into Ha's house.

By 12, Bao was excelling in school. But he was also the youngest unmarried boy in his class. His secret, though, was the toad, who was encouraging him to study hard and helping him stay awake to do so.

At 18, Ha reminded Bao about the promise but advised him to find another wife. But Bao refused and said he'd follow his father's dying wish. So Bao married the toad, but the marriage was the cause of much village gossip.

When it came time for the spring cooking competition, in which the students' wives would prepare dishes for the teacher to judge, Bao's classmates mused: "What's your wife going to cook, a plate of mozzies? But when Bao told his wife about the competition, the toad told him "Don't be so worried, my dear. Just go to bed early, and you will see things in order by tomorrow morning."

The next morning, he was very surprised to see a tray of delicious dishes on the table and he asked where they came from. "Yesterday evening, I prayed for food and God sent some fairies to help us," said the toad. To the dismay of his classmates, Bao's dishes took first prize.

Next came a clothing competition, which Bao's jealous classmates figured he couldn't win. Bao's wife told him to go to bed early again, and he awoke to find a beautiful silk shirt on his table. The shirt again took first prize.

By this point Bao's classmates were furious, and suggested the teacher hold a "wife competition," in which the teacher would vote which one was the most beautiful. Bao would lose for sure, they thought.

Bao came home crying, and told his wife the whole story. The toad was also very sad. But Bao was strong. "I'll bring you there, no matter what they say," he said.
So the next morning the couple headed off to school. When they were just 10
houses away from school, the toad said: "My dear, please wait for me for a minute."
Then she jumped into a nearby bush and disappeared. Suddenly Bao heard a big explosion. Bao was frightened, but to his surprise a beautiful lady emerged from the smoke. "Why so surprised?" the woman asked. "I'm your wife." "I don't believe it!" Bao shouted. "Where's my wife!" "It's me," said the woman. Thanks to your love, I've been released from God's punish-ment."

The women then told Bao how she'd been a heavenly fairy who accidentally broke a jade cup at a party thrown by the King of the Heavens. The king then sent her to Earth as a toad and told her she could only be released when she found true love. So Bao and his beautiful wife walked proudly on to school.