Chen and the Pear Seed

Long ago, a boy named Chen worked in a rice field with his family. Many other villagers worked there, too.

But for many months it had not rained. There was no rice in the fields. Everyone was hungry.

Only the gardens of the Emperor
were filled with ripe fruits and vegetables.

Chen walked past the gardens everyday. His stomach growled when he saw the food.

One day, he saw that some pears had dropped from the trees.

“The Emperor won’t want pears that have been on the ground,” Chen said. “No one will care if I take one piece of old fruit.”

Chen climbed over the garden wall.