Class notes - Google Docs

1 ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌The‌‌Mother‌‌and‌S‌ on ‌ ‌  ‌  ‌By‌‌Max‌‌Huang‌  ‌ In‌‌the‌‌Kingdom‌‌of‌A‌ zure‌S‌ tone,‌t‌here‌‌was‌‌once‌a‌ n‌o‌ ld‌w‌ oman‌‌living‌i‌n‌t‌he‌f‌orest.‌S‌ he‌h‌ ad‌‌a‌d‌ esire‌‌to‌h‌ ave‌‌a ‌‌ child‌w‌ ho‌c‌ ould‌s‌tay‌w‌ ith‌h‌ er‌‌for‌t‌he‌‌rest‌‌of‌h‌ er‌l‌ife.‌‌One‌‌day‌‌when‌‌she‌‌was‌‌collecting‌s‌tones,‌a‌ ‌b‌ reeze‌c‌ ame‌‌and‌‌whispered‌“‌ ‌‌ In‌t‌he‌‌deepest‌‌place‌o‌ f‌t‌his‌‌forest,‌t‌here‌i‌s‌a‌ ‌m‌ agic‌t‌ree‌‌that‌‌can‌f‌ulfill‌p‌ eople’s‌o‌ ne‌‌wish.”‌J‌ust‌w‌ hen‌‌the‌o‌ ld‌w‌ oman‌w‌ anted‌‌to ‌‌ ask‌t‌he‌e‌xact‌l‌ocation,‌‌the‌b‌ reeze‌‌had‌‌already‌‌disappeared.‌‌The‌o‌ ld‌w‌ oman‌d‌ ecided‌‌to‌g‌ ive‌i‌t‌a‌ ‌t‌ry.‌S‌ he‌f‌irst‌‌headed‌‌for‌‌the ‌‌ North‌‌and‌‌nothing‌t‌ here‌‌except‌‌a‌‌rock.‌‌She‌‌then‌‌headed‌‌for‌‌the‌‌East,‌s‌ till‌‌nothing‌‌there‌e‌ xcept‌‌a‌‌pond.‌‌After‌t‌ hat,‌‌she ‌‌ headed‌‌for‌‌the‌‌West,‌n‌ othing‌t‌here‌‌except‌‌a‌h‌ ill.‌L‌ ast‌‌she‌h‌ eaded‌f‌or‌t‌he‌S‌ outh,‌‌and‌‌this‌t‌ime‌‌she‌f‌ound‌a‌ ‌m‌ agnificent‌‌tree ‌‌ that‌f‌lourished‌‌with‌f‌ruits,‌‌flowers,‌a‌ nd‌l‌eaves.‌T‌ he‌e‌nvironment ‌‌ there‌‌was‌‌full‌o‌ f‌s‌erenity,‌‌a‌ nd‌‌the‌‌woman‌‌could‌‌feel‌e‌verything ‌‌ by‌h‌ er‌‌five‌s‌enses. ‌  ‌ ‌ She‌‌stepped‌‌forward‌‌and‌a‌ sked, ‌ ‌ ‌ “‌A‌ re‌‌you‌t‌he‌‌legendary‌‌magic‌t‌ree ‌‌  ‌ that‌t‌he‌‌breeze‌‌says‌w‌ ill‌f‌ulfill‌‌our‌‌wish?” ‌‌  ‌ “‌‌Yes,‌y‌ es,‌t‌hat‌i‌s‌m‌ e.‌W‌ hat‌‌do ‌ ‌ y‌ou‌‌seek?”‌R‌ eplied‌‌the‌T‌ ree. ‌ ‌ “I‌r‌ eally‌w‌ ant‌‌a‌‌child‌‌that‌‌can ‌ ‌ ‌ stay‌w‌ ith‌m‌ e.”‌P‌ leaded‌t‌he‌w‌ oman ‌ ‌ “‌‌Once‌y‌ou‌m‌ ake‌‌a‌‌wish‌‌to‌m‌ e, ‌ ‌ ‌ there‌‌is‌‌no‌t‌urning‌‌back. ‌‌  ‌ Consider‌‌wisely.”