Redheaded monster

My hometown Xinhua County belongs to the Gumeishan area and is the hometown of Chiyou, one of the three great ancestors of the Chinese nation. She is located between the hills in central Hunan and the mountainous areas in western Hunan, in the middle of Zishui River, an important tributary of Xiangjiang River, and the towering Xuefeng Mountains are continuous from its northwest. Therefore, there are many deep mountains and dense forests in the northwest of Xinhua, where there are deep boulders, flowing springs and waterfalls, birds and animals, and exotic flowers and plants. It is a relatively complete area with primitive forest landforms.

Xinhua is not only rich in forest mineral resources, but also famous natural and cultural landscapes, such as Ziquejie Terrace, Meishan Dragon Palace, Daxiongshan Forest Park, Youxi River Drifting, Beita, Wenchang Pavilion and other world irrigation engineering heritages. Moreover, Meishan culture, as an important representative of Jingchu culture, takes mysterious witchcraft culture as its main content, among which there are many beautiful, moving, magical and interesting folklore and folk stories, most of which are oral literature passed down from mouth to mouth, which has been passed down to now and is in the ascendant.

Now, I have sorted out the legends my mother told me when I was a child, and dedicated them to netizens who are interested in our Meishan folk literature.

Once upon a time, in Dashi Township and Tianmen Township in the northwest mountainous area of Xinhua, a primate similar to human beings often appeared, walking upright on two feet. The locals call it "the red monster". In the story passed down from mouth to mouth, the red wild monster is more than two meters long, with strong body, thick red body hair all over his face, facial features like people and apes, high eyebrows, pointed ears, thin eyes and big nose.

The wild monster with red hair often comes out when the birds return to their nests at sunset in the evening, because this is the time for villagers to go home from work. It hid in the bushes on the villagers' way home. When the firewood collector enters its ambush area, the wild monster will flash out like a ghost, with a scream, and grab the arm of the stunned pedestrian with lightning speed. The wild monster with red hair won't catch people for fun, but he will be alone. People it catches, whether men, women, old or young, tall or thin, will laugh hysterically with excitement, tremble all over, and finally faint with joy. Although the wild monster fainted, he would still hold on to his prey's arm and would not relax at all. When it wakes up, it slowly enjoys the delicious human flesh.

Villagers who are familiar with this habit naturally have their own countermeasures. They cut off a bamboo tube of Nanzhu, hollowed out the inside of the bamboo tube, then coated the inner wall of the bamboo tube with tung oil and put it on their arms. In this way, when the wild monster fainted because of human capture, the villagers who were caught quickly pulled out their arms from the bamboo tube and fled before the monster woke up.

Besides cannibalism, there is another possible result. If a young woman or a mature man is hunted, it may be plundered to a cave, married and have offspring.

When a * * * in the village was working in a vegetable field, he was eaten by a male wild strange dumpling. A few months later, when she returned to the village, she was pregnant. Everyone in the village knows that it was planted by wild monsters, which made women eat the secret recipe of abortion. The turbid things that came out of abortion were like people and animals, which made the villagers half dead and immediately set fire to them.

That night, the monster came to the village to look for his wife, screaming and occasionally calling the woman's name. After the villagers knew it was a monster, they all held their breath and dared not come out. Every household bars doors and blocks things, turns off lights and fires, and stays up all night. Wild monster, it's noisy. It's been more than a month. I have to go. Since then, there have been few incidents of wild monsters robbing people to be husband and wife.

It is said that there is a family with a single house in this deep forest, which was originally moved from the big village at the foot of the mountain to avoid the war disaster. The wooden house is built in the foothills surrounded by mountains on three sides. The bamboo forest behind the house is as green as the sea, and the deep bamboo forest is towering mountains. There is a small river in front of the door, which is composed of several mountain springs and depressions. Along the way, the water gurgled and the waves were in full bloom. It winds down the mountain and along the river bank, which is a stone road leading to the market more than 100 miles away from the mountain.

The couple reached middle age and had two daughters. The eldest is Jinhua, and the youngest is Yin Hua. Jinhua is fourteen, and Yin Hua is only eight. Jinhua is smart, hardworking and obedient, and is very popular with her parents. The second child, Yin Hua, is spoiled by her parents because she has many younger sisters. Therefore, her elder sister is usually arrogant, with much delicious food and clothes at home.

One day after dinner, my parents told their two daughters, Jinhua and Yin Hua, that tomorrow morning, my parents would go down the mountain to have a fair and come back two days later. One is to sell mountain products, the game stored at home, to change some oil, salt, sauce and vinegar. Second, go to Zhang Guaizi's tailor's shop to see if there are any good-looking fabrics. I want to add a new dress for your sister in the New Year. You two haven't made new clothes for a long time. As the saying goes, horses need saddles and people need clothes. You two should not wear rags, which makes people laugh. You sisters must be obedient at home and don't run around. It's getting dark, call the chickens and ducks into the house, close the courtyard door and tie the door. As you have heard, there are often wild red-haired monsters coming out to sip people in our old mountain, and they especially like to sip fine girls. The year before last, a thin scorpion was taken away by a wild monster with red hair on the opposite mountain. So, dear, don't be silent when there is any movement outside at night, especially when someone knocks at the door. Never promise or open the door. Be sure to write it down! Important thing, I repeat, someone is knocking at the door, don't open the door! Jinhua, you are the boss, smart, bold and cautious. You must take good care of your sister.

