The Five Brothers

The Five Brothers

Long ago in China, there lived five brothers who looked exactly alike. The only way to tell them apart was by their amazing abilities. First Brother was as strong as ten water buffalo. Second Brother could fly in the sky like a bird. Third Brother could hear an ant sneeze. Fourth Brother could make his body iron hard, Fifth Brother could hold his breath for hours. Fifth Brother also had another ability that happened when he cried. His tears flowed so quickly that they turned into a river.

One day, Fifth Brother came across a strange garden, He decided to rest and enjoy a delicious apple. Suddenly, three soldiers appeared and seized him. " This garden belongs to the magistrate. Nobody may eat his fruit! " a soldier shouted.

They dragged Fifth Brother to the court of the magistrate. Enraged, the magistrate declared that Fifth Brother should be locked away forever in his deepest dungeon. " Please take pity, Magistrate, " Fifth Brother begged. “ I didn't know it was your garden! I didn't notice any warning signs to stay out of the garden. Please, I will do anything to stay free. "

The magistrate was an evil, greedy man. He announced his decision: " I will let you go. " Fifth Brother interrupted him with a shout of joy. The magistrate continued. “ I will let you go if you bring me the treasure of Fire Island. " Fifth Brother sighed deeply. Fire Island was in the middle of a nearby lake. A dragon lived there, guarding its treasure. Stealing it seemed like an impossible task, but Fifth Brother agreed to try.

That night, as he sat in his prison cell, Fifth Brother felt frightened. He dared not cry, for he knew what would happen if he did. Instead, he whispered, " Third Brother, help me! " Far away, Third Brother put a hand to his ear. " Fifth Brother is in trouble! " he declared. After listening to Fifth Brother's story, Third Brother told his other brothers what had happened. They decided to go help their brother get the treasure.