Narrations from Chinese folk tales

Anna's narration of The Five Chinese Brothers by Claire Huchet Bishop:

The first Chinese brother went fishing. One day he swallowed up the sea. The first Chinese brother got some fish while he was still holding the water in his mouth. He made signs to make the little boy come back. But the little boy did not come back. The first Chinese brother thought he was going to burst. The water forced its way out of his mouth and went back to its bed. The little boy disappeared. The boy got drowned.

He got put in prison and on the day of the execution, he said to the judge, “Would you let me bid my mother good-bye?” “It’s only fair.” So the first Chinese brother went home and the second Chinese brother came back.

The executioner took a mighty blow ,but the second Chinese brother got up and smiled. His neck was made of iron and it could not be cut off. They decided he should be thrown into the water.

On the morning of the execution he said, “Would you let me bid my mother good-bye?” So the second Chinese brother went home and the third Chinese brother came back.

When they were far out to sea they threw the third Chinese brother into the sea. He began to stretch and stretch his legs down to the bottom of the sea, becoming deeper and deeper and deeper, for he was the one who could not be drowned. His smiling face bobbed up and down on the waves. Oh-oh. They decided he should be burned.

The next day of the execution, he said to the judge, “Would you let me bid my mother good-by?” So the fourth Chinese brother came back in his place.

He was tied to a stake and all the people stood around it. They heard him say in the fire, “It’s quite pleasant here”, and the people said, “Bring some more wood!” The fire grew higher and higher and higher and higher and they heard him say, “It’s quite comfortable here”, for he was the one who could not be burned. So they decided to smother him.

The fifth Chinese brother came back in his place.

They made a brick oven. He was put in the oven to smother him. It was filled with whipped cream. They stayed for an afternoon and the night to make sure. In the morning they took him out. He shook his head and said, “That was a good sleep.” The judge said, “You must be innocent.” “Yes, yes, yes!” cried the people.

Now the five Chinese brothers and their mother all live happily ever after.

Joshua's narration of Tikki Tikki Tembo by Arlene Mosel:

One day while the boys were playing around the well and on it, Chang fell. Tikki tikki tembo-no sa rembo-chari bari ruchi-pip peri pembo ran to the old man sitting down with the ladder and said, “Chang has fallen into the bottom of the stone well.” He pumped the water out of him and pushed the air into him, pumped the water out of him and pushed the air into him, until he was good as new.

They had a party to celebrate Chang coming out of the well. Until the ninth moon of the festival, they ran to the stone well with their rice cakes and also played on it and Tikki tikki tembo-no sa rembo-chari bari ruchi-pip peri pembo fell into the stone well.

Chang ran as fast as his little legs could carry him to his mother. He said to his mother, “Tikki tikki tembo-no sa rembo-chari bari ruchi-pip peri pembo... pip pip has fallen in to the well.” “My son speak your brother’s name with reverence!” “Tikki tikki tembo-no sa rembo-chari bari ruchi-pip peri pembo has fallen into the bottom of the stone well.”

He ran all the way to the old man with the ladder and he said to him, “Old man with a ladder, please come and fish my brother out!” The old man said, “You’ve destroyed my dream, I was dreaming of a purple mist. So, your mother’s Precious Pearl has fallen into the well.”

Tikki tikki tembo-no sa rembo-chari bari ruchi-pip peri pembo stayed in the well for so long it was a thousand nights before he got back to proper.

And ever since, Chinese parents always think it wise to give their kids short names, little ones.

[Cover images from http://lili-bee.com/Bookshelf%20Page.htm.]