WEBVTT 00:00:14.458 --> 00:00:23.125 Once upon a time in a town, there lived a poor young man. 00:00:23.125 --> 00:00:26.416 He was so poor 00:00:26.416 --> 00:00:32.083 that the only thing he could eat everyday was gruel. 00:00:32.083 --> 00:00:37.666 For breakfast it was barley gruel, for lunch it was dried radish-leafy gruel, 00:00:37.666 --> 00:00:42.458 and for dinner it was barley gruel again. 00:00:42.458 --> 00:00:47.541 One day, when about to eat his gruel, 00:00:47.541 --> 00:00:51.875 a frail looking monk appeared before the young man. 00:00:51.875 --> 00:00:58.750 “Dear young man, can you share that gruel with me?” 00:00:58.750 --> 00:01:02.458 It was the only bowl of gruel he had, 00:01:02.458 --> 00:01:07.500 but the young man gave it to the monk without hesitation. 00:01:07.500 --> 00:01:09.500 Yum, yum! 00:01:09.500 --> 00:01:15.875 The monk ate up all the gruel in a blink of an eye. 00:01:15.875 --> 00:01:20.291 When the monk was about to leave, 00:01:20.291 --> 00:01:23.666 the young man asked “Dear monk 00:01:23.666 --> 00:01:30.041 when will I get my fortune?” 00:01:30.041 --> 00:01:34.791 The monk replied with smile, 00:01:34.791 --> 00:01:41.916 “Over ten mountain ridges in the valley of the Western Country, 00:01:41.916 --> 00:01:45.041 there is a place where you can find your fortune. Why don’t you go there?” 00:01:45.041 --> 00:01:48.625 “That is where I’ll get my fortune?” 00:01:48.625 --> 00:01:54.416 The young man’s heart began to race. 00:01:54.416 --> 00:01:59.083 He thought he would instantly become rich. 00:01:59.083 --> 00:02:05.416 The young man left for the Western Country immediately. 00:02:05.416 --> 00:02:10.666 After crossing the first mountain ridge, it became dark 00:02:10.666 --> 00:02:15.541 and he saw a house in the distant forest. 00:02:15.541 --> 00:02:21.583 Oh good, I’ll spend the night in that house.” 00:02:21.583 --> 00:02:28.375 In the house was a pretty young girl who lived alone. 00:02:28.375 --> 00:02:32.583 “You must have a long trip ahead of you.” 00:02:32.583 --> 00:02:38.541 “Yes, I’m making my way to the Western Country to get my fortune.” 00:02:38.541 --> 00:02:44.541 Hearing his words, she asked hesitantly, 00:02:44.541 --> 00:02:51.458 “Can you find out who my husband will be?” 00:02:51.458 --> 00:02:55.208 “Of course, don’t worry.” 00:02:55.208 --> 00:03:01.250 The next day, the young man went on his way. 00:03:01.250 --> 00:03:04.916 After passing the second mountain ridge and then the third mountain ridge, 00:03:04.916 --> 00:03:10.500 there was a group of old men who were playing checkers on a golden board. 00:03:10.500 --> 00:03:17.958 They said they had been playing a game of checkers for 100 years. 00:03:17.958 --> 00:03:22.625 When the young man told them he was heading to the Western Country to get his fortune, 00:03:22.625 --> 00:03:25.666 one of the old men said, 00:03:25.666 --> 00:03:29.666 “No matter how long we play this game, it does not end. 00:03:29.666 --> 00:03:35.166 Can you find someone on earth who can win this checkers game?” 00:03:35.166 --> 00:03:39.166 “Of course, don’t worry.” 00:03:39.166 --> 00:03:43.750 The young man went on his way. 00:03:43.750 --> 00:03:47.916 After passing the fourth mountain ridge, the fifth 00:03:47.916 --> 00:03:50.708 and then the sixth, 00:03:50.708 --> 00:03:55.166 there was a child watering a tree. 00:03:55.166 --> 00:03:58.958 “The other trees are all blooming, 00:03:58.958 --> 00:04:03.999 but this one is not. No matter how much I water it, it does not bloom.” 00:04:03.999 --> 00:04:10.125 The child looked at the tree with concern. 00:04:10.125 --> 00:04:14.583 “I will find out why when I go to the Western Country.” 00:04:14.583 --> 00:04:21.500 The young man then patted the child’s shoulder and left. 00:04:21.500 --> 00:04:27.875 Passing the seventh mountain, the eighth and the ninth, 00:04:27.875 --> 00:04:32.375 there appeared a wide, vast sea. 00:04:32.375 --> 00:04:38.708 “Only by crossing this sea, can I get to the Western Country. How can I cross this sea?” 00:04:38.708 --> 00:04:45.500 Then a ferocious, big grey dragon appeared. 00:04:45.500 --> 00:04:51.333 The dragon held two wishing balls in his mouth. 