Fantasy Short Story
"The Fountain of Youth in Fairy Valley" / Chen Qingyang

Story Outline

"The Fountain of Youth in Fairy Valley" is a long-form legendary novel that blends the history of Taiwan’s Indigenous peoples, mythological imagination, and human choices. The story centers on the “Fountain of Youth” legend passed down for hundreds of years among the Saisiyat people, interweaving collective memory, colonial trauma, and humanity’s longing for eternity.

According to legend, deep within the Xueshan Mountain Range lies a mysterious spring capable of granting eternal youth. This secret originates from more than three hundred years ago. A Dutch doctor named Hans, while practicing medicine in the mountainous region, ventured upstream into the Xueshan area in search of a water source to save infected tribespeople. By chance, he discovered a miraculous valley. The spring water there was clear and could cure diseases, yet it concealed a deadly price—any man who drank from the spring or left the valley would eventually age rapidly or even turn into stone. Hans fell in love with a Saisiyat woman named Masana, but they could not escape the curse of fate. He ultimately died in a foreign land, leaving behind descendants who retained eternal youth and the myth of the “Fountain of Youth.”

Hundreds of years later, a young Saisiyat man named John Ri, a descendant of tribal leaders and a history teacher, sets out to uncover the mystery behind his people’s legend. He leads an expedition composed of Saisiyat and Atayal youths, following ancient routes deep into the Xueshan Mountains. After enduring treacherous terrain, mist-filled forests, and sheer cliffs, they finally arrive at a hidden paradise known as “Fairy Valley.”

Here, time seems to have stopped—lush greenery thrives, and all four seasons feel like spring. The villagers are almost entirely young women, showing no signs of aging. They live simple and self-sufficient lives, without struggles for power or disparities of wealth, resembling a utopia. Guiding John Ri into the village is a gentle and serene woman named Lisa. She and her daughter, Bomei, are descendants of Masana.

After gaining a deeper understanding, John Ri learns that the valley maintains eternal youth through the power of its hot springs, but the cost is extraordinarily cruel—any man who steps outside the valley will inevitably be transformed into stone. The stone figures scattered throughout the valley, appearing like sculptures, are in fact those who once attempted to leave, including Han settlers from the Qing dynasty, Japanese soldiers, and Indigenous hunters. This secret has preserved the continuity of the female community while also forming a cruel yet stable order.

During their days together in the valley, John Ri and Lisa gradually develop a deep emotional bond. Lisa hopes that he will stay and become part of this world; however, John Ri cannot abandon his responsibilities to the real world and his people. When the expedition decides to leave, Lisa tearfully warns them: once they step outside the valley, there will be no turning back.

In order to verify the legend and save his companions, John Ri chooses to leave Fairy Valley alone. A few days later, he indeed turns into a stone statue. Lisa is overcome with grief and, in the end, violates the taboo by using her own blood to awaken him, allowing him to briefly return to life. As the price, she must forever lose the possibility of sharing a future with him.

At the story’s conclusion, John Ri chooses to return to the real world, bearing the memory of history and his people, while Lisa remains in Fairy Valley, guarding that eternal realm no longer belonging to the human world. The Fountain of Youth continues to flow, yet it is no longer a miracle that humanity can possess, but rather a reminder—that the price of eternity is the abandonment of worldly time and love.

Through love, sacrifice, and collective memory, “The Fountain of Youth in Fairy Valley” explores humanity’s longing for youth, power, and immortality, while also reflecting on whether true happiness comes from courageous choices within a finite life, rather than from escaping the passage of time.

〈I〉The Ancient Legend

The Saisiyat are the Indigenous people with the smallest population and the narrowest distribution range among all the Indigenous groups in Taiwan’s mountainous regions, mainly distributed in the Wuzhi Mountain area of Wufeng Township in Hsinchu County and the Jiali Mountain area of Shitan and Nanzhuang in Miaoli County.

Among the Saisiyat people, there has been passed down an ancient legend of the “Fountain of Youth.” The elders believe that within the vast Xueshan Mountain Range, the “Fountain of Youth” is hidden deep within a canyon, but no one knows its exact location. To find the location of the “Fountain of Youth,” one must first find the “Dutch Manuscript,” a piece of deerskin that records the route to enter the “Fountain of Youth.” Unfortunately, this piece of deerskin was lost more than two hundred years ago during a tribal war between the Saisiyat and the Atayal, along with the missing Saisiyat princess Salena Lanya. The Lanya family, with red hair and fair skin, has always preserved this “Dutch Manuscript,” which is a relic left behind by their great-grandmother, Masana Lanya.

John Ri is a young chief jointly supported by the Donghe group of the Southern Saisiyat, living in Donghe Village, Nanzhuang Township, Miaoli County. The famous Pas-ta’ai ritual site, Xiangtian Lake, belongs to Donghe Village. John Ri’s great-grandfather, Ri Aguai, was the leader of the famous “Nanzhuang Anti-Japanese Incident.” In the early twentieth century, he led four to five hundred mountain warriors from the Saisiyat and Atayal tribes to launch an assault on the Japanese “Nanzhuang Police Garrison.” The Japanese Governor-General’s Office mobilized several thousand regular troops and used modern weapons to massacre the mountain people. The mountain people bravely resisted the enemy, and the battle was extremely fierce. In the end, they were defeated due to being outnumbered and outgunned. This is the so-called “Nanzhuang Incident,” also known as the “Ri Aguai Incident.”

John Ri has received a complete higher education. After graduating from the Department of History at National Taiwan Normal University, he returned to his hometown to teach history at a local school. In addition to teaching, he has taken great interest in collecting and researching historical materials and cultural artifacts related to the Saisiyat people. The Saisiyat elder Waxi once personally told John Ri the full story behind the legend of the “Fountain of Youth.” During this summer vacation, he resolves to personally go to the Xueshan Mountains to uncover the mystery of the “Fountain of Youth.”

In the early seventeenth century, red-haired Dutch people sailed to Taiwan for trade. They conducted barter trade with the Indigenous people, mainly purchasing deerskins. On one of the ships was a young doctor named Hans, who often treated the Indigenous people. Because Hans had a gentle manner, was attentive in his medical practice, and possessed excellent medical skills, he was widely welcomed and loved by Indigenous groups near and far. Hans enjoyed traveling to different places, and before long he arrived in the Jiali Mountain area, where several villages of the Saisiyat people—then called the Shishe tribe—were located. The Saisiyat people were very friendly toward Hans. They had heard that he was a highly skilled doctor who could treat many strange illnesses. However, Hans was resented by the Pino family of the tribe. The Pino family were hereditary shamans and healers of the tribe. After Hans arrived in the village, no one came to seek their treatment anymore. They constantly sought to frame Hans and drive him away.

The Pino family finally found an opportunity. That summer, fierce winds accompanied by torrential rain struck the nearby region for two consecutive days. Soil, rocks, and mud from the mountains cascaded downward, threatening to swallow their village. The chief quickly led the tribespeople to temporarily take refuge on a nearby river terrace. After the storm passed, their homes were destroyed, and they decided to build houses and establish a new village on this terrace. However, for dozens of consecutive days, the river water remained extremely turbid. Anyone who drank the river water developed a strange illness. At first, they suffered from diarrhea, followed by swelling, pain, and spasms in their joints. Later, their skin began to age rapidly, and their muscles atrophied. Within a few days, they turned into wrinkled old men or women. Although it was not fatal, there was no way to recover. The Pino family began spreading rumors, saying that by allowing an outsider to stay in the village, they had angered the dwarfish spirits, who brought down this strange disease as punishment upon the tribe. The rumors spread wildly throughout the village. However, the chief, Ri Chagu, and the elders did not believe this. They believed it was merely a natural disaster, not a man-made calamity.

〈II〉Hans’s Expedition Team

The villagers sought help from Hans. Hans had never seen such a strange disease before. On one hand, he tried administering several medicines to the patients, but none showed any improvement. On the other hand, he instructed the tribespeople to stop drinking river water and instead collect rainwater and dew, or consume the juice of wild vegetables. Hans examined the river water and discovered that it contained several trace metals and mineral sediments of unknown composition. He reasoned that these toxic unknown substances must have come from upstream, washed down from the deep mountains by the heavy rains. He reported to Chief Ri Chagu and the elders his plan to travel upstream along the Xueshan Stream (the upper reaches of the Daan River) to find the source of the toxins and eliminate it, so that the villagers living in the middle and lower reaches would not continue to drink the poisoned water and suffer from this strange disease. If he could bring back these toxic substances for analysis, it might be possible to determine their composition and find an antidote.

The chief agreed to Hans’s request and dispatched an expedition team composed of ten warriors to accompany him. The chief’s daughter, Masana Lanya, requested to join the expedition to take care of the team’s daily needs along the way. In fact, ever since Hans arrived in the village, Masana had developed a deep affection for the handsome and upright Hans. She often went to his clinic to help, taking the opportunity to get close to him. Hans, who was unmarried, was certainly not made of wood. How could he not notice Masana’s maidenly affection? It was just that he had been drifting from place to place and did not wish to settle down too early, lest his wife and children suffer from a wandering life.

