Original Text
In the region between the Yangtze and Han Rivers, the people's devotion to the Frog God was most fervent. In the temples, frogs numbered in the hundreds of thousands or even millions, with the largest being as big as a steaming basket. If someone incurred the god's wrath, strange phenomena would appear in their home: frogs would roam about on tables and beds, some even climbing smooth walls without falling, each displaying different behaviors, and calamity would befall that household. The family would be thrown into great terror, slaughtering livestock and offering prayers to the Frog God; if the god was pleased, the household would be spared from disaster.
In the land of Chu there lived a man named Xue Kunsheng, who from childhood was both clever and handsome. When he was six or seven years old, an old woman dressed in blue came to his home, claiming to be an envoy sent by the Frog God, and upon sitting down she conveyed the deity's will, expressing a desire to betroth her daughter to Xue Kunsheng. Xue Kunsheng's father, being of a simple and straightforward nature, was most unwilling to agree to this match and declined on the grounds that his son was still young. Yet although the Xue family had refused the Frog God, they dared not arrange a betrothal with any other family. After several years, Xue Kunsheng gradually grew up and became engaged to a family named Jiang. The Frog God then told the Jiang family, "Xue Kunsheng is my son-in-law; how dare your family seek to be close to him!" The Jiangs, greatly frightened, returned the betrothal gifts to the Xue family. Xue Kunsheng's father, much troubled, took pure offerings to the temple and prayed to the Frog God, declaring that he dared not form a marriage alliance with a deity. When he finished his prayer, he saw that large maggots had risen to the surface of the wine and dishes, writhing about; he poured everything out, apologized to the god, and returned home. His heart grew even more fearful, and he simply let matters take their course.
One day, as Xue Kunsheng was walking along the road, a messenger approached him to convey the Frog God's decree, earnestly inviting him to pay a visit. Compelled by circumstance, Xue followed him. Entering through a vermilion gate, he beheld ornate pavilions and halls, where an elderly man of seventy or eighty years sat in the main hall. Xue prostrated himself in greeting, and the old man ordered attendants to help him rise and seat him beside a table. Before long, maids and serving women came to gaze at him, crowding in disorder on both sides of the hall. The old man turned and said, "Go in and announce that Master Xue has arrived." Several maids hurried out. After a while, an elderly woman led forth a young lady of about sixteen or seventeen, whose beauty was unmatched in the world. Pointing to the girl, the old man said to Xue, "This is my youngest daughter, Shiniang, who claims she is your destined match by heaven. Yet your father refused on the grounds that we are not of the same kind. Marriage is a matter of a hundred years; parents can only decide half, so you must make the choice yourself." Xue gazed at Shiniang, deeply delighted in his heart, but remained silent. The elderly woman said, "I knew long ago that Master Xue would be pleased. Please return first, and we shall send Shiniang to you shortly." Xue replied, "Very well." He hurried home to inform his father. In the haste, his father could think of no good plan, so he instructed Xue with a set of words to decline the match. Xue refused to go. As his father was reproaching him, the bridal carriage arrived at the gate, and amid a throng of maids, Shiniang entered. She ascended the hall to pay respects to her parents-in-law, and Xue's parents were delighted at the sight of her. That very evening, the wedding ceremony was held, and the couple enjoyed deep affection. From then on, Shiniang's parents frequently visited the Xue household. Judging by their attire, red signified joyous events, and white foretold wealth; each time their predictions proved true, and thus the Xue family prospered day by day.
Since the marriage alliance with the Frog God, the Xue family's doorstep, main hall, fences, and latrines were all covered with frogs, and no one in the household dared to curse or tread upon them. Only Xue Kunsheng, being young and willful, showed some restraint when pleased but would recklessly trample them when angered, showing little regard. Although Shiniang was modest and gentle, she was also prone to anger and greatly resented Kunsheng's behavior, yet he did not desist because of her displeasure. Once, when Shiniang spoke in a way that offended Kunsheng, he raged, "Is it because your father can bring calamity? A true man fears no frog!" Shiniang detested the word "frog," and hearing this, she became furious, saying, "Since I entered your Xue family, I have increased your fields' yield and raised your trade profits—no small contribution. Now that old and young are well-fed and clothed, you would act like an owl grown feathered, pecking at its mother's eyes?" Kunsheng, even more enraged, retorted, "I find the filth you have brought us unworthy to pass on to our descendants. Better you leave early." So he drove Shiniang away. By the time Kunsheng's parents learned of it, Shiniang had already departed. They scolded Kunsheng and bade him hasten to bring her back, but he, still in a fury, refused. That evening, both Kunsheng and his mother fell ill, dizzy and unable to eat. His father, terrified, went to the Frog Temple to confess his faults with heartfelt words. After three days, they recovered. Shiniang then returned of her own accord, and the couple were reconciled as before.
