The Dinner That Cooked Itself

This elegant rendition of a Chinese folktale tells of Tuan, orphaned as a child and raised by a kindly neighbours, to become a hardworking young man. When he comes of age, they consult a matchmaker on Tuan’s behalf. His first suggestion has an unsuitable animal symbol, the second a clashing elemental sign, the third seems promising but the girl’s parents turn Tuan down on account of his poverty and lack of status.

The lonely Tuan continues to work hard and one evening when out late picking cabbages in the moonlight, he discovers a large snail. Viewing this as a sign of good fortune, the good-hearted young man takes it home to care for and thereafter things do change for the better: the following night and for several more, when he comes home from work he finds a delicious meal waiting on the table.

Tuan resolves to discover the identity of the cook who is doing him such kindness. Returning earlier the next evening, he sees something most strange: from the snail’s jar emerges a beautiful woman who informs Tuan that she’s a fairy sent by the Lord of Heaven to care for him until he marries. But now, since she has been seen in her true form by a mortal, she must return.

However, she leaves behind her shell which never runs out of rice so Tuan never goes hungry. Eventuall he does find a wife and the two live together happily in traditional folktale fashion.

Pak chooses predominantly earthy tones to create the stylized mixed-media illustrations for this unusual story, which is told in a direct manner entirely appropriate for a traditional tale.