The Xueshan Stream originates from the northwestern foothills of Xueshan, while another tributary, the Madala Stream, originates from the southwestern foothills of Mount Dabajian. Hans’s expedition followed the steadily rising riverbed, advancing slowly through rapids, dangerous shoals, narrow valleys, waterfalls, and cliffs. After ten days, they arrived at the foothills of Mount Bokel, about to enter a forest shrouded in dense fog. Local Atayal hunters hosted them for the night and kindly warned them to take a detour to avoid this “Mist Forest” if possible. It was said that inside there were miasma, hornets, blood-sucking bats, as well as venomous snakes such as the hundred-pace snake and the chain snake, all highly aggressive and deadly. Even more frightening were the large and immensely powerful black bears.

Hans discussed with the team members and believed that since the upstream river passed through this primeval forest, the answer they sought might be hidden within it. Since they had come this far, even if the road ahead was perilous, they had to brace themselves and venture in. Early the next morning, they bid farewell to the hunters and entered the Mist Forest along the riverbed of the Xueshan Stream, leaving marks along the way with arranged stones and carvings on tree trunks. As expected, the forest was so dense that it blocked out the sunlight, and the thick fog obscured the sky, making it extremely eerie and terrifying.

First, they encountered some venomous snakes and unfriendly wild boars. The warriors tried to avoid startling the animals, but the ever-present blood-sucking leeches and the elusive blood-sucking bats troubled them greatly. After walking for one hour, the group arrived at a sunken valley where hot springs gushed forth, milky white in color. Several vents continuously emitted pale yellow sulfurous gas. From a distance, one could already smell the stench of sulfur. Just as the warriors were about to descend, Hans stopped them. The observant Hans had noticed that dozens of animal carcasses lay scattered throughout the valley. He suspected that the valley floor contained not only pungent sulfur gas but possibly also deadly marsh gas.

“Tie a bamboo tube to the end of a rope and lower it to the bottom of the valley. Collect a water sample and bring it back for analysis,” Hans instructed.

“What next? Do we continue upward?” asked Kunwu, the oldest warrior in the team.

“Carefully go around it and continue upward,” Hans said.

After another half hour, they encountered a lava cave, from which the clear waters of the Xueshan Stream flowed out. Aside from this cave, the other three sides were steep cliffs and collapsing rock walls, indicating that they had reached a dead end.

“Doctor, there are sheer cliffs on three sides, and there is no path forward. Should we enter the cave? Perhaps there is another world inside,” asked the guide, Chaida.

“This cave is a limestone karst cave. The stream flows underground and becomes a subterranean river. We do not know how deep it is or whether it leads out. It would be best to leave two or three people at the entrance so that there will be help in case of danger,” Hans said.

“I agree with the doctor. This is our first time here, and the environment is still unfamiliar. It is best to proceed with caution in everything,” said the warrior Kunwu.

“We will bring ropes and leave marks along the way after entering. When the torches are half burned, we must immediately turn back,” Hans reminded the team before setting out.

After entering the cave, the torchlight revealed a well-developed karst landscape, with stalagmites, stalactites, circular pools, and all kinds of strange and marvelous formations competing in beauty. After walking for about half an hour, they encountered a skylight. Sunlight shone down like a beam of light. Beside it was a cascading waterfall, with stream water rushing down from above with a roaring sound. This should be the exit.

〈III〉Fairy Valley

Hans and his group climbed out of the cave entrance, and outside there was unexpectedly a grassy river terrace covered in lush green turf. The grassland was filled with all kinds of exotic flowers and plants, and these flowers and plants emitted various fragrances, all of which they had never seen before.

Masana joyfully ran across the grassland, chasing brightly colored butterflies. Before long, she stopped. It turned out that her gaze had been drawn to a patch of plants laden with blue-purple berries. It seemed she had never seen such berries before. She was completely absorbed in observing them, unaware that Hans was already standing behind her. Curious, Masana picked a berry and held it to her nose to smell it. Finding the fragrance pleasant, she was just about to put it into her mouth.

“Wait, Masana. We do not know whether these berries are edible. If you are poisoned, it will be troublesome,” Hans promptly advised.

“Do not worry, Doctor. I observed carefully just now and found that there are insect bite marks on the fruit. It should be fine,” Masana raised her head and said with a smile.

“It tastes sweet and sour, Doctor. You should try it as well.” Masana picked another berry and put it into Hans’s mouth.

“Yes, the taste is very good. It can be eaten raw and is also suitable for making jam,” Hans said.

The air here was fresh, the water was clean and sweet, and there were several kinds of wild fruits. They decided to make a fire and set up camp here. The men busied themselves setting up camp, gathering firewood, and hunting, while Masana and Hans went to collect several kinds of wild fruits and vegetables. Once preparations were almost complete, everyone went one after another to bathe in the stream. In the evening, Masana made a fire and cooked outdoors. The main dish for dinner that night was roasted muntjac meat, and the side dishes were stream shrimp and wild fruits and vegetables.

After more than two months of exploration, Hans’s expedition team finally brought back more than a dozen bags of water, which was the “Fountain of Youth.” This spring was accidentally discovered by Hans and his group in a grassy valley deep within the Xueshan Mountains. The location of the narrow valley was extremely hidden. The Fountain of Youth cured the villagers’ strange illness, restoring the patients to their original appearance. However, Hans and the warriors who had accompanied him, not long after returning, began to age rapidly for unknown reasons. Within less than five years, they successively grew old and died. Only Masana was an exception. She bore a daughter with Hans, yet she seemed to remain eternally youthful. Even after her great-granddaughter Salena grew into adulthood, Masana’s figure and appearance were still the same as when she was young, astonishing the tribespeople.

Later, during a tribal war, Masana and Salena disappeared together.

〈IV〉John Ri’s Expedition Journey

John Ri and his group trekked upstream along the Xueshan Stream valley, following exactly the same mountain route that Hans’s expedition had taken more than three hundred years ago. For this journey, John Ri gathered more than a dozen young people from nearby Saisiyat and Atayal communities. They planned to spend seven to eight weeks searching throughout more than a dozen mountains over three thousand meters in the Xueshan massif. The preparations before departure alone took three months. Qili, the son of the elder Waxi, accompanied them as a guide. He worked as a forest ranger in the Xueshan Forestry Bureau and was familiar with the terrain and routes of the mountain region.

On the eighth day after entering the mountains, the group had already reached the “Mist Forest” at an elevation of 2,200 meters. The original temperate coniferous forest here had been extensively logged during the Japanese colonial period, its mysterious veil lifted, and replaced with artificially planted forests. Rows of fir trees stood upright in uniformity, but their trunks were only waist-thick and could not block out the clouds and sky. On a terrace along the mountainside were scattered more than twenty houses. This was the Atayal “Moon Tribe.” The more gently sloping land had been cultivated into orchards and vegetable gardens. Along the edges of the forest grew scattered yellow balsam flowers. Their bright yellow petals were marked with red rings, resembling small hanging boats. The ends of the flowers curved into hooks, delicate and lovely, like fairies soaring in the wind.

They inquired with the elders of the tribe about the route to Fairy Valley. The elders told them a legend about Fairy Valley, saying that it was a mysterious forbidden land of the Atayal, and they hoped the group would not enter it. Not only was the route extremely dangerous, but it was also said that those who had entered in the past had never come out again.

The group continued upstream along the river valley. Because several tributaries branched out from the upper reaches of the Xueshan Stream, whenever they reached a confluence, they had to stop and analyze which branch might be the main stream. The map they had brought was of no use at all, as it did not indicate the names or locations of the tributaries.

After another two days of travel, they arrived at the entrance of a lava cave outside Fairy Valley. The cave entrance had already collapsed, forming a spring. John Ri decided to climb over the sheer cliffs and detour from above. After considerable effort, they finally scaled the cliff and continued upward. After about an hour, they saw a beautiful valley of yellow butterflies, situated on a river terrace.

John Ri boldly inferred that this was the legendary “Fairy Valley.” The group walked across a grassland blooming with exotic flowers and plants. Not far away, two young girls carrying bamboo baskets were harvesting corn in a field. Seeing outsiders arrive, the girls put down their work and stared curiously at John Ri’s group. John Ri attempted to communicate with them in the Saisiyat language.

“Miss, may I ask, is this Fairy Valley?” John Ri asked politely.

“Yes,” replied the girl with the long braid shyly.

“May I ask, is this the source of the Fountain of Youth?” John Ri asked again.

“We are not sure. You can ask our ancestor Salena,” said the other girl, who had her hair tied up.

“Salena? Are you sure it is Salena?” John Ri thought he had misheard, and the others were also very curious.

“Yes. She is our ancestor,” said the girl with her hair tied up.

“Could it be that Salena is still alive until now?” John Ri asked in disbelief.

“Yes, she has always been alive and well,” the girl with her hair tied up affirmed again. The group could hardly believe it and began whispering among themselves.

“How is that possible?” They exchanged opinions one after another.

“Mother, these people are very strange. They seem to be very concerned about our ancestor,” said the girl with the long braid to the girl with her hair tied up.

“What? You two are mother and daughter?” John Ri almost exclaimed in shock.

“Yes. I am Lisa Lanya, and she is my daughter, Lanya Bomei,” said the girl with her hair tied up.

“But you look so young?” John Ri asked in confusion.

“I do not know. The adult women here are all like me,” Lisa said.