Parents nagged and urged the two sisters. In the afternoon, Fang prepared dry food and tea for the road. The couple picked a load of mountain products and went down the mountain along the rugged mountain road to catch the scenery.

The season is already late autumn, and the mountains and plains are full of orange, red and yellow-green beauty. The lofty and vast sky is blue and spotless. Looking up, the herringbone Yan array flies south, singing geese all the way, leaving endless farewell songs.

Soon night fell. Tonight, there is no full moon and no stars. Thick dark cloth covers everything. It was a dark autumn night with a strong wind. There are faint lights shining in the window of the wooden house, and the faint yellow light is like the sleepy eyes of a giant at night. I don't know when, a few red-billed crows stopped on the big ginkgo tree in front of the door and occasionally made scary strange calls.

Before dark, Sister Jinhua drove the chickens and ducks into the henhouse early, and the black-flowered pigs in the pigsty were also fed a pot full of pigs. Now I'm full and asleep beautifully. Rhubarb dog, the doorman, stood loyally in front of the fence and watched around warily.

Before going to bed, Yin Hua wanted to sleep alone in the wing. She doesn't like the smell her sister brings from pigs. Jinhua couldn't help her, so she had to go. But she took the trouble to tell her that when urinating at night, she should solve it on the wooden toilet in the house and never open the door. After comforting my sister to sleep, I checked the room outside my house, and Fang Yi slept in another wing next to my sister.

Jinhua is exhausted because of a hard day's work. She fell asleep as soon as she went to bed, and soon fell asleep sweetly. In the dream, she and her sister put on the flowered clothes made by their parents and chased and played on the hillside full of flowers. ...

At midnight, rhubarb dog, who was standing guard in front of the fence, suddenly barked. A shadow suddenly flashed through the Woods in front of it and quickly jumped to its side. Poor rhubarb didn't come in a hurry. He called a few more times and was grabbed by Gao Ying's arm. Then he lifted it easily and groaned, and his neck was cut off. Rhubarb dog, loyal, didn't resist, didn't struggle or even scream. Just like a person stepping on a small ant easily, he is carefree and handy. Shadow stripped rhubarb of its head, hollowed out its internal organs, and then, like the wind and clouds, ate dozens of pounds of dog meat, even the dog bones were chewed up and swallowed by it.

Sleepy honeysuckle was awakened by a gentle, slow and rhythmic knock on the door. My elder sister thought it was my elder sister, rolled over, ran to the door and asked:

Is it a sister? What's the matter?

Yin Hua, I'm your grandmother! Outside, an old voice said in my haste.

Hey! Grandma? ! ..... You, you, how did you come to my house in the middle of the night? The bank thinks it's strange. What is my grandmother doing at my house in the middle of the night?

Yin Hua, here's the thing. Didn't your parents go down the mountain to catch the show? They passed by my house on the way, had a sip of tea and told me that there were only two sisters at home. I just picked some peanuts in the field today, thinking that your sisters love to eat, so I sent some to you and stopped by to see you. I have taken care of you for a long time. Yin Hua, open the door! Let grandma in quickly!

Although Yin Hua is only eight years old, she still remembers what her parents told her not to open the door at night. Then asked in a tentative tone:

You said you were grandma. It was dark and there was no moonlight. I can't see who you really are! I'm afraid it's a red-haired monster!

Silly girl, it's not easy. Grandma is not wearing a jade bracelet on her left wrist, but has hemorrhoids on the back of her right hand. Now, I'll put my hand through the window and let you touch it to see if there are any jade bracelets and hemorrhoids.

Yin Hua carefully touched grandma's hand, and sure enough, her right wrist was wearing a jade bracelet, and there was a hemorrhoid the size of a soybean on the back of her left hand.

This time, Yin Hua believed, happily opened the door and let grandma into the room. Grandma loves her sister the most, so she must sleep with her tonight. Don't worry about strangers coming out to hold the baby.

Late autumn night, with a chill breeze flapping paper window, blare, blare, blare, blare ...... Like a dissatisfied housewife sobbing in a dark corner, her voice seems to be full of sadness, bitterness and hatred, and it seems to imply a ferocious sneer, which brings creepy horror in the endless lonely night of the Black Sea.

Jinhua suddenly gave a cry. She woke up from a nightmare, got up and sat up, got out of bed, and wanted to go to her sister's bedroom. She walked quietly to the door and only heard strange voices, such as Ji, Ji, Ji, Ji, Ji, Ji, Ji. Why does she feel that the sound is more and more like someone biting a bone? However, it is not like people eating, but like the sound of wolves, tigers and other wild animals gnawing at bones! Jinhua's whole body suddenly tightened, and there was an ominous premonition.

She knocked on the door with her hand and asked:

Yin Hua, what are you doing? Still up at night?

