Chang’e flying to the moon

In China, there are a lot of folk tales, but one of the most famous stories is Chang’e flying to the moon. There are many versions of this story, but I remember another version that my grandma told to me.

In ancient time, Chang’e is a very beautiful, royal person. She liked to help poor people. Everyone liked her. In that country, the king who was named Hou Yi was brave and good at shooting, but the character of him was cruel, the implementation of tyranny in the country, so that the people complained.

One day, there ten suns suddenly appeared in the sky, and the temperature became very high. There was no food and water in the world, the crops were dead. The sky was so smoky that the people could no longer live.

Hou Yi saw his country was about to die, so he had to take out his bow and arrow, climb to the top of KunLun, full of strength, and pull the bow, “whoosh ~” he shot down nine suns in one breath. The temperature has become normal. People are back to their original lives. Because Hou Yi saved many people’s lives, the Western Queen Mother on KunLun Mountain gave Hou Yi a pill of fairy medicine. It is said that one who takes this medicine can live forever and also ascend to Heaven. But if Hou Yi is immortal, the people will always bear the brutal rule of Hou Yi. Everyone was in a panic. The days of the common people were not as good as the days before. Chang’e had no patience to see people’s lives getting worse and worse, so she had an idea. One day, on night, she sneaked into the palace, and stole the panacea collected by Hou Yi. When she got the fairy medicine, she hesitated, because if she ate the fairy medicine, she would be immortal and ascend to heaven. She couldn’t see her friends or her family any more. She would no longer be a mortal and could no longer enjoy the happiness of the world. But she remembered the people, so she ate the fairy medicine and flew in the sky . Chang’e missed the world and the people, so she flew to the nearest moon. Then became a fairy on the moon. But she saved the whole country.

This is another version that my grandma told to me; I think it is very interesting.

                                     April 29, 2020

                                         Libby

The Story of Yu Boya and Zhong Ziqi

A long time ago, in the Spring and Autumn Period, there were two best friends. Their friendship was great and touching. The story of this friendship, started with a song, Mountain and Flowing Water.

Yu Boya was a royal musician. He was the greatest musician in the Spring and Autumn Period. He played music for the emperor. He should have been really happy, but he was kind of depressed. People said he played music well, but they didn’t knew what he exactly meant in his music.

But once, when he played music on mountain, a young man came. The young man was Zhong Ziqi. When Boya played about the mountains, Ziqi asked him, "Are you playing about the mountains around us?” Boya was so surprised. Ziqi knew what he played, and he was the first person who knew his music exactly! When Boya played about the water, Ziqi asked, "Are you playing about the rivers?” Boya said, "Yes! Do you want to be my best friend?” Ziqi said:” Of course!” They started their friendship and they named the song; they called it the Mountain and Flowing Water.

They played the music and had fun every day, but one day, Ziqi died of the illness. Boya was so sad. Then he broke his zither and threw it off the cliff. He said, "Ziqi is my only best friend; he knew my music. But now, he’s died; no one can know my feeling. I don’t have to play music anymore!” One of the greatest musicians in Chinese history, stopped his music life because of his friendship; this is such greatness.

Nowadays, people use “Mountain and Flow Water” to praise the great friendship. Boya and Ziqi’s story makes us know, friends are the best.

David, April 2020

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       Long long ago, there was a big scary monster called “nian” (year).

All people were afraid of it. It came out from mountains on Chinese New Year’s Eve. So people in the village didn’t come out of their houses on Chinese New Year’s Eve. Someone who had seen nian said it had red skin, long teeth, a large body, and a short tail. And its face was very scary. No matter children, adults or olders, everyone was afraid of it.

One day, a clever old man came to the village. He heard about nian from local people. He thought, ‘I must expel nian out of there.’ Then, he decided to live in the village.

Ron, USTKid, 2018

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Once upon a time, there was a tribe. This tribe had lost many fights, so it became more and more indigent.

One day, they found a big dragon in a cave. This dragon had blue and orange stripes on his body. His eyes were green. It looked very valiant. They wanted it very much. So they asked the dragon for help, and they gave the dragon the last of their resources. The dragon thought they were very kind, so he promised to help them.

The war started again. The dragon could breathe flames and fly high, so the tribe finally won. They thanked the dragon and the dragon gave them many resources for reward; then he flew away.

Tony, USTKid, 2018

Untitled (Foolish Monkey)

Today, I will talk about a folk tale called the foolish monkey. It is about a monkey who is fooled by a fox.

Once upon a time, there was a monkey. He was liked by other animals. The fox didn’t like the monkey. He wanted to fool the monkey. He made a trap and put some bananas on the trap. He said to the monkey that there were some bananas. The monkey went to the trap and was in it. The fox laughed at him.

The folk tale is over; do you like it？

Raymond, USTKid, 2018

The Goose and the Golden Eggs

Long long ago, there was a farmer. He always dreamed of having a lot of money. But he never did any hard work.

One day, the farmer found a goose on his way to the market. Someone must have lost this goose, he thought; maybe I will take care of the goose from this moment. Besides, I can have some goose eggs every day. So the farmer brought the goose to his house.

The first thing he did when he woke up the next day is checking the goose’s nest. To his great surprise, he found an egg, and it was an egg of pure gold. The farmer went to the market and sold the golden egg. He got lots of money. Much more than the one he made by hard work. He was never so delighted.

From then on, the same thing happened every morning. And he soon became rich by selling his eggs. The farmer became more and more greedy. He wanted to get all the golden eggs at once, so he killed the goose, but when he looked inside the goose, he found nothing in its body. Soon, the farmer became poor again.




Joan, USTKid, 2018

The Fox and the Crow

Once upon a time, a crow got a piece of meat. The crow stood on the branch with the meat in his mouth. A fox came by when the crow was going to eat the meat. The fox wanted to eat the meat too, so the fox thought of a cunning plan. The fox said to the crow, ”You are so beautiful and clever, I like you very much.”The  crow smiled but the meat nearly fell off from his mouth. The fox continued to flatter the crow; ”You have a lovely voice, can you sing a song for me?” The crow opened his mouth and began to sing, then the meat fell off from his mouth. The fox seized it quickly and ran away. The crow did not have any meat to eat.

The story tells us that we should not believe the sweet words by the malicious people.

 Elsa, USTKid, 2018

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