“Let me introduce myself. My name is John Ri. I am the young chief of Donghe Village of the Saisiyat people. They are my companions. It is a pleasure to meet you both,” John Ri briefly introduced himself and his companions.

〈V〉A Paradise on Earth

Lisa and Bomei led John Ri and his group, walking for about forty minutes, into the village. The village was built in a concealed place at the foothills shaded by fir trees, still consisting of the same “stilted houses” from more than three hundred years ago. Dozens of stilted houses were arranged in an orderly, terraced formation along the foothills. As John Ri and his group entered the village, the barking of dogs caused a commotion, and the villagers came down from their houses one after another to watch. John Ri and the others immediately noticed that the entire village was composed of women. There were not many children, only about six or seven, and all of them were girls, with no boys at all.

“What exactly is going on? What kind of place is this?” Magao, a dark-skinned and tall Atayal youth walking beside John Ri, asked in a low voice. John Ri shrugged, indicating that he was equally full of questions. John Ri recalled that he had once read in his high school textbook Tao Yuanming’s “Peach Blossom Spring.” But could this really be a paradise on earth? Why had they not seen a single man in the village so far?

The group followed Lisa and her daughter along a path paved with bluestone. On both sides were manor courtyards enclosed by short fences. The fences, made of orange jasmine, were about half a person’s height. Each household had its own drying ground for grain, a well, and a granary, with lush plants and trees inside. The stilted houses stood about four to five feet above the ground, all facing the valley with their backs to the mountains. Each household had three to five rooms connected to one another, with a central living room and a wooden ladder leading to the ground.

They arrived at the “ancestral house,” an elegant and refined estate. Surrounded by the women of the entire village, the group entered the house. The “old ancestor,” Salena, hearing the commotion, came out from her bedroom to meet the visitors.

“What a beautiful young woman!” John Ri and the others exclaimed silently in their hearts.

Judging from Salena’s appearance, she looked no more than in her early twenties. However, her actual age was over two hundred years, already a venerable elder. Her long hair was still black and lustrous, and there was not a single wrinkle on her face. John Ri and the others were stunned on the spot, unable to believe what they were seeing.

“My name is John Ri. I am your descendant, a descendant of Chief Ri Chagu. According to generational order, I should address you the same way as Lisa Lanya does, respectfully calling you ‘old ancestor,’” John Ri said respectfully.

“There is no need for formalities. You are all guests from afar. If you stay here for a few days, you will not bear to leave,” Salena said with a smile.

From Salena’s account, John Ri finally understood clearly that the tribal war more than two hundred years ago had forced Salena and her grandmother Masana to flee the Saisiyat tribe and come here for refuge. During their escape, Masana sacrificed her life to block the pursuing Atayal warriors. Over the past two hundred years, several groups of people had accidentally entered Fairy Valley. They married the descendants of Salena and multiplied until today.

After hearing Salena’s full account, John Ri and the others found it difficult to believe.

There was a hot spring pool in the valley, which was the legendary Fountain of Youth. On the fifteenth day of every month, on the night of the full moon, all the women of the village would bathe in it together. This was the reason they could maintain eternal youth. However, men could not come into contact with this Fountain of Youth. Otherwise, they would rapidly age and die. Three hundred years ago, the Saisiyat expedition led by the Dutch doctor Hans had bathed in the Fountain of Youth, and after returning to their tribe, the men’s bodies aged rapidly, and within a few years they died of old age one after another.

All babies born in this valley were girls, without exception. When girls reached around the age of twenty and their bodily organs matured, they would no longer age. In comparison, men had much shorter lifespans. These factors caused women to always make up the overwhelming majority in the valley.

The villagers living in the valley called this place “Worry-Free Valley.”

After staying as guests in Worry-Free Valley for several days, John Ri carefully observed their way of life and female culture and discovered many aspects completely different from the outside world. In terms of production, they farmed collectively, and the harvested food was distributed according to the population of each household. As for tools, clothing, and daily necessities, they followed a system of division of labor, each performing their own duties efficiently. The products were first gathered together and then distributed according to need. In terms of diet, they avoided meat entirely, with beans, grains, taro, sweet potatoes, and fruits and vegetables as their staple foods. Grains, beans, and tubers were only steamed or boiled, while fruits and vegetables were eaten raw. This primitive social system was essentially a “utopian” ideal society.

John Ri discovered that in the entire village, before the expedition team arrived, there were only two elderly men. He wanted to learn more about the history of this place from them. One day, he and Magao went to the “men’s house” to visit the two of them. The men’s house was a place where elderly men spent their later years in rest and care. Men who lived there were exempted from farming labor.

The two men living in the men’s house were one named Matsumoto Jiro, from Japan. According to his own account, he had gotten lost while patrolling the mountains and wandered into Worry-Free Valley. During the Japanese colonial period, he had been a forest ranger in the Forestry Bureau. The other man was a Han Chinese from mainland China named Wu Zhiyong. In the 50th year of the Republic of China, after punching his company commander, he fled from a military unit stationed in Sanwan and eventually hid in this valley.

Matsumoto was already over ninety years old, and Wu was over seventy, yet both were still physically robust. During casual conversation, John Ri curiously asked, “There are children in this Worry-Free Valley, but no other adult men. What is the reason?”

“About ten years ago, a hunting party of the Atayal came here. They stayed for three years and then suddenly left without saying goodbye,” Wu replied.

“No wonder there are children in this valley. They must be the descendants left behind by that hunting party,” John Ri murmured to himself, as if realizing something.

“Over these years, have you never thought about leaving?” Magao asked.

Wu shook his head and smiled faintly, saying, “This place is my home.”

John Ri thought to himself, “That is true. Being able to live here in such a leisurely way is also a kind of blessing. If not for my parents at home and my younger siblings still studying, I would indeed long for this kind of peaceful life in the forest garden.”

John Ri noticed that in Worry-Free Valley, everyone had very few desires, and there were never any disputes. This was an almost perfect matriarchal society.

Lisa once told John Ri that although her husband had already left more than twenty years ago, she and her daughter still lacked nothing in food and clothing. John Ri carefully reflected on this matter. Precisely because men were not indispensable to their lives, there was no competition or conflict characteristic of a patriarchal society here.

〈VI〉The Garden of Living Stone Sculptures

After the mystery of the Fountain of Youth was revealed, John Ri and his group felt that the mission of their journey had been successfully accomplished. None of them planned to stay. Although in this fairy-like kingdom of women they had received unprecedented hospitality, and every member of the team felt both honored and overwhelmed, this ideal way of life was ultimately not suitable for them. Men should live in a competitive society, rather than escaping into this utopia.

Magao, a member of the expedition team, had spent the past few days with Lanya Bomei. He got along very well with her, and they were deeply attracted to each other. This caused him great distress. Magao sought help from John Ri, hoping that he would agree to take Bomei away with them. John Ri told him that this matter must first obtain Lisa’s consent. In fact, after only a few days of interaction with Lisa, John Ri had vaguely sensed that the kind and pure Lisa seemed to harbor an unspoken affection for him. After several days as guests, John Ri informed Lisa of their decision to leave and expressed his gratitude for her guidance and warm hospitality over the past few days. Lisa said nothing, but a layer of melancholy appeared in her eyes. She only asked John Ri to follow her to a place: the Garden of Living Stone Sculptures.

Although John Ri felt troubled, his curiosity drove him to find out what astonishing secret Lisa intended to reveal. This garden was located in the most secluded mountain hollow of Fairy Valley. John Ri followed Lisa through a long forest path of fir trees. The path wound up and down with the terrain. After passing a waterfall four to five zhang high and walking another two li, they arrived at a garden.

The garden was warm and humid. Hundreds of flowers bloomed in neat flowerbeds. Butterflies fluttered gracefully, and the fragrance of flowers filled the air. It felt like eternal spring. However, beneath a pavilion in one corner stood dozens of marble statues of human figures. Each statue stood or sat, with expressions and postures that looked lifelike, even though they were covered with a thin layer of moss. The stone sculptures immediately caught John Ri’s attention. He walked over and observed them closely. To his surprise, he discovered that two of the statues had tattoos on their faces and chests. He found this incredible and could not help reaching out to touch them carefully.

“Lisa, why did you bring me here from so far away? Are you trying to tell me some kind of secret?” John Ri turned to face Lisa and asked.

“John Ri, can you and your friends stay here?” Lisa said, her expression revealing a trace of sorrow.

“Lisa, we must leave here and return to where we originally came from,” John Ri said, feeling a degree of reluctance in his heart.

“Could it be… could it be that you cannot stay for me?” Two tears fell from her eyes, and Lisa quickly turned away, not wanting John Ri to see her weakness.

“Lisa, I understand your kindness toward me, but I am a schoolteacher. The children in the tribe need me. They must all be waiting for me to return,” John Ri turned Lisa back toward him and gazed deeply at her tender face.

“John Ri, I do not want to hide it from you anymore. You and your friends can never go back,” Lisa said seriously.

“What? Lisa, do you mean that Salena will not allow us to leave here?” John Ri asked in shock.

“No, it has nothing to do with our ancestor. She has never stopped anyone who wishes to leave,” Lisa said.

“Then what is the reason?” John Ri asked.

“As soon as you step out of Fairy Valley, you will immediately become like them,” Lisa said, pointing to the stone statues beside her.

“Is what you say true?” John Ri was extremely shocked.

