No
one knows who first told the story of the "Blue Willow".
Perhaps it was a Chinese storyteller who began telling the
tale of Chang and his love for the beautiful Koong-se, and
how they flew away as immortal doves, forever free. The Pacific
Grove version was first told by Pauline Benton of the Red
Gate Shadow Players in 1958 at Pacific Grove's Methodist Church
- where the lovers fly away as Monarch Butterflies to return
again every fall.
The
Story
Long ago in far off Cathay, a land now called China, there
lived during the reign of Emperors a wealthy Mandarin named
T'so Ling. His land holdings were vast and fertile, and his
treasures beyond counting. His palace was built of fine woods
and rich lacquers with a roof of blue tile that gleamed in
the sun, and a handmade fence that ran below the palace. Behind
the palace grew an orange tree, and beside the palace ran
a river with a graceful willow that gave shade in the heat
of the day.
Of
all T'so Ling's possessions, his beautiful Princess daughters
with their jewel names were his greatest joy. The Mandarin
delighted most in his eldest daughter, Koong-se, who he named
Topaz, so named for the golden lights that twinkled from her
eyes. Topaz passed her days in a summerhouse that leaned over
the rippling water, where she did elegant embroidery on silk
while listening to tales of old Cathay as told by her faithful
nurse, Chun Soy.
T'so
Ling thought Topaz so lovely that he wished to crown her as
Queen. A coronation ceremony was planned, and all the princes,
potentates, maharajahs and lords of the realm were invited
to attend the coronation. One of the old Mandarins brought
a chest of gold so impressive that T'so Ling thought this
rich man would make a fine husband for his daughter Topaz.
T'so Ling made plans to combine the coronation with a marriage
feast.
Topaz
heard this news and became quite despondent, for she had fallen
in love with a poor, young scholar called Chang. Hearing of
this, T'so Ling forbade his daughter to marry Chang. Topaz
wandered off into the dark to drown herself. T'so Ling alerted
the villagers to search for Topaz with lighted boats and lanterns.
During the search Topaz and Chang reunited. In a final burst
of lights, Topaz and Chang were illuminated as they changed
into Monarch butterflies and escaped into the sky.
The
pageant, which takes place on the last night of the Festival,
tells the story in pantomime and ends with a burst of fireworks
overhead as the lovers are seen for a brief moment departing
in the guise of Monarch butterflies.
Lindsey Morgan, Queen Topaz - Courtney Lyon, Princess Ruby