辛亥革命前，早寡的祥林嫂听说婆婆要把她卖掉，连夜跑到鲁镇来到鲁四老爷家帮佣，因不惜力气得到太太欢心。不料又被婆婆把她抢走与贺老六成了亲。贺老六忠厚善良，为凑钱还债累病而死，儿子也被狼吃掉，于是祥林嫂又回到鲁四老爷家。她怕死后阎王分尸，把一年工钱拿去捐了土地庙门坎，当她在祝福晚上兴冲冲端出供品时，鲁家大加责骂并把她赶走。在一个祝福之夜她死在了漫天风雪中。

Before the Revolution of 1911, widow Aunt Xianglin heard that her mother-in-law would sell her. Therefore, she ran to the Lu town and worked as a servant in Lord Lu Si’s house, but she made his wife happy because of her diligence. However, her mother-in-law found her and forced her to marry He Laoliu. He Laoliu was honest, tolerant and kind. In order to pay off the debt, he finally exhausted to death and his son was eaten by wolves. Thus, Aunt Xianglin returned to Lord Lu Si’s house. She was afraid of being torn limb from limb by Hades, so she contributed her one-year earning to the temple housing the god of earth. When she offered her sacrifices excitedly on the blessing evening, members of Lu family scolded her and drove her out. As a result, she died at the snowy blessing night.