Mo Yan - Frog

Zhang Quan was in a crouch, holding his head in his hands and sobbing. Three generations have had only one son each. Will I be forced to see that line ended? Open your eyes, Heaven…

Zhang Quan’s wife walked out of the yard; she was weeping, and had straw in her hair. Obviously, she’d been hiding in a haystack.

Chairwoman Wan, be kind, forgive him. I’ll go with you.

Gugu and Little Lion were heading east on the riverbank behind our village, probably to make a report at brigade headquarters. But as they entered the lane that would take them there, the woman on the boat — Zhang Quan’s wife — came out of the cabin and jumped into the river. Qin He dived in after her, but since he did not know how to swim, he sank to the bottom. He managed to come up for air, but sank again. Help! Huang Qiuya screamed. Save them!

From our perch in the tree, we watched as Gugu and Little Lion turned back and ran to the river.

Wang Gan jumped nimbly into the river. Growing up on the banks of the river, we learned how to swim at about the same time we learned how to walk. The willow tree might as well have been set there for us to practise diving. I hoped that Little Lion had witnessed Wang Gan’s beautiful dive. I followed him into the river. Li Shou dived in from the riverbank. We should have tried to save the pregnant woman first, but she was nowhere in sight. Poor Qin He was right there in front of us, thrashing in the water, like a fritter rolling in bubbling oil.

Grab his hair, Wang Gan’s father alerted us, and watch out for his arms!

Wang Gan swam up behind him, reached out and grabbed him by the hair. He had a great head of hair. Wang Gan later said it was like a horse’s mane.

Wang Gan was a better swimmer than any of us. He could ford the river holding his clothes over his head and reach the other bank without a drop of water on them. Being able to demonstrate his swimming skills in front of the woman of his dreams was a wonderful opportunity. Li Shou and I helped him, one on each side until Qin He was safely on the bank.

Gugu and Little Lion came running up.

You idiot, Gugu fumed. What were you trying to do?

Qin He was spread out on the ground, coughing up water.

Zhang Quan’s wife jumped into the river, Huang Qiuya sobbed. He tried to save her.

Gugu paled. She turned her eyes to the river. Where is she?

She hit the water and disappeared, Huang Qiuya said.

I told you to watch her, didn’t I? Gugu angrily jumped onto the boat. You might as well be dead, she said. This is on you! Start the boat, she ordered.

Little Lion was all thumbs as she tried to start the motor, but failed.

Qin He, Gugu shouted, get back here and start this thing!

Qin He got shakily to his feet, but bent over and threw up all the water inside him. He fell back to his knees.

Xiaopao, Wang Gan, try to save her, Gugu said. I’ll reward you handsomely.

We looked over at the river and scoured it with our eyes.

The surface, broad and murky, carried foam and loose grass. Li Shou pointed at a watermelon rind on top of the water. Look over there, he said.

The rind glided along, occasionally rising out of the water on soggy strands of hair atop a head and neck.

Gugu sat down heavily on the side of the boat and breathed a sigh of relief. Then she burst out laughing.

Before we could dive in to make the rescue, she shouted, No hurry!

Can you swim? she asked Little Lion.

Little Lion shook her head.

Apparently, serving as a family-planning worker not only required being hit with a club, but swimming as well. She laughed as she pointed to the watermelon rind. See what a good swimmer she is? She’s using the technique the guerrillas employed against the Japanese.

Qin He came on board, bent at the waist. He was soaked, his hair was a mess, his face was ghostly white, and his lips were blue.

Start the boat! Gugu ordered.

He turned the crank. Still woozy, he swayed and coughed a couple of times before spitting out a bubbly mouthful.

We let go of the ropes.

Climb aboard, Gugu said.

I could imagine what was going through Wang Gan’s mind as he sat on the side near Little Lion. His hands were on his knees, all ten fingers quivering. I could see his heart beating under the wet undershirt stuck to his chest, like a caged rabbit banging against the bars. His body was so tense not a hair moved. Chubby Little Lion was oblivious to what was beside her, for her eyes were glued to the floating melon rind.

Qin He turned the bow away from the pier and the boat slipped forward, hugging the bank, its motor purring. Li Shou stood beside him studying his movements like an apprentice.

Go slow, Gugu said. That’s right, now even slower.

When the bow was about five metres from the melon rind, the motor was slowed to just above the point of shutting down. Now we could all see the head of the pregnant woman under the melon rind.

She’s good, Gugu said. Five months pregnant and still swimming that well.

Gugu sent Little Lion into the cabin to use the loudspeaker. The girl got up and slipped into the cabin at a semi-crouch. A void seemed to open up next to Wang Gan; a look of agony and loss showed on his face. What was he thinking at that moment? Had Little Lion already received the letter that showcased his prodigious talent?

My thoughts were all over the place when the loudspeaker erupted, scaring me, even though I’d known it was coming: The Great Leader Chairman Mao tells us we must control our population…

The pregnant woman pushed the melon rind off and showed her head. Startled into turning to look behind her, she quickly dove back under the surface. With a smile, Gugu told Qin He to keep the speed down. I want to see, she said softly, just how good a swimmer this Dongfeng Villager is. Little Lion emerged from the cabin and went up to the bow to gaze anxiously, and heaven answered Wang Gan’s wish, as she moved close to him. I actually felt a tinge of jealousy. His skinny frame was right next to her. All that prominent solid flesh. I could imagine what he was feeling, sure that he could sense the warmth and softness of her body, that he could… With this thought my heart began to thump wildly, and I felt nothing but shame for having such dirty thoughts. I quickly looked away from them, thrust my hands in my pockets, and angrily pinched myself on the leg.

Her head! Little Lion shouted. There’s her head!

The woman broke the surface about fifty metres from the boat and looked back as she stretched out and began swimming fast along with the current.

Gugu gave a sign to Qin He, who increased speed and began catching up with the pregnant swimmer. Gugu took a flattened pack of cigarettes from her pocket, removed one and stuck it between her lips. Then she thumbed her cigarette lighter until it lit. With her eyes half closed, she blew out a mouthful of smoke. A wind blew across the river, raising a series of turbid waves. I knew that no one could swim faster than a boat with a twelve-horsepower motor. A Hunan folk song in praise of Chairman Mao spewed from the loudspeaker: The Liuyang River bends nine times for ninety li to the River Xiang…

Gugu flipped the cigarette butt into the river; it was almost immediately snapped up by a gull that flew away with it.

The loudspeaker died out; the record had finished. Little Lion looked at Gugu, who said there was no need for more.

Geng Xiulian, Gugu shouted, do you think you can swim all the way back to the East China Sea?

No answer from the woman, who kept churning her arms, though she had slowed down considerably.

I wish you could be a little understanding, Gugu said, and come aboard so we can take care of things.

Stubborn resistance will get you nowhere, Little Lion steamed. Even if you can swim to the East China Sea, we’ll be right behind you.