..... It sounded like chewing stopped suddenly, and behind my ears, there was the sound of moving chairs and stools.

Oh, oh, ... You're Kim, ... Sister, I'm hungry. Now let's eat chestnuts, chestnuts on the mountain!

Jinhua suddenly felt a little strange, like an old man deliberately imitating with a high voice. Is it because my sister has a cold and her voice is hoarse? However, this is an opaque night, you can't see the situation in the house through the crack of the door, and you can't use kerosene lamps, because you have forgiven it with river soil.

Yin Hua, open the door (open the door) and let me have a look!

Sister, I went to sleep after I said chestnut, so don't come in. If you feel nervous, go to bed! I have to get up early tomorrow!

Jinhua hesitated and turned back to his room. Suddenly, she felt as if she had stepped on a sticky liquid. She bent down, touched the sticky things on the board with her hand, sniffed them in her nostrils, but smelled a thick smell of blood!

Jinhua suddenly understood something. Suppressing her pounding heart, she quietly went downstairs and came to the fence wall. She called rhubarb dog softly for a long time. Seeing the yellow dog, she suddenly remembered that there seemed to be a match on her body, so she took a match out of her trouser pocket and lit one. In the light, I saw rhubarb dog's fur and dog's head were bloodstained and abandoned in the soil not far from the gate.

Yes, everything in front of me confirmed her worst and saddest guess ~ ~ ~ There is a wild monster in the house! The man who talked to her just now pretended to be the voice of Yinhua. No, that monster is the legendary wild monster with red hair. He often haunts the mountains and attacks the villagers! Her sister Yin Hua was killed. At the thought of this, Jinhua's heart felt a knife-like pain, but she couldn't cry. She must stay calm! Calm down! It's not time for her to wail and express her sadness!

After a burst of panic and sadness, Jinhua regained her senses and calmness.

In the dark, she climbed upstairs to the attic on the roof, where a big drum was stored, which sounded like thunder when struck. Jinhua took the drum to the center of the floor of her sister's room, and then picked up a wooden stick and knocked it open.

Knock on the door. Knock on the door. Knock, knock. Knock, knock, knock, knock, knock, knock, knock, knock, knock, knock.

A frightened voice came from Yin Hua's room: Sister, what is this noise! ……

Don't be afraid, sister. It's thunder.

I am most afraid of thunder. Do something to hide me!

I'm telling you, if you're afraid of thunder, just hide in the barn and pretend that the food hasn't been put into storage yet.

Yin Hua's room rang with a hectic and heavy voice, and then it was quiet. Jinhua played the big drum again, like thunder. Yin Hua entered the room again propaganda:

Sister, I'm still scared. Do something!

You put the lid on the grain barrel and I'll lock it for you, so you don't have to be afraid anymore.

There was another commotion in Yin Hua's room, and then the voice said that Jinhua should lock the barn. Hearing this, Jinhua quickly tore off two pieces of the floor and left a hole. Then she tied one end of the rope to a wooden beam in the attic, grabbed the other end, went down to her sister's room, took a big lock, quickly locked the barn, and then pressed almost all the heavy things inside and outside the house onto the barn. She sat down wearily and suddenly felt that she was sitting on a pile of soft and sticky things. She lit a match at once, but she was surprised to see that she was sitting in a pool of blood that was about to solidify, with a large pinch of black hair attached to her skin! She instinctively jumped up in horror: this is obviously her sister's body! ……

Thunder rumbled in the attic again, sometimes slowly, sometimes quickly, sometimes dull, sometimes sharp.

The monster in the barn was frightened, shaking all over and shaking the wooden building slightly.

Sister, don't come out. It seems that the thunder will not stop for a while, so you can stay inside.

Dull, suffocating, nervous, frightened, sad, helpless, angry and hateful. ..... all this is intertwined and intertwined. With the passage of time, Jinhua's heart has become stronger, firmer and full of strength bit by bit.

Sister, it's been so long. What are you talking about? I'll make you tea!

Sister! This barn is stuffy! I am thirsty, but I dare not come out for tea! What should we do?

How's this? You don't have to come out. I'll drill a hole in the top of the barn, and then pour the tea through this hole. You can continue to drink with your mouth.

That's a good idea! You should go!

Jinhua came to the stove where the pig food was cooked, and suddenly it was full of flames. In a short time, a large pot full of boiling water was boiled.

She came to the barn with a big bucket of boiling water, inserted a funnel into the hole on the top of the barn and said, Here comes the water! You open your mouth with a funnel, and I'll give you water now!

The "sister" in the barn quickly opened her mouth and bit into the funnel.

With the sudden influx of boiling water, the barn gave a heartbreaking scream. ...

On the third day, Jinhua's parents came back. ...

Since then, there have never been any wild monsters in the village.

Later, a man of heart wrote a poem in praise of:

Wild monsters in the mountains, people eat and chew animals to show off.

In order to harm others, a strong man can't bear it.

It is said that there are good women in the mountains, hardworking, intelligent and beautiful.

Wit, calm, fierce and stubborn, dare to teach ghosts to die.

Later generations praised the story, but what can I say?