“It is true. You have already noticed the tattoos on the stone statues,” Lisa said.

It turned out that these stone sculptures were all once living people who had been transformed into stone. No wonder even the tattoos on their faces and chests were flawlessly lifelike. Lisa explained that anyone who stepped out of Fairy Valley would anger the guardian deity and be immediately turned into stone. The stone figures in the garden were the consequences of those who ignored warnings and left on their own. John Ri thought to himself, “This is truly terrible.”

Dozens of stone figures stood there. They had all once been living people. Although their faces were covered with moss, their expressions were vividly lifelike. John Ri carefully studied their clothing and found that these people came from different periods. Some were Han Chinese wearing the clothing of commoners from the Qing dynasty, some were Japanese soldiers wearing duckbill military caps, and there were also several young men dressed in Atayal hunting attire. They were evidently mountaineers who had only recently been turned into stone. John Ri suddenly recalled what Wu Zhiyong had said—that ten years ago, an Atayal hunting party had accidentally entered Fairy Valley, stayed there for three years, and later left without saying goodbye. It turned out that this hunting party had never left Fairy Valley at all, but had been transformed into stone statues. Thinking of this, John Ri shuddered with fear…

〈VII〉Braving Danger Alone

After returning from the garden, John Ri recounted everything he had seen and heard that day in full detail to his teammates. Everyone was half believing and half doubting. John Ri repeatedly emphasized that although Lisa hoped he would stay, there was no need for her to go to such lengths to fabricate such a suspenseful story to deceive him. John Ri believed that everything Lisa said was true.

The teammates believed that the Fountain of Youth here might indeed possess the miraculous effect of rejuvenation, because among all the women in Fairy Valley, not a single elderly person could be seen. However, they could not quite accept the claim that there existed a guardian deity who would turn those who left into stone statues, a statement that sounded almost like a threat.

The expedition team had already made up their minds to leave this place as soon as possible, and no matter what, they could not be persuaded otherwise. To prevent all his teammates from suffering this disaster, John Ri decided to risk himself alone to verify whether Lisa’s words were true. He told all his teammates that if he unfortunately turned into a stone statue, they should go to Lisa and ask her to lead them in pleading with the old ancestor. Perhaps the old ancestor would have a way to allow them to leave Fairy Valley safely. If he escaped unharmed, within three days he would release a carrier pigeon to contact them, informing them of the route and method to leave Fairy Valley, and they would arrange a time and place to meet outside the valley.

The team members agreed to John Ri’s plan and began preparations quietly. Early that morning, Qili and Magao accompanied John Ri to the valley entrance, following the same route by which they had entered earlier. The two men tied a rope around John Ri’s body and lowered him from the top of the cliff to the entrance of the lava cave outside the valley. Then they waved farewell to him from the cliff.

On the morning after John Ri left, Lisa came to look for him. The team members first lied to her, saying that John Ri had gone nearby to clear his mind. At noon, Lisa still did not see John Ri. She asked twice, but the team members kept silent and all said they did not know where he had gone. That same day, the news of John Ri’s disappearance quickly spread throughout the village. Lisa became worried that John Ri might have ignored her warning and secretly left Fairy Valley. On the second, third, and fourth days, Lisa went to John Ri’s house every day, waiting for news of him, while an ominous feeling gradually formed in her heart.

Three days passed, and the carrier pigeon still had not returned. The team members began to worry that something had really happened to John Ri. On the fifth day, under Lisa’s pressing questions, the team members finally told the truth.

“How could you let him leave this place? This will harm him,” Lisa said, her voice full of anxiety and reproach.

“What should we do now? Is there any way to remedy this?” Qili asked.

“I will go to the old ancestor and ask her to allow me to go out and find John Ri,” Lisa said.

Leading a group of women, Lisa went out to search for John Ri. Three days later, they indeed “carried” John Ri back—he had already become a stone statue. Everyone felt deeply saddened and regretted not listening to Lisa’s warning.

John Ri’s stone statue was carried into the ancestral house. Lisa, Bomei, and the other members of the expedition gathered around the statue. The old ancestor, Salena, sat leisurely in an armchair, knitting a sweater.

“Lisa, you must have a way to bring him back to life, don’t you?” the young Magao asked.

“No, I am powerless, unless…” Lisa hesitated.

“Unless what? Lisa, say it quickly,” Qili urged.

“Unless he agrees to marry me,” Lisa said calmly.

“But Lisa, look at him now—he has turned into stone and cannot move. How can he agree to marry you?” Qili asked, puzzled.

Lisa bit her finger, squeezed out a few drops of fresh blood, and everyone watched as she smeared the blood onto the lips of the stone statue. Miraculously, the head of the statue came back to life. Amid the exclamations of his teammates, John Ri slowly opened his eyes.

“You have angered the guardian deity, John Ri. You have been punished,” Lisa said, gazing at him with tenderness.

“Lisa, I am sorry!” John Ri’s single sentence of apology was like the sunlight of spring, melting the ice and snow in Lisa’s heart.

〈VIII〉United at Last

The punishment that John Ri had suffered was lifted when he agreed to “marry” Lisa and integrate into this matriarchal society. With the blessings of everyone, the newlyweds completed their lifelong union in the ancestral house, with the old ancestor Salena personally presiding over the ceremony.

After this lesson, the expedition members understood that they could not act rashly before finding a safe way to leave. As autumn passed and winter came, the team members fell in love with the young women of the village. They still set aside time every day to gather together and talk. During their conversations, each of them would inevitably think of their distant hometowns, revealing feelings of homesickness. Yet they all understood one another without speaking it aloud, quietly waiting for the right moment.

Magao “married” Bomei, and he truly loved her. Qili, Nogan, and the other team members also seemed to have found their own emotional homes. The girls here had gentle temperaments and simple minds, each raised to be a virtuous wife and mother. They shouldered the livelihood of their households and the work assigned by the ancestral house, working diligently every day without complaint and never worrying about food or clothing, because here all resources were shared communally.

The cold northeast monsoon was blocked by the towering Xueshan Mountain Range. In winter, the branches of the fir trees in the valley were covered with a thin layer of ice and snow. After the waters of the Xueshan Stream flowed through Fairy Valley, the ice and snow melted, so farming did not stop. Potatoes, taro, millet, and cold-resistant vegetables were the main crops during this period. During the day, John Ri and Magao followed Lisa and Bomei up the mountains and down to the fields, while the other team members dispersed with the young women they loved and joined in agricultural work. At night, they gathered with the villagers in the square before the ancestral house, lit blazing bonfires, drank, sang, and danced until late into the night.

Peach, plum, and apricot trees were in full bloom, forming a vast sea of blossoms stretching along both sides of the foothills. Bees and butterflies moved among the flowers, creating a scene full of vitality that deeply moved John Ri and his companions. Lisa and Bomei became pregnant one after another, and Qili and the others also started families. Gradually, everyone integrated into life here and no longer spoke of leaving.

After becoming pregnant, Lisa and Bomei no longer needed to work in the fields. During the day, the mother and daughter were busy preparing fermented beverages, turning peaches and plums into fruit wine with a fragrant and mellow taste. At night, they wove cotton and linen garments in preparation for the arrival of the newborns.

Although Fairy Valley was isolated from the outside world, people who entered the valley from time to time brought news from beyond, so the residents knew of the Ming Zheng period, the Qing rule period, the Japanese colonial period, and the Republic of China.

John Ri, who had studied history, was skilled at storytelling and had hundreds and thousands of stories in his mind. Lisa, Bomei, and the villagers all loved to listen to them.

〈IX〉Returning to the Mortal World

The New Year was approaching. Life in Fairy Valley remained calm as usual, without any special celebrations. Lisa told John Ri and the others that according to the customs of the valley, around the time of the Han Chinese Lunar New Year, men were allowed half a month to return to their hometowns to visit relatives, but they had to return within the prescribed time, otherwise they would turn into stone statues.

Upon hearing this news, John Ri and the others were overjoyed. Although they only had half a month and could only reunite briefly with family and friends in their hometowns, it was enough to relieve their homesickness.

“Do you really have to go back?” Lisa asked.

“Of course. I must return to visit relatives and friends so that they can be reassured,” John Ri said excitedly.

“Alas, I am afraid that I may never see you again, John,” Lisa said, her expression sorrowful.

“We are only separating temporarily. Do not think too much about it, all right?” John Ri said, embracing Lisa to comfort her.

“But I am afraid…” Lisa hesitated, but John Ri, immersed in his joy, did not notice at all.

Before departure, they gathered in front of the ancestral house. Each person drank a bowl of purple potion called “Forget-Me-Not.” Lisa said it was a medicine that would protect them temporarily from turning into stone, but its effect would only last for half a month.

They bid farewell to the old ancestor. Lisa, Bomei, and dozens of family members came to the valley entrance to see them off, filled with lingering emotions.

“Lisa, it is a pity that I cannot take you back to Donghe Village. Our Saisiyat tribe is full of kind people. If you met them, you would surely be happy,” John Ri said reluctantly.

“John Ri, you must return on time. Do not make us worry,” Lisa said, her eyes misty with tears.