‌T‌ he‌‌tree‌‌suggested. ‌ ‌ “I‌r‌ eally‌w‌ ant‌‌a‌‌child‌t‌hat‌‌can‌s‌tay‌‌with‌‌me.”‌‌Pleaded ‌‌ the‌‌woman‌a‌ gain. ‌ ‌ “‌A‌ lright‌i‌f‌t‌hat‌i‌s‌‌your‌w‌ ish‌t‌hen,‌I‌ ‌‌will‌g‌ ive‌‌a‌‌baby ‌‌ boy‌b‌ ut‌‌after‌‌10‌y‌ ears,‌I‌ ‌‌will‌c‌ ome‌a‌ nd‌‌ask‌‌the‌b‌ oy‌w‌ hether‌‌he‌‌wants‌‌to‌s‌tay‌w‌ ith‌y‌ou‌‌or‌‌leave‌‌with‌m‌ e.‌‌So,‌‌is‌‌that‌‌your‌f‌inal ‌‌ decision?”‌‌Said‌‌the‌T‌ ree. ‌ ‌ “Yes,‌I‌ ‌w‌ ant‌‌the‌‌baby‌‌boy,‌p‌ lease.”‌‌Said‌‌the‌‌woman‌a‌ ssertively.‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ “‌W‌ ell‌‌then,‌‌I‌‌shall‌g‌ rant‌y‌our‌‌wish.‌‌Abadabiliheiya!”‌T‌ he‌‌Tree‌‌casted‌‌a‌s‌pell‌‌on‌‌the‌‌woman.‌‌A‌w‌ arm‌‌light‌s‌hone ‌‌ upon‌‌her‌a‌ nd‌‌soon‌e‌verything‌‌went‌‌back‌t‌o‌‌normal‌a‌ s‌n‌ othing‌h‌ ad‌‌ever‌h‌ appened.‌‌“‌N‌ ow,‌g‌ o‌‌home‌a‌ nd‌‌rest,”‌s‌aid‌t‌he‌‌Tree. ‌ ‌  ‌

2 ‌ ‌  ‌ The‌‌woman‌‌returned‌h‌ ome‌w‌ ith‌g‌ reat‌j‌oy.‌‌As‌s‌he‌‌walked‌‌home,‌s‌he‌‌felt‌t‌hat‌h‌ er‌‌body‌b‌ ecame‌‌heavier‌a‌ nd‌h‌ eavier. ‌‌ Something‌h‌ ad‌c‌ hanged.‌S‌ he‌l‌ooked‌‌down‌‌on‌h‌ er‌‌belly‌‌and‌f‌ound‌‌out ‌‌ that‌‌it‌b‌ ecame‌b‌ igger‌‌and‌b‌ igger.‌S‌ he‌w‌ as‌‌pregnant.‌T‌ he‌‌next‌‌day, ‌‌ she‌g‌ ave‌b‌ irth‌t‌o‌a‌ ‌‌baby‌b‌ oy,‌j‌ust‌l‌ike‌‌what‌‌she‌w‌ ished‌‌for. ‌ ‌  ‌  ‌  ‌ Soon,‌t‌en‌‌years‌‌had‌p‌ assed.‌‌‌To‌t‌he‌‌woman,‌i‌t‌‌was‌‌like‌‌the‌b‌ oy‌‌seemed‌t‌o ‌‌ arrive‌‌yesterday‌‌and‌‌now‌h‌ e‌h‌ ad‌a‌ lready‌‌grown‌‌up.‌‌‌During‌‌these‌y‌ ears,‌‌the ‌‌ woman‌‌treasured‌‌the‌‌boy.‌T‌ he‌‌woman‌‌would‌‌cook‌‌lavish‌‌dishes‌f‌or‌e‌very‌m‌ eal‌a‌ nd ‌‌ read‌h‌ im‌b‌ edtime‌‌stories‌e‌very‌‌night.‌T‌ he‌‌boy‌‌had‌h‌ is‌‌belly‌f‌ull‌‌every‌d‌ ay‌‌and‌‌had ‌‌ fascinating‌d‌ reams‌‌every‌‌night.‌‌The‌w‌ oman‌‌and‌‌the‌‌boy‌‌did‌e‌verything‌t‌ogether.