The Five Mouse Brothers (A Beautifully Illustrated Children Picture Book Adapted From a Classic Chinese Folktale; Perfect Bedtime Story)
Authors: Rachel Yu
The Five Mouse Brothers
Written by Rachel Yu
Published by Michael Yu
Copyright © 2011 by Michael Yu
Illustrated by Alden's studio
All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book
A long time ago, many years before....
There were five mouse brothers who lived in Bok Tong Goh Village, China. Each was identical to the next, right down to their light gray fur, which was the same color as the stones from the river bed. The only way to tell them apart was by the color of their vests. Brother Hong wore red, Brother Cheng wore orange, Brother Wong wore yellow, Brother Look wore green, and Brother Lalm wore blue.
One early morning the mouse brothers went out to the wheat field to pick grain to eat. The other villagers were there as well. The day went on, and soon the brothers had filled their sacks with grain. They carried their bags over their shoulders and went home.
Shortly after they had reached their house, the mouse brothers were confronted by an angry mob of villagers.
"Thief!" The villagers cried. "Robber! Bandit! Crook!"
"What is this?" The brothers asked, "We have not done any wrong."
The mayor stepped forward. His name was Chun. He said, "Brother Hong you have stolen grain from your neighbors, thus breaking the Law of Mice."
"What grain, Mayor Chun? I have taken only my fair share," said Brother Hong.
"Lies!" the villagers shouted.
Mayor Chun cleared his throat. "This morning, as the villagers of Bok Tong Goh were out gathering their grain, several bags were stolen. They found footprints nearby that matched yours, and many of them say that Brother Hong had visited them just before the sacks went missing."
"It is true; I did drop in on my fellow mice. But I took no bags, check for yourselves," Brother Hong said.
"You have had plenty of time to hide the food," said Mayor Chun. "Who else do you suggest stole it? One of your brothers?"
Not wanting for his brethren to be punished as well, Brother Hong was put in prison. The rest of the villagers, not including the other brothers, held a council meeting to decide Brother Hong's fate.
"He must face consequences!" The council cried. "Mouse stealing from mouse will not be tolerated in this village."
"Bring out...the Wheel of Doom!" Mayor Chun ordered.
A wooden wheel was brought out by several mice. On four different sections of the wheel were four different punishments.
Mayor Chun spun the Wheel of Doom. Around and around it went, until it slowed down. The villagers watched intently.
"It is decided...death by mousetrap!" Mayor Chun announced. "Brother Hong will be sentenced tomorrow at sunrise."
Now, there was something the villagers did not know. The five mouse brothers were no ordinary mice. Each one had a special power. Brother Hong had super hearing and sight—he could hear a single butterfly's wings beat two miles away.
Brother Cheng had super strength. He could lift whole boulders and was ten times stronger than any mouse, or even a cat.