Shiniang would sit elegantly adorned every day, never engaging in needlework, while Xue Kunsheng's clothes and shoes were all made by his mother. One day, his mother said indignantly, "My son has taken a wife, yet I, an old woman, am still burdened! Other families have daughters-in-law serving their mothers-in-law, but in our house, the mother-in-law serves the daughter-in-law!" These words happened to be overheard by Shiniang, who angrily came to the hall and said, "As this daughter-in-law, I serve you at meals in the morning and attend to your rest at night—what more is there to the rites of serving a mother-in-law? What I lack is merely the inability to do manual labor myself, saving you the cost of hired help and sparing myself unnecessary hardship." Xue Kunsheng's mother was left speechless, her spirits crushed, and she wept alone. When Xue Kunsheng entered the room and saw the tear stains on his mother's face, he learned the cause and angrily rebuked Shiniang. Shiniang argued her case forcefully, refusing to yield. Xue Kunsheng said, "To take a wife who cannot bring joy to one's parents is worse than having no wife at all! Even if I offend the old frog god and provoke his wrath, it would only mean facing a calamity and death!" He then drove Shiniang out of the house. Shiniang, also enraged, left straightaway. The next day, the Xue residence caught fire; the flames spread, burning several rooms, and all the furniture—tables, chairs, and beds—were reduced to ashes. Xue Kunsheng, furious, went to the Frog Temple and denounced the deity, saying, "Your daughter cannot serve her parents-in-law, lacking all filial upbringing, yet you shield her faults! A god should be supremely just—where is the principle of teaching men to fear their wives? Moreover, our quarrel was entirely my doing, with no involvement from my parents. If any punishment is due, it should fall on me alone. If you do not relent, I will burn down your temple as retribution!" With that, he piled firewood beneath the shrine and raised a torch to set it ablaze. The neighbors all rushed to plead with him earnestly, and only then did Xue Kunsheng desist, returning home in a huff. When his parents heard of his actions, they were greatly alarmed. That night, the Frog God sent a dream to the neighboring villagers, instructing them to build a house for his son-in-law. At dawn, the villagers gathered materials and assembled craftsmen, coming together to construct a new home for the Xue family, who could not dissuade them despite all efforts. Every day, hundreds of people came in an unending stream to help, and within a few days, the Xue residence was completely renewed, with beds, curtains, and all furnishings fully provided. No sooner was the house finished than Shiniang returned. She went to the hall to apologize to her parents-in-law, her words gentle and compliant, then turned to Xue Kunsheng with a smile, and the whole family's anger turned to joy. From then on, Shiniang's disposition grew even more mild, and for two years, no further discord arose.
