《宝莲灯》

　　故事来源：元代（公元1279年──公元1367年）杂剧《沉香太子劈华山》 时间：古代 地点：中国的陕西省 主要人物：圣母（山中女神）刘彦昌（山村医生） 沉香（圣母之子）

　　华山有一座久负盛名的圣母庙，里面供着一位女神，人称圣母。华山每至春暖花开、万物复苏时节便有瘴气毒雾弥漫，对人、畜、植物极有危害，圣母仁厚慈爱，手持宝莲灯照射满山，消散瘴雾，造福四方。

　　年轻的医生刘彦昌，每次登山采药，都到庙中默默凝视圣母的仙容。一天，刘彦昌在圣母所披的红纱上题诗赞美，圣母受到感动，走下神案，活灵活现地站在刘彦昌面前，含情脉脉，表示爱慕。

　　终于，圣母和刘彦昌面对法力无边的宝莲灯，幸福地结合在一起。圣母的哥哥二郎神听说妹妹竟私自嫁与凡人，非常恼火，带领天兵天将捉拿刘彦昌。圣母为保护丈夫，高举神灯，打败了二郎神。

　　不久，圣母生下一子，取名沉香。就在庆贺孩子出生百日的那一天，二郎神盗走宝莲灯，再次兴师问罪。圣母挥剑拼杀，刘彦昌怀抱沉香紧随其后。由于失去了神灯，圣母渐渐力不可支，被二郎神搬来的一座山峰压倒。二郎神又要害沉香性命，电神霹雳大仙及时赶到，救出了沉香。

　　失去亲人的刘彦昌走遍华山大小山峰，寻找妻子和娇儿，但却一无所获。

　　十五年过去了，沉香在霹雳大仙的抚养教育下，练就一身高强的武艺。当他得知自己的身世时，求师父放他寻父救母。霹雳大仙以法力相助，使沉香手握宝斧，力大无边。沉香找到父亲，夺回宝莲灯，打败二郎神，劈开华山，救出母亲。

图片来源于网络

　　英文版

　　The Lotus Lantern

　　Origin：Yuan Dynasty （1206-1368 AD） opera, Prince Chen Xiang Cleaves Hua MountainTime：Ancient timePlace：Shaanxi ProvinceMain characters：Sheng Mu （Goddess of the Mountain）Liu Yanchang （a mountain physician）Chen Xiang （Sheng Mu's son）

　　On Hua Mountain stands an old and famous temple, where offerings are made to Sheng Mu, the Goddess of the Mountain.  Every spring when the weather turns warm and the earth wakes up from its winter sleep, malarial fogs and harmful vapors fill the air, bringing great harm to plants, animals, and humans.  During this season, the kind and loving Goddess of the Mountain appears carrying the magic Lotus Lantern, illuminating the entire mountain, dispelling harmful fogs and vapors, and showering blessings on the four directions.

　　Whenever young physician Liu Yanchang climbs the mountain to gather herbs, he always stops at the temple to silently pay homage to Sheng Mu.  One day, he inscribes a poem of thanks and admiration on the scarlet fabric draped over her image.  Sheng Mu is deeply moved, and steps down off of the altar, as real as life.  She stands before Liu Yanchang filled with tenderness, and declares her love for him.

　　With the help of the magical powers of the Lotus Lantern, Liu Yanchang and Sheng Mu are finally able to join together as husband and wife.  When Sheng Mu's brother, the immortal Er Lang, hears that the Goddess of the Mountain has married a mortal without his permission, he is furious.  Leading a force of heavenly soldiers and celestial generals, he descends and seizes Liu Yanchang.  To protect her husband, Sheng Mu goes to battle with the Lotus Lantern held aloft, and defeats Er Lang.

　　Before long, Sheng Mu gives birth to a son, and names him Chen Xiang.  Just as the family is celebrating the baby's one hundredth day, Er Lan reappears.  Stealing the Lotus Lantern, he launches a new attack against Sheng Mu.  Sheng Mu fights him off with her sword, while Liu Yanchang stands behind her tightly holding Chen Xiang.  But without the magic lantern, Sheng Mu's strength is gradually depleted, until finally Er Lang traps her under a mountain.  Er Lang tries to kill the baby, but Pili, the God of Thunder and Lightening, arrives in the nick of time and carries him away to safety.

　　Liu Yanchang, bereft of his loved ones, combs the peaks and valleys of Hua Mountain searching fruitlessly for his wife and child.  Fifteen years go by, and Pili raises Chen Xiang up into a powerful young man, thoroughly versed in the martial arts.  When Chen Xiang learns of his background, he asks Pili to release him so he may search for his father and rescue his mother.  Pili grants Chen Xiang magical assistance, giving him a battle axe imbued with unlimited powers.  Chen Xiang finds his father and recovers the Lotus Lantern.  He defeats Er Lang, and cleaving open Hua Mountain with his magic axe, rescues his mother imprisoned within.

　　译者：雨敬然