00:04:51.333 --> 00:04:56.291 “Are you the young man who is going to the Western Country to get your fortune? 00:04:56.291 --> 00:05:00.791 If you get to the Western Country, 00:05:00.791 --> 00:05:05.875 make sure to find out when I can go up to heaven.” 00:05:05.875 --> 00:05:13.791 The man, shivering, nodded to the dragon. 00:05:13.791 --> 00:05:20.958 The dragon placed the young man on his back and flew over the sea, like clouds moving across the sky. 00:05:20.958 --> 00:05:27.250 Crossing the sea safely, the young man climbed 00:05:27.250 --> 00:05:33.208 over the last mountain ridge and made his way to the valley of the Western Country. 00:05:33.208 --> 00:05:38.750 A temple stood there, falling apart, almost in ruins. 00:05:38.750 --> 00:05:44.083 Sitting inside the temple was the monk 00:05:44.083 --> 00:05:48.375 who had begged for the young man’s gruel earlier. 00:05:48.375 --> 00:05:52.583 “Following your advice, I came here to get my fortune.” 00:05:52.583 --> 00:05:58.916 “You will find fortune on your own.” 00:05:58.916 --> 00:06:04.291 The young man was disappointed, 00:06:04.291 --> 00:06:07.708 but nothing else could be done. 00:06:07.708 --> 00:06:13.500 The young man then asked about the people and the dragon he had met along the way. 00:06:13.500 --> 00:06:20.083 “The young lady’s husband will be the first man she meets. 00:06:20.083 --> 00:06:27.708 The checkers game has no end, so, even after a lifetime of playing, tell them to stop. 00:06:27.708 --> 00:06:34.416 The flowers on the tree will bloom if the gold beneath the tree is removed. 00:06:34.416 --> 00:06:44.333 The dragon can go to heaven if he gets rid of one of the wishing balls 00:06:44.333 --> 00:06:46.750 However, tell the dragon that 00:06:46.750 --> 00:06:53.416 he can go only after he gives you a ride to the other side of the sea.” 00:06:53.416 --> 00:06:56.291 After the monk finished talking, 00:06:56.291 --> 00:07:03.333 the young man came down from the temple, trudging along with empty hands. 00:07:03.333 --> 00:07:09.041 He climbed back over the tenth mountain ridge. 00:07:09.041 --> 00:07:14.041 After the dragon crossed the sea with the young man 00:07:14.041 --> 00:07:18.083 the young man told the dragon to get rid of one of the wishing balls. 00:07:18.083 --> 00:07:24.125 “Yes, thank you. This one is yours.” 00:07:24.125 --> 00:07:30.250 The dragon gave one of his wishing balls to the young man 00:07:30.250 --> 00:07:33.541 and went up to heaven. 00:07:33.541 --> 00:07:40.083 After passing the ninth mountain ridge, the eighth and the seventh, 00:07:40.083 --> 00:07:44.250 the young man came to the child. 00:07:44.250 --> 00:07:49.250 “Child, dig up the ground underneath the tree.” 00:07:49.250 --> 00:07:54.291 Once the child dug up the chunk of gold, 00:07:54.291 --> 00:07:58.125 the tree began to bloom rapidly. 00:07:58.125 --> 00:08:04.750 The child thanked him and gave him the chunk of gold. 00:08:04.750 --> 00:08:10.333 After passing the sixth mountain ridge, the fifth and the fourth, 00:08:10.333 --> 00:08:16.000 the group of old men were still playing checkers. 00:08:16.000 --> 00:08:20.375 “I heard that checkers has no end, even after a lifetime of playing, 00:08:20.375 --> 00:08:23.416 so please, stop now.” 00:08:23.416 --> 00:08:29.625 “Ha ha ha, so all along, we did this for nothing!” 00:08:29.625 --> 00:08:37.125 The group of old men gave their golden checker board to the young man and left. 00:08:37.125 --> 00:08:42.791 Passing the third mountain ridge and the second, 00:08:42.791 --> 00:08:47.541 upon seeing the young man, the young lady quickly ran outside. 00:08:47.541 --> 00:08:53.375 “You will marry the first man that you meet.” 00:08:53.375 --> 00:08:58.999 Hearing these words, the young lady shouted with surprise, 00:08:58.999 --> 00:09:07.291 “Oh, my, you were the first man that I have met." 00:09:07.291 --> 00:09:14.333 "Going to find fortune, I got valuable treasures, a wishing ball, a chunk of gold, a golden checker board 00:09:14.333 --> 00:09:18.458 board, and a pretty young lady as my wife 00:09:18.458 --> 00:09:21.916 I found my fortune!" 00:09:21.916 --> 00:09:26.416 The young man danced with joy 00:09:26.416 --> 00:09:31.208 and climbed back over the first mountain ridge to return home.