Chapter 4 The Saffron Story

"The Story of Saffron" A little girl is playing toss with her mother. This is the story of a bright afternoon in early autumn. The cosmos was in full bloom in the field, surrounded by golden sunshine. "Yes, yes, good connection, good connection!" Whenever the daughter catches the red ball, the mother claps her hands.The ball thrown by the mother was as gentle as the wind, and it fell gently into the hands of the daughter.But the daughter is not satisfied anymore. Whenever the mother throws such a gentle ball, she will beg: "Throw harder! Balls like the north wind, balls like the storm. Please, mother!"

So, the ball thrown by my mother gradually became violent, gradually faster, and gradually higher.The daughter shook her hair, blushing, and picked up one after another.Mom threw the last ball hard and far. The red ball flew into the distance like a swallow. "Wow!" The daughter cheered and jumped to chase the ball.She giggled and kept chasing after him.But the ball jumped, jumped, and kept rolling forward.It went through the woods, crossed the river, climbed the hill, and rolled down, and rolled, and couldn't stop. "Wait for me!" the girl shouted. "Stop chasing, come back!" She heard her mother calling her behind her, but the girl pretended not to hear and continued to run forward.

(I don't want to be a mother's kid anymore, I want to go to a wider place!) The girl kept running.Soon, mother's cry became like a flute, and disappeared with the wind.Even so, the girl kept running.At this time, she saw a lavender flower field and a small house in the distance.The red ball jumped into the flower field and finally stopped.The girl also jumped into the flower field and sat down as if collapsed.She was panting heavily, when a voice came from above her head: "Who is it? How dare you ruin my flower field?" She raised her head in surprise and saw that there was an old woman in a long black dress standing in front of her.The old woman was carrying a big basket.

"All my flowers were destroyed by you!" said the old woman. The girl stood up involuntarily and stepped back. "Look, look, another piece has been trampled down, hasn't it?" The old woman helped up the flower that was stepped on by the girl.It was a lavender flower shaped like a tulip.The girl looked at the burning red pistil in the flower with a strange mood. "It's called saffron. It's my precious flower." said the old woman. "I'm sorry." The girl apologized softly. The old woman laughed and said: "If you pick flowers for me, I will forgive you."

The girl nodded obediently.It was not easy to pick the flowers, so the girl opened her apron and put the saffron in. "Just take off your apron." After all, the old woman began to pick flowers herself.The old woman picked one after another and threw them into the big basket.Soon, the old woman's basket was full of purple flowers.The girl's apron was also filled with flowers.Two people, you look at me, I look at you, and smile. "What are you doing picking so many flowers?" "What do you think I'm going to do next?" "Oh, are you making a bouquet?"

"wrong." "Is that for making garlands?" "wrong." The old woman smiled mischievously, pointed to her home and said: "I'm going to use it for better things. Are you going to see it?" The girl nodded obediently, and walked behind the old woman. She wanted to take a look and leave. See what the granny is doing with saffron, and run home. However, as soon as she stepped into the old woman's house, the girl completely forgot about the previous things.Because the old lady's home is too dazzling and splendid. In the room, there are yellow curtains hanging like sunlight.The table was also covered with the same yellow tablecloth.That yellow is brighter than lemons, brighter than dandelions.Moreover, it is clearer than moonlight.

"It's so beautiful!" The girl ran and danced around the house, and the saffron flowers fell out of her apron.While picking it up, the old woman said: "You see, it is necessary to collect a lot of red pistils of saffron, dry them in the sun, boil them, and use their juice to dye cloth, so that they can be dyed such a beautiful yellow color." The girl's eyes are round.She felt like she was doing magic. "Can the red pistil produce yellow? That is to say, there is yellow hidden in the saffron?" Yes, yes, the old lady nodded with satisfaction. "My job is to grow saffron in the yard, and then pick their pistils to make yellow curtains and tablecloths."

"Can you make a yellow quilt?" "Ah, of course." "Can you make a yellow dress?" "Ah, of course." "Is it possible to make a yellow handkerchief?" "Oh, of course. I've made lots of them and sold them." "Where to sell?" "The east is far away from here. On the other side of the horizon, there is a city called Sunrise, and the people who live there wear clothes of the same color as the sun." Sunrise City! Immediately, the girl's heart was filled with longing. "I want to go there too."

So the old woman said: "Then you can be my daughter. How about we go together? I happen to be alone, so lonely." The girl smiled and nodded.This is just a joke.The old woman also laughed like a joke.Then the old woman said: "Then, let's dye cloth together. I'm going to make you a long yellow ribbon." "Really?" "Of course it is true. Come on, you help me put all the pistils into this bag." The old woman put a small white cloth bag on the table.The girl poured all the flowers in the apron onto the table, then pulled out the red pistils from the flowers and put them in the bag.When the bag was full of pistils, the old woman drew the curtains and hung the cloth bag on the window frame.Then, this song was sung:

Wind, wind, wind in the fields, Come on, come on, come on blow, Dry my saffron quickly. As a result, waves surged in the flower field outside the window, and the wind blew up, shaking the white bag containing saffron. Immediately afterwards, the old woman began to prepare to dye the cloth.She poured water into a large pot and put it on the stove, looked at the pistil bag hanging on the window, and nodded: "Okay, okay, it's done." She threw the bag casually into the pot. After a while, the water in the pot turned yellow. "Come on, let me make you a hair tie!"

