2. Nā chò-hóe, it-chhè tō lóng súi
Kui-ê siâⁿ-chhī tōa hoaⁿ-hí, chai-iáⁿ in koh chi̍t-pái in-ūi ū úi-tāi ê phiat-pō͘ Tāi-ông lâi tit-tio̍h kái-kiù. In cháu kàu siâⁿ-chhiûⁿ, kā chhiûⁿ chiàu só͘ kî-thāi ê lâi kái-chō, ná teh chhiùⁿ-koa, tong-jiân bô chhiūⁿ téng-kái hiah tōa siaⁿ, in-ūi in chin thiám, mā bô hiah kín, in-ūi téng-kái í-keng khai chi̍t kò goe̍h ê sî-kan, in bē-tit chiàu-kò͘ sū-gia̍p kap chèng-choh, só͘-í in lóng í-keng khah hi-jio̍k, khah sàn-chhiah.
Sòa lo̍h-lâi ū sio liân-sòa ê khó-phà kap kî-miāu ê ji̍t-chí, chi̍t-ê tòe chi̍t-ê, ná-chhiūⁿ lop chò-hóe ê khó-phà a̍p-á án-ne.
"Oh, Tāi-ông," pò-bé-á tōa-siaⁿ kiò, "Kwan-Si í-keng kā in ê siâⁿ-chhiûⁿ kái-chō chò ná-chhiūⁿ chhùi, boeh kō͘ he lim ta lán ê ô͘!"
"Nā án-ne," Tāi-ông kóng, khiā óa i ê si-á pîn-hong, "kā lán ê siâⁿ kiàn chò ná chiam, thang-hó kā hit-ê chhùi thīⁿ khí-lâi!"
"Tāi-ông!" pò-bé-á tōa-siaⁿ kiò. "In kā siâⁿ-chhiûⁿ kái chò ná-chhiūⁿ chi̍t-ki kiàm, boeh chām lí ê chiam!"
Tāi-ông khiā tiāⁿ, khu̍h-khu̍h chùn, bīn ǹg si-á pîn-hong. "Nā án-ne, lán koh sóa chio̍h-thâu, kā kái chò kiàm-siò thang siu hit-ki kiàm."
"Khó-liân ah," keh-kang chá-khí pò-bé-á ai-ai kiò, "in kui-mê kóaⁿ-kang, í-keng kā siâⁿ-chhiûⁿ kái chò sih-nah ê hêng, he ē po̍k-chah koh húi-hoāi lán ê kiàm-siò!"
Pēⁿ-thiàⁿ ná-chhiūⁿ siáu-káu tīn thòaⁿ kah kui siâⁿ-chhī. Tiàm-á koaiⁿ-mn̂g. Kúi-ā kò goe̍h bô-thêng it-ti̍t teh kái-chō siâⁿ-chhiûⁿ ê peh-sèⁿ taⁿ khòaⁿ tio̍h bē-su ka-tī tō sī kúi, tī léng-hong tang-tiong hàiⁿ-tāng ná ga̍k-khì ê pe̍h-kut. Ke-lō͘ chhut-hiān chhut-soaⁿ ê tīn-thâu, sui-bóng taⁿ iáu tng-teh joa̍h, eng-tong sī chèng-choh kap siu-sêng ê sî-chūn. Tāi-jîn pēⁿ kah chin tāng, i kā bîn-chhn̂g sóa óa si-á pîn-hong, tó tī hia, chhi-chhám chē-kòa hoat-pò͘ i ê kiàn-tio̍k bēng-lēng. Pîn-hong āu-bīn ê siaⁿ taⁿ mā ná-chhiūⁿ gîm-chîⁿ-kha ê hong hiah-nī sè koh hi-jio̍k.
"Kwan-Si sī chi̍t-chiah lāi-hio̍h. Nā án-ne lán ê chhiûⁿ tio̍h ài sī lia̍h hit-chiah lāi-hio̍h ê chiáu-bāng-á. In sī ji̍t-thâu boeh pha̍k kah lán ê bāng-á to̍h-hóe. Nā án-ne, lán tio̍h khí chi̍t-ê goe̍h lâi chō-sêng ji̍t-si̍t!"
Ná-chhiūⁿ seⁿ-sian ê ke-khì, chit-ê siâⁿ-chhī ká bē tín-tāng ah.
