The Story of Happy Boy

Happy Boy (Diangong in Chinese) is a smart and happy figure in Zhuang ethnic folklore.He often fights against landlords by his intelligence and wisdom.One story goes like this.

Happy Boy,as a long-term serviceman,often beaten and starved by landlord,tried to fight against him.

One morning the landlord ordered Happy Boy to dig the cotton field.The landlord said:“Today,two sweet potatoes to be your lunch,you should dig a land which can produce cotton which can produce a suit.”(https://www.daowen.com)

Happy Boy took off his suit and laid it on the ground.He drew the outline of his suit with a stick.Soon he finished the digging up a small piece of land shaped like a suit.Then he played with his friends.They had a good time,picking wild fruit and going fishing.

In the evening the landlord came into the field.When he saw that Happy Boy had dug only a very small piece of land,he was very angry and said,“Lazy devil,you only have dug a land as small as the monkey ass! Tonight you have nothing to eat.”Happy Boy took off his suit and put them on the ground.“You see,”he said,“It’s just the size of a suit.”The landlord said,“I told you to dig out a piece of land which can produce the cotton that is much enough to weave a suit.”Happy Boy said,“How much cotton is needed to weave a suit?”The landlord could not answer.Happy Boy also asked,“How much land could you plant cotton that can make a suit?”The landlord couldn’t answer,either.Happy Boy said bravely,“I have finished the task you asked me to do today.”

The landlord,very angry,said,“You devil.Tomorrow I’ll fine you.”Happy Boy laughed and said,“Tomorrow you’d better fine me to dig another cotton field as wide as my trousers.”All the boys present laughed loudly.