The Garlic Ballads Read Online Free PDF Page B

go to your grave for his sake.”
    “Elder Brother Gao Ma, it’s fate. Go find yourself a good woman…. Me … next life …” Holding her face in her hands, she turned and broke for the indigo bushes. But he grabbed her, making her stumble and fall into his embrace.
    He hugged her so tightly he could feel the heat of her soft belly, but when he tried to find her mouth with his, she covered her face with her hands. Undaunted, he began nibbling her earlobe, as fine strands of hair brushed his face. His chill was replaced by hot cinders deep in his heart. She began to squirm, as if tormented by a powerful itch. Suddenly letting her hands drop, she threw her arms around his neck. “Elder Brother Gao Ma, please don’t nibble my ear,” she begged tearfully. “I can’t bear it….” He moved his mouth back to hers and began sucking on her tongue. She groaned, as hot tears welled up and wetted both their faces. A surge of hot air floated up from her stomach, bestowing on Gao Ma the taste of garlic and fresh grass.
    His hands moved roughly over her body.
    “Elder Brother Gao Ma, not so rough. You’re hurting me.”
    They sat on the slope of the trench in each other’s arms, hands roaming freely. Through cracks in the lush indigo covering they caught glimpses of golden starlight in the deep-blue sky. The crescent moon was sinking. An orbiting satellite tore through the Milky Way, and the air was suffused with the distinctive aroma of indigo.
    “What do you love about me?” she asked, looking up at him.
    “Everything.”
    The night was cooling off. They talked in hushed tones.
    “But you know I’m spoken for,” she said with a shiver. “What we’re doing, it’s wrong, isn’t it?”
    “No, it’s not. We’re in love.”
    “But I’m betrothed.”
    “You have to register to be legally married.”
    “Does that mean we can be together?”
    “Yes. Just tell your father you won’t agree to the wedding.”
    “No,” she protested, tripping over her tongue. “They’d kill me…. I’ve been a burden to them for so long.”
    “Does that mean you’d rather marry a dying old man?”
    “I’m afraid.” By now she was weeping. “Mother says she’ll take poison if I don’t.”
    “Scare tactics.”
    “You don’t know her.”
    “I know she’s just trying to scare you.”
    “Wouldn’t it be wonderful if you had a younger sister? She could marry my brother and I could be your wife.”
    Gao Ma sighed and rubbed her chilled shoulder. He was nearly in tears.
    “Elder Brother Gao Ma, we can be secret lovers. Then when he dies, we’ll get married.”
    “No!” Gao Ma exploded. He kissed her, and could feel the heat in her belly. A hairy mouth above them touched their heads, as the sound of raspy breathing and the smell of fresh grass settled around their necks. It scared them half to death, until they discovered to their relief that it was only the colt, up to a little mischief.

3.
     
    Jinju showed Gao Ma the fateful wedding contract. She had come to his home at noon, a month after their tryst amid the indigo. They had met nearly every night after that first one—in the trench, then later in the fields, hiding in farmland planted with shallots. They watched the progress of full moon and crescent moon, with or without cloud cover; leaves were dusted with silver, insects chirped and screeched, cool dew moistened the dry earth below. She wept and he laughed; he wept and she laughed. The fiery passions of love made the young couple grow haggard, but their eyes glowed and crackled like hot cinders.
    Jinju’s parents had sent an angry message to Gao Ma: there has never been hostility or rancor between our families, and you have no right to interfere with our arranged marriages.
    Jinju burst through the door like a whirlwind and looked anxiously over her shoulder, as if she were being followed. Gao Ma led her over to the kang, where she sat down. “They wont come for us, will they?” she asked in a tremulous