The old woman took out a long white cloth from her pocket and gently threw it into the pot.The white cloth was immediately dyed bright yellow. The old woman hung the drenched yellow hairband on the window, and sang again: Wind, wind, wind in the fields, Come on, come on, come on blow, Blow dry the yellow hair quickly. Then the wind rustled across the field again, shaking the yellow hairband.Yellow hair bands dry instantly. The old woman also made the girl drink tea and eat sweets.The sweets are puddings round like the moon. The old woman gently tied the yellow hair ribbon dyed with saffron on the girl's hair. "Ah, so cute. In this way, you will become my daughter. Whether your heart is good or your body is good, you will become light and light." heart and body?Ah, so the girl really felt it.From the moment she ate the pudding just now, the girl felt as if her body was floating leisurely.Now wearing a yellow hair tie, the girl feels even more joyful. The girl sang a song, and danced around the room as she sang.She circled around the big table, and even ran to the window to shake the curtains. She kept jumping and jumping, spinning like a spinning top, jumping endlessly... Unknowingly, the girl became A little yellow bird. "Great, great." The old woman stretched out her hands with a smile, and gently grabbed the bird.Then, put the little yellow bird in the golden cage and lock it up. *** It was quite dark. When the autumn wind became cold and whistling, a woman came to the lonely house in the field. "Is there anyone? Is there anyone?" The woman knocked hard on the door.The door opened a crack, revealing the face of an old woman in a black dress. "Is there a problem?" "Has a girl ever been here? A girl with fair skin. Hair so long, big eyes..." "Yeah, I haven't been here." The old woman shook her head coldly, and said with cold eyes: "I've been alone. No family, no friends, not even a mouse." "..." The woman also stared into the eyes of the old woman, shouting in her heart: You are lying! (She's lying. She hid my daughter. She snatched her because she was so cute. Because I have proof...) Mom just found the red ball in the flower field. (The kid was chasing the ball. Since the ball is here, she must have been here) However, this mother is a smart mother.She doesn't want to quarrel with her here, she thought, it's the best plan for me to find a way to get into the house, find my daughter, and escape together.So she said: "Give me a break, please. I'm exhausted looking for children." "Okay, please come in." The old woman nodded and let the woman into the room. There was a kerosene lamp burning in the house.In the light of the kerosene lamps, the yellow curtains and yellow tablecloths looked dreamlike and beautiful. "Oh, your house is so beautiful! What a wonderful yellow!" The old woman nodded triumphantly and said: "It's dyed with saffron from the yard. It's the magic yellow." As she said that, she took out a pair of scissors from her pocket, cut out the shapes of small butterflies from the corner of the curtain, put them in the palm of her hand, and blew gently. Guess what?The cloth butterfly immediately turned into a real butterfly and flew up gracefully. "Look, there's another one." The old woman cut another curtain and made another butterfly. "One more, one more!" Little butterflies popped up one after another, and every time the old woman took a breath, she would fly up.Many butterflies flew around the table for a while, then flew out of the window and disappeared into the distance of the saffron field. "Can anyone do magic like this?" Mom asked with a sigh. "Okay. Because the yellow of saffron is the yellow of magic." After all, the old woman sat down on the chair next to her and started her needlework. "Let me do it for you," said my mother. "I am good at needlework. Let me use the yellow cloth you dyed to make all kinds of things!" "Aren't you going to find the child?" "It's already dark. If you look for it now, you won't find it. Just let me stay here tonight, and I'll look for it tomorrow." While talking, my mother quietly glanced at the birdcage in the corner of the room.The eyes of the yellow bird met the eyes of the mother.Suddenly the bird screamed sharply.Mom was worried about the little bird, so she asked: "Is this little bird also made of yellow cloth?" The old woman shook her head: "That's a real bird. Made with better magic." Now mom understands. That little bird may be my daughter.Mother looked at the little bird and nodded quietly. The old woman opened the cupboard in the room and took out a large piece of yellow cloth. "Then, make me some more handkerchiefs from this cloth. Here is the needle, thread, and scissors. Cut this cloth to the size of handkerchiefs, and fasten me with beautiful lace." Mom nodded.She cut the yellow cloth into pieces the size of handkerchiefs.Then, while threading the needle, it turned quickly in my mind. (The cage is locked.) Indeed, a golden birdcage was locked with a purse-lock!While tying the lace of the handkerchief, the mother was thinking about how to get the little bird out of the cage. (It would be great if I could break that birdcage secretly...) At this time, my mother remembered what the old woman said just now: (The yellow of saffron is the yellow of magic.) Mom repeated this sentence over and over again in her heart.As her eyes fell on the half-sewn yellow handkerchiefs, she thought they might be magic handkerchiefs.If that's the case, maybe listen to me.At this time, my mother's heart suddenly lit up.Mom thought of a good idea, laughed alone, and quickly locked the lace of the handkerchief again.Mom sang a lullaby while sewing with her hands.It was a lullaby that my mother sang every night to lull her daughter to sleep.As soon as