Lo̍h-bóe, pîn-hong āu-bīn ê khin-siaⁿ hoah chhut-lâi:
"Khòaⁿ chāi chiòng-sîn ê miâ, khì chhiáⁿ Kwan-Si lâi!"
Tī joa̍h-thiⁿ ê siōng-bóe kang, Kwan-Si Tāi-jîn, pēⁿ kah chin tāng koh siau-sán lo̍h-bah, hō͘ 4-ê iau kah boeh sí ê ē-kha-lâng kng lâi-kàu Tāi-jîn ê thiaⁿ-tn̂g. Nn̄g-ê tāi-jîn hông chhah khí-lâi, bīn tùi bīn. In ê chhùi chhoán-khùi ê siaⁿ ná-chhiūⁿ kôaⁿ-thiⁿ ê hong. Kî-tiong chi̍t-ê siaⁿ kóng:
"Lán tio̍h kiat-sok it-chhè."
Hit-ê lāu-lâng tìm-thâu.
"Bē-sái koh án-ne lo̍h-khì ah," hi-jio̍k ê siaⁿ án-ne kóng. "Lán ê peh-sèⁿ siáⁿ to bô hoat-tō͘ chò, kan-ta ta̍k-kang, ta̍k tiám-cheng teh kái-chō siâⁿ-chhī ê hêng-chōng. In bô sî-kan khì phah-la̍h, khì lia̍h-hî, khì loân-ài, khì hó-hó tùi-thāi chó͘-sian hām chó͘-sian ê kiáⁿ-jî."
"Che, góa tông-ì," nn̄g-ê Tāi-jîn án-ne kóng, in tìn siâⁿ-chhiûⁿ ê hêng ū-sî sī Chiáu-lông-á, Goe̍h, Chhiuⁿ, Hóe, Kiàm, a̍h sī che a̍h he ê hêng.
"Kng goán chhut-khì ji̍t-kng ē-bīn," in ê siaⁿ án-ne kóng.
Nn̄g-ê lāu-lâng hông kng chhut-lâi ji̍t-thâu ē, kàu soaⁿ-lūn téng. Tī joa̍h-thiⁿ bóe-liu ê bî-hong tang-tiong, ū kúi-ê sán pi-pa ê gín-á teh pàng liông ê hong-chhoe, he ū ji̍t-thâu ê chhái-sek, mā ū kap-á hām chháu ê sek, hái ê sek, koh ū gîn-kak-á hām be̍h-á ê sek.
Tē-it ê Tāi-jîn in cha-bó͘-kiáⁿ khiā tī i sin-piⁿ.
"Lín khòaⁿ," yi kóng.
"Hiah-ê put-kò sī hong-chhoe," nn̄g-ê lāu-lâng kóng.
"M̄-koh, hong-chhoe tī thô͘-kha sī siáⁿ ah?" yi kóng. "Siáⁿ to m̄-sī. I su-iàu siáⁿ lâi chi-chhî, lâi hō͘ i ē-tàng tián súi koh chin-chiàⁿ ū goân-khì?"
"Tong-jiân sī hong lah!" pa̍t-lâng án-ne kóng.
"Iá thiⁿ kap hong su-iàu siáⁿ lâi hō͘ in piàn súi?"
"Tong-jiân sī hong-chhoe -- chē-chē ê hong-chhoe ē-tàng phah-phòa tan-tiāu, phah-phòa bô piàn-hòa ê thiⁿ-téng. Chhái-sek ê hong-chhoe, teh poe ê hong-chhoe!"
"Nā án-ne," Tāi-jîn ê chă-kiáⁿ kóng. "Lín Kwan-Si ē-sái tùi lín tìn chò chòe-āu ê kái-chō, hō͘ i chiok-chiok ná-chhiūⁿ hong. Iá goán chiong boeh khí kah ná-chhiūⁿ chi̍t-ê kim hong-chhoe. Hong ē hō͘ hong-chhoe koh-khah súi, kā chhōa kàu kî-miāu ê koân-tō͘. Iá hong-chhoe ē phah-phòa hong bô-piàn-hòa ê chûn-chāi, hō͘ i ū bo̍k-te̍k, ū ì-gī. Sûi-ê nā khiàm iáu chi̍t-ê tō siáⁿ to m̄-sī ah. Nā chò-hóe, it-chhè tō lóng súi, ha̍p-chok, ū tn̂g koh kú ê sèⁿ-miā."
