Page 1: The Quiet Meadow

Tom loved to wander in the green meadow behind his house. The tall grass swayed like waves in a calm sea. He would chase butterflies, and his laughter filled the air. But when the wind grew windier, the meadow seemed to whisper warnings. Tom felt a small, nervous shiver in his chest.

Page 2: The Mysterious Hollow

Hidden behind a cluster of willow trees was a dark hollow. Tom heard the wind sigh through the branches. He pressed his hand against a stone wall, feeling the cool dampness. The hollow looked like a tiny cave, and the shadows danced. That night, Tom stared at the dark spot and wondered what secrets it held.

Page 3: The Flickering Campfire

One evening, Tom's grandpa lit a small campfire. The flames crackled and threw bright yellow sparks into the starry sky. Grandpa told stories of brave explorers and brave hearts. Tom listened, feeling both brave and brave? He wondered if he could be as courageous as the stories described.

Page 4: The First Step

The next morning, Tom drew a line on his palm with a colored pencil. The line would represent his promise to be brave. He walked slowly toward the hollow, heart beating loudly. When his left foot stepped onto the damp path, his breath caught as if a giant were watching.

Page 5: The Whispering Wind

Inside the hollow, the wind was louder. It made the trees hum and the grass tremble. Tom's eyes widened. He heard a soft rustle that felt like someone saying, “Hello.” He closed his eyes and breathed in the cool air. With each breath he felt less afraid.

Page 6: The Bravery Inside

Tom stood, face forward, and turned his hands to shield his heart. He said out loud, “I am brave.” The wind responded like applause. He realized that the only thing that could scare him was his own doubt. The boy smiled, feeling proud of his tiny victory.

A Boy Who Faces His First Fear (Chinese)

A gentle tale about courage, curiosity, and the first time a young boy learns to face his fears.

3-5

Page 1: The Quiet Meadow

tāng汤mǔ姆xǐ喜huān欢zài在zì自jiā家hòu后yuàn院de的lǜ绿cǎo草píng坪shàng上sàn散bù步。gāo高gāo高de的cǎo草xiàng像píng平jìng静hǎi海miàn面shàng上de的bō波làng浪yī一yàng样yáo摇yè曳。 tā他huì会zhuī追zhú逐hú蝴dié蝶，xiào笑shēng声huí回dàng荡zài在kōng空qì气zhōng中。 dàn但dāng当fēng风biàn变dé得gèng更dà大shí时，cǎo草de地fǎng仿fú佛zài在dī低shēng声jǐng警gào告tā他。tāng汤mǔ姆de的xiǎo小xiōng胸kǒu口wēi微wēi微fā发dǒu抖。

Page 2: The Mysterious Hollow

yī一cù簇liǔ柳shù树hòu后miàn面duǒ躲zhe着yī一gè个hēi黑àn暗de的kōng空dòng洞。tāng汤mǔ姆tīng听dào到fēng风zài在shù树zhī枝jiān间sī嘶sī嘶zuò作xiǎng响。 bǎ把shǒu手àn按zài在shí石qiáng墙shàng上，tā他gǎn感dào到liáng凉shuǎng爽de的shī湿dù度。zhè这gè个kōng空dòng洞xiàng像yī一gè个xiǎo小dòng洞xué穴，yǐng影zǐ子zài在tiào跳wǔ舞。 nà那wǎn晚，tāng汤mǔ姆wàng望zhe着hēi黑àn暗，xiǎng想zhī知dào道lǐ里miàn面cáng藏zhe着shén什me么bì秘mì密。

Page 3: The Flickering Campfire

xià下gè个wǎn晚shàng上，tāng汤mǔ姆de的yé爷yé爷diǎn点qǐ起le了xiǎo小gōu篝huǒ火。huǒ火yàn焰pī噼pā啪zuò作xiǎng响，xiàng向xīng星kōng空pāo抛sǎ洒huáng黄sè色huǒ火xīng星。yé爷yé爷jiǎng讲shù述le了yǒng勇gǎn敢tàn探xiǎn险zhě者de的gù故shì事。tāng汤mǔ姆yī一biān边tīng听，yī一biān边gǎn感dào到jì既yǒng勇gǎn敢yòu又dǎn胆qiè怯。tā他xiǎng想zhī知dào道zì自jǐ己néng能fǒu否hé和gù故shì事lǐ里de的rén人yī一yàng样yīng英yǒng勇。

Page 4: The First Step

yì翌rì日qīng清chén晨，tāng汤mǔ姆yòng用cǎi彩bǐ笔zài在shǒu手zhǎng掌shàng上huà画le了yī一tiáo条xiàn线。nà那tiáo条xiàn线dài代biǎo表tā他yǒng勇gǎn敢de的chéng承nuò诺。tā他màn慢màn慢zǒu走xiàng向kōng空dòng洞，xīn心zàng脏pēng怦pēng怦zhí直tiào跳。zuǒ左jiǎo脚tà踏shàng上cháo潮shī湿de的xiǎo小lù路shí时，tā他de的hū呼xī吸xiàng像yǒu有dà大rén人zhù注shì视bān般tíng停dùn顿。

Page 5: The Whispering Wind

zài在kōng空dòng洞nèi内，fēng风gèng更dà大shēng声。tā它ràng让shù树mù木hēng哼chàng唱，cǎo草de地chàn颤dǒu抖。tāng汤mǔ姆de的shuāng双yǎn眼zhēng睁dà大。 tā他tīng听jiàn见qīng轻qīng轻de的shā沙shā沙shēng声，hǎo好xiàng像yǒu有rén人zài在shuō说：“nǐ你hǎo好。” tā他bì闭shàng上yǎn眼jīng睛，xī吸rù入liáng凉shuǎng爽de的kōng空qì气。yī一cì次cì次hū呼xī吸ràng让tā他bù不zài再hài害pà怕。

Page 6: The Bravery Inside

tāng汤mǔ姆zhàn站qǐ起，miàn面xiàng向qián前fāng方，shuāng双shǒu手hù护zhù住xīn心zàng脏。tā他dà大shēng声shuō说：“wǒ我hěn很yǒng勇gǎn敢。” fēng风xiàng像zhǎng掌shēng声yī一yàng样huí回yīng应。 tā他yì意shí识dào到，wéi唯yī一néng能xià吓dào到tā他de的shì是zì自jǐ己de的yí疑lǜ虑。 hái孩zǐ子wēi微xiào笑，gǎn感dào到wèi为zì自jǐ己de的xiǎo小xiǎo小shèng胜lì利gǎn感dào到zì自háo豪。