Seven
Magic Orders
Written by Shan Mui
Illustrated by Y.T. Mui
In
the town of Tao Yuen in China, there are two people in love, Chung Shun
and Ching Kit. They are about to celebrate their wedding day, but duty to
their country and Emperor comes first. The couple volunteers to deliver
a message for help through a pass from which no one has ever returned alive.
Tsia Tsia, the demon ruler of the pass kidnaps Ching Kit. Torn between love
and duty, Chung Shun presses on with the Emperors message. In return, he
is given seven magic orders to call forth the aids of gods in his battle
against Tsia Tsia. With these wooden talismans, the young warrior vanquishes
the monster demon, rescues Ching Kit, and transforms the devastated valley
of the demons to paradise.
The
Five Chinese Brothers
Written by Claire Huchet Bishop
Illustrated by Kurt Wiese
Five brothers, all identical, lived with their
mother. They all had special abilities, one could swallow the sea, one had
an iron neck, one could stretch his legs a lot, another could not be burned
and the last could hold his breath indefinitely. One day the first brother
who could swallow the sea, was convinced by a naughty deceiving little boy
to go fishing with him. The boy promising he would obey him drowns. Sentenced
to execution the brother asks for a last request, to say goodbye to his mother.
Being granted, he went home and in his place the brother with the iron neck
returns. They can not cut off his neck so the town’s people decide that
he must be drowned. After this announcement the second brother asked the judge
if he may bid his mother goodbye, the judge agrees and in his place the third
brother with the long legs replaces him, and he is unable to be drowned. The
third execution is to be burned and once again the brother is replaced by
the brother who could not be burned. At last the town’s people decide
that he should be smothered, and yet again that brother is replaced by the
fifth brother who can hold his breath indefinitely. After he survives the
people announce that he must be innocent because he cannot die and let him
go. The five bothers live happily for many years with their mother.
