The Myth of the Rice Tree
Could people plant crops when the world began？No，they couldn't.In those days，people lived by hunting，catching fish and collecting wild fruits.Planting crops was started by the Father Field and the Mother Land.
The Father Field and the Mother Land were the gods of five kinds of cereals（rice，millet，broomcorn millet，wheat and beans），and they were a couple living in a place called Baidan.The Father Field went uphill to hunt animals and caught fish in the river；while the Mother Land collected wild fruits.The old couple were busy all day long for feeding their three sons.
One day，the Father Field went hunting.No sooner did he climb to the top of a mountain than he smelled a sweet and refreshing fragrance，and he felt full at once.Feeling puzzled，he went to the place from which the fragrance came.After walking for three days and three nights，he climbed over nine mountains，crossed over nine valleys，and then came to a Bazi（a flat place between valleys），where he saw a lot of people riding elephants，driving bison，wild horses and wild boar，watering trees，turning over soil，fertilizing and weeding.The big trees there were full of fruits as large as a pail，and the fragrance came from the trees.
The Father Field was stunned to see this.A white-bearded grandpa called to him with a smile：
“Father Field，Father Field，please look it carefully.Among the different sorts of occupations，planting crops is the best.Please come and taste the fruits.”
After saying this，the white-bearded grandpa waved his hands and the fruits of the tree flew to the Father Field's hand immediately.The Father Field peeled off the fruit.Its flesh was white and watery，which tasted very delicious and sweet.He only ate half of it，but he was full enough and was about to belch.
The Father Field thought to himself：If only people in Baidan had planted this kind of tree too.So he asked the white-bearded grandpa for the advice.The grandpa told him，“This tree is called the rice tree.When planting the rice tree，you should loosen the soil，water it，fertilize it and weed it diligently and frequently without the fear of working hard.”
Although planting this kind of rice tree would suffer pains and be troublesome，the Father Field was not afraid of it.He was determined to take its seed back，so he asked the grandpa for it.The grandpa shook his head and said to him，“I'm afraid you can't bear the bitterness.It took you three days and three nights without any loads to come here.It will definitely take your more time to go back with heavy loads.You need nine days and nine nights to climb over mountains and valleys.”
The Father Field said，“I'm not afraid to walk for nine days and nine nights.Please give me the rice seeds.”
The grandpa said，“Besides，you should know，many birds and animals on the road are waiting to grab the rice seeds.”
The Father Field said，“I am a hunter，and I have ways to deal with all kinds of birds and animals.”
“What if tigers and leopards come to you？”
“I have crossbows and poison arrows.”
“What if bronze bulls or iron horses come to you？”
“I have ropes and whips.”
“What if black bears and gray wolves come to you？”
“Dig traps and bury crossbows.”
“What if dogs and cats come to you？”
“Feed them with leftovers.”
“What if roes and deer come to you？”
“Cut them with long knives，and hit them with sticks.”
“What if goats and sheep come to you？”
“Cut grass and feed them salt.”
“What if sparrows and swallows come to you？”
“Beat them with bamboo poles，and scare them with scarecrows.”
“What if chickens and ducks come to you？”
“Hold the duck's neck and lift the chicken's leg.”
The grandpa was still worried and asked，“What if you have nothing to eat for nine days and nine nights？”
“Tighten my belt.”
“What if being thirsty for nine days and nine nights？”
“Lick my lip.”
After knowing the Father Field's determination，the grandpa picked up three rice seeds and whispered some words to the Father Field's ear and sent him on his way.
Holding the rice seeds，the Father Field climbed over nine mountains，descended nine valleys，and kept fighting with birds and animals all the way.He shot tigers and leopards dead，killed bears and wolves，drove roes，deer，sparrows and swallows away，and tamed bulls，horses，dogs，cats，goats，sheep，chicken and ducks.On the ninth day，he finally returned to Baidan.
After telling the Mother Land about the rice tree，the Father Field vomited blood and fainted.The Mother Land burst out crying.The three sons also bent over his body and cried loudly.
Hearing the cries，the Father Field regained his consciousness and told his three sons to plant the crops properly and the rice trees well.After whispering to his wife what the white-beard grandpa had told him，he died.
After the Father Field died，the Mother Land led her three sons to plant the rice trees.She loved her sons so much that she did all the work by herself.She made hoes out of stone pieces and ploughshares with bent wooden sticks.She also asked for help from bulls and horses.At last，the rice sprouted，grew up，and yielded fruits.However，due to the overwork，the Mother Land was so tired that she vomited blood and died soon.Before she died，she called her three sons to her bedside and whispered to each son's ear the words the grandpa had said.She divided three rice trees to them and asked each to plant one.
However，after the mother died，the three sons paid no attention to what the grandpa had said，and they slept all day and all night doing nothing.Bronze bulls and iron horses could not wake them up.Even cats and dogs could not wake them up.It was not until the cock invited the sun to shine their eyes that they rubbed their eyes and got out of beds.
The eldest brother went to see his rice tree and only saw the soil.Without water，the grass grew，and the rice tree was dying.He pulled out the grass but had no time to water it or loosen the soil.Later，his rice tree became the sorghum.
When the second brother came to see his rice tree，he saw the same situation with his elder brother.He was busy with watering it，but it was too late for him to loosen the soil and get rid of the weed.So，his rice tree became paddy rice.
The third brother was the last one to come out to see his rice tree and found that his rice tree was dying.He had no time to loosen the soil，water it，or remove weeds.He did not know what to do about it but scratched here and there.And later，his rice tree became tares.
What did the white-bearded grandpa say？It was“Without industrious labor，good seedlings will turn into grass.Only with hard work，the rice will grow into a tree.”