she hears this song, her daughter will gradually close her eyelids and fall asleep unconsciously.Mom sang that song over and over again.So the bird in the cage stood on the perch and fell asleep motionless. (That little bird must be my daughter. Can understand my song.) Mom thought.But now, mother wants to use this lullaby to lull another person to sleep!She was the old woman—the one sitting in the rocking chair in the corner of the room, with the yellow cloth on her knees, in a daze.Mom continued to sing the lullaby affectionately. Listening, the old woman began to doze off.The old lady's rocking chair was rocking slowly to the rhythm of the lullaby, and when the yellow cloth on her lap fell to the floor, she was already snoring softly.Mother nodded quietly, and continued to sing the lullaby softly as she fastened all the laces of the handkerchiefs. At this time, my mother's expression suddenly became serious.I saw her folding and folding, rolling and rolling the handkerchief, and after a lot of effort, she finally made a mouse out of the handkerchief.The handkerchief mouse is fat and round, with two small ears on its head. "I'll sew up two more small eyes for you." Mom put black thread in the needle again, and sewed two round eyes on the yellow mouse.Guess what?Once the eyes were sewed up, the mouse seemed to be alive.A pair of small eyes sparkled, as if thinking about something. "The yellow of saffron is the yellow of magic." Mom muttered.Then, blow on the yellow mouse. So, the mouse's ears moved, hey, isn't the mouse alive now? ... Mom got excited and made new mice one after another.The yellow handkerchief is folded and folded, rolled and rolled... Finally, black eyes are sewed on, and a breath is gently blown... The newborn mice don't stay there, they scurry across the floor.When ten mice were gathered, the mother blew a soft whistle, gathered the mice in one place, and ordered in a voice so soft that it was almost inaudible: "Go bite that birdcage. Quietly bite it open! " So the handkerchief mice all ran to the cabinet in the corner.They climbed up the cupboard and started biting at the cage. It was a golden birdcage that could not be broken by biting.Mom ran over to encourage them: "You are magic mice! come on!come on!Magic Mouse! " As long as the mice moved, the purse lock hanging on the door of the birdcage would rattle, and every time the mother broke into a cold sweat, she kept looking at the old woman sleeping on the rocking chair.Then, he ran to the old woman's side again and hummed a lullaby softly. The yellow mice were still chewing on the cage.But the birdcage is so strong that even a magic mouse can't easily bite it open.Ten mice gathered in one place of the birdcage, constantly biting the golden lattice.Mom watched them praying. A small kerosene lamp in the corner was burning slightly.Under the light, the yellow tablecloth turned golden. "Tired of biting?" Mom greeted the mice softly.Then, he took out a piece of cheese from his pocket. "Come on, let's eat!" Mom broke the cheese into small pieces and put them on the table.The mice climbed onto the table and ate up the cheese.The handkerchief mouse that ate the cheese seems to have gotten a little fatter.Great, great, Mom thought.Then she whispered to the mice: "Go bite that birdcage. Keep biting, chewing it up! " The mice went to work again. Late at night.The wall clock is ticking. Just like that, before he knew it, it was already dawn, and when the room was about to light up, the gold lattice of the birdcage was bitten off, leaving a hole where a human hand could be inserted.The bird inside woke up and chirped.Ma ran to the cage when the old woman woke up and got up from her chair. "what are you doing?" The old woman yelled loudly.At this moment, the mother had already reached into the cage with her right hand, grabbed the bird, and quickly put it into the arms of the shirt.Then, she pushed open the door and ran outside barefoot. The old woman chased after them yelling, but my mother had already run into the saffron field.The saffron, rustled by the dawn wind, sang in unison: run!Go east, go east, run! Run until sunrise. Mom ran and ran, and ran forward.In fact, she couldn't tell which side was east and which side was west at all, and she just ran forward in the field. She knew that the old woman was chasing her from behind, but she didn't dare to turn her head. The little bird in mother's arms is very warm.Mom was still running, and her heart was about to burst.The morning dew wet her feet, and as she turned over one mountain and climbed a new one, the distant horizon was ablaze, and soon Mom was illuminated in a beautiful golden light.In the distance, there were countless people wearing dazzling yellow shirts, throwing off the wide sleeves, walking over like a long wall.They seemed to be humming something. Mom opened her eyes wide, trying to take a good look at those people, but it was too dazzling, and she had to close her eyes when she looked at them.Just like that, the mother covered the little bird in her arms with both hands, and fell there. Those people in yellow clothes surrounded my mother.They squatted on their mother's head and kept blowing.Someone else took off a yellow shirt and covered her mother.Although she lost consciousness, her mother still knew this in a trance. Ah, I might die, Mama thought, but I managed to save my daughter.This time her eyes were shining with gold, and she completely fainted. When the mother woke up, she found herself lying on the grass, and beside her was her little daughter, who had recovered her human form and was also there.The daughter's face was red, breathing quietly.In her hair, a loose yellow ribbon fluttered gently. The sun was already high, and there was no one around.