Chit-sî, hit nn̄g-ê tāi-jîn tōa hoaⁿ-hí, tō chia̍h kúi-ji̍t lâi ê tē-it tǹg pn̄g, sûi kám-kak ū khùi-la̍t, sio-siâm chò-hóe, hō͘-siong o-ló, kóng Tāi-jîn ê cha-bó͘-kiáⁿ sī chi̍t-ê cha-po͘-kiáⁿ, sī lâm-chú-hàn, sī chio̍h-thiāu, sī bú-sū, sī chin-chin chiàⁿ-chiàⁿ hō͘ lâng éng-oán ē-kì-tit ê hó lâm-jî.
In chek-sî hun-khui, kóaⁿ-kín tńg sûi-lâng ê tìn, tōa-siaⁿ hiu, ná teh chhiùⁿ-koa, sui-bóng hi-jio̍k m̄-koh chin hoaⁿ-hí.
Chū án-ne, tòe sî-kan ê keng-kòe, hit nn̄g-ê siâⁿ piàn sêng Kim Hong-chhoe Tìn hām Gîn-hong Tìn. Siu-sêng siu hó-sè, seng-lí kè-sio̍k ū-lâng chiàu-kò͘, sin-thé piàn khah ióng-kiāⁿ, pēⁿ-thiàⁿ ná tio̍h-kiaⁿ ê chhâi-lông làng-cháu ah. Kui-nî tang-tiong ê múi chi̍t-àm, Hong-chhoe Tìn ê ki-bîn ē-tàng thiaⁿ tio̍h un-hô ê chheng-hong teh chi-chhî in. Gîn-hong Tìn ê ki-bîn ē-tàng thiaⁿ tio̍h hong-chhoe teh chhiùⁿ-koa, teh khin-siaⁿ sè-soeh, teh poe, hō͘ in ê seng-oa̍h koh-khah bí-lē.
"Án-ne tō tio̍h lah," Tāi-jîn tī si-á pîn-hong thâu-chêng án-ne kóng.
(Soah)
--
2. 若做伙, 一切 tō 攏媠
規个城市大歡喜, 知影 in koh 一擺因為有偉大 ê 撇步大王來得著解救. In 走到城牆, kā 牆照所期待 ê 來改造, ná teh 唱歌, 當然無像頂改 hiah 大聲, 因為 in 真忝, mā 無 hiah 緊, 因為頂改已經開一個月 ê 時間, in 袂得照顧事業 kap 種作, 所以 in 攏已經較虛弱, 較散赤.
紲落來有相連紲 ê 可怕 kap 奇妙 ê 日子, 一个綴一个, ná 像 lop 做伙 ê 可怕盒仔 án-ne.
"Oh, 大王," 報馬仔大聲叫, "Kwan-Si 已經 kā in ê 城牆改造做 ná 像喙, 欲 kō͘ he 啉焦咱 ê 湖!"
"若 án-ne," 大王講, 徛倚伊 ê 絲仔屏風, "kā 咱 ê 城建做 ná 針, 通好 kā 彼个喙紩起來!"
"大王!" 報馬仔大聲叫. "In kā 城牆改做 ná 像一支劍, 欲鏨你 ê 針!"
大王徛定, khu̍h-khu̍h 顫, 面 ǹg 絲仔屏風. "若 án-ne, 咱 koh 徙石頭, kā 改做劍鞘通收彼支劍."
"可憐 ah," 隔工早起報馬仔哀哀叫, "in 規暝趕工, 已經 kā 城牆改做爍爁 ê 形, 彼會爆炸 koh 毀壞咱 ê 劍鞘!"
病疼 ná 像痟狗陣湠甲規城市. 店仔關門. 幾若個月無停一直 teh 改造城牆 ê 百姓今看著袂輸家己 tō 是鬼, tī 冷風當中幌動 ná 樂器 ê 白骨. 街路出現出山 ê 陣頭, 雖罔今猶 tng-teh 熱, 應當是種作 kap 收成 ê 時陣. 大人病甲真重, 伊 kā 眠床徙倚絲仔屏風, 倒 tī 遐, 悽慘 chē-kòa 發布伊 ê 建築命令. 屏風後面 ê 聲今 mā ná 像砛簷跤 ê 風 hiah-nī 細 koh 虛弱.
