Water-Wood Beast#

Fortune or misfortune, hard to foresee, Blaming heaven and earth, yet still bound to be. Better to find joy in simple ways, Ride the waves, and await brighter days.

Long ago, there stood a camphor tree that had grown for a thousand years, its branches lush and verdant. One day, a natural disaster uprooted it, casting it into a river.

Due to its immense size and weight, the narrow river could not bear the camphor tree, leaving it stranded. A few days later, the villagers planned to drag it away for lumber. Unexpectedly, the camphor tree began to stir, transforming into a colossal four-legged wooden beast that lurked in the water.

From that time on, any craftsman with ill intentions who approached would be hurled into the water by the beast, striking fear into their hearts. However, when children came to play in the river, it never frightened them. Instead, it would occasionally use its wooden branches to rescue those in danger of drowning. Over time, the villagers grew accustomed to its presence and named it the "Water-Wood Beast."

One year, a wandering Daoist passed through the area and heard about the Water- Wood Beast. He called out from the riverbank, "Are you not weary of being confined here? There are many of your kind elsewhere. You should consider leaving."

The Water-Wood Beast remained unmoved, and two more years passed. Then, during a season of relentless heavy rain, the river's water level rose ever higher. The Water-Wood Beast repeatedly battered against the riverbank, causing the villagers to flee to a neighboring village in fear. That night, the upstream riverbank gave way, flooding the downstream village. When the floodwaters finally receded, the villagers returned to find that the Water- Wood Beast had vanished from the riverbend.