The First WellThe First Well

4A1C00484A1C0048 林姿林姿瑩瑩

4A1C00814A1C0081 邱慧邱慧君君

4A1I00994A1I0099 吳禹吳禹萱萱

There once was a small There once was a small kingdom around a lake. kingdom around a lake. One very hot summer, One very hot summer, it did not rain and the it did not rain and the lake dried up. People lake dried up. People grew anxious and went grew anxious and went to the King. “It has not to the King. “It has not rained for so long. Our rained for so long. Our fields are fields are barrenbarren!” said !” said the farmers. the farmers.

““There are no fish to catch. There are no fish to catch. How shall we earn a living?” How shall we earn a living?” asked the fishermen. “Save asked the fishermen. “Save us from disaster, good us from disaster, good King,” urged the women, as King,” urged the women, as their children cried with their children cried with thirst.thirst.

The King sent his four The King sent his four generalsgenerals in all directions to in all directions to look for water. The first general went east, look for water. The first general went east, towards the sunrise; the second went south, to towards the sunrise; the second went south, to the dust and heat; the third went west, where the the dust and heat; the third went west, where the sun sets; and the fourth followed the North Star.sun sets; and the fourth followed the North Star.

They searched They searched day and night, day and night, night and day; night and day; high and low they high and low they searched searched everywhere, but everywhere, but in vainin vain. Three of . Three of the generals the generals returned, empty-returned, empty-handed. handed.

But the general But the general who had gone who had gone north was north was determined not to determined not to fail his King. At fail his King. At last, he reached a last, he reached a cold mountain cold mountain village. village.

As he sat at the foot of As he sat at the foot of the mountain, an old the mountain, an old woman came by and woman came by and sat next to him. The sat next to him. The general pointed at the general pointed at the horizonhorizon and said, “I and said, “I belong to a beautiful belong to a beautiful kingdom, where it has kingdom, where it has not rained for a whole not rained for a whole year. Can you help me year. Can you help me find water?”find water?”

The woman motioned The woman motioned the general to follow her the general to follow her up the mountain and up the mountain and into a cave. “We have into a cave. “We have no water in our country no water in our country either,” she said. Then, either,” she said. Then, pointing to the pointing to the iciclesicicles in in the cave, she the cave, she continued: “We call this continued: “We call this ice. Take some, and ice. Take some, and your kingdom will never your kingdom will never go thirsty again.” The go thirsty again.” The general broke off a huge general broke off a huge piece, loaded it onto his piece, loaded it onto his horse-cart and rushed horse-cart and rushed back home.back home.

By the time he By the time he reached the court, the reached the court, the enormous icicle had enormous icicle had melted into a small melted into a small lumplump of ice. Nobody in of ice. Nobody in the court had ever the court had ever seen ice, so everybody seen ice, so everybody gazed at it with gazed at it with wonder. “This must be wonder. “This must be a water-seed!” one of a water-seed!” one of the ministers the ministers exclaimedexclaimed suddenly. suddenly. The King ordered the The King ordered the ‘water-seed’ to be ‘water-seed’ to be sowed immediately. sowed immediately.

While the farmers dug While the farmers dug a hole, the lump a hole, the lump dwindleddwindled in the sun. in the sun. They They swiftlyswiftly placed the placed the seed in the hole, but seed in the hole, but before they could cover before they could cover it up, it had vanished. it up, it had vanished. The farmers there grew The farmers there grew confused and worried. confused and worried. They dug deeper and They dug deeper and deeper into the earth, deeper into the earth, all night long, looking all night long, looking for the mysterious for the mysterious seed.seed.

At the break of At the break of dawn, the King dawn, the King found the farmers found the farmers fast asleep around a fast asleep around a hole. Curious, he hole. Curious, he peepedpeeped in and cried in and cried out in amazement:out in amazement:

““Wake up, my worthy Wake up, my worthy men – the water-seed men – the water-seed has has sproutedsprouted! There’s ! There’s water in the hole!” This water in the hole!” This is how the first well was is how the first well was created.created.

A long time ago, in a very hot A long time ago, in a very hot summersummer

A small kingdom around a lakeA small kingdom around a lake

Setting

A KingA King – – kind but incapable and a kind but incapable and a little stupidlittle stupid

The first three generalsThe first three generals – – give up easilygive up easily

Character

The fourth generals who go northThe fourth generals who go north – – steadfast, loyal,steadfast, loyal, and and trustworthytrustworthy

An old womanAn old woman – – wise and mysteriouswise and mysterious

Character

Theme

Origin of the well.Origin of the well.

Our opinion:Our opinion:

People who try very hard will be People who try very hard will be rewarded.rewarded.

The general who had gone north - Persistence.

The icicles in the cave - hope.

Symbol

The small kingdom was around a lake, but there isn’t water in it.

All we know is that plants can grow; however, in this story, the icicles can grow.

Irony