Well, i havn't read this book since i was in like 6th grade, and i recently was wanting to read it again but i can't remember the title! Ok, well it's about this family in china)father, mother, daughter, son and they live in poverty, all they have is a little one room shack and a window from a grandmother that they call the story window. the family also owns a rice field. within the first 3 chapters of the book, the mother collapses in the rice field and dies in her daughters arms. I apologize for being so vague, but i only remember bits and peices of the story. Anyway, i remember the father telling his daughter a story about a man who fell in love with a woman who turned out to be a serpant (and i think there's something about a serpant in the title). then towards the end of the book the father disowns his son jsut before he leaves for war.

Again, i apologize for being so incredibly vague, but if you, by chance, know what book i am thinking about, i would love an answer!