1
00:00:08,560 --> 00:00:23,279
Speaker 1: Hello, friends, and welcome to sleep Tight Stories. Today. I

2
00:00:23,360 --> 00:00:28,639
Speaker 1: am going to share a Chinese tale with you. In

3
00:00:28,720 --> 00:00:32,480
Speaker 1: this story, we will meet Missus Wang and her son

4
00:00:33,000 --> 00:00:39,080
Speaker 1: and their two pets. They are very, very hungry and

5
00:00:39,200 --> 00:00:44,800
Speaker 1: don't have any money to get any food. The sun

6
00:00:45,240 --> 00:00:49,360
Speaker 1: mingly goes out looking for work every day to get

7
00:00:49,440 --> 00:00:53,360
Speaker 1: money to buy food, but has not been very lucky.

8
00:00:56,400 --> 00:00:59,760
Speaker 1: One day, a priest comes to their door to reward

9
00:00:59,840 --> 00:01:04,880
Speaker 1: them them for their faith and persistence. He gives Missus

10
00:01:04,920 --> 00:01:09,080
Speaker 1: Wang a golden beetle and tells her how this will

11
00:01:09,120 --> 00:01:13,920
Speaker 1: be the end of all their problems. How can a

12
00:01:13,959 --> 00:01:24,240
Speaker 1: beetle save them? Let's listen and see the golden beetle.

13
00:01:26,959 --> 00:01:31,119
Speaker 1: What shall we eat tomorrow? I haven't the slightest idea,

14
00:01:31,920 --> 00:01:36,160
Speaker 1: said Missus Wang to her oldest son, as he started

15
00:01:36,200 --> 00:01:42,920
Speaker 1: out one morning in search of work. Oh, the gods

16
00:01:42,959 --> 00:01:47,720
Speaker 1: will provide. I'll find a few coins somewheres, replied the boy,

17
00:01:47,880 --> 00:01:52,280
Speaker 1: trying to speak cheerfully, although in his heart he also

18
00:01:52,880 --> 00:01:57,360
Speaker 1: had not the slightest idea in which direction to turn.

19
00:02:00,120 --> 00:02:06,200
Speaker 1: The winter had been a hard one, extreme cold, deep snow,

20
00:02:06,720 --> 00:02:13,160
Speaker 1: and harsh winds. The Wang house had suffered greatly. The

21
00:02:13,280 --> 00:02:17,919
Speaker 1: roof had fallen in weighed down by heavy snow. Then

22
00:02:18,600 --> 00:02:23,600
Speaker 1: a hurricane had blown a wall over, and Mingle the

23
00:02:23,639 --> 00:02:28,720
Speaker 1: sun up all night, and exposed to a bitter cold wind,

24
00:02:29,240 --> 00:02:36,600
Speaker 1: had caught pneumonia. Long days of illness followed, with the

25
00:02:36,680 --> 00:02:42,560
Speaker 1: spending of extra money for medicine. All their small savings

26
00:02:42,600 --> 00:02:46,360
Speaker 1: had soon melted away, and at the shop where Mingli

27
00:02:46,520 --> 00:02:53,480
Speaker 1: had worked, someone had been hired to replace him. When

28
00:02:53,520 --> 00:02:56,320
Speaker 1: at last he got up from his sick bed, he

29
00:02:56,480 --> 00:03:00,360
Speaker 1: was too weak for hard labor, and the sea to

30
00:03:00,440 --> 00:03:04,639
Speaker 1: be no work in the neighboring villages for him to do.

