My Own Fairy Tales

Aang and the Dragon Family

Aang and the Dragon Family

A very, very long time ago, in a Chinese village of, there lived a rice farmer and his two sons, Li-Liang and Aang. They lived in a small house, near a big paddy field where they grew rice. Growing and selling rice was their way of living; after the rice had grown, the farmer would sell some of the rice at the market for money and keep the rest of the rice for him and his sons to eat.

Aang, the youngest son, was a kind and hard working man and did everything he could to help his father. He helped out with both the house work and the paddy field work. The rice farmer was happy to have a good son like Aang and he hoped that he would always have a happy future. Li-Liang, the eldest son, on the other hand was a lazy and selfish man and did nothing to help his father or brother. He didn't even bother to help out in the paddy field. The rice farmer was ashamed of Li-Liang and hoped that he would come to his senses soon.

One day the rice farmer died from a terrible illness, leaving Li-Liang and Aang orphans. What was even more upsetting was that Li-Liang and Aang had to leave their home. The reason for that was the night after their father died a terrible storm hit the village and destroyed their house and paddy field. The paddy field was so destroyed that it couldn't be used to grow rice again. As for the house; Aang and Li-Liang couldn't afford to have the house rebuilt. So Li-Liang and Aang had to make their fortunes somewhere else.

"I still can't believe that father is gone and our home is destroyed" Aang sighed.

"What's done is done" said Li-Liang, who was fed up with Aang sighs, "besides we won't have to work in the paddy fields any more".

"What do you mean we?" said Aang "You never helped out in the paddy fields. Even when father became ill you still didn't help".

"Oh well doesn't matter anyway now" replied Li-Liang.

Aang was cross with what Li-Liang said. Because of Li-Liang's laziness and meanness it made Aang hated him, even though he didn't want to hate his own elder brother.

Just then a messenger from the village landlord appeared to them. The landlord and the rice farmer had been friends for a long time and after the rice farmer died, the landlord decided to help Li-Liang and Aang.

"The landlord has heard about your father's death and about the destruction of your home and paddy field," said the messenger "he sent me to deliver these two job offer papers to you. He also wishes the both of you good luck with whatever it is you're going to do". The messenger handed the papers to Aang, then left.

"Great so we've got new jobs then" said Li-Liang, who wasn't really pleased with this.

"Be glad that we have got jobs, so we can make livings for ourselves" said Aang.

Aang looked at the job offer papers. The first paper read; "A very rich lady is looking for a man, who would entertain her four grown up daughters, while she's out. Payment will be very generous". The second paper read; "A retired house keeper needs someone to clean, cook and look after children in her place. Payment will be free food and shelter."

Li-Liang wanted to take the first job offer; even though he was lazy and selfish, his favourite thing to do was spend long hours with women. And since these women were rich, it couldn't be better than this for him. Aang didn't mind having the second job offer. He was used to cooking and cleaning and he did like children. The big difference about these two jobs was that they were in different places, so it meant that Li-Liang and Aang had to go their separate ways.