John Ri recorded everything he had seen and heard here and secretly hid the notes on his person, intending to take them out during this opportunity. The next day, the expedition members found themselves lying on the stream bank beside the collapsed exit of the lava cave. No one remembered what had happened. They followed the original route back to Donghe Village in Wufeng Township. As for the notebook that had recorded their experiences in Fairy Valley, when John Ri opened it after returning, there was no record whatsoever of Fairy Valley, as if it had vanished into thin air. Even John Ri himself did not know that such a thing had ever existed.

In the ancestral house of Fairy Valley, the old ancestor Salena lay on a rattan chair, murmuring in the ancient Saisiyat language, “Forget-me-not.” When read in reverse, it became, “I have forgotten.”

奇幻短篇小說
〈神仙谷裡的青春泉〉∕陳清揚

故事大綱

《神仙谷裡的青春泉》是一則融合台灣原住民族歷史、神話想像與人性抉擇的長篇傳奇小說。故事以賽夏族流傳數百年的「青春泉」傳說為核心，交織族群記憶、殖民創傷與人類對永恆的渴望。

傳說中，在雪山山脈深處，隱藏著一處能使人青春永駐的神祕泉水。這個秘密，源於三百多年前。荷蘭醫生漢斯在山區行醫時，為拯救染病的族人，深入雪山上游探勘水源，意外發現一處神奇的谷地。那裡泉水清澈，能治癒疾病，卻也隱藏致命代價——凡飲泉或離開谷地的男人，最終都會迅速衰老甚至石化。漢斯與賽夏族女子瑪莎娜相戀，卻無法逃脫命運的詛咒，最終客死異鄉，只留下青春永駐的後代與關於「青春泉」的神話。

數百年後，賽夏族青年日約翰，身為族中領袖的後代與歷史教師，為解開族人傳說之謎，率領一支由賽夏與泰雅族青年組成的探險隊，循著古老路線深入雪山。他們歷經險峻地形、迷霧森林與斷崖深谷，終於來到一處被稱為「神仙谷」的隱秘樂土。

這裡彷彿時間停止——綠意盎然、四季如春，村民幾乎全是年輕女性，沒有衰老的痕跡。她們過著簡樸而自足的生活，沒有權力爭奪，也沒有貧富差距，宛如烏托邦。引領日約翰進入村落的，是溫柔沉靜的麗莎，她與女兒博美，正是當年瑪莎娜的後裔。

在深入了解後，日約翰得知，神仙谷之所以能維持青春，是因谷中溫泉的力量，但代價極其殘酷——凡踏出谷地的男人，必將被轉化為石像。谷中那些看似雕塑的石人，其實都是曾經企圖離開者，包括清代漢人、日本士兵與原住民獵人。這個祕密，守護了女性社群的延續，也形成一種殘酷卻穩定的秩序。

在谷中相處的日子裡，日約翰與麗莎逐漸產生深厚情感。麗莎希望他留下，成為這個世界的一部分；然而日約翰無法割捨現實世界的責任與族人。當探險隊決定離開，麗莎含淚警告他們：一旦踏出谷外，將再無回頭之路。

為了驗證傳說、拯救夥伴，日約翰選擇獨自離開神仙谷。幾日後，他果然化為石像。麗莎悲痛欲絕，最終違反禁忌，以自己的血喚醒他，使他短暫復生。作為代價，她必須永遠失去與他共度的可能。

故事的結尾，日約翰選擇回到現實世界，肩負歷史與族群的記憶；麗莎則留在神仙谷，守護那個不再屬於人間的永恆國度。青春泉依然流淌，卻不再是人類得以佔有的奇蹟，而是一種提醒——永恆的代價，是放棄人世的時間與愛。

《神仙谷裡的青春泉》透過愛情、犧牲與族群記憶，探問人類對青春、權力與永生的渴望，也反思：真正的幸福，是否來自有限生命中勇敢的選擇，而非逃避時間的流逝。

〈一〉古老的傳說

賽夏族是台灣山區各原住民族中人口最少，分佈範圍最狹窄的一族，主要分佈於新竹縣五峰鄉的五指山區與苗栗縣獅潭、南庄的加里山區。

賽夏族人流傳著一則「青春泉」的古老傳說。長老們相信在遼闊的雪山山脈裡，「青春泉」就隱藏在深處的峽谷中，但是沒有人知道它確實的位置。要找到「青春泉」的位置，就必須先找到〈荷蘭文書〉，一張記載著進入「青春泉」路徑的鹿皮，可惜的是，這張鹿皮早在兩百多年前，賽夏人和泰雅人的部落戰爭中，隨著失蹤的賽夏公主莎蓮娜‧蘭雅而遺失。紅頭髮白皮膚的蘭雅家族一直保有這卷「荷蘭文書」，那是曾祖母瑪莎娜‧蘭雅留下的遺物。

日約翰是南賽夏族東河群共同擁戴的青年頭目，住在苗栗縣南庄鄉東河村，著名的矮靈祭場向天湖即是隸屬於東河村。日約翰的曾祖父日阿拐，正是著名的「南庄抗日事件」領袖，在上世紀初期曾經率領賽夏族和泰雅族四、五百名山地勇士，向日本人的「南庄警察守備隊」展開突擊。日本總督府調集正規部隊數千人，並以新式武器殘害山胞，山胞奮勇抗敵，戰況十分慘烈，最後因山胞勢單力薄而失敗，這就是所謂的「南庄事件」，也叫做「日阿拐事件」。

日約翰受過完整的高等教育，從師大歷史系畢業後，就回到家鄉的學校教歷史。教書之餘，對於賽夏族的歷史和文化，很有興趣地進行史料和文物的蒐集研究。賽夏族的長老瓦希曾親口告訴日約翰，關於「青春泉」傳說的始末。這年暑假，他決心親自前往雪山，解開「青春泉」的傳說之謎。

十七世紀初，紅頭髮的荷蘭人駕著帆船來台灣經商，他們和土著進行「以物易物」的貿易，主要是蒐購鹿皮。隨船有位年輕醫生漢斯，經常替土著看病，由於漢斯態度和藹，看診細心，而且醫術很好，頗受遠近土著各族的歡迎和愛戴。漢斯喜歡到各地旅行，不久他便來到加里山區，當時稱為獅設族的賽夏人幾個村落。賽夏族人對漢斯很友善，他們聽說漢斯是位醫術高明的醫生，會治療許多奇怪的病症，然而漢斯卻被族裡的皮諾家族憎恨著，皮諾一家是族裡世襲的巫醫，漢斯來到村裡以後，再也沒有人找他們治病，他們一直想要設計陷害漢斯，把他趕走。

皮諾家族終於等到機會，那年夏天，狂風夾帶豪雨，接連兩天侵襲臨近地區，山上的土石泥沙滾滾而下，眼看就要吞噬他們的村子。頭目趕緊領著族人，暫時避難到附近的一塊河谷台地上。風雨過後，家園毀了，他們決定在這塊台地上搭建房舍，建立新的村子。然而接連幾十天，河水仍然非常渾濁，凡是飲用過河水的村民，都得了一種怪病，先是拉肚子，接著全身關節腫痛痙攣，後來皮膚開始快速老化肌肉萎縮，沒幾天就變成皺巴巴的老頭子或老太婆，雖然不會致命，卻再也沒辦法復原。皮諾家族開始散佈謠言，說是村子容留一個外人，惹惱了矮靈，降下怪病來懲罰族人，謠言在村子裡沸沸揚揚，但是頭目日茶古和長老們並不以為然，他們相信這只是天災，而不是人禍。

〈二〉漢斯的探險隊

村人向漢斯求救，漢斯從未見過這種怪病，他一方面對病患試著投以幾種藥物，但絲毫未見起色，另一方面要求族人不能再飲用河水，應該收集雨水和露水，或者食用野菜汁。漢斯檢驗過河水，發現裡頭有幾種成份不明的微量金屬和礦物沉澱，他心想這些具有毒性的不明成份，一定是來自河流上游，被豪雨從深山裡沖刷出來的。他向頭目日茶古和長老們稟明，打算沿著雪山溪（大安溪上游）往上游走，找到毒物的源頭，把源頭處理掉，以免生活在中下游各部落的村民，繼續飲用有毒的河水，受這種怪病折磨。如果能夠把這些毒性物質帶回來分析化驗，就有可能解開毒物的成份，找到解毒的藥方。

頭目同意漢斯請求，派出一隊由十名勇士組成的探險隊隨行

，頭目的女兒瑪莎娜‧蘭雅要求隨隊同行，沿途照料探險隊成員的飲食起居。其實，自從漢斯來到村裡，瑪莎娜就對外表英俊挺拔的漢斯情有獨鍾，經常去他的診所幫忙，藉機會接近他。未婚的漢斯當然不是木頭，對於瑪莎娜的少女情思怎會沒有察覺，只是他一直東漂西蕩，還不想太早成家，以免妻小跟著流浪吃苦。

雪山溪源自雪山西北山麓，另一條支流馬達拉溪則發源於大霸尖山西南麓。漢斯的探險隊沿著節節高升的河床，在激流、險灘、狹谷、瀑布、斷崖間緩緩前進，十天後他們來到博可爾山的山麓，即將進入一座被濃霧覆蓋的森林。當地的泰雅族獵戶留他們夜宿，同時善意地提醒他們，儘可能繞遠路避開這座「迷霧森林」，據說裡面有瘴氣、黃蜂、吸血蝙蝠，以及百步蛇、鎖蛇等具有致命毒性且攻擊性強的毒蛇，更可怕的是體形龐大、力大無窮的黑熊。

