Chinese

A lion catches a mouse but lets him go when the mouse promises to help someday. Later the lion is trapped in a hunter’s net, and the mouse gnaws through the ropes to free him. No one is too small to help. An Aesop fable.

Liangliang, the smallest lighthouse on the coast, is afraid of the dark. One foggy night he shines with all his might and guides a lost fishing boat safely home. From then on he is no longer afraid.

Huohuo the dragon wakes up with hiccups that shoot sparks and smoke, scaring the village. A brave girl named Xiaomei climbs up, tries every remedy, and finally cures him with a big surprise “BOO!” They become best friends.

Four-year-old Kong Rong is offered first pick from a plate of pears. He chooses the smallest, explaining that his older brothers should have the bigger ones, and that as an older brother himself, he should also give way to his younger brother. A famous Chinese story about humility and sharing.

Little tadpoles set out to find their mother. Along the way, a mother duck, a fish and a turtle each give clues: four legs, big eyes, a white belly and a green coat. As the tadpoles grow legs, they find their mother frog on a lotus leaf. A classic Chinese story that teaches how tadpoles become frogs.

Ma Liang, a poor boy who loves to draw, receives a magic brush that brings drawings to life. He paints oxen and waterwheels for poor villagers. When a greedy landlord demands a mountain of gold, Ma Liang paints it in the middle of the sea and sends a wind to carry the landlord away. A famous Chinese folktale.

A proud rabbit races a slow tortoise and dashes ahead, then naps under a tree. The tortoise keeps going steadily without stopping and crosses the finish line first. Slow and steady wins the race.

A little horse must cross a river to deliver wheat. A squirrel says the water is dangerously deep; an old ox says it’s shallow. His mother explains that depth depends on who’s crossing and tells him to try for himself. He finds it’s neither too deep nor too shallow. A beloved Chinese children’s story.

Tiaotiao the bunny refuses to sleep and sneaks out to see the forest at night. A wise owl reminds him that bunnies need rest to play tomorrow. Tiaotiao decides his cozy bed is best and falls asleep.

On a hot summer day, a thirsty crow finds a bottle with too little water to reach. It drops pebbles in one by one until the water rises, then drinks happily. A classic Chinese school story about cleverness and persistence.