Act I Scene 2.     The River Bank.   Enter JINGLI, rod on shoulder, reading a book. He stops, still reading,]
JINGLI;     In oysters, any piece of grit Grows a pearl to cushion it.  I've a nasty nagging wife. Where's the pearl within my life?                 [Sighs, returns to book.  
     Enter minstrel SING-SONG, studies JINGLI]
SING-SONG[to audience] ;  If he was smaller, he’d make a great garden gnome.  Jingli! [pokes JINGLI]  Wakey wakey! Rise and shine!
JINGLI [absently]; Yes, dear?
SING SONG [to audience];  I could sympathise with YON YIN, sometimes.  Just sometimes...  Oy, wake up, JINGLI, how many fish have you got?
JINGLI [blankly]; Fish?
SING-SONG; Fish.
JINGLI;     Oh, fish! Er - [looks round vaguely]
SING-SONG [takes book, gives JINGLI rod]; Here. Go and cast into the pool.  To catch a fish for DO RE MI's wedding.  Your daughter, remember? While I practise for the wedding!       [JINGLI casts; SING-SONG sings comic song of love.]  Well, once they've had a few cups of saki...             [Sits down, starts to read, falls asleep.     JINGLI steals book, starts to read.
    Enter RA BA JIN and FA TED]
FA  TED; Dad! I’m tired, dad. Where we going, dad? Wish we’d stayed in Tee Vee. We did well there, dad.
RA  BA JIN; Until you informed the punters that we had no prizes for our raffles. A nice little income, while it lasted.  [Hits him on head with stick]
FA  TED;  I didn't know we should have real prizes, dad! You just told me to sell tickets.
RA  BA JIN [Hits him on head]; FA TED, my dearly beloved son, I beg you to refrain from disputation - keep your big flappy gob shut!  Or your venerable papa will be sadly constrained to discompopulate you.
FA  TED; Eh? What? [RA BA JIN hits him] Ow!  What we gonna do, dad?
RA  BA JIN; Not what, dear boy. Who.
FA  TED; Okay, who we gonna do, dad?  I’m starving, dad. If I don't get something soon, I’ll collapse.
RA  BA JIN; Of course you will. I always knew you had it in you, my boy!
FA  TED; What, dad?
RA  BA JIN; You fall ill, and we bum off the local yokels – I mean ask for hospitality till you recover. Simple genius! [looks at him]  Well –  simple. That's my boy!
FA  TED; But there's nothing wrong with me, dad!
RA  BA JIN; Yet.  Wait there, and don't say a word.   [Goes over to JINGLI]     Honourable sir, may I request a moment of your valuable time?  Sir? Sir?
JINGLI [absently]; Yes dear?
RA BA JIN:  Dear? [Shrugs] My name is Ra Ba Jin.  My son Fa Ted is unwell.  Sir?
JINGLI;     Yes dear?
RA  BA JIN; Sir? [Touches JINGLI's shoulder; JINGLI scratches vaguely, returns to book] Sir? Yoohoo!  [ to FA TED] The village idiot, obviously.  Don't you agree?  Well? Cat got your tongue?
FA  TED; You said I wasn't to say a word, dad.
RA  BA JIN [hits him. Points to SING-SONG]; We'll try that one.
FA  TED; Can I do it, dad? Please? Go on, dad, let me, dad.
RA  BA JIN; That's my boy!              
FA  TED [winds up leg, kicks SING-SONG]; Hey, you!
RA  BA JIN; [Hits him] Not like that!
SING-SONG; Hey!
RA BA JIN; My deepest apologies, young sir. 
JINGLI [tugging line, shouts]; Hey! Help!
RA BA JIN; What's wrong with the idiot?
SING-SONG; He’s got a fish.  Hang on, Jingli!  [They all help haul]  It's a big one!
FA TED;   It's a whopper!
RA BA JIN; It's a dragon!                              [Enter Silver Dragon, with hook  in horns.]
DRAGON; I am the Silver Dragon, guardian of this river.  I shall turn whoever did this into a lobster. Who was it?
RA BA JIN and FA TED [pointing at JINGLI]; Him! [They hide]
DRAGON; You, fisherman? You were responsible for this outrage?
JINGLI;     I’m afraid so, your – your dragonship. [DRAGON raises head, about to roar] Excuse  me, if you'll wait just a moment I can get the hook out, and you can turn me into a lobster afterwards, sir –
DRAGON; Sir? Don’t you know anything about dragons?  Can’t you see I’m  a lady?
JINGLI; Sorry, miss – missus - madam - my lady - er...  Down a bit more, dear - I mean your dragonladyship. It hasn't scratched your scales, has it?  There, that's it out. What a nasty shock for you, dear.  You sit down and I’ll read you some poetry, and you can turn me into a lobster when you’re calmer.