The Snail Maiden

The River Nymph Cook

A poor youth’s rescued snail becomes a maiden who cooks for him until her secret is discovered.

The Snail Maiden tells of Xie Duan, a poor young man who rescues a huge snail from the river and keeps it in a jar. Returning from work each day he finds his meal already cooked; spying through a crack, he sees a lovely maiden slip from the snail’s shell. Once discovered, the white-water maiden must leave, but she gives him the shell — a source of endless grain and wealth. The story rewards kindness without greed.