One day the old ferryman got into an argument with a

passenger,a seller of wrapping paper.The one refused to accept money proffered and the other insisted on paying.The old ferryman felt a little bullied by the merchant's attitude,so he put on a show of anger and forced the man to take back his moncy—pressed the coins right back into his hand.But when the boat reached the shore,the traveler jumped up onto the dock and cast a handful of coppers back into the boat,smiling glee- fully before hurrying off on his way.The old ferryman had to kcep steadying the boat till the other passengers made it ashore, so he couldn't pursue the merchant.Instead,he called out to his granddaughter,who was up on the hill:

“Cuicui,grab hold of that cheeky young paper-seller and don't let him go!”

Cuicui had no idea what was going on,but she went with the yellow dog to block the way of the first passenger off the boat.He laughed and said,

“Let me pass!”

As he spoke,a second merchant caught up with them and

told Cuicui what it was all about.She understood and held

on to the paper merchant's gown for dear life,insisting,“You

can't go,you can't!"To show his agreement with his mistress,

the yellow dog,too,began barking at the man.The other

traveling merchants were blocked for a while,but they all had

a good laugh.Grandpa came up in an angry huff,forced the

money back into the man's hand,and even stuck a big wad of

tobacco leaves into the merchant's load.He rubbed his hands

together and beamed:“Go on,now!Hit the road,all of you!”

And at that,they all went on their way,chuckling.

“Grandfather,I thought you were quarreling with that

man because he'd stolen from you!”Cuicui said.

Her grandfather replied,

“He gave me money,a lot of it.I don't want his money!I

told him that and still he bickered with me about it.He just

wouldn't listen to reason!”

“Did you give it all back to him?”Cuicui asked.

Grandpa shook his head and pouted.Then he winked and

smiled knowingly,taking out from his belt the lone copper he

had stuffed there.He gave it to Cuicui and said,

“He got some tobacco from me in return.He can smoke

that all the way to Zhen'gan town!"

The pounding of faraway drums could be heard,and the

yellow dog pricked up his cars.Cuicui asked Grandpa if he

could hear it.He strained his ears and recognized the sound.

“Cuicui,the Dragon Boat Festival has come around again.Do you remember how last year Master Tianbao gave you a fat duck to take home?This morning First Master went off on business with his crew to East Sichuan.On the ferry he asked about you.Ill bet you forgot all about the downpour last year.If we go this time,we'll have to light a torch again to come home.Do you remember how the two of us came home,lighting our way with a torch?”

Cuicui was just then thinking about the other Dragon Boat Festival,two years ago.But when her grandfather asked, she shook her head,slightly annoyed,and said,pointedly: “I dont remember it,not at all.I can't remember anything about it!”What she really meant was,“How could I have forgotten?”

Knowing full well what she really meant,Grandpa added, “The festival two years ago was even more interesting,You waited for me alone by the riverbank.It got dark and you were just about lost.I thought a big fish must have caten you all up!"

Recalling this,Cuicui snickered.

“Grandfathet,are you the one who thought a big fish might eat me?It was someone else who said that about me, and I told you!All you cared about that day was getting that old man from town to drink all the wine in your gourd!Some memory you have!”

“Tm old and my memory is completely gone.Cuicui,you've

grown up now.You'l have no trouble going into town alone to

see the boats race.No need to worry about a fish eating you.”

“Now that I'm older,I ought to stay and mind the ferry-

boat.”

“It's when you get really old that you stay with the ferry-

boat.”

“When you get old,you deserve a rest!”

“Your grandfather isn't so old!I can still hunt tigers!”

Grandpa said,Aexing his biceps and making a muscle to

show how young and strong he still was.“Cuicui,if you don't

believe me,see if you can bite through this!”

Cuicui cast a sidelong glance at her grandpa,whose back

was slightly hunched.She didn't reply.Far away,she heard

the sound of suona horns.She knew what that meant.She

could tell the direction it was coming from.She asked her

grandpa to get in the boat with her and go to the other side,

where their house was.To get a look at the bride's palanquin

at the earliest point,Cuicui climbed the pagoda out back and

looked over from above.Soon the wedding procesion arrived:

two men playing suonas,four strong peasant lads carrying an

empty palanquin to collect the bride,a young man decked

out in new clothes,who looked to be the son of a militia cap-

tain,two sheep and a young boy leading them,a vat of wine,

a box of glutinous rice cakes,and a gift-bearer.When the

troop boarded the ferryboat,Cuicui and her grandpa joined

them.Grandpa tugged the boat line,while Cuicui stood by

the ornately decorated bridal sedan chair,taking note of all the faces in the procesion and the tassels on the palanquin.When they got to shore,the one who looked like the militia captain's son drew a red envelope with money in it from his embroi- dered waist pouch and gave it to the old ferryman.That was the custom in this locality,so Grandpa could not refuse the gift.But having the money in hand,Grandpa asked the man where the bride was from,her family name,and how old she was.When he had all this information and the suona players began their haunting melodies again after landing,the file of

men crossed over the hill and went on its way.Grandpa and Cuicui remained in the boat,their emotions following the

sounds of the suonas far into the distance.

Weighing the red money packet in his hand,Grandpa said,“Cuicui,the bride is from the Song Family Stockade and she's only fourteen.”

Cuicui understood his meaning,but paid him no heed. She began quietly to pull the boat across.

When they reached the side where their house was,Cuicui rushed home to get their litle twin-pipe bamboo suona.She asked Grandpa to play her the tune"The Mother Sees Her Daughter Off to Marriage.”She lay down with the yellow dog in a shady spot on the bluffs in front of the house,where she could watch the clouds in the sky.The days were geting longer now.Before anyone noticed,Grandpa fell asleep.So did Cuicui and the yellow dog