漢斯和隊員討論，認為河流上游既然經過這座原始森林，也許他們要找的答案就隱藏在這座森林裡，既然來此，就算前途凶險，也必須硬著頭皮闖進去。隔天清晨，他們告別獵戶，順著雪山溪谷河床進入這座迷霧森林，沿途以石頭排列和樹幹上刻圖留下記號。森林裡果然濃蔭遮日濃霧蔽天，相當的陰森恐怖。

首先，他們遭遇一些毒蛇以及不友善的山豬，勇士們避免驚嚇到動物們，但無所不在的吸血螞蝗還有神出鬼沒的吸血蝙蝠卻深深困擾著他們。走了一個時辰，一行人來到一處深陷的山谷，有溫泉汩汩湧出，成牛奶的乳白色，幾處噴氣口不停地冒著淡黃色的硫磺氣，站在高處老遠就聞到硫磺氣的臭味。勇士們正要走下去，卻被漢斯喊住。原來，細心的漢斯發現深谷中橫豎散落著幾十具動物的死屍，他懷疑谷底不止有嗆鼻的硫磺氣，還可能充滿致命的沼氣。

「在纜繩尾端繫上竹筒，投下去谷底，把水樣採上來，帶回去化驗。」漢斯吩咐著。

「接下來呢？我們還往上走嗎？」隊中最年長的勇士昆烏問。

「小心繞路過去，繼續往上走。」漢斯說。

又過了半個時辰，他們遇到一處溶岩洞穴，清澈的雪山溪水從洞口流出來。眼前除了這處洞穴，三面都是陡峭的懸崖崩壁，顯然已山窮水盡。

「醫生，三面懸崖絕壁，此去無路，我們要不要進入洞穴，也許裡頭別有洞天。」嚮導柴達詢問漢斯。

「這處洞穴是石灰岩溶洞，溪水轉入地底，成為地下河流，裡面到底有多深，走不走得出去，我們都不知道，最好留下兩三位在洞口，一旦發生危難也好有個救援。」漢斯說。

「我同意醫生的意見，這裡我們初來乍到，環境還很陌生，一切小心謹慎為宜。」勇士昆烏說。

「我們帶著纜繩，進入後沿途留下記號。在火把剩下一半時，就趕緊折回頭。」漢斯在出發前叮嚀著隊員。

進入洞穴後，火光所見果然是發達的溶岩地形，石筍、鐘乳、圓形水窪等等千奇百怪的地景爭奇鬥豔美不勝收。走了大約半個時辰，遇見一處天井，陽光照射進來，彷彿一束光柱，旁邊一疋飛瀑，溪水嘩啦啦自高處瀉下來。這裡應該就是出口了。

〈三〉神仙谷

漢斯一行人從洞口爬出來，外面竟一處碧草如茵的河間台地

，草原上長滿各種奇花異草，而這些花草散發著各種香味，都是他們以前從未見過的。

瑪莎娜愉悅地在草原上奔跑，追逐著色彩鮮艷的蝴蝶，不久就停下來，原來瑪莎娜的目光被一片掛滿藍紫色漿果的草萊吸引住，看樣子她從未見過這種漿果，正聚精匯神地觀賞著，渾然未察覺漢斯已經站在她身後。瑪莎娜覺得好奇，摘下一粒漿果放在鼻子上嗅著，覺得香味芬芳，正要送入嘴裡。

「且慢，瑪莎娜，這漿果不知是否可食，萬一中毒可就麻煩了。」漢斯及時勸阻。

「別擔心，醫生，剛才我詳細觀察，發現果實上有蟲蛀的痕跡，應該沒問題。」瑪莎娜抬起頭，微笑著說。

「滋味酸酸甜甜的，醫生，您也嚐嚐看。」瑪莎娜又摘了一粒，送進漢斯嘴裡。

「嗯，味道很好，可以生吃，也適合作果醬。」漢斯說。

這裡空氣清新，水質潔淨甘甜，又有幾種野果，他們決定在此升火紮營。男人忙著紮營、撿材、打獵，瑪莎娜和漢斯去採集幾種野果和野菜。準備得差不多，眾人便陸續去溪水裡沐浴。傍晚，瑪莎娜升火野炊，今晚的晚餐主食是烤山羌肉，副食是溪蝦和野果野菜。

漢斯的探險隊，經過兩個多月的探勘，終於帶回來十幾袋水，也就是「青春泉」。這處泉水是漢斯他們在雪山深處的一座狹谷草原中意外發現的，狹谷位置相當隱密。青春泉治癒了村民的怪病，使病患恢復本來容貌。然而，漢斯和同去的勇士，回來後不久，身體便因為不明原因開始快速老化，不到五年時間便陸續衰老而死，只有瑪莎娜例外，她和漢斯生下一女，但她似乎青春永駐，直到曾孫莎蓮娜長大成人，瑪莎娜的身材容貌都還是年輕時的模樣，讓族人一直嘖嘖稱奇。

後來在部落戰爭裡，瑪莎娜和莎蓮娜一起失蹤。

〈四〉日約翰的探險旅程

日約翰一行人沿雪山溪河谷往上游跋涉，走的正是三百多年前，漢斯的探險隊相同的一條入山路線。日約翰為這趟行程，邀集附近賽夏和泰雅的十幾個青年，預定以七到八週的時間，遍尋雪山地壘區裡的十幾座三千公尺以上大山，行前的準備工作就花了三個月的時間，長老瓦希的兒子齊力隨行擔任嚮導，他在雪山林務局擔任巡山員，熟悉山區地形和路徑。

入山的第八天，一行人已進入海拔兩千兩百公尺的「迷霧森林」，這裡的原始溫帶針葉林，經過日據時期大肆砍伐，掀開神秘面紗，已被補植的人造林所取帶，清一色冷杉筆直地羅列，才腰桿粗的冷杉根本不能遮雲蔽日。山腰平台上散佈著二十來戶房舍

，這裡是泰雅族的「月亮部落」。坡度較平緩的坡面，被開墾為果園和菜園。森林邊緣疏疏落落地長著黃花鳳仙，亮麗鮮黃的花瓣上有紅紋圈，形似懸吊的小船，花兒的尾端呈倒鉤狀，別緻可愛如凌風翱翔的仙子。

他們向部落裡的長老打聽往神仙谷的路，老人們告訴他們一則神仙谷的傳說，說那裡是神秘的泰雅禁地，希望他們不要進去，不僅因為這條路非常兇險，而且，以前進去的人，據說再沒有走出來。

一行人沿著河谷往上走，由於雪山溪上游分散出幾條支流，在河流交會處，他們得停下來，分析研判可能的主流，而他們帶來的地圖，根本派不上用場，上面沒有標示出各條支流的名稱和位置。

又走了兩天，他們來到神仙谷外的溶岩洞穴口，洞口早已崩塌，形成一道湧泉。日約翰決定攀越懸崖絕壁，自懸崖上面繞過去。費了一番功夫，總算攀上懸崖，繼續往上走，大約一小時，他們看見一片美麗的黃蝶翠谷，座落在河間台地上。

日約翰大膽推測，這裡就是傳說中的「神仙谷」。一行人走在盛開著奇花異卉的草原上，不遠處有兩位少女揹著竹簍，正在玉米田採收玉米。見到外人前來，少女放下手邊工作，好奇地盯著日約翰一行人。日約翰試著以賽夏語和他們溝通。

「姑娘，請問這裡是神仙谷嗎？」日約翰很有禮貌地問。

「是的。」那位留長辮子的少女羞澀地回答。

「請問，這裡是否就是青春泉的發源地？」日約翰又問。

「這我們不清楚，你們可以問我們的老祖宗莎蓮娜。」另一位盤髮的少女說。

「莎蓮娜？妳確定是莎蓮娜？」日約翰以為自己耳朵聽錯了，眾人也感到很好奇。

「是啊？她是我們的老祖宗。」盤髮的少女說。

「難道說莎蓮娜至今還活著？」日約翰不敢置信地問著。

「是的，她一直活得好好的。」盤髮的少女再次肯定地說。眾人幾乎不敢相信，開始交頭接耳起來。

「怎麼可能？」眾人你一言我一語地交換著意見。

「母親，這些人很奇怪，好像很關心我們老祖宗？」長辮子的少女對著盤髮少女說。

「什麼？妳們兩位是母女？」日約翰幾乎驚訝地叫了出來。

「嗯，我是麗莎‧蘭雅，她是我女兒蘭雅‧博美。」盤髮少女說。

「可是妳看起來還那麼年輕？」日約翰不解地問。

「我不知道，我們這裡的成年女人都像我這樣子。」麗莎說。

「我先介紹一下自己，我叫日約翰，是賽夏族東河村的年輕頭目，他們是我的同伴，很高興認識兩位。」日約翰簡單地介紹自己和夥伴。

〈五〉人間仙境

麗莎和博美引領日約翰一行人，步行約四十分鐘，進到村子裡。村子搭蓋在冷杉遮蔽的山麓隱密處，仍是三百多年前的那種「干欄式高架屋」，幾十戶高架屋呈階梯狀有序地排列在山麓上。日約翰一行人進到村子，犬吠聲引起一陣騷動，村民紛紛自屋裡走下來看熱鬧。日約翰他們立即發覺這村子全部是女人，小孩不多，大約只有六、七個，而小孩也都是女孩，沒有男孩。

