The Well
by Michele M.
Once there was a boy who lived with his
mother and grandfather in a village by the banks of the Yangzte
River. This boy's name was Wung. His mother's name was Ching.
Ching was cooking dinner for her father and herself. She needed
one bucket of water. She was making noodles for her father's birthday.
She knew he liked rice, so she prepared a big, blue, porcelain
bowl of rice.
"Depends what it is," said Wung in an obnoxious manner.
"Would you go to the well and fill me up a bucket of water
so I can make your grandfather's dinner?" asked Ching.
"What's in it for me?" questioned Wung.
"I'll let you bring Ping along," suggested Ching.
"Okay!" replied Wung. Ping was Wung's best friend. They
were almost exactly alike. Ping lived in the Pagoda next to Wung
and Ching.
"I'll go over and ask Ping if he wants to come," remarked
Ching. Ching went over to the door and put on her cloth shoes,
which were extra small for her bound feet.
Wung waited for his mother's return.
"Wow, you're here!" said Wung very surprisingly.
"Hey, Wung," greeted Ping.
"Hi Ping, are you ready to go?" asked Wung.
"Sure, anytime. Wung and Ping were off. Wung was carrying
the bucket. After an hour or so of walking down a long narrow
path they stopped.
"Left or right?" asked Wung.
"How am I supposed to know? Your mother said she told you the directions,"
remarked Ping.
"Yeah, but I was practicing Tai Chi, you know no one can
disturb me while I'm practicing Tai Chi," complained Wung.
"And anyway, my mother told me that she told you the directions,
in case I forgot," added Wung.
"Great, we're lost, we'll just have to wait until someone
finds us," whined Ping.
Meanwhile, back in the village Ching was panicking. Last time
something like this happened she called the police. But Ching
knew from experiences in the past that the police are not much
help. So she did what she thought was right and went out to look
for them.
"So, what were you doing while your mother was telling you
the directions?" questioned Wung.
"Well, I was in the middle of a dude piece jigsaw puzzle
of a pagoda. I thought I was almost done too," answered Ping.
I can tell they went this way, thought Ching to herself. I can
see the bucket marks from all the time they sat down to rest,
she thought again.
And sure enough, Ching was right. For what she saw at the end
of the bend was Wung and Ping sitting on a log.
"Oh, my poor baby," announced Ching as she ran to her
son. "Are you boys okay?" asked Ching. They all walked
to the well together while the boys explained everything.
They got the water and returned home safely. But being the sweet,
caring and sensitive mother Ching is, Wung got away with his rudeness.
I think Wung and Ping's experience made them learn a valuable
lesson. When the blind lead the blind, they both fall over the
cliff!