No one knows for sure except the people who have seen the creature appear from out of the water. Yet everyone knows that this wise being exists.
Summary
The Dragon of the Lake
It was a still night, the silver moon glittering in the heavens along with millions of stars. The fisherman was nodding at the water's edge, the head of the family Shuǐlóng was late. Normally he was there before the sun went down, the other fishermen thought it took too long and packed their things and went home. He didn't, he kept the tradition. He knew what fish wanted to offer to the head, it was a beautiful one whose shakes seemed made of gold. He looked up with a sigh, he was not allowed to fall asleep if he did, then the cranes would eat his catch in its entirety, so bold those animals were.
Still, he felt his eyes slowly close, got up and stretched a few times before sitting down again. His gaze went over the calm surface of the water. Suddenly the surface began to wrinkle, the fisherman looked at it wide-eyed. While wrinkles grew bigger and bigger and suddenly separated. A gigantic creature came up, the scales of the animal glittered in the moonlight. The whiskers seemed to sway in the wind. The fisherman swallowed, of course he had heard the stories about the dragon in the lake. The dragon looked at him with his big green eyes and swam towards him. The fisherman was amazed for a second that he felt no fear of the creature, dragons were wise animals and would not attack humans for no reason. The dragon bowed his head to the fisherman.
"Master fisherman, you are honoring your race. You have been waiting for the head of the main family to come to you. Unfortunately, he passed away early in the evening."
The fisherman swallowed again, it was sad news now the whole village would go into mourning until the new head of the family takes his place.
"I command you to go home."
In disbelief, the fisherman looked at the dragon and bowed to him.
"Dragon of the Lake, I'll do as you ask of me and thank you for bringing me the sad news. But before I go, I'd like to honor the tradition of our village by putting a fish back. Would you want to witness this?”
The dragon slowly nodded its large head. The fisherman knelt by his baskets and searched for the fish he had in mind. He carefully grabbed the gold fish and led it to the lake.
"Be free.''
He bent down and released the fish, which quickly swam away. The fisherman bowed to the fish and then walked back to his gear.
"Master fisherman, for your sacrifice I can tell you that tomorrow the daughter of the deceased chief would stand at your front door and she will offer her hand to you."
The fisherman bowed to the dragon and left the lake with his rod and the rest of his catch.
The next day the news of the deceased head was spread throughout the village. The fisherman sat in front of his house cleaning the fish from the previous day until a shadow formed over him, he looked up and next to him stood the daughter of the deceased chief.
"Master fisherman, I have heard that you waited for my father until late in the evening."
The fisherman dropped everything from his hands and jumped up, quickly bowing to her.
"That's right, my heart goes out to you and to the rest of the family."
The daughter laughed and held out her hand to him.
"Master fisherman for your loyalty I offer you my hand."
Date of First Recording
24-10-99
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