「這到底是怎麼一回事？這又是一個什麼樣的地方？」和日約翰並肩走在一起的馬告，一個黝黑、身材高大的泰雅青年，小聲地問日約翰，日約翰聳聳肩，表示他心裡同樣充滿問號。日約翰想起以前高中課本裡讀過，陶淵明的〈桃花源記〉，但是這裡，真的會是人間仙境嗎？為什麼到目前為止，沒見到任何一個村裡的男人？

一行人跟著麗莎母女，走在青石鋪設的小徑上，兩旁盡是短籬圍牆的莊園院落。七里香圍成的短籬約半個人高，每家院落裡有專屬的曬穀場、一口水井和一座穀倉，裡頭花木扶疏。高架屋離地約四、五台尺，一律背山面谷，每一戶三至五間房不等，各房相通，中間是客廳，一座木梯接到地面。

他們來到「祖屋」，一座幽雅別緻的莊園。一行人在全村婦女的簇擁下，進入屋內。「老祖宗」莎蓮娜聞聲，自臥室出來面見訪客。

「好漂亮的姑娘啊！」日約翰等人不約而同，在心裡發出讚嘆聲。

從莎蓮娜的外表看來，不過二十出頭，然而她的實際年齡卻足足有兩百多歲，已經是古稀人瑞。一頭長髮仍然烏黑亮麗，臉上一絲皺紋也沒有，日約翰等人當場都看傻了眼，不敢相信眼前所見。

「我叫日約翰，是您的後輩，日茶古頭目的子孫，按輩份我應該和麗莎‧蘭雅一樣，尊稱您一聲老祖宗。」日約翰恭敬地說。

「不必拘禮，你們都是遠道而來的客人，在這裡住上幾天，你們都會不捨得離開的。」莎蓮娜微笑著說。

自莎蓮娜口中，日約翰終於清楚，兩百多年前的那場部落戰爭，迫使莎蓮娜和祖母瑪莎娜一起逃離賽夏部落，來到此地避難。瑪莎娜在逃難過程中，為阻斷泰雅族的追兵，犧牲了自己的生命。這兩百多年來，陸續有幾批人誤闖神仙谷，他們和莎蓮娜的後代結婚，繁衍至今。

聽完莎蓮娜從頭道來，日約翰等人都感到難以置信。

谷裡有一處溫泉水潭，正是傳說中的青春泉，每月十五日，月圓的夜晚，全村的女人都會一起下去泡湯，這就是她們能夠青春永駐的原因。但這青春泉，男人卻是不能沾的，否則會快速老化而死，三百年前荷蘭醫生漢斯率領的賽夏族探險隊，就是泡過青春泉，回到部落後，男人身體快速老化，沒幾年就陸續老死。

在這谷裡出生的嬰兒都是女孩，從來沒有例外，女孩長到二十歲左右，身體器官成熟，就不再老化，所以相對之下，男人的壽命要短很多，這些因素使得谷裡女性始終佔絕大多數。

住在谷裡的村民，稱這處山谷為「忘憂谷」。

在忘憂谷作客數日，日約翰詳細觀察她們的生活方式和女性文化，發現有許多截然不同於外界的地方。在生產方面，她們集體下田耕作，所收獲的糧食則按照每戶人口數分配，至於農具、衣物、生活用品，也是採取各司其職方式，進行有效率的分工，產品先集中起來，然後各取所需。飲食方面不沾葷腥，以豆類、雜糧、芋薯、蔬果為主食，雜糧、豆類、芋薯僅清蒸或水煮，蔬果則一律生食。這種原始的社會制度，簡直就是「烏托邦」式的理想社會。

日約翰發現，整座村落裡，在探險隊進來之前，只有兩個上了年紀的老男人。日約翰想從這兩個人身上，問出更多這裡的歷史。這天，他和馬告去「男屋」拜訪二人，男屋是上了年紀的男人飴養天年的休養所，住進男屋的男人已經免除耕作勞役。

男屋裡住著的兩人，一位名叫「松本次郎」，來自日本，據他自陳是在巡山途中，迷路進來忘憂谷的，日據時期他的職務是林務局的巡山員。另外一位則是來自中國大陸的漢人，名叫吳志勇，民國五十年因為打了連長一頓老拳，從駐紮在三灣的部隊裡

脫逃，最後躲進這座山谷。

松本已有九十高齡的年紀，吳也七十開外，兩人身體還很硬朗。閒談間，日約翰好奇地問：「這忘憂谷裡有小孩，卻沒有其他成年男性，是什麼緣故？」

「大約十年前，有一支泰雅族的獵隊來到這裡，住了三年，突然不告而別。」吳回答說。

「難怪，這谷裡會有小孩子，她們都是那些獵隊留下來的後代。」日約翰若有所悟地自言自語。

「這些年來，你們難道沒有想出去的念頭嗎？」馬告問。

吳搖頭，淡淡地笑說：「這裡就是我的家啊！」

日約翰心想：「那倒是，能夠生活在這裡，悠哉悠哉也是福氣。若非自己家裡有父母，以及還在唸書的弟妹，還真嚮往這種與世無爭的林園生活呢。」

日約翰注意到，生活在忘憂谷裡，每個人的欲望都很小，從來沒有什麼紛爭，這是個幾近完美的母系社會。

麗莎曾經告訴日約翰，雖然她的夫婿已經離開二十幾年，但她和女兒仍然衣食無缺。日約翰仔細地思考過這個問題，正由於男人並不是她們生活中所不可或缺的，所以這裡沒有父系社會的競爭與衝突。

〈六〉真人石雕花園

青春泉之謎揭曉後，日約翰一行人已覺得此行任務圓滿達成

，他們沒有人打算留下來，雖然在這個神仙般的女兒國度裡，他們受到前所未有的禮遇，每位隊員都有受寵若驚的感覺，但畢竟這種理想的生活方式，並不適合他們，男人就應該生活在競爭的社會中，而不是逃避進來這座烏托邦裡。

探險隊伍中的成員馬告，這幾天都和蘭雅‧博美在一起，他和博美很談得來，彼此情投意合，他為此而感到非常困擾。馬告向日約翰求助，希望日約翰能同意一起帶走博美。日約翰告訴他，這件事必須徵求麗莎的同意。其實，經過短短幾天和麗莎的相處，日約翰也隱約感覺出善良純真的麗莎，對自己似乎有著一份欲語還休的情意。作客數日後，日約翰向麗莎表明他們決定離開此地，同時感謝麗莎這幾天來的導覽和熱情招待。麗莎什麼也沒說，眼底抹上一層憂鬱，只請日約翰跟她去一處地方：真人石雕花園。

日約翰心裡雖然悶著，好奇心卻驅使他，要弄清楚麗莎究竟會透露給他什麼驚人的秘密。這處石雕花園，位於神仙谷最隱密的一處山坳，日約翰跟著麗莎穿過長長的冷杉林道，林道隨著山勢盤旋起伏，經過一座四五丈高的瀑布，又走了兩里路，來到一處花園。園區裡溫暖潮濕，整齊的花圃上百花盛開，蝴蝶翩翩飛舞，花香襲人，感覺四季如春，然而角落裡的涼亭下，卻矗立著幾十座大理石的石頭人像，每座人像或立或座，表情、姿態看起來都栩栩如生，儘管上頭覆蓋著一層薄薄的青苔。石雕像立即吸引住日約翰的目光，他走過去，近距離地觀察這幾座石像，意外地發現其中有兩座人像，臉上和胸口都有刺青，讓他覺得很不可思議，忍不住伸手去仔細地摸著。

「麗莎，妳為什麼大老遠帶我來這裡？是不是要告訴我什麼秘密

？」日約翰轉身面對麗莎問。

「日約翰，你和你的朋友，能不能留下來？」麗莎說著，神情中流露出幾許悲悽。

「麗莎，我們一定得離開這裡，回到我們原來的地方。」日約翰說這話時，心中有幾分不忍。

「難道，難道你就不能為我留下來嗎？」兩顆淚珠奪眶而出，麗莎趕緊轉過身去，她不想讓日約翰看見自己的軟弱。

「麗莎，妳對我的好，我心裡很明白，但我是學校老師，部落裡的孩子需要我，他們一定都在等我回去。」日約翰把麗莎的身體扳回來，深情地凝視著麗莎粉嫩的臉。

「日約翰，我不想再瞞你，你和你的朋友，永遠回不去了」麗莎正色著說。

「什麼？麗莎，妳的意思是指莎蓮娜不會允許我們離開這裡？」日約翰驚訝地追問。

「不，這跟老祖宗無關，她從來不會攔阻想離開的人。」麗莎說。

「那又是什麼原因？」日約翰問。

「只要一踏出神仙谷，你們就會立刻變成跟他們一樣。」麗莎指著身旁的石頭人像說。

「妳說的是真的嗎？」日約翰驚訝非常。

「是真的，你不是已經注意到石頭人像上的刺青。」麗莎說。

原來，這些石雕像都是活人被點化成石頭的，怪不得就連臉上和胸前的刺青都逼真得無懈可擊。麗莎說，凡是踏出神仙谷的人，都會觸怒守護神，立即被變成石頭，花園裡的這些石頭人像，都是不聽勸阻的人，擅自離開的下場。日約翰心想：「這下可真是糟透了！」。