31
00:03:08,240 --> 00:03:12,799
Speaker 1: Night after night, he came home, trying not to be discouraged,

32
00:03:13,480 --> 00:03:17,720
Speaker 1: but in his heart feeling deep pangs of sorrow that

33
00:03:17,880 --> 00:03:21,320
Speaker 1: come to the good son who sees his mother suffering

34
00:03:21,919 --> 00:03:30,000
Speaker 1: for want of food and clothing. Bless his good heart,

35
00:03:30,160 --> 00:03:33,880
Speaker 1: said the poor woman after he had gone. No mother

36
00:03:34,120 --> 00:03:38,280
Speaker 1: ever had a better son. I hope he is right

37
00:03:38,560 --> 00:03:42,520
Speaker 1: in saying the Gods will provide. It has been getting

38
00:03:42,640 --> 00:03:47,800
Speaker 1: so much worse these past few weeks. Why even the

39
00:03:47,880 --> 00:03:52,080
Speaker 1: rats have deserted our cottage, and there's nothing left for

40
00:03:52,360 --> 00:04:00,960
Speaker 1: poor Tabby, While old Blackfoot is so skinny. When the

41
00:04:01,040 --> 00:04:05,000
Speaker 1: old woman referred to the sorrows of her pets. Her

42
00:04:05,040 --> 00:04:10,200
Speaker 1: remarks were answered by a pitiful mewing and woebegone barking

43
00:04:10,640 --> 00:04:15,560
Speaker 1: from the corner where the two unfed creatures were curled

44
00:04:15,640 --> 00:04:26,039
Speaker 1: up together trying to keep warm. Just then there was

45
00:04:26,120 --> 00:04:30,440
Speaker 1: a loud knocking at the gate. When missus Wang called

46
00:04:30,560 --> 00:04:35,400
Speaker 1: come in, she was surprised to see an old, bald

47
00:04:35,440 --> 00:04:41,120
Speaker 1: headed priest standing in the doorway. Sorry, but we have nothing,

48
00:04:41,800 --> 00:04:45,600
Speaker 1: she went on, feeling sure the visitor had come in

49
00:04:45,640 --> 00:04:50,640
Speaker 1: search of food. We have fed on scraps these two weeks,

50
00:04:51,120 --> 00:04:55,520
Speaker 1: on scraps and scrapings, and now we are living on

51
00:04:55,600 --> 00:04:58,599
Speaker 1: the memories of what we used to have. When my

52
00:04:58,720 --> 00:05:03,919
Speaker 1: son's father was here, our cat was so fat she

53
00:05:03,960 --> 00:05:07,560
Speaker 1: couldn't climb to the roof. Now look at her, you

54
00:05:07,600 --> 00:05:12,680
Speaker 1: can hardly see her. She's so thin. No, I'm sorry,

55
00:05:12,720 --> 00:05:16,320
Speaker 1: we can't help you, friend, priest, but you see how

56
00:05:16,320 --> 00:05:24,080
Speaker 1: it is. I did not come for your help, cried

57
00:05:24,120 --> 00:05:28,560
Speaker 1: the clean shaven one, looking at her kindly, but only

58
00:05:28,680 --> 00:05:34,039
Speaker 1: to see what I could do to help you. The

59
00:05:34,120 --> 00:05:37,920
Speaker 1: gods have listened long to the prayers of your devoted son.

60
00:05:39,080 --> 00:05:42,880
Speaker 1: They honor him because he has done so much to

61
00:05:43,040 --> 00:05:48,560
Speaker 1: try and help your family. They have seen how faithfully

62
00:05:48,680 --> 00:05:53,200
Speaker 1: he has helped you ever since his illness, and now

63
00:05:53,920 --> 00:05:58,440
Speaker 1: when he is worn out and unable to work, they

64
00:05:58,480 --> 00:06:04,240
Speaker 1: are eager to reward him. You likewise have been a

65
00:06:04,400 --> 00:06:09,200
Speaker 1: good mother and shall receive the gift I am now bringing.

66
00:06:12,120 --> 00:06:16,800
Speaker 1: What do you mean, faltered missus Wang, hardly believing her

67
00:06:16,839 --> 00:06:21,919
Speaker 1: ears at hearing a priest speak of bestowing mercies? Have

68
00:06:22,040 --> 00:06:27,680
Speaker 1: you come here to laugh at our misfortunes? By no means?

