I am excited by the new layers of joy presenting itself.
Yes there are some extra items in this picture which are not Blue Willow! We are about our story, Warriors! Our story has many layers! The rice bowl with the fish was from a lovely store in Springfield MO. I unfortunately broke one of the bowels, I have since been unable to find this set. The fish is a unique “yard sale ” find. I cannot remember how many years ago. If there is a theme to my items .. it is Blue, Browns, Earth/ water related like fish (especially fish like koi). The ultimate natural expression of movement is a fish.
My Willow ware plate has a story,
Pictorial, painted in blue
From the land of the tea and the tea plant
And the little brown man with the queue.
What ever the food you serve, daughter
Romance enters into the feast,
If you only pay heed to the legend,
On the old china ware plate from the East.
Koong Shee was a mandarin’s daughter
And Chang was her lover, ah me,
For surely her father’s accountant
Might never wed pretty Koong Shee
So Chang was expelled from the compound,
The lovers’ alliance to break,
And pretty Koong Shee was imprisoned
In a little blue house by the lake.
The doughty old mandarin reasoned
It was time that his daughter should wed,
And the groom of his choice should banish
That silly romance from her head.
For years had great artists been stitching
In symbols the dress she should wear,
Her headband of scarlet lay waiting,
She should ride in a gold wedding chair.
He was busily plotting and planning,
When a message was brought him one day,
Young Chang had invaded the palace,
And taken his sweetheart away.
They were over the bridge when he saw them,
They were passing the big willow tree,
And a boat at the edge of the water
Stood waiting for Chang and Koong Shee.
The furious mandarin followed
The Groom with revenge in his eyes,
But the little boat danced on the water
And traveled away with the prize.
But vengeance pursued to their shelter
And burned the pagoda, they say
From out of the flames rose the lovers
A pair of doves winging away.
They flew toward the western heavens
The pretty Koong Shee and her Chang
Or so says the famous old legend
From the land of the Yangtze Kiang,
I wouldn’t be one to deny it,
For the little blue dove and her mate
Forever are flying together
Across my Willow ware plate.