Myths and Legends—China

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The magic paintbrush

In a town in China lived a penniless artist called Ma Liang. He was so poor that he had nothing to eat but rice and salt,but he loved painting. He painted pictures all the time and they were beautiful and fi lled with love.

One night, an old man with a long beard visited Liang in a dream. He gave Liang a paintbrush.

‘Use this magic paintbrush to help the poor,’ he said, ‘but don’t use it to help people who are rich and greedy or the skill will leave your fi ngers and you will never paint again.’

When Liang woke up, he found the paintbrush lying on the table by his bed.Excited, he painted a butter fl y and was surprised to see it fl y off the page and out the window.

Liang ran out of his tiny house and started painting things for people. He painted buffalo to help a farmer and fl our to help a baker. He painted rice cakes to give to hungry people, and clothes for people who were cold.

People all over town were discussing Liang. A rich moneylender heard about the paintbrush and came to talk to Liang. He asked Liang to paint some gold coins for him but Liang refused.

The rich man took a knife from his pocket and said, ‘If you don’t paint for me, I might cut your fi ngers off. You will never paint again.’

So Liang painted an island of gold in the middle of a blue sea.

‘How will I get there?’ asked the rich man.

Liang painted a boat for him. He then got in it and started sailing towards the island, laughing. But when he was half way there, Liang painted a hole in the side.The boat sank under the waves and nobody ever saw the rich man again.

Activity 1

Before you read, complete the sentences with words from the box.

1. A …… person is someone with no money at all.

2. A …… is a male cow that farmers often use to work on farms.

3. A …… is a person you can borrow money from. They make money when you pay it back.

4. A …… is a brush that artists use for painting pictures.

5. A …… person is someone who wants lots more of something than they need.

Activity 2

Decide if the following sentences are true, false, or not given, depending on the information in the text.

1. Liang didn’t like eating rice and salt.

2. The old man told Liang to help everyone.

3. The fi rst thing Liang painted with the magic paintbrush was an insect.

4. The rich man said he wouldn’t hurt Liang.

5. At the end, the moneylender died.

Activity 3

Complete sentences 1–5 using one word from the story.

1. An old man …… Liang while he was sleeping.

2. After the fi rst time he painted something with the magic paintbrush, Liang was …… .

3. Liang helped people to stay warm by painting …… for them.

4. The rich man was a …… who already had lots of money.

5. When the rich man was sailing to the island, Liang painted a …… in the boat.

Activity 4

In the story, the moneylender tells Liang, ‘If you don’t paint for me, I might cut your fi ngers off.’ This is a conditional sentence, because a result depends on an action.

Match the possible actions (1–5) with the future results (a–e).1. If Liang doesn’t have any money,

2. If Liang uses the paintbrush to help rich people,

3. If Liang paints rice cakes for people,

4. If Liang doesn’t paint gold for the rich man,

5. If the rich man can swim,

a. they should not go hungry.

b. he might not be able to buy any food.

c. he might not die in the sea.

d. he could lose his skill with painting.

e. the rich man might cut his fi ngers off.

Activity 5

‘Myths’, famous old stories that may or may not be true, often try to teach us something. What do you think this story is trying to teach us? Do you agree with the message?

Answers

Activity 1

1. e; 2. a; 3. c; 4. d; 5. b

Activity 2

1. Not given; 2. False; 3. True; 4. False; 5. Not given

Activity 3

1. visited; 2. surprised; 3. clothes; 4. moneylender; 5. hole

Activity 4

1. b; 2. d; 3. a; 4. e; 5. c