An Eggy Tale

Once, there was a Chinese woman who had a great shock when she gave birth. Because she didn't deliver a baby. She delivered an egg.

"Please don't steam me," said Eggy. "I'll be a good son, I promise."

The wife and husband came to enjoy Eggy's good humour. Mr. Wong would carry Eggy in his pocket whenever he went out. He was buying vegetables at the street market one afternoon when a beautiful girl passed by. "Papa, she's my soulmate," said Eggy. "Please arrange for me to marry her."

Mr. Wong guffawed. "How can I do that?"

"You can, and you will," replied Eggy.

So Mr. Wong met the girl's father. Mr. Kong roared with laughter at Mr. Wong's request. "On three conditions," he said. "That your egg buys my daughter a house, a Porsche, and a diamond necklace."

Eggy's parents thought the matter finished. But on hearing the news, Eggy brightened.

That night, they spotted him digging up a flower bed.

Next morning, their dining room table was laden with precious stones. "A businessman secretly buried them during the war," said Eggy. "He's dead now, so these are all ours."

Mr. Kong choked on his soup when he heard what had happened. His beautiful daughter cried for three days. But the marriage went ahead.

On the wedding night, Eggy lay on the bed. Suddenly, a red light circled him and he turned into a handsome young man.

The newlyweds spent a lovely night together. But by dawn, the boy had turned back into an egg.

"Crush his shell to keep him human," said Mr. Kong, pleased to see his daughter happy again.

Which is what she did, the very next night.

But the moment the shell crumbled in her hand, the boy vanished and only an egg remained.

This story is a Hong Kong version of a Chinese folk tale called The Egg published in the collection????by ??????? 1932.

< Prev		Next >