Once upon a time, there was a little boy who lived in a small village that was starving due to drought. Nothing would grow, let alone flourish, and even the wild animals of the land were suffering. Death’s hand was everywhere.
One fine day, the boy saw a fat rabbit. Eager to find out how the rabbit had gotten so fat, he followed the rabbit back to its home. There, he found a patch of greenery that was flourishing.
The boy decided to dig up the patch of greenery. Within the patch, he found a giant pearl like no other he had ever seen in his life. He decided to bring the pearl home and sell it to purchase food.
When he reached home, the little boy and his mother put the pearl in an empty rice jar and slept peacefully knowing that their days of naught were finally over.
The Miracle
When the boy and his mother awoke in the morning, they found that the empty jar was overflowing with rice. The miracle of multiplication repeated itself with an oil jar and then finally with a box of money.
After the third experiment, the boy and his mother realised that the pearl possessed a miracle and that they would be able to completely stop worrying about food.
Their newfound abundance, luck and fortune did not go unnoticed. Greedy and unscrupulous men broke into the boy’s house in order to steal all the abundance that the boy and his mother had generated with the help of the miraculous pearl.
In fear, the little boy swallowed the pearl whole. He did not want the thieves to find the pearl under any and all circumstances. After he swallowed the pearl, the boy began to feel extremely thirsty. He sought water everywhere he turned.
First, he drank a small jug of water; then, a well; and finally, his thirst led him to the river where he plunged himself into the river.
The boy emerged as a giant dragon; swishing his tail back and forth. The dragon frightened the thieves away. He knew that they would not be coming back.
The boy who had miraculously become a dragon looked at his mother. They both knew that he would never be a little boy again. So instead, he became the Guardian Deity of the River.
His mother visited him on most days, but not everyday.
The Dragons of China
In Chinese mythology and folklore, dragons are deemed to be very powerful. They are symbols of good fortune, creativity and abundance.
Dragons come in all shapes and sizes. They can be as small as an earthworm or as large as the universe.
They can live in the sky or deep within the ocean. They are believed to innately possess the ability to control typhoons, tidal waves, flood and rain.
Dragons can travel long distances and are known to favour those who meditate for long periods of time.
The pearl that they possess is what contains much of their magical power.
The Mercantile 