69
00:06:28,800 --> 00:06:32,839
Speaker 1: Here in my hand I hold a tiny golden beetle,

70
00:06:33,400 --> 00:06:37,720
Speaker 1: which you will find has a magic power greater than

71
00:06:37,800 --> 00:06:42,200
Speaker 1: any you ever dreamed of. I will leave this precious

72
00:06:42,240 --> 00:06:49,359
Speaker 1: thing with you a present. Yes it will sell or

73
00:06:49,360 --> 00:06:54,640
Speaker 1: a good sum, murmured the other, looking closely at the trinket,

74
00:06:54,680 --> 00:06:58,440
Speaker 1: and will give us millet for several days. Thank you,

75
00:06:58,560 --> 00:07:03,640
Speaker 1: good priest for your kindness. But you must, by no

76
00:07:03,880 --> 00:07:08,400
Speaker 1: means sell this golden beetle, or it has the power

77
00:07:08,520 --> 00:07:15,000
Speaker 1: to fill your stomachs as long as you live. The

78
00:07:15,080 --> 00:07:22,280
Speaker 1: woman stared in open mouthed wonder at the priest's surprising words. Yes,

79
00:07:23,200 --> 00:07:26,600
Speaker 1: you must not doubt me, but listen carefully to what

80
00:07:26,760 --> 00:07:31,560
Speaker 1: I tell you. Whenever you wish for food. You have

81
00:07:31,760 --> 00:07:36,040
Speaker 1: only to place this ornamental beetle in a kettle of

82
00:07:36,120 --> 00:07:42,800
Speaker 1: boiling water, saying over and over again the names of

83
00:07:42,880 --> 00:07:47,840
Speaker 1: what you want to eat. In three minutes, take off

84
00:07:47,880 --> 00:07:52,280
Speaker 1: the lid, and there will be your dinner, smoking hot

85
00:07:52,920 --> 00:07:58,360
Speaker 1: and cooked more perfectly than any food you have ever eaten.

86
00:07:59,840 --> 00:08:04,240
Speaker 1: I try it now, she asked eagerly, as soon as

87
00:08:04,280 --> 00:08:11,000
Speaker 1: I am gone. When the door was shut, the old

88
00:08:11,120 --> 00:08:16,040
Speaker 1: woman hurriedly kindled the fire, boiled some water, and then

89
00:08:16,160 --> 00:08:24,680
Speaker 1: dropped in the golden beetle, repeating these words again and again. Dumplings,

90
00:08:24,880 --> 00:08:31,680
Speaker 1: dumplings come to me. I am thin as thin can be. Dumplings,

91
00:08:31,760 --> 00:08:40,880
Speaker 1: dumplings smoking hot, dumplings, Dumplings fill the pot. Would those

92
00:08:41,000 --> 00:08:47,240
Speaker 1: three minutes never pass? Could the priest have told the truth.

93
00:08:48,679 --> 00:08:53,880
Speaker 1: Her old head was nearly wild with excitement. As clouds

94
00:08:53,880 --> 00:08:57,840
Speaker 1: of steam rose from the kettle. Off came the lid.

95
00:08:58,240 --> 00:09:05,120
Speaker 1: She could wait no longer. Wonder of wonders. There before

96
00:09:05,240 --> 00:09:10,080
Speaker 1: her unbelieving eyes was a pot full to the brim

97
00:09:10,320 --> 00:09:15,280
Speaker 1: of pork dumplings, dancing up and down in the bubbling water,

98
00:09:16,080 --> 00:09:21,760
Speaker 1: The best, the most delicious dumplings she had ever tasted.

99
00:09:23,679 --> 00:09:27,680
Speaker 1: She ate and ate till there was no room left

100
00:09:27,720 --> 00:09:32,360
Speaker 1: in her greedy stomach. And then she feasted the cat

101
00:09:32,440 --> 00:09:38,800
Speaker 1: and the dog until they were ready to burst. Good

102
00:09:38,920 --> 00:09:42,959
Speaker 1: fortune has come at last, whispered Blackfoot the dog to

103
00:09:43,080 --> 00:09:48,720
Speaker 1: Whitehead the cat, as they lay down to sun themselves outside.

