The Five Chinese Brothers, Level C (Grade Level 2-3)

The Five Chinese Brothers

          Once upon a time there were five brothers. They all looked exactly alike. They lived with their mother in a little house near the sea. 

          The first brother could swallow the sea.

          The second brother had an iron neck.

          The third brother could stretch and stretch and stretch his legs.

          The fourth brother could not be burned.

          The fifth brother could hold his breath forever.

          Every morning the first brother would go fishing. Even during storms, he would come back to the village with beautiful and rare fish. He sold them at the market for a very good price.

          One day, he was leaving the market place. A little boy stopped him and asked him if he could go fishing with him.

          “No, I cannot let you,” said the first brother.

          But the little boy begged and begged. Finally the first brother gave in.

          “You must make me a promise,” he said. “You must do as I say as soon as I say it.”

          “Yes, yes,” the little boy promised.

          Early the next morning, the first brother and the little boy went down to the beach. “Remember,” said the first brother, “you must do as I say as soon as I say it. When I make a sign for you to come back, you must come at once.”

          “Yes, yes,” the little boy promised.

          Then the first brother swallowed the sea. All the fish were left dry at the bottom of the sea. All the treasures of the sea lay uncovered.

          The little boy was very happy. He ran here and there stuffing his pockets with fantastic pebbles, shells, and bits of seaweed.

          Near the shore the first brother gathered some fish. He kept holding the sea in his mouth. But then he grew tired. It is very hard to hold the sea. So he made a sign with his hand for the little boy to come back. The little boy saw him but did not come back.

          The first brother made great signs with his arms that meant “Come back!” But did the little boy care?  Not a bit and he ran further away.

          Then the first brother felt the sea swelling inside him and he made huge signs to call the little boy back. But the little boy made faces at him and ran as fast as he could.

          The first brother held the sea until he thought he was going to burst. Then the sea forced its way out of his mouth. It went back to its bed . . . and the little boy was covered with water.

          When the first brother went back to the town alone, he was put in jail. Everyone thought he had killed the little boy. They decided to cut off his head.

          But he said to the judge: “Your Honor, will you let me go say good-bye to my mother?”

          “It is only fair,” said the judge.

          So the first brother went home . . . and the second brother came back in his place. All the people were waiting to watch. A strong man picked up a sword. He struck a mighty blow to the second brother’s neck. But the second brother got up and smiled. He was the one with the iron neck. They simply could not cut his head off.

          Everybody was angry. They decided that he should be drowned.

          But the second brother said to the judge: “Your Honor, will you let me go say good-bye to my mother?”

          “It is only fair,” said the judge.

          So the second brother went home . . . and the third brother came back in his place. He was put on a boat. It went out onto far onto the sea. Then the third brother was thrown into the water. But he began to stretch and stretch and stretch his legs, way down to the bottom of the sea. All the time his smiling face was bobbing up and down on the waves. He simply could not be drowned.

          Everybody was very angry. They all decided that he should be burned.

          But the third brother said to the judge: “Your Honor, will you let me go say good-bye to my mother?”

          “It is only fair,” said the judge.

          So the third brother went home . . . and the fourth brother came back in his place.  He was tied up to a stake. It was lit on fire. All the people stood around watching. In the middle of the flames they heard him say: “This feels quite good.”

          “Bring some more wood,” the people cried.  The fire roared higher.

          “Even better!” said the fourth brother. He was the one who could not be burned. Everybody was getting more and more angry every minute. They all decided to smother him.

          But the fourth brother said to the judge: “Your Honor, will you let me go say good-bye to my mother?”

          “It is only fair,” said the judge.

          So the fourth brother went home . . . and the fifth brother came back in his place. A large brick oven had been built on the village square and it had been all stuffed with whipped cream. The fifth brother was pushed into the oven, right in the middle of the cream. They shut the door tight. Then everybody sat around and waited.

          They were not going to be tricked again! So they stayed there all night, just to make sure. Then they opened the door and pulled him out. He shook himself and said, “My! That was a good sleep!”

          Everybody stared open-mouthed and round-eyed. But the judge stepped forward and said, “We have tried to get rid of you in every possible way. But we cannot do it. It must be that you are innocent.”

          “Yes, yes,” shouted all the people. So they let him go and he went home.

          And the five brothers and their mother all lived together happily for many years.