Peter’s Chinese Kid Lit #3: The Last Magic
May 2nd, 2009 | View Comments
This week, we abandon the psychotic Little Fox in favor of a lovely little old lady who performs magic.
最後的魔法
Zui4 huo4 de5 mo3 fa3
The Last Magic
In this book, an aging 魔女 mo3 nu3 (Sorceress) decides that for her last use of her magic, she wants to turn herself into something beautiful and people will love. First, she turns herself into a flower, only to escape becoming a fox’s lunch by returning to her former state. (What is it with these stories and foxes?) Then she tries becoming a crow, which goes well until she flies too high and is chased by an eagle. After crash landing into a tree, she meets a little boy. They hike to the top of a hill only to rest. “Boy, would it be nice to have a bench to sit on!” they exclaim. (Why, that’s not foreshadowing at all! What? Did I give away the ending?)
The boy is fascinated by her magic after she writes his name on his shoes with it. He runs to go home and asks the woman to wait for him. As she waits, several others hike up the steep hill and ponder over the lack of a bench. (I bet you can guess what she’ll turn herself into next! That’s right, a grand piano with golden keys!) After hearing yet another person wish for a bench, she makes up her mind and makes it so; using her last bit of magic. The next day, the boy returns and is heartbroken to see the old lady gone, so he sits on the bench to wait for her.
This is such a cute little story. It’s got everything: optimism, nice little old ladies, thrilling chases, danger, crash landings in trees, emotional tug of the heartstrings, and magic. Aww.
Next week, we return to the Little Old Lady and learn what happens many years later.
Peter posted this on May 2nd, 2009 @ 11:37pm in Books, Chinese, Peter's Chinese Kid Lit, Reading | Permalink to "Peter’s Chinese Kid Lit #3: The Last Magic"
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