104
00:09:49,040 --> 00:09:52,440
Speaker 1: I fear I couldn't have held out another week without

105
00:09:52,520 --> 00:09:56,400
Speaker 1: running away to look for food. I don't know just

106
00:09:56,559 --> 00:10:03,760
Speaker 1: what's happened, but there's no use questioning the god. Missus

107
00:10:03,800 --> 00:10:07,800
Speaker 1: Wang fairly danced for joy at the thought of her

108
00:10:07,840 --> 00:10:11,360
Speaker 1: son's return, and of how she would be able to

109
00:10:11,480 --> 00:10:17,000
Speaker 1: feed him. Poor boy, how surprised he will be at

110
00:10:17,040 --> 00:10:20,880
Speaker 1: our fortune. And it's all on account of his goodness

111
00:10:21,240 --> 00:10:28,560
Speaker 1: to his old mother. When ming Li came with a

112
00:10:28,679 --> 00:10:33,760
Speaker 1: dark cloud overhanging his brow, the woman saw plainly the

113
00:10:33,880 --> 00:10:40,079
Speaker 1: disappointment that was written there. Come come, lad, she cried, cheerfully,

114
00:10:40,720 --> 00:10:44,360
Speaker 1: cheer up, and clear your face and smile, for the

115
00:10:44,400 --> 00:10:47,400
Speaker 1: gods have been good to us, and I shall soon

116
00:10:47,600 --> 00:10:54,160
Speaker 1: show you how rich your devotion has been rewarded. So saying,

117
00:10:54,679 --> 00:10:58,720
Speaker 1: she dropped the golden beetle into the boiling water and

118
00:10:58,920 --> 00:11:06,680
Speaker 1: stirred up the fire, Thinking his mother had gone stark

119
00:11:06,840 --> 00:11:11,760
Speaker 1: mad for want of food. Mingle stared seriously at her.

120
00:11:12,720 --> 00:11:17,080
Speaker 1: Anything was preferable to this misery. Should he sell his

121
00:11:17,280 --> 00:11:20,480
Speaker 1: last outer garment for a few pennies and buy millet

122
00:11:20,520 --> 00:11:26,200
Speaker 1: for her? Blackfoot licked his hand comfortingly, as if to say,

123
00:11:26,720 --> 00:11:32,160
Speaker 1: cheer up, master, fortune has turned in our favor. Whitehead

124
00:11:32,240 --> 00:11:38,400
Speaker 1: leaped upon a bench, purring like a sawmill. Mingly did

125
00:11:38,400 --> 00:11:42,720
Speaker 1: not have long to wait. Almost in the twinkling of

126
00:11:42,760 --> 00:11:47,640
Speaker 1: an eye, he heard his mother crying out, sit down

127
00:11:47,679 --> 00:11:50,480
Speaker 1: at the table, sun, and eat these dumplings while they

128
00:11:50,520 --> 00:11:57,000
Speaker 1: are smoking hot. Could he have heard correctly? Did his

129
00:11:57,160 --> 00:12:03,480
Speaker 1: ears deceive him? No? There on the table was a

130
00:12:03,600 --> 00:12:09,719
Speaker 1: huge platter full of the delicious pork dumplings he liked

131
00:12:09,800 --> 00:12:14,720
Speaker 1: better than anything else in the world, except, of course,

132
00:12:15,080 --> 00:12:21,360
Speaker 1: his mother. Eat and ask no questions, said his mother.

133
00:12:22,120 --> 00:12:28,840
Speaker 1: When you are satisfied, I will tell you everything wise advice.

134
00:12:30,280 --> 00:12:34,160
Speaker 1: Very soon, the young man's chopsticks were twinkling like a

135
00:12:34,200 --> 00:12:39,280
Speaker 1: little star in the verses. He ate long and happily,

136
00:12:40,040 --> 00:12:44,240
Speaker 1: while his good mother watched him, her heart overflowing with

137
00:12:44,440 --> 00:12:49,720
Speaker 1: joy at seeing him at last able to satisfy his hunger.

