Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils – Book Five

The fifth book revolves around the adventures of the three brothers Xiao Feng, Duan Yu, and Xuzhu.

Cry of the Water Dragon 《水龙吟》

  • Chapter 41 – Eighteen swift riders of Yanyun, galloping like mighty wind and billowing smoke
  • Chapter 42 – Evil and abhorred of all ages, unable to withstand an attack, an inglorious victory
  • Chapter 43 – Grand ambitions to rule and conquer, blood feud, turn them all into dust
  • Chapter 44 – Thinking in vain of winning he beauty, wherefore is the blissful marriage?
  • Chapter 45 – At the bottom of the dry well, in the mud
  • Chapter 46 – Holding the wine to to ask the Emperor three questions
  • Chapter 47 – For whom do they blossom, the camellia that fill the road?
  • Chapter 48 – The descendant of prince fall into dire straits, how can he endure it, dew on a willow branch?
  • Chapter 49 – Worthless riches and glory, unpredictability of life, this life is absolutely dreadful!
  • Chapter 50 – Teaching Chanyu to break arrows, routing the six armies, and rousing the anger of heroes!
  • Afterword

Poem

Each verse in the poem refers to a key scene or summarises the events in each chapter. This poem uses the 《水龙吟》 tone pattern, as indicated by the book’s title.

Tone pattern:

中 stands for middle tone. 平 stands for level tone. 仄 stands for oblique tone. (韵) indicates a rhyme.

中平平仄平平仄,中仄中平平仄。
中平仄仄,中平中仄,中平中仄。
中仄平平,中平中仄,中平平仄。
仄中平中仄,中平中仄,
中平仄,平平仄。
中仄中平中仄,
仄平平、中平平仄。
中平中仄,中平平仄,中平平仄。
中仄平平,中平中仄,中平平仄。
仄平平仄仄,中平中仄,仄平平仄。

Original text:

燕云十八飞骑,奔腾如虎风烟举。
老魔小丑,岂堪一击,胜之不武。
王霸雄图,血海深恨,尽归尘土。
念枉求美眷,良缘安在?
枯井底,污泥处。
酒罢问君三语,
为谁开,茶花满路?
王孙落魄,怎生消得,杨枝玉露?
敝屣荣华,浮云生死,此身何惧!
教单于折箭,六军辟易,奋英雄怒!

Translation:

Eighteen swift riders of Yanyun, galloping like mighty wind and billowing smoke.
Evil and abhorred of all ages, unable to withstand an attack, an inglorious victory.
Grand ambitions to rule and conquer, blood feud, turn them all into dust.
Thinking in vain of winning he beauty, wherefore is the blissful marriage?
At the bottom of the dry well, in the mud.
Holding the wine to to ask the Emperor three questions,
For whom do they blossom, the camellia that fill the road?
The descendant of prince fall into dire straits, how can he endure it, dew on a willow branch?
Worthless riches and glory, unpredictability of life, this life is absolutely dreadful!
Teaching Chanyu to break arrows, routing the six armies, and rousing the anger of heroes!