A Cherry Blossom in Bloom: A Parody of the Traditional Folk Tale Mulan

Fa Mulan sat underneath the Cherry Blossom tree. She watched the sway of the branches and the blossoms as a petal or two fell to the ground. Her father sat down next to her.

“My, my, how beautiful the Cherry blossoms are when they are in bloom. ”

“Father the match maker says I am hopeless.”

“Your mother told me.”

“There was a cricket in her tea. I was only trying to get it out.”

“I see.”

“Father I will not be able to find a husband.”

“Look at how this blossom is late, when it blooms it will be the most beautiful blossom of them all.”

            At that moment a warning bell sounded from the street, and the emperor’s men came riding through the village.

“Stay inside,” Mulan’s father instructed her.

Mulan climbed the side of the wall that looked over the street, while her younger brother stood just outside the gate.

 “The Huns have invaded China,” the emperor’s advisor said, “One man from every family must serve the emperor in his imperial army.”

            The Emperor’s advisor handed Fa Zhou the summons for the Fa family.

“I will go to serve the emperor,” said Fa Zhou.

Mulan ran to her father.

“No father. Please you can’t.”

“Mulan.”

“Please, he has already fought for the emperor.”

“You would do well to teach your daughter to hold her tongue in a man’s presence.”

“Mulan, you dishonor me.”

“Report tomorrow to the Wu-Chung camp.”

“Yes Sir.”

            Mulan watched her father pick up his sword again when he thought she wasn’t looking. He couldn’t.

There was silence at the dinner table. Mulan poured the tea. Her Father ate rice.

“Father, you shouldn’t have to go.”

“Your brother is too young.”

“There are already enough young men.”

“It is an honor to serve my country.”

“You have already served honorably.”

“One man from every family must serve. I will do what is right.”

            Mulan sat by the feet of the Great Stone Dragon, raindrops dripping from the ends of her hair. She watched the shadows through the window, her father and mother, their heads hung low. She looked at her reflection in the puddle at her feet. The light in the window went out, and Mulan took the jade hair comb her mother had given her out of her hair.

While her father slept, Mulan placed the hair comb beside his cane and took the summons papers the Emperor’s advisor had given him. She cut her hair with her father’s sword, and tied it in a knot on top of her head. She found her horse grazing by the Cherry tree, every blossom in full bloom. She brushed him, put the saddle on his back and rode to Wu-Chung camp, as dawn was just about to break.

            The war raged on for years, and Fa Zhou heard no news of his daughter. Whether that was good or bad he did not know. He would sit beneath the Cherry tree and every year he would watch the blossoms bloom. He was right about one thing. The last blossom to bloom was always the most beautiful.

            Four years after the war had started he sat as he always did and watched the branches sway in the wind. It had been a hard winter and all of the blossoms were late. He doubted they would bloom at all, and then one in particular caught his eye. It was in full bloom. He went over to it. Just then Mulan walked up the path to the Cherry tree.

“Father,” she said kneeling down before him, “ forgive me. I should not have disobeyed you, but I have brought honor to our family on the battlefield fighting in your name.”

Fa Zhou brought her to her feet and said, “The blossom that has the strength to bloom against the will of the earth is the rarest and most beautiful of them all.”