138
00:12:51,280 --> 00:12:55,199
Speaker 1: But still the old woman could hardly wait for him

139
00:12:55,240 --> 00:12:58,800
Speaker 1: to finish, She was so anxious to tell him her

140
00:12:58,920 --> 00:13:04,640
Speaker 1: wonderful secret. Here, son, she cried at last, as he

141
00:13:04,720 --> 00:13:09,880
Speaker 1: began to pause between mouthfuls, look at my treasure, and

142
00:13:09,960 --> 00:13:15,560
Speaker 1: she held out to him the golden beetle. First, tell

143
00:13:15,600 --> 00:13:18,080
Speaker 1: me what good fairy of a rich man has been

144
00:13:18,080 --> 00:13:22,640
Speaker 1: filling our hands with silver. That's just what I am

145
00:13:22,679 --> 00:13:25,600
Speaker 1: trying to tell you, she laughed, For there was a

146
00:13:25,679 --> 00:13:30,160
Speaker 1: fairy here this afternoon, sure enough, only he was dressed

147
00:13:30,440 --> 00:13:35,000
Speaker 1: like a bald priest. That golden beetle is all he

148
00:13:35,120 --> 00:13:39,079
Speaker 1: gave me, But with it comes a secret worth thousands

149
00:13:39,120 --> 00:13:46,440
Speaker 1: of cash to us. The youth fingered the trinket idly,

150
00:13:46,840 --> 00:13:51,840
Speaker 1: still doubting his senses and waiting impatiently for the secret

151
00:13:52,120 --> 00:13:57,439
Speaker 1: of his delicious dinner. But Mother, what has this brass

152
00:13:57,480 --> 00:14:00,720
Speaker 1: babble to do with the wonderful dumplings that we had

153
00:14:01,040 --> 00:14:08,040
Speaker 1: the finest I ever ate bobbles? Indeed, brass fife high,

154
00:14:08,040 --> 00:14:12,280
Speaker 1: my boy, you little know what you are saying. Only

155
00:14:12,400 --> 00:14:15,800
Speaker 1: listen and you shall hear a tale that will open

156
00:14:16,000 --> 00:14:22,880
Speaker 1: your eyes. She then told him what had happened, and

157
00:14:23,080 --> 00:14:26,800
Speaker 1: ended by setting all of the leftover dumplings upon the

158
00:14:26,880 --> 00:14:32,080
Speaker 1: floor or blackfoot and whitehead, a thing her son had

159
00:14:32,160 --> 00:14:36,160
Speaker 1: never seen her do before, or they had been miserably

160
00:14:36,280 --> 00:14:40,240
Speaker 1: poor and had had to save every scrap or the

161
00:14:40,320 --> 00:14:52,320
Speaker 1: next meal. Now began a long period of perfect happiness. Mother, son,

162
00:14:53,280 --> 00:14:58,240
Speaker 1: dog and cat all enjoyed themselves to their heart's content.

163
00:15:00,080 --> 00:15:03,840
Speaker 1: All manner of new food, such as they never had tasted,

164
00:15:04,320 --> 00:15:08,840
Speaker 1: were called forth from the pot by the wonderful little beetle.

165
00:15:10,560 --> 00:15:16,800
Speaker 1: Egg drop soup, sweet pork, and a hundred other delicacies

166
00:15:16,840 --> 00:15:22,560
Speaker 1: were theirs for the asking, and soon mingly regained all

167
00:15:22,680 --> 00:15:28,040
Speaker 1: his strength. As for the two animals, they became fat

168
00:15:28,640 --> 00:15:34,400
Speaker 1: and sleek, and their hair grew long and glossy, and

169
00:15:34,520 --> 00:15:44,880
Speaker 1: the family lived happily together. And that is the end

170
00:15:45,120 --> 00:15:57,360
Speaker 1: of this tale. Good night, sleep tight,