A Knife Sharpened

three months ago...

The thin raspy cough of a knife being sharpened and the timid chatter of birds floated above the hum and buzz of the marketplace like spots of oil in a bowl of broth. A nicked blade, but sharp enough. The afternoon sun struck a flinty glint from it as it ran deftly up and down against the worn whetstone.

The small golden eyes of the green snake watched the blade flashing as it writhed silently on the cutting block, straining against the two pins driven into the block which held it securely by the neck. The sun trickled smoothly down the green scales with silvery glints that made it look wet.

"Nothing like a snake gallbladder for aches and pains, grandma. This one is so fresh it'll be twice as effective. Just see how lively this snake is; aiyee! Mix it with some good wine, just one tea cup, and you'll feel your blood coursing through your veins like a young girls' in the height of spring." The street doctor ran the blade along his callused palm with a wink and a guffaw at the old woman watching him dubiously. "This snake is too skinny," she complained. "You ask me to pay so much for such a skinny one? I was expecting one twice the size."

"Aiya grandma, what do you want a big one for? Fat and sluggish and slow. You want to be nimble and quick like this little beauty here." He flipped the snake, turning it over for her to see the roiling belly scales. "Look at that. Creamy yellow like chicken fat! You'll be skipping and jumping around before you know it. A strong young snake like this, just the thing you want, eh?"

"You're a smooth-tongued cheat," the old woman grumbled, poking gingerly at the snake, but she reached for her purse.

The street doctor chuckled as he drove in two more pins near the tail. He made a show of handling his knife expertly in the other hand. "Ah, grandma, your face is so sour now, but when you find yourself without a pain in your joints and bursting with energy thanks to our small friend here, you'll be giving me a kiss! Now, lie still little one…"

The knife tip pressed against the yellow belly of the snake with delicate precision and the old woman craned her neck forward to watch eagerly.

At that moment a hand came down swiftly on top of the doctor's rough one, arresting the blade.

"Good sir, I would like to buy this snake from you. Alive." The last word was emphasized slightly.

The street doctor looked up, startled, to see a woman in white facing him. A wide straw hat with a veil hanging from it hid her face. The old woman stepped back with an instinctive gesture of deference as the stranger's robe brushed against her own coarse sleeve. She did not need to run the fine white silk between her fingers to know that this was no ordinary village girl. Yet, as she took a second look, she lost some of her deferential air; despite the fine material of her clothes, the stranger did not have a single piece of jewelry. No jade pendant or jewelled hairpins. What official's wife or noble's daughter would venture out without flaunting their jewelry?

The street doctor likewise adjusted his demeanour. "Madame," he said ingratiatingly, "this grandma has already offered to give me ten copper coins for this snake's gallbladder."

The veiled woman reached silently into her belt and placed a large silver coin on the cutting block. Her other hand remained on his, with a light yet firm hold. It was a smooth hand, seemingly a fine lady's; with delicate wrists and neat almond-shaped nails that had a pearlescent sheen like the scales of a fish. For all its delicate appearance, however, there was surprising strength in its grasp. He could not have broken free if he tried.

As the sun glinted on the silver, there was a faint gasp from the old woman and the street doctor swore in excitement. He hastily let go of the knife handle. "It's yours, my Lady. Do you want me to truss it up for you?"

She was already freeing the snake's head from the pins on either side of it. "No need. I will take my leave then." With a deft motion she caught the snake by the neck and wound it round her wrist like a strange bracelet.

The street doctor snatched the coin off the chopping block. "Sorry, grandma, but what can one do with these rich ladies and their eccentric ways? Probably wanted to let it go and appease Buddha. One can't afford to offend such important people. I'm just a poor man, after all. You can find your snake elsewhere; a nice fat one like you wanted; didn't you want a big one? This one was too skinny, you said…" he chattered, feverishly stuffing it into his money pouch and fumbling to pack up his makeshift stall. Enough wine to get drunk, and maybe a kiss from a pretty girl as well…

The old woman snorted. She was too much in awe of that fine white silk to snort any earlier, but now that the strange woman in white was already halfway across the bridge she felt bold enough to let off some steam. "Yes, those rich ladies with their silver; what chance can a poor old woman like me have? Ah my poor bones, my poor bones…"