Fiction: Group 3
The Winter Rains
Chinese International School, Lai, Charlotte - 13, Fiction: Group 3
he summer sun shone brightly, warming the earth. Beneath the heavens, was the pinnacle of the
breath taking Eagle Cliff. The gem-like rocks and towering cliffs overshadowed the majestic Pearl
River, winding to the east. Yet when the water reached the village of Yumin, it became inky and
murky, filled with waste.
On the edge of Eagle Cliff, stood the exquisite Lo-shen, the Chinese goddess of rivers. She swayed
her bouncy, glossy hair in the wind. Shimmering in the sun, her Sapphire blue dress and her golden shawl
blew gently in the summer breeze. Her diamond headpiece shone brightly. Yet her eyes were red and
swollen, with little streams pouring out of them. Drops of salty water rolled down her cheeks into the
polluted, garbage-filled water below.
Crying sorrowfully, she gasped, “My river, my beautiful river. What have those horrid humans
done to you?”
Wiping away her tears, Lo-shen considered what she should do. “Should I go and talk to the
people? No, they won’t listen... but I’m a goddess! I can say whatever I want, and the people should listen,”
she thought to herself. “I’ll just go talk to them.” She then gathered her servants, and a gust of wind swept
her off her feet, bringing her to Yumin.
In the village Lo-shen approached a man. Seeing Lo-shen, one of the most powerful goddess
walking over to him, his face became pale and he trembled.
Lo-shen said to him, “I am Lo-shen, goddess of rivers. I am here to speak to your chieftain.”
Heart pounding wildly, the man pointed his trembling finger at the Buddhist temple. There, she
found the chieftain sitting at a table daydreaming. “What a scruffy fellow,” she thought. Suddenly, from the
corner of her eye, she saw a box full of rubbish. On the box was written, “to be dumped in river.” Lo-
shen was furious.
As the chieftain looked up from his table, he saw a pair of icy, cold eyes glaring at him and nostrils
flaring. A stunning woman with her hands in fists, bent over him, scowling at him.
“Chinese Ghost month has past ages ago. Get out of that costume and get back to work!” the
chieftain yelled, thinking Lo-shen was one of the commoners from the village.
Lo-shen shouted impatiently, “I am Lo-shen, the goddess of rivers. Not a commoner!”
Still not believing her, the chieftain cheekily quipped, “Of course your highness, and I am the Jade
Emperor, so you must bow down to me, peasant. Now enough of this drama and get back to work!”
The goddess calmly pointed her finger at the chieftain. Before he could react, he was drenched in
river water from head to toe.
Realizing his mistake, he stuttered, “Oh, of course, you are our beautiful goddess. How are you
this fine morning?”
Pointing at the box of garbage, she demanded, “What do you have against my river? Why are you
and your people polluting my rivers? Do you have any idea how hard I work to make them flow smoothly?
Water is a valuable resource. All life depends on water for survival, including you. This rubbish you are
dumping will kill all aquatic life. If polluted, my streams will be contaminated and will not be potable. Do
you understand?”
The chieftain was speechless after hearing what Lo-shen said.
He slowly came back to his senses and responded respectfully, “Of course your majesty, I
completely understand.” He bowed down low to the goddess. “I will immediately inform the people.”
“I would really appreciate that,” Lo-shen declared.
Swaying her golden shawl briskly, she disappeared into thin air.
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