"Kwan-Si 是一隻 lāi-hio̍h. 若 án-ne 咱 ê 牆著愛是掠彼隻 lāi-hio̍h ê 鳥網仔. In 是日頭欲曝甲咱 ê 網仔 to̍h 火. 若 án-ne, 咱著起一个月來造成日食!"
Ná 像生鉎 ê 機器, 這个城市絞袂振動 ah.
落尾, 屏風後面 ê 輕聲喝出來:
"看在眾神 ê 名, 去請 Kwan-Si 來!"
Tī 熱天 ê 上尾工, Kwan-Si 大人, 病甲真重 koh 消瘦落肉, 予 4 个枵甲欲死 ê 下跤人扛來到大人 ê 廳堂. 兩个大人 hông chhah 起來, 面對面. In ê 喙喘氣 ê 聲 ná 像寒天 ê 風. 其中一个聲講:
"咱著結束一切."
彼个老人頕頭.
"袂使 koh án-ne 落去 ah," 虛弱 ê 聲 án-ne 講. "咱 ê 百姓啥 to 無法度做, 干焦逐工, 逐點鐘 teh 改造城市 ê 形狀. In 無時間去拍獵, 去掠魚, 去戀愛, 去好好對待祖先和祖先 ê 囝兒."
"這, 我同意," 兩个大人 án-ne 講, in 鎮城牆 ê 形有時是鳥櫳仔, 月, 槍, 火, 劍, a̍h 是這 a̍h 彼 ê 形.
"扛阮出去日光下面," in ê 聲 án-ne 講.
兩个老人 hông 扛出來日頭下, 到山崙頂. Tī 熱天尾溜 ê 微風當中, 有幾个瘦 pi-pa ê 囡仔 teh 放龍 ê 風吹, 彼有日頭 ê 彩色, mā 有蛤仔和草 ê 色, 海 ê 色, koh 有銀角仔和麥仔 ê 色.
第一个大人 in 查某囝徛 tī 伊身邊.
"恁看," 她講.
"Hiah-ê 不過是風吹," 兩个老人講.
"毋過, 風吹 tī 塗跤是啥 ah?" 她講. "啥 to 毋是. 伊需要啥來支持, 來予伊會當展媠 koh 真正有元氣?"
"當然是風 lah!" 別人 án-ne 講.
"Iá 天 kap 風需要啥來予 in 變媠?"
"當然是風吹 -- 濟濟 ê 風吹會當拍破單調, 拍破無變化 ê 天頂. 彩色 ê 風吹, teh 飛 ê 風吹!"
"若 án-ne," 大人 ê chă 囝講. "恁 Kwan-Si 會使對恁鎮做最後 ê 改造, 予伊足足 ná 像風. Iá 阮將欲起甲 ná 像一个金風吹. 風會 hō͘ 風吹閣較媠, kā chhōa 到奇妙 ê 懸度. Iá 風吹會拍破風無變化 ê 存在, 予伊有目的, 有意義. 隨个若欠猶一个 tō 啥 to 毋是 ah. 若做伙, 一切 tō 攏媠, 合作, 有長 koh 久 ê 性命."
這時, 彼兩个大人大歡喜, tō 食幾日來 ê 第一頓飯, 隨感覺有氣力, 相尋做伙, 互相 o-ló, 講大人 ê 查某囝是一个查埔囝, 是男子漢, 是石柱, 是武士, 是真真正正予人永遠會記得 ê 好男兒.
In 即時分開, 趕緊轉隨人 ê 鎮, 大聲咻, ná teh 唱歌, 雖罔虛弱毋過真歡喜.
自 án-ne, 綴時間 ê 經過, 彼兩个城變成金風吹鎮和銀風鎮. 收成收好勢, 生理繼續有人照顧, 身體變較勇健, 病疼 ná 著驚 ê 豺狼閬走 ah. 規年當中 ê 每一暗, 風吹鎮 ê 居民會當聽著溫和 ê 清風 teh 支持 in. 銀風鎮 ê 居民會當聽著風吹 teh 唱歌, teh 輕聲細說, teh 飛, 予 in ê 生活閣較美麗.
