"Once upon a time drought and disease befell the land.
The wise gods of the mountain took note and sighed,
What could have been the cause of such a dreaded plight?"
The hideous masked actors circled with grotesque movements the ones dressed in white, who staggered on the floor, and sprinkled glitter over them until they began to writhe in visible agony.
"Look there, oh gracious gods! The mystery is unveiled,
For here stand the vicious demons Liang and Wang."
Upon hearing the names, the demon actors theatrically looked around at the audience, behaving as if they were found out. The narrator continued,
"With fire and with spells they make our people wail
And raise to the sky their prayers for goodness to prevail."
The Ballad added here is a personal composition, based on the legend of the Yangtze River, found in China. The legend talks about two dragons each for the Yangtze and the Yellow River, but I kept only one to fit in the story.
Hope you liked it.
Stay safe!