The Wonderful Fan – A Chinese Fairy Tale about Courage and Help

Short Description: This fairy tale tells of a magical fan that came into the hands of the girl Lin. With its help, she helped the village cope with intense heat. A story about courage and care.

On a hot summer day, when the sun blazed so fiercely that the ground began to crack, the residents of a small village suffered from the heat. The fields dried up, the wells nearly emptied, and the river turned into a thin stream. People sought shade, but even the trees could no longer protect them from the heat.

The village was home to a girl named Lin. Her family, like everyone else, was struggling with the heat. One day, her mother sent Lin to the market to get some water. "Find at least a little water," her mother pleaded. "We need to hold on until the rain comes."

At the market, Lin noticed an old man sitting in the shade. In his hands was a beautiful fan with golden patterns. "This fan looks magical," Lin thought. She approached the old man and asked, "How much is your fan?"

The old man smiled: "This fan is not for sale. But I will give it to someone who uses it with a good heart."

Lin told the old man about her village and how people were suffering from the heat. "If this fan can help, I am willing to do whatever it takes to save the village," she said.

The old man handed her the fan and said, "This fan is magical. If you wave it with a pure heart, it will bring coolness. But remember: use it only to help others."

Lin ran back to the village and climbed to the highest hill. She waved the fan, and a miracle happened: the wind became cool, and clouds appeared over the village. Soon, the long-awaited rain began. The land came alive, the wells filled with water, and the river babbled again.

The villagers were happy. They thanked Lin for her courage and kindness. "You saved us, Lin," they said. But the girl only smiled and replied, "It wasn't me, it was the wonderful fan."

The next day, Lin went back to the market to return the fan to the old man. But his place was empty. "Maybe he was a magician," Lin thought. From then on, she always helped others, knowing that good deeds create real miracles.

Moral of the Story:

• A good heart can change the world around us.
• True strength is the desire to help others.
• Miracles happen when we act sincerely and selflessly.

Questions for Discussion with Children:

1. Why did the old man give the fan to Lin?
2. How did the fan help the village?
3. What does this story teach us?