‌ ‌‌ The‌‌woman‌‌would‌n‌ ever‌‌let‌t‌he‌‌boy‌g‌ ot‌‌hurt‌a‌ nd‌‌the‌b‌ oy‌a‌ lways‌‌loved‌‌the‌w‌ oman. ‌‌ Nothing‌c‌ ould‌‌break‌t‌he‌b‌ ond‌‌between‌t‌hem. ‌ ‌ One‌d‌ ay‌w‌ hen‌t‌he‌b‌ oy‌‌was‌p‌ laying‌‌in‌‌the‌‌forest,‌‌he‌w‌ as‌‌very‌‌curious‌‌about‌‌what‌‌the‌‌end‌‌of‌t‌he‌d‌ eepest‌‌forest‌l‌ooked ‌‌ like.‌‌He‌c‌ hose‌‌a‌r‌ andom‌‌direction‌a‌ nd‌‌started‌t‌o‌w‌ alk.‌A‌ s‌ h‌ e‌‌walked‌‌deeper‌a‌ nd‌d‌ eeper,‌h‌ e‌‌noticed‌‌that‌f‌or‌n‌ o‌r‌ eason,‌‌the ‌‌ feeling‌‌of‌‌anxiety‌b‌ ecame‌‌greater‌‌and‌g‌ reater.‌‌After‌a‌ ‌f‌ew‌‌minutes,‌t‌he‌‌little‌‌boy‌‌arrived‌‌and‌t‌he‌‌only‌t‌hing‌‌he‌‌could‌s‌ee‌w‌ as‌a‌  ‌ gigantic‌‌hill.‌J‌ust‌‌when‌‌he‌w‌ as‌‌about‌‌to‌l‌eave,‌‌he‌h‌ eard‌‌a‌‌sharp‌v‌oice‌‌calling‌‌him.“Craw,‌c‌ raw,‌‌the‌b‌ oy‌o‌ ver‌t‌here‌‌looks‌‌over ‌‌ here,”‌T‌ he‌‌voice‌‌said. ‌ ‌ The‌b‌ oy‌t‌urned‌‌around‌a‌ nd‌t‌ried‌‌to‌l‌ook‌‌for‌t‌he‌‌voice.‌“‌ ‌‌ Where‌a‌ re‌y‌ou?”‌t‌he‌b‌ oy‌‌asked. ‌ “Craw,‌‌craw,‌o‌ ver‌‌here,‌I‌ ‌‌am‌‌here”‌‌The‌v‌oice‌a‌ nswered. ‌ ‌ The‌‌boy‌l‌ooked‌u‌ p‌‌at‌‌the‌s‌ky‌‌and‌‌saw‌‌a‌c‌ row‌‌circling‌a‌ bove‌‌his‌h‌ ead. ‌‌ “What‌‌do‌y‌ou‌w‌ ant‌f‌rom‌m‌ e?''‌t‌he‌‌boy‌y‌ elled‌‌at‌t‌he‌‌crow. ‌ ‌

3 ‌ ‌  ‌ “Craw,‌I‌ ‌a‌ m‌‌here‌‌to‌‌tell‌y‌ou‌t‌he‌‌truth‌‌about‌‌you‌a‌ nd‌‌your‌m‌ other.‌T‌ he‌‌fact‌i‌s‌‌that‌‌you‌‌were‌‌not‌b‌ orn‌b‌ y‌y‌our ‌‌ mother,‌y‌ou‌‌were‌b‌ orn‌‌by‌a‌ ‌‌tree.‌‌Your‌‌mother‌d‌ oesn’t‌‌like‌‌you!”‌‌said‌‌the‌‌crow. ‌ ‌ It‌‌was‌‌at‌‌this‌m‌ oment‌t‌hat‌‌the‌b‌ oy‌‌felt‌‌like‌h‌ is‌w‌ orld‌w‌ as‌c‌ ollapsing.‌‌Every‌w‌ ord‌‌the‌‌crow‌‌said‌‌echoed‌i‌nterminably ‌‌ in‌‌the‌‌boy’s‌‌head.‌I‌ t‌w‌ as‌‌the‌f‌irst‌t‌ime‌s‌omeone‌h‌ ad‌t‌old‌t‌he‌‌boy‌s‌uch‌a‌ ‌‌tragic‌f‌act.