幾十尊石頭人像，他們都曾經是活人，臉上儘管沾著青苔，表情卻栩栩如生。日約翰仔細地研究他們的衣著，發現這些人來自不同時期，有穿著清代庶民服裝的漢人，也有帶著日本鴨舌軍帽的日本軍人，還有幾個穿著泰雅獵裝的青年，顯然是不久以前才變成石頭的登山客。日約翰猛然想起老人吳志勇說過，十年前有支泰雅族獵隊誤闖神仙谷，在谷裡待了三年，後來他們不告而別，原來這支獵隊並沒有走出神仙谷，而是被變成石頭人像。想到這裡，日約翰不寒而慄…。

〈七〉孤身犯險

從花園回來後，日約翰把這天的所見所聞，一五一十地說給隊友們聽，每個人都半信半疑，日約翰再三強調，雖然麗莎希望他留下，但也不需大費周章，編出如此懸疑的情節來哄騙他，日約翰相信麗莎所說的都是真實的。

隊友們相信這裡的青春泉，有可能具有返老還童的神奇療效

，因為整個神仙谷的女人，的確看不到任何一個老耄的，但他們卻不太能接受，有所謂守護神把擅離者變成石頭人像，這種幾近恐嚇的說法。

這支探險隊已下定決心儘快離開此地，無論如何是勸不住了

，日約翰為避免全體隊友都遭此劫難，決定以身涉險，來驗證麗莎說法的真偽。他告訴全體隊友，要是他不幸被變成石頭人像，大夥兒就去找麗莎，由她帶著大夥兒，向老祖宗求情，也許老祖宗會有辦法讓大夥兒安然離開神仙谷。如果他安然脫險，三天之內就會放出鴿子跟大夥兒聯絡，告訴他們離開神仙谷的路徑和辦法，同時約好谷外會合的時地。

隊員們同意日約翰的辦法，不動聲色地著手進行。這天清早，齊力和馬告陪日約翰來到谷口，走的正是他們先前進來這山谷的同一條路線。兩人將纜繩綁在日約翰的身上，把他從懸崖頂端垂降到谷外的溶岩洞穴口，然後在懸崖上向日約翰揮手告別。

日約翰離開後的上午，麗莎來找過他，隊員先向麗莎謊稱日約翰去附近散散心。中午用餐時，麗莎還是沒看見日約翰，麗莎追問了兩次，隊員們守口如瓶，都推說不知道日約翰去了哪兒，當天，日約翰失蹤的事很快地傳遍整個村子。麗莎憂心著，日約翰會不會不聽勸，偷偷地離開神仙谷。隔天、第三天、第四天，麗莎每天都到日約翰的屋裡，等他的消息，心中不祥的預感逐漸成形。

三天過去，傳信鴿還是沒飛回來，隊員們開始擔心，日約翰可能真的出事了。到了第五天，隊員們在麗莎的逼問下，終於說出真相。

「你們怎麼可以讓他離開這裡，這樣會害了他的。」麗莎的話語裡充滿焦慮、責備的意味。

「那現在我們該怎麼辦？有沒有補救的辦法？」齊力問。

「我去求老祖宗，請她允許我出去找日約翰。」麗莎說。

帶著一隊娘子軍，麗莎出去找日約翰，三天後她們果然把日約翰「扛」回來，他已經變成一尊石頭人像。大夥兒心情都很難過，後悔沒聽麗莎的勸告。

日約翰的石像被抬進「祖屋」，麗莎、博美母女和齊力、馬告等探隊員圍繞在石像旁。老祖宗莎蓮娜則坐在安樂椅上，悠閒地打著毛線衣。

「麗莎，妳一定有辦法把他救活的，不是嗎？」年輕的馬告問。

「不，我無能為力，除非…」麗莎欲言又止。

「除非什麼，麗莎，妳快說。」齊力問。

「除非他答應和我成婚。」麗莎淡淡地說。

「可是，麗莎，妳看他現在都變成石頭，動彈不得了，他又如何答應娶妳？」齊力一臉不解。

麗莎把自己的手指頭咬破，擠出幾滴鮮血，大夥兒看著她把鮮血塗抹在石像的嘴唇上。說來也神奇，石像的頭部活過來了，在隊友們的驚呼聲中，日約翰緩緩張開雙眼。

「你觸怒了守護神，日約翰，你受到懲罰。」麗莎愛憐地注視著，說。

「麗莎，對不起!」日約翰的一句對不起，像春天的陽光，融化了麗莎心中的冰雪。

〈八〉終成眷屬

日約翰身上所受的懲罰解除了，當他答應「嫁給」麗莎，融入這個母系社會。帶著所有人的祝福，這對新人在祖屋完成終身大事，由老祖宗莎蓮娜親自主持儀式。

經過這次教訓，探險隊員們知道他們不能輕舉妄動，在他們找出安全的離開辦法以前。秋去冬來，隊員們和村裡的姑娘談著戀愛，他們仍然每天固定會有段時間，聚在一起聊天談話，談話中每個人不免會想起遠方的家鄉，流露出思鄉情緒，但他們彼此心照不宣，靜靜地等待時機。

馬告「嫁給」博美，他真心喜歡這女孩。齊力、諾幹和其他隊員似乎都各自找到情感的歸宿。這裡的女孩，性情溫柔思想單純，每個都被教養成賢妻良母。她們挑起一家人的生計和祖屋分派出來的工務，每天勤勞地工作，從來沒有抱怨也從不為衣食發愁，因為在這裡，所有的物資都是公有的。

寒冷的東北季風被高大的雪山山脈阻擋住，谷裡的冬天，冷杉的枝椏間覆蓋著一層薄薄的冰雪，雪山溪水流經神仙谷後，冰雪都消融了，所以田裡的農事並沒有停止下來，馬鈴薯、芋頭、小米和耐寒蔬菜是這時期的主要農作物。白天，日約翰和馬告跟著麗莎母女上山下田，其餘的隊員也各自跟著戀愛的少女分散開來，投入農事生產行列。晚間，他們和村民聚集在祖屋前的廣場上，生起熊熊的營火，飲酒唱歌跳舞，直到深夜。

桃、李、梅樹盛開著，花團錦簇的一片花海，綿延在山麓兩旁，蜂蝶穿梭花間，充滿生命力的景象，讓日約翰他們心中滿是感動。麗莎和博美先後懷孕，還有齊力他們也陸續成家了，漸漸地大夥兒融入這裡的生活，不再提離開的事。

懷孕後的麗莎和博美，不必再下田勞動，母女兩人白天忙著醃製酒品，桃李作成水果酒，滋味芳香甘醇。晚間就編織棉麻衣服，預備迎接新生兒的降臨。

雖然神仙谷與世隔絕，但陸續進到谷裡的人們，帶來外界的許多訊息，所以居民們知道有明鄭時期、清領時期、日據時期和民國。

讀歷史的日約翰，擅長說故事，他的腦子裡有千百個故事。麗莎母女和村人都喜歡聽。

〈九〉重返紅塵

快過年了，神仙谷裡的作息平靜一如往常，並沒有特殊的慶祝活動，麗莎告訴日約翰他們，按照谷裡的習俗，漢人的農曆春節前後，男人可以有半個月的時間返鄉探親，但必須在規定的時間內返回，否則就會變成石頭人像。

日約翰他們知道這個消息，莫不欣喜若狂，雖然只有半個月時間，只能和家鄉的親友短暫地相聚，已足以一解鄉愁。

「你一定要回去嗎？」麗莎問。

「那是當然，回去探望親友，好讓他們放心。」日約翰興奮地說。

「唉！我怕以後再也見不到你了，約翰。」麗莎神情顯得悲傷。

「我們只是暫時分開，別想那麼多，好嗎？」日約翰抱著麗莎安慰說。

「但是，我害怕…」麗莎欲言又止，可惜沉浸在狂喜中的日約翰，根本沒有察覺。

臨行前，他們在祖屋前集合，每個人都喝下一碗紫色的湯劑：「勿忘我」，麗莎說那是保護他們暫時不會變成石頭人的藥物，藥效只能維持半個月。

他們拜別老祖宗，麗莎、博美等家眷數十人來到谷口送別，離情依依。「麗莎，可惜我不能帶妳回東河村，我們賽夏族部落，那裡的人們都很和善，妳見到他們，一定會歡喜的。」日約翰依依難捨地說。

「日約翰，你們一定要按時趕回來，別讓我們操心。」麗莎說著，眼眶裡霧濛濛的。

日約翰把在此地的所見所聞記下，預先藏在身上，打算趁這次機會帶出去。隔天，探險隊員發現自己睡在崩塌的溶岩洞穴出口旁的溪岸上，沒有人記得發生過什麼事。他們循原路回到五峰鄉的東河村。至於原先記載神仙谷見聞的那本筆記冊，回來以後，日約翰翻開時，上面並沒有任何關於神仙谷見聞的記錄，彷彿憑空消失似的，就連日約翰自己，也不知道有這回事。

在神仙谷的祖屋裡，老祖宗莎蓮娜躺在藤椅上，口中喃喃唸著古賽夏語「勿忘我」，倒過來唸竟成了「我忘了」。