Dragon Seed Page #5

The nation is only the people,

and we are the people.

- And while we remain, so does the nation.

- We're not strong enough.

Why are we not strong enough?

Why do we not have things to kill with too?

They have no use to people like us

who love only to live.

Then we will die.

Death is each men's natural end,

and that I know. But not this kind.

This is beyond the mind of man

unless he sees it for himself.

That I must do.

Hurry. It is my husband.

He's here beneath this rubbish.

It is his hand! I would know it anywhere.

Oh, my God!

It is too much to bear,

and I do not blame you.

We must see what can be done here.

Come.

Our village has become an island

in a river of fleeing people.

But they cannot run fast enough

to forget the horror behind them.

My grandfather will speak to you now.

I know that you are looking to me

to save you from this great trouble.

I've been trying to find a way

but I cannot.

I cannot save myself.

I know that what today was

will be again tomorrow.

You, my three sons, are men.

And you, Wu Lien, are older than they.

- lf you have anything to say, then say it.

- I...

I have not yet thought of any way

to save any of us.

There are two things which can be done.

One is to escape the evil

by running away.

And the other is to let it come down

and bear it.

In this, my father,

I ask, what will you do yourself?

Stay here where I was born

and where I have lived.

Then I say I will do what you do.

I, too, will stay.

But I, my father, will escape it.

I will say nothing to any who do go.

Let those who will stay with me,

and those who would go, let them go.

You blame me, my father?

No, no. I do not blame you, my son.

Then do as I will do. Leave this place.

If I could roll up my land like a cloth

and take it with me...

...but that is impossible. No.

No. I stay, my son. You are free to go.

I do not run away because I'm afraid.

I only fear for my coming child.

A grandchild?

That is good news, my son.

And I think it well that you go.

When will you leave us, brother?

We have yet time.

We will wait until we find those

we would go with.

I do not like this talk. I do not see

why Jade should be taken away.

It is only that I may finish

what I was made to do, my mother.

But who will look after you

when your time comes?

Why should our grandson be born

somewhere in a field like an animal?

It may be better that they go.

We do not know what lies ahead.

Strange feet may enter our gate.

If my son wants to go, he will go.

But let Jade stay.

- Her duty to you comes first.

- I think it does not.

A woman should go with her man.

There are so many who flee

these past weeks.

The whole face of the earth

must be changing.

Cousin, what comes now?

These carry different burdens.

Move along!

Move along!

Keep to the road!

What foolishness is this?

Only a city man would break his back

under the weight of iron...

...when he might carry a bag of rice.

Why did you not take two wheels

and make a cart and ride?

Look at those fools.

They will eat iron if they eat at all.

This is not iron, my wise country friend.

This is a factory we carry on our backs.

And you may as well

get used to seeing such things...

...for a whole city follows behind us.

These are not as the others were.

They seem to have a plan.

- Halt!

- Halt!

- We will rest now for a little while.

- Halt!

- Rest!

- Rest!

I've never been so tired.

Why do you not sleep here in our land?

There is water, and we will share

what we can with you.

You are good to us as all have been,

or we could not have come this far.

We will rest here tonight with these,

our friends.

These are the people we will join,

my father.

Yes. They are the ones

we have waited for.

They are strong and full of courage.

I would ask you, my friend,

where do you go?

Our eyes are on the mountains,

a thousand miles from here.

What will you do there, sir?

We'll set up these machines we carry,

and they will be a factory.

Then we'll make bullets and guns

for the army.

Where is our brave army now?

They fight between you

and the Japanese.

Many thousands of them have already died

to delay the evil dwarfs from coming here.

My son would join you in your journey

if he is welcome.

We would be happy

to take something of yours with us.

And what is a man without his wife?

I, too, am strong and can be of help.

You are welcome also.

The wind has brought rain.

It is good for our land...

...but is it not bad for travelers?

- lf it helps you, then it must help us.

Now that we are to go,

I wonder if it's too far.

I will be on my feet when others drop.

- I wish I could carry the child for you.

- One of these days you shall.

I never thought a child of mine

would be born anywhere...

...except here on this land.

He will find a place of his own.

It is very meaningful to a man

where he is born.

We must mark the place.

A man begins his life before he is born.

So, what better place to mark for him

than our tree.

There. Now it will be his also.

All right, take your places!

- Take you places.

- Take your places!

We must cross those hills

before the midday rest.

Take your places!

I've looked everywhere

but I cannot find our mother...

...to say goodbye.

Tell her it is our sorrow

that we could not find her.

I will tell her.

You must not keep your friends waiting.

Send me word somehow

when the child is born.

If it is a boy,

send a red cord in the envelope.

If it is a girl, let it be a blue one.

Remember, my child...

...that the woman is a root,

and the man the tree.

The tree grows only as high

as the root is strong.

I will remember, my father.

Go.

This place is yours.

- March!

- March!

So this is where you have been.

They looked for you.

I would not come to see him go.

Pulling, straining like an ox

and bawling like one.

- You have been weeping.

- I have not.

Splashed water on my face.

He looked so small beside the others.

He did not.

He was the largest by far.

You are the best mother in the province.

Where is there one better beyond the seas?

I'm a fool.

I miss them already. Even Jade.

Yes, yes, some sort of strength

has left the house with their going.

I would not say I want them back.

They want to go, they go.

I would not have you a cool, thin soul.

I like you hot-tempered and gusty.

You old turnip.

Come here, old man.

Let me see that spot on your neck.

- See if you have boil after all these years...

- It's where a mosquito bit me.

Do not tell me what it is.

I can see for myself.

Well, can you not

catch a mosquito anymore?

Must you be bitten like a child?

You're clumsy.

I like your quick tongue

even when it is turned on me.

Old woman, I tell you this.

If you should die before I die,

even then I would not marry another.

For after you, any would be

like a carrot dried without salt.

The guns of the enemy came ever closer.

And still the people fled before them.

Some of the kinsmen of Ling Tan

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