30 Days of Undead Summer

June 26

#MythicMonday

I was weaving with mother and grandmother when the drums started. Together with father and little brother we went into the street to see what was happening. Men dressed in armour, atop impressive stallions swarmed the street. One man dressed in blue robes riding a chestnut coloured horse moved forward to address the residents,

"There is need for more troops in the fight against the Undead Army!" he declared, "One man from every family will be required to come to training camp before being sent to the front line!"

My heart skipped a beat. Little brother was too young to join and father had already been in a war and injured too greatly to be able to fight again. When the blue man called our name I stepped forward,

"Please do not make my father go! He has already been in a war an—"

"Silence girl!" The blue man yelled, "You should teach your daughter to keep her place." he said to father as he stepped forward to collect the conscription papers. Father said nothing and turned back to the house.

Rumours had come trickling back from the front lines that the Undead Army was unstoppable. That one scratch from their swords was enough to make a soldier turn and start attacking his own men. I didn't want that fate for father. Before leaving for the war years ago father had taught me many skills that women are not supposed to learn. I could fight just as well as any man, I could take his place in the army.

When night fell and everyone had gone to sleep, I snuck into the room where father kept his armour and sword and took them. I cut my hair and tied it up in the style of the soldiers. Finally I took the conscription papers and left the house to prepare my horse and then we rode into the night to go fight the Undead.

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If you didn't figure it out this is the tale of Mulan (which is my fav Disney movie ever). I'm pretty sure that everyone knows but Disney Mulan is based on a poem called The Ballad of Mulan written during the Northern Wei dynasty in the  6th century but it's still not known whether she was a real person or not.

If this seems kinda sparse with details it because I wrote it like that on purpose, I also borrowed parts from the original poem and the movie.

You can check out the original poem here: http://people.wku.edu/haiwang.yuan/China/tales/mulan.htm