And Round Me Rings Bell Tales and Folklore

NIGHT OF THE VAMPIRE High up in the mountains of China, a small village endured a time of great evil. About three hundred people lived there, but during this excruciating period, the population decreased with the passing of each night. The reason was not epidemic nor earthly catastrophe. The force that fell upon the inhabitants was far worse than anything man might devise. A bloodthirsty vampire scoured the village each and every night, intent on finding his next victim. The villagers were paralyzed by fear, but they did what little they could to protect themselves. At sunset, every house was bolted closed and the windows boarded shut. The people kept great stones inside their homes and each evening they rolled them in front of their doorways. They cried prayers for protection to the heavens, but every night, just after midnight, a grim figure emerged from his cave, high in the mountains above the village. Silently he descended, his nasty shadow looming menacingly outside the window of his chosen one for the night. A crash of splintered wood followed by a violent scream made people shudder in their beds, aware the vampire had taken another victim. Day's light revealed the ugly evidence of its visit. Always, the victim lay dead its eyes open in a look of sheer terror. Its throat bore two savage bite marks and its bedclothes lay about, soaked with blood. Each morning the villagers mourned and buried their dead, then worked until sundown to secure all doors and windows for that night's inevitable attack. So it had gone on, night after night, for many a week until, in desperation, the villagers sent out a small party to the nearest city, hundreds of miles away, to seek help. By the time the men came back, the village was in a state of panic. The vampire had claimed three weeks' worth of new victims. The villagers ran to meet the returning party, expecting to see bands of men armed and ready to fight off the evil fiend. But there before them was a small old man carrying only a satchel. The villagers began to weep, some shouting words of anger at the party they had trusted to get help. The leader of the party spoke up quickly: "We have brought you a force far stronger than any sword or club. This man is a Taoist priest and he is trained in the spirit arts. He has deep and sacred knowledge of how to ward off such evil and end its reign of terror forever." "There is a way to lure the fiend away from the village and render him powerless," spoke the priest. "I know how to confront evil and triumph." A hushed silence came over the crowd, for they could scarcely believe this wizened old man had such power to command demons. "Although I can confront the vampire, I cannot complete the dark venture without the help of one of you." There were audible gasps and cries, for the villagers had lived in dread for so long, not one of them could imagine confronting the vampire. "I am looking for one who is thoroughly fearless," continued the old priest, "someone who can summon valor from the very depths of his being. This vampire will be most treacherous." A young man emerged from the group of villagers. "I am that person," he spoke up, "for I detest that fiend from hell. He killed both my brother and sister. I lay in bed and listened to their pitiful screams and knew there was not a thing I could do to help. I have the courage to avenge their deaths." "Come hither, dear boy," said the priest, "and I shall give you the mighty instruments to fight the fiend." The priest reached into his satchel and presented the boy with two small handbells. "Only do not look so surprised, for these bells are mighty indeed. The sound of ringing metal rSpencer, Ann is the author of 'And Round Me Rings Bell Tales and Folklore' with ISBN 9780887765971 and ISBN 0887765971.