Shi Niang was most terrified of snakes. One day, Xue Kunsheng, as a jest, placed a snake in a box and tricked her into opening it. The moment Shi Niang saw it, her countenance drastically changed, and she bitterly reviled Xue Kunsheng. Xue Kunsheng, in turn, shifted from jest to genuine anger, and the two exchanged harsh words. Shi Niang said, "This time, I need not wait for you to drive me away; let us sever ties here and now!" With these words, she walked out the door and departed. Xue Kunsheng's father, greatly alarmed, beat him with a stick and ordered him to beg forgiveness from the Frog God. Fortunately, the Frog God did not send down calamity this time, but neither was there any sign of response. After more than a year, Xue Kunsheng began to miss Shi Niang and felt deep remorse. Secretly, he went to the Frog God's temple to beseech her return, but received no reply. Soon after, he heard that the Frog God had already betrothed Shi Niang to the Yuan family. Xue Kunsheng was deeply disappointed and thus began to seek marriage with other families. Yet, after inspecting several prospects, none could compare to Shi Niang, and his longing for her only intensified. He went to the Yuan household to inquire and found that they had already begun whitewashing walls and sweeping the courtyard, awaiting only the bridal carriage. Xue Kunsheng, overcome with shame and indignation, could not contain himself; he lost his appetite and fell ill. His parents, filled with anxiety, knew not what to do. Suddenly, in his delirium, Xue Kunsheng felt someone stroking him and saying, "A man of honor, who repeatedly sought to break with me, how can you be so spineless now?" Opening his eyes, he saw it was Shi Niang. Overjoyed, he sprang up and asked, "Where have you come from?" Shi Niang replied, "Had I treated you with the same frivolous courtesy you showed me, I would have obeyed my parents' command and married another. The Yuan family had long since sent betrothal gifts, but after a thousand thoughts and ten thousand considerations, I could not bear to leave you. Tonight was to be the wedding night, and my father, too ashamed to return the gifts, I personally took them and gave them back to the Yuan family. As I left, my father ran out to see me off, saying, 'Foolish girl! If you do not heed my words and suffer again at the hands of the Xue family, do not return home even in death!'" Xue Kunsheng, deeply moved by Shi Niang's devotion, shed tears. The entire household rejoiced and hurried to inform Xue Kunsheng's parents. Upon hearing this, his mother, without waiting for Shi Niang to pay her respects, rushed to her son's room, took Shi Niang's hands, and wept bitterly.
From that point forward, Xue Kunsheng also became mature and steady, no longer engaging in mischievous pranks, and thus the bond between the two deepened even further. Shiniang said, "I had always thought you were frivolous and doubted we could grow old together, so I did not wish to bear children who would be left in this world. Now that there are no lingering worries, I intend to have children." Not long after, the Frog God and his wife, clad in crimson robes, arrived at the Xue household. The next day, Shiniang went into labor and gave birth to two sons. From then on, the Xue family and the Frog God frequently visited each other without hindrance. When the local residents sometimes incurred the god's wrath, they would first come to Xue Kunsheng to plead for mercy; Xue Kunsheng would then have the women don fine garments and go to the inner chamber to pay homage to Shiniang, and with a single smile from her, the calamity would be averted. The Xue family's descendants flourished, and people called them the "Xue Frog Clan." However, those living nearby dared not utter this name, only those dwelling at a distance would venture to do so.
Commentary
If one sets aside the background of the Frog God, the relationship between Kunsheng and Shiniang is entirely a realistic portrayal of a young married couple's daily life. They loved each other sincerely, yet were not without conflicts and quarrels: the first clash arose when Kunsheng disrespected Shiniang's family, offending her sensibilities; the second occurred when Shiniang neglected household duties, angering her mother-in-law and provoking Kunsheng's wrath; the third came when Kunsheng's prank went too far, leading to a full rift between them—they quarreled and made up, made up and quarreled, but ultimately, because of their genuine affection, the young couple reunited after their separation, and in the end, "their love grew ever deeper."
Generally speaking, it is easy to write about love between a man and a woman before marriage, but difficult to write about their life after marriage, as it tends to become trivial and dull. Among the love stories in Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio, very few depict married life, and "The Frog God" is one of these rare pieces, yet it is vividly and colorfully written. The story tightly grasps the young man Kunsheng's characteristic of being competitive, proud, and fond of jesting, while simultaneously highlighting the biological traits of Shiniang as the daughter of a frog—"humble and docile, yet prone to anger." Her three conflicts with Kunsheng all subtly embody the habits of a frog. For instance, in the first conflict, she directly defends the dignity of the frog clan, as "Shiniang greatly tabooed the word 'frog'"; in the second, it is written that "Shiniang sat daily in full makeup, not engaging in needlework"; and in the third, "Shiniang detested snakes the most, so Kunsheng playfully sealed a small snake in a box and tricked her into opening it. Shiniang's face changed color, and she reviled Kunsheng." By delineating the distinct personalities of Kunsheng and Shiniang, the life of the young couple is rendered lively and full of character, leaving a deep impression on the reader.
"The Frog God" and "The Five Perversions" from the tenth volume were likely written around the same period. Pu Songling remarked: "The Five Perversions and the Frog God have long bewitched the common folk, to the point where they allow their licentiousness to run rampant, and no one dares to utter a single word of private criticism." These two tales stand in distant contrast to each other, yet their narrative techniques are richly varied and by no means identical.