Sima Guang Breaks the Vat
“That is good!” said Zhang Yong. Suddenly, he fell into the water-filled vat. “I cannot swim!” he called, “The water is too deep!” He was struggling inside the vat. Everyone was anxious. “We must run for help!” said Li Na. “No! That will take too long!” said Sima Guang. “Then we cannot do anything to…
The Water Vat
Long, long ago, there was a man named Sima Guang. He was an outstanding politician and a renowned historian. When he was seven years old, he liked to play in his backyard with his friends Wang Wei, Li Na and Zhang Yong. One day, when they were playing in the yard, Wang Wei said, “I…
The Fox and the Raven
Once upon a time, a fox saw a raven sitting on a tree with a piece of meat in its beak. The fox was very fond of meat and when he saw it in the raven’s beak, he was determined to have it. The fox went near the tree, sat down under it, looked up…
The Moon Cake
Once, a little boy had a cake that a big boy envied. Planning to get the cake, the big boy said, “The cake would be prettier if it were like the moon.” The little boy gave the cake to the big boy to make the necessary changes. The big boy took out a mouthful of…
Quench Thirst by Thinking of Plums
Cao Cao thought for a while and said, “No, we do not have time.” He looked at the woods in front and thought for a while. He said to the guide, “Don’t say anything; I will find a way.” Cao Cao knew that even if he ordered his soldiers to speed up, it would not…
The Journey
One summer, Cao Cao led the troops to attack Zhang Xiu. The weather was hot and there were no clouds in the sky. It was a long march through the mountains. In the blazing heat of the sun, there was no trace of water. The soldiers were breathless. By noon, the soldiers’ clothes were soaked…
Heart Has Completed Bamboo
Long ago, in China, lived a scholar named Wen Tong. He loved Nature and often went for a stroll in the gardens and forests. His favourite was bamboo. He often walked into the bamboo forest. He carefully observed the way the bamboo grew. He noticed the way the branches and leaves stretched from the tree-trunk…
Fail to Recognise Tai Shan
Once upon a time, in ancient China, there was a very famous carpenter named Lu Ban. He was very strict with his pupils and wanted them to be dedicated to their work. Every now and then, he would get rid of those who fooled around and didn’t work hard. One of his many pupils was…
Plug One’s Ears While Stealing
The sound still kept drifting. He shrank back and covered his ears hard with his hands. “Hey, the sound becomes fainter, inaudible!” the thief became joyful at once, “Wonderful! The sound of the bell cannot be heard if the ears are covered. So, I will cover my ears so that they may not hear the…
Stealing a Bell
Once, in the state of Jin, the Fan family had been destroyed by the other clan. Taking advantage of the situation, a thief entered Fan family’s house to steal. At the entrance, he saw a big bell hung in the courtyard. It had a beautiful design and a shape. The thief thought the bell to…
Waiting for a Hare Under a Tree
Long ago, there was a farmer. One day, while he was ploughing his fields, he saw a hare running wildly towards a tree. Then the hare fell near the tree, without a move. The farmer went over and saw that the hare ran so fast that it ran into a tree, broke its neck, and…
Play the Lute to a Cow
Once upon a time, in China, there lived a musician named Gongming Yi. He played all the musical instruments, especially the lute very well. One day when Gongming Yi was unwinding himself in the countryside, he saw a cow grazing in a field. He thought, ‘Everybody loves my music. Why don’t I play some music…
The Cracked Pot
Once upon a time, an elderly Chinese woman had two large pots. Each pot hung on the end of a pole which she carried across her shoulders. One of the pots was perfect while the other had a deep crack in it. At the end of the walk from the stream to the house, the…
The Lady of the Moon
Hou I was a good archer who lived in ancient China in the days of Emperor Yau. Apart from his bow, Hou I also had a horse which ran so speedily that even the wind could not catch up with it. One day, he mounted on his horse to go hunting. But his horse ran…
Wild Goose
Once upon a time, two hunters went hunting. They saw a wild goose flying overhead. Immediately, one of the hunters placed an arrow in his bow. He aimed it at the goose. He said, “That goose will make a fine stew.” “Stew!” said the second one. “It would be far better to roast it.” “Stewed!”…
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