the-good-earth

1TheGoodEarthChapter1(Excerpt)ITWASWangLung'smarriageday.Atfirst,openinghiseyesintheblacknessofthecurtainsabouthisbed,hecouldnotthinkwhythedawnseemeddifferentfromanyother.Thehousewasstillexceptforthefaint,gaspingcoughofhisoldfather,whoseroomwasoppositetohisownacrossthemiddleroom.Everymorningtheoldman'scoughwasthefirstsoundtobeheard.WangLungusuallylaylisteningtoitandmovedonlywhenhehearditapproachingnearerandwhenheheardthedoorofhisfather'sroomsqueakuponitswoodenhinges.Butthismorninghedidnotwait.Hesprangupandpushedasidethecurtainsofhisbed.Itwasadark,ruddydawn,andthroughasmallsquareholeofawindow,wherethetatteredpaperfluttered,aglimpseofbronzeskygleamed.Hewenttotheholeandtorethepaperaway.ItisspringandIdonotneedthis,hemuttered.Hewasashamedtosayaloudthathewishedthehousetolookneatonthisday.Theholewasbarelylargeenoughtoadmithishandandhethrustitouttofeeloftheair.Asmallsoftwindblewgentlyfromtheeast,awindmildandmurmurousandfullofrain.Itwasagoodomen.Thefieldsneededrainforfruition.Therewouldbenorainthisday,butwithinafewdays,ifthiswindcontinued,therewouldbewater.Itwasgood.Yesterdayhehadsaidtohisfatherthatifthisbrazen,glitteringsunshinecontinued,thewheatcouldnotfillintheear.NowitwasasifHeavenhadchosenthisdaytowishhimwell.Earthwouldbearfruit.Hehurriedoutintothemiddleroom,drawingonhisblueoutertrousersashewent,andknottingaboutthefullnessathiswaisthisgirdleofbluecottoncloth.Helefthisupperbodybareuntilhehadheatedwatertobathehimself.Hewentintotheshedwhichwasthekitchen,leaningagainstthehouse,andoutofitsduskanoxtwisteditsheadfrombehindthecornernextthedoorandlowedathimdeeply.Thekitchenwasmadeofearthenbricksasthehousewas,greatsquaresofearthdugfromtheirownfields,andthatchedwithstrawfromtheirownwheat.Outoftheirownearthhadhisgrandfatherinhisyouthfashionedalsotheoven,bakedandblackwithmanyyearsofmealpreparing.Ontopofthisearthenstructurestoodadeep,round,ironcauldron.Thiscauldronhefilledpartlyfullofwater,dippingitwithahalfgourdfromanearthenjarthatstoodnear,buthedippedcautiously,forwaterwasprecious.Then,afterahesitation,hesuddenlyliftedthejarandemptiedallthewaterintothecauldron.Thisdayhewouldbathehiswholebody.Notsincehewasachilduponhismother'skneehadanyonelookeduponhisbody.Todayonewould,andhewouldhaveitclean.Hewentaroundtheoventotherear,andselectingahandfulofthedrygrassandstalksstandinginthecornerofthekitchen,hearrangeditdelicatelyinthemouthoftheoven,makingthemostofeveryleaf.Thenfromanoldflintandironhecaughtaflameandthrustitintothestrawandtherewasablaze.Thiswasthelastmorninghewouldhavetolightthefire.Hehadlititeverymorningsincehismotherdiedsixyearsbefore.Hehadlitthefire,boiledwater,andpouredthewaterintoabowlandtakenitintotheroomwherehisfathersatuponhisbed,coughingand2fumblingforhisshoesuponthefloor.Everymorningforthesesixyearstheoldmanhadwaitedforhissontobringinhotwatertoeasehimofhismorningcoughing.Nowfatherandsoncouldrest.Therewasawomancomingtothehouse.NeveragainwouldWangLunghavetorisesummerandwinteratdawntolightthefire.Hecouldlieinhisbedandwait,andhealsowouldhaveabowlofwaterbroughttohim,andiftheearthwerefruitfultherewouldbetealeavesinthewater.Onceinsomeyearsitwasso.Andifthewomanwearied,therewouldbeherchildrentolightthefire,themanychildrenshewouldbeartoWangLung.WangLungstopped,struckbythethoughtofchildrenrunninginandoutoftheirthreerooms.Threeroomshadalwaysseemedmuchtothem,ahousehalfemptysincehismotherdied.Theywerealwayshavingtoresistrelativeswhoweremorecrowded---hisuncle,withhisendlessbroodofchildren,coaxing.Now,howcantwolonemenneedsomuchroom?Cannotfatherandsonsleeptogether?Thewarmthoftheyoungone'sbodywillcomforttheoldone'scough.Butthefatheralwaysreplied,Iamsavingmybedformygrandson.Hewillwarmmybonesinmyage.Nowthegrandsonswerecoming,grandsonsupongrandsons!Theywouldhavetoputbedsalongthewallsandinthemiddleroom.Thehousewouldbefullofbeds.TheblazeintheovendieddownwhileWangLungthoughtofallthebedstherewouldbeinthehalfemptyhouse,andthewaterbegantochillinthecauldron.Theshadowyfigureoftheoldmanappearedinthedoorway,holdinghisunbuttonedgarmentsabouthim.Hewascoughingandspittingandhegasped.Howisitthatthereisnotwateryettoheatmylungs?WangLungstaredandrecalledhimselfandwasashamed.Thisfuelisdamp,hemutteredfrombehindthestove.Thedampwind---Theoldmancontinuedtocoughperseveringlyandwouldnotceaseuntilthewaterboiled.WangLungdippedsomeintoabowl,andthen,afteramoment,heopenedaglazedjarthatstooduponaledgeofthestoveandtookfromitadozenorsoofthecurleddriedleavesandsprinkledthemuponthesurfaceofthewater.Theoldman'seyesopenedgreedilyandimmediatelyhebegantocomplain.Whyareyouwasteful?Teaislikeeatingsilver.Itistheday,repliedWangLungwithashortlaugh.Eatandbecomforted.Theoldmangraspedthebowlinhisshriveled,knottyfingers,muttering,utteringlittlegrunts.Hewatchedtheleavesuncurlandspreaduponthesurfaceofthewater,unabletobeardrinkingthepreciousstuff.Itwillbecold,saidWangLung.True---true---saidtheoldmaninalarm,andhebegantotakegreatgulpsofthehottea.Hepassedintoananimalsatisfaction,likeachildfixeduponitsfeeding.ButhewasnottooforgetfultoseeWangLungdippingthewaterrecklesslyfromthecauldroninto