The Magic of Silk
This is a story from China. A long, long time ago, there lived an old woman in a hut
in the forest. Her husband had been killed by a tiger some years ago. She was old and weak.
Life was difficult for her and her daughter, Siew Mei.
Siew Mei did all the cooking and cleaning herself. She also looked after the
silkworms in their garden. The worms gave them fine thread to make beautiful silk. Siew
Mei sold the silk to travellers in the village market. In this way, she got enough money to
buy food and other things.
One day as Siew Mei was returning home, it started to rain heavily. It was getting
dark, too. Siew Mei ran into the first hut she saw. The door was open and there was no one
inside.
“Is anybody in?” she called loudly, again and again. But there was no reply.
Siew Mei looked around the hut. The floor was very dirty. Bowls and pots were left
unwashed. Siew Mei swept the floor and washed all the bowls and pots.
By the time she had finished, the hut was as clean as a new one. By then the rain had
stopped too.“I had better go home,” she said to herself. “Mother will be worried.”As she walked out of the hut, she saw a strange old man. His long beard reached
down to his waist. He looked about a hundred years old. The old man looked at Siew Mei
and smiled.
“Uncle,” she said, “I went into the hut because it was raining. I hope you don’t mind.”
“Not at all, young girl,” replied the old man. His eyes fell on the clean floor and on
the bowls and pots. “Did you clean the hut for me?”
“Yes,”answered Siew Mei. “Let me help you into the hut.”
The old man was very happy. “You’re a very kind girl,” he said. “I must give you a present.”
He took out a pair of scissors and cut off a little of his long white beard. He put it in
a piece of old cloth, tied it up, and gave the bundle to her.
“Do not give it to anyone,” said the old man. “Open it when you get home.”
Siew Mei thanked him and went home. Her mother was very glad to see Siew Mei
safe. Siew Mei told her mother about the old man.
Siew Mei opened the bundle to show her mother the old man’s white beard. To their
surprise, they saw the finest silk thread in the whole of China. They began to weave with thesilk thread. When they had finished weaving, they
had made the finest silk they had ever seen. They
noticed that the bundle of silk thread still remained
exactly the same size as before.
News of their wonderful silk spread far and
wide. The old woman and her daughter became
famous and lived happily ever after.
read the lesson and answer following questions
I. Answer the following questions:
1. Who do you think the old man is? Justify your reasons.
2. Do you believe in miracles? Are magic and miracles same? Give your reasons.
3. If you were Siew Mei, how would you feel?
4. Whatever good we give out comes back to us. Do you believe in this? Give reasons?
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Answer:
this Question is very long
Answer:
1- I think the old man is a magician.
2- Yes,i belive in miracles.Magics and miracles are not same.Magic means sone tutorial will be there but miracles are nature.
3- I would felt very happy.
4- Yes,i belive it.Even for me in many incidents it happend like this.
Explanation:
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