‌T‌ he‌l‌ittle‌b‌ oy‌‌kneeled‌o‌ n‌t‌he‌‌ground ‌‌ crying‌‌loudly.‌‌The‌‌boy‌k‌ ept‌‌thinking‌a‌ bout‌t‌he‌f‌act‌t‌hat‌‌he‌‌was‌‌loved‌‌and‌r‌ aised‌u‌ p‌b‌ y‌‌a‌w‌ oman‌w‌ ho‌‌was‌n‌ ot‌‌his‌‌real‌‌mother ‌‌ and‌d‌ idn’t‌e‌ven‌‌love‌‌him.‌‌The‌‌boy‌‌was‌‌angry‌a‌ nd‌‌sad‌‌about‌‌his‌m‌ other. ‌ ‌ “Craw,‌‌that‌d‌ umb‌‌woman‌‌should‌‌have‌‌told‌‌you‌t‌his.‌S‌ he‌i‌s‌‌not‌q‌ ualified‌t‌o‌‌be‌‌a‌‌mother.”‌‌the‌‌crow‌i‌nsulted. ‌ ‌ Although‌‌the‌‌boy‌‌was‌‌very‌a‌ ngry‌a‌ t‌‌his‌m‌ other,‌w‌ hen‌‌he‌‌heard‌t‌he‌c‌ row‌‌insulting‌h‌ is‌m‌ other,‌f‌or‌‌no‌‌reason,‌‌the ‌‌ little‌b‌ oy‌b‌ ecame‌‌very‌f‌urious‌‌at‌‌the‌c‌ row.‌‌He‌‌couldn’t‌c‌ ompose‌h‌ imself‌‌anymore.‌H‌ e‌‌picked‌u‌ p‌a‌ ‌r‌ ock‌a‌ nd‌c‌ ast‌‌it‌a‌ t‌‌the‌‌crow.‌ ‌ The‌r‌ ock‌h‌ it‌‌the‌c‌ row‌‌in‌h‌ is‌‌face‌a‌ nd‌‌the‌‌crow‌‌flew‌‌away. ‌ ‌ The‌b‌ oy‌‌then‌w‌ ent‌‌home,‌a‌ nd‌‌on‌‌the‌‌way‌b‌ ack‌‌home,‌a‌ ‌‌Tree‌‌blocked‌h‌ is‌w‌ ay. ‌ ‌ “‌B‌ oy,‌‌I‌‌was‌‌the‌o‌ ne‌t‌hat‌g‌ ave‌y‌ou‌t‌o‌y‌our‌m‌ other.‌‌Here‌i‌s‌‌a‌q‌ uestion‌‌for‌‌you,‌‌do‌y‌ou‌‌want‌t‌o‌‌keep‌‌staying‌w‌ ith‌‌your ‌‌ mother‌‌or‌‌come‌w‌ ith‌m‌ e?”‌‌The‌T‌ ree‌a‌ sked. ‌ ‌ Even‌‌Though‌t‌he‌b‌ oy‌w‌ as‌‌sad‌a‌ bout‌‌his‌‌mother,‌w‌ hen‌‌he‌r‌ ecalled‌t‌he‌‌memories‌h‌ e‌‌had‌‌with‌‌her‌‌mother,‌h‌ e‌s‌miled ‌‌ wholeheartedly‌a‌ nd‌s‌aid,‌“‌I‌w‌ ant‌‌to‌b‌ e‌w‌ ith‌m‌ y‌‌mother.” ‌ ‌ The‌t‌ree‌v‌anished‌a‌ fter‌‌the‌‌boy‌a‌ nswered‌t‌he‌q‌ uestion.‌A‌ fter‌‌the‌‌boy‌‌went‌‌home‌‌with‌a‌ lacrity,‌‌he‌h‌ ugged‌‌his ‌‌ mother.‌N‌ ot‌o‌ nly‌‌did‌‌the‌‌boy‌‌miss‌h‌ er‌m‌ other‌b‌ ut‌h‌ er‌m‌ other‌a‌ lso‌‌missed‌‌him. ‌‌ They‌‌will‌l‌ive‌‌happily‌‌together‌f‌orever. ‌ ‌

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