Good Times and Bad
by Alyssa T.
Once upon a time in China, there was a very rich man named Dun Chow. Now, Dun Chow was selfish and cruel. He never gave money to charities or helped other people. In the afternoon Dun Chow would order his coolies to drive his carriage around the market place, until their feet bled. And if anyone said a word they would be punished severely, and if they cried or complained about his rules they must have the death penalty. Dun Chow would never walk, he would always be carried, but his only daughter Gin Chow, well, she had her one way of living. She would demand that she wouldn't be carried, and show off. Every day she would go to her garden tend it. Gin Chow was kind and gave to charity and helped others . She had already had 22 marriage proposals, but she had turned down all of them, for she knew that the man she was looking for someone that she could talk to. Yet no one in her mansion was trustworthy enough to keep her secrets.
One day Gin Chow walked over to her fishing pond in her garden, but something was bubbling up to the top of the pond. It was a small baby dragon and around its neck was a note, a very unclear note. Gin Chow could not read the note, so she took the baby dragon and cups it in her hands . It was the cutest thing she had ever seen. It had green scales that were slimy from the pond water and had breathing problems. A few minutes later the dragon's breathing became steady and he started to talk. The dragon called himself Little One. Gin Chow told the dragon about her fantasy husband and the life she wanted to lead. As Gin Chow was talking to the dragon Dun Chow's maid was listening to their conversation. The maid then ran off to tell Dun Chow. Dun Chow did not believe the maid so she was executed. Gin Chow was wondering where her maid had gone, so she went to talk to her father. Dun Chow said, " She was going crazy and making stories about you. She also said that you were talking to a magical dragon named Little One, so she was executed."
"How could you, father!" Gin Chow screamed and then ran up to her room and threw herself on her bed. Then Little One appeared. "Oh Little One, how could my father do this, I can't believe he didn't tell me before!" Gin Chow cried.
"My father doesn't have the right to do this to people. He should learn to trust people. I miss my maid," Gin Chow explained..
Then Gin Chow knew what she had to do. She ran down the stairway, until finally she reached her father right before he was going for his afternoon stroll. She told him the truth about her love. He was furious at her that he was gone all day and all night. When he returned he had brought with him a man, a cruel man. Dun Chow said his daughter must marry this man or else, she will die. Gin Chow refused. Her father gave her a whole day to live and think about her decision. Yet she knew that she would not marry anyone except her love, even if it meant death. As she walked up the gallows for her execution a piece of paper blew in her face. It was the one that was tied on the dragons neck, except it was legible it read: EVERY DAY CAN NOT BE A FEAST OF LANTERNS!