"Án-ne tō 著 lah," 大人 tī 絲仔屏風頭前 án-ne 講.
(煞)
--
2.
The city turned out in joy to learn that once again they had been saved by the magnificent Emperor of ideas. They ran to the walls and built them nearer to this new vision, singing, not as loudly as before, of course, for they were tired, and not as quickly, for since it had taken a month to build the wall the first time, they had had to neglect business and crops and therefore were somewhat weaker and poorer.
There then followed a succession of horrible and wonderful days, one in another like a nest of frightening boxes.
"Oh, Emperor," cried the messenger, "Kwan-Si has rebuilt their walls to resemble a mouth with which to drink all our lake!"
"Then," said the Emperor, standing very close to his silken screen, "build our walls like a needle to sew up that mouth!"
"Emperor!" screamed the messenger. "They make their walls like a sword to break your needle!"
The Emperor held, trembling, to the silken screen. "Then shift the stones to form a scabbard to sheathe that sword!"
"Mercy," wept the messenger the following morn, "they have worked all night and shaped their walls like lightning which will explode and destroy that sheath!"
Sickness spread in the city like a pack of evil dogs. Shops closed. The population, working now steadily for endless months upon the changing of the walls, resembled Death himself, clattering his white bones like musical instruments in the wind. Funerals began to appear in the streets, though it was the middle of summer, a time when all should be tending and harvesting. The Mandarin fell so ill that he had his bed drawn up by the silken screen and there he lay, miserably giving his architectural orders. The voice behind the screen was weak now, too, and faint, like the wind in the eaves.
"Kwan-Si is an eagle. Then our walls must be a net for that eagle. They are a sun to burn our net. Then we build a moon to eclipse their sun!"
Like a rusted machine, the city ground to a halt.
At last the whisper behind the screen cried out:
"In the name of the gods, send for Kwan-Si!"
Upon the last day of summer the Mandarin Kwan-Si, very ill and withered away, was carried into our Mandarin's courtroom by four starving footmen. The two mandarins were propped up, facing each other. Their breaths fluttered like winter winds in their mouths. A voice said:
"Let us put an end to this."
The old men nodded.
"This cannot go on," said the faint voice. "Our people do nothing but rebuild our cities to a different shape every day, every hour. They have no time to hunt, to fish, to love, to be good to their ancestors and their ancestors' children."
"This I admit," said the Mandarins of the towns of the Cage, the Moon, the Spear, the Fire, the Sword and this, that, and other things.
"Carry us into the sunlight," said the voice.
The old men were borne out under the sun and up a little hill. In the late summer breeze a few very thin children were flying dragon kites in all the colors of the sun, and frogs and grass, the color of the sea and the color of coins and wheat.
The first Mandarin's daughter stood by his bed.
"See," she said.
"Those are nothing but kites," said the two old men.
"But what is a kite on the ground?" she said. "It is nothing. What does it need to sustain it and make it beautiful and truly spiritual?"
"The wind, of course!" said the others.
"And what do the sky and the wind need to make them beautiful?"
"A kite, of course - many kites, to break the monotony, the sameness of the sky. Colored kites, flying!"
"So," said the Mandarin's daughter. "You, Kwan-Si, will make a last rebuilding of your town to resemble nothing more nor less than the wind. And we shall build like a golden kite. The wind will beautify the kite and carry it to wondrous heights. And the kite will break the sameness of the wind's existence and give it purpose and meaning. One without the other is nothing. Together, all will be beauty and co-operation and a long and enduring life."
Whereupon the two Mandarins were so overjoyed that they took their first nourishment in days, momentarily were given strength, embraced, and lavished praise upon each other, called the Mandarin's daughter a boy, a man, a stone pillar, a warrior, and a true and unforgettable son.
Almost immediately they parted and hurried to their towns, calling out and singing, weakly but happily.
And so, in time, the towns became the Town of the Golden Kite and the Town of the Silver Wind. And harvestings were harvested and business tended again, and the flesh returned, and disease ran off like a frightened jackal. And on every night of the year the inhabitants in the Town of the Kite could hear the good clear wind sustaining them. And those in the Town of the Wind could hear the kite singing, whispering, rising, and beautifying them.
"So be it," said the Mandarin in front of his silken screen.
--
// 2022-04-13
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