The Ghost in the Bell

Long ago in China, a young Prince ordered a blacksmith named Yu to build him the greatest bell in the world.

“It must have the strength of brass, the gentle kiss of silver, and the beauty of gold,” the Prince demanded.

Yu went to work right away. He gathered all the brass, silver, and gold in his workshop. Yu melted them together in a large cauldron over a hot fire.

Yu then poured the metals into a bell cast. He waited for the liquid metal to cool and harden.

Yu had a daughter named Koey. Koey loved her father. Everyday, she wore her favorite pearl slippers. They were a gift from her father. She watched her father cast the bell.

“Father, may I help you?” she asked.

“No, my daughter,” Yu replied. “This bell is my duty and my duty alone.”

The next day, the bell casting was opened. Koey came to the workshop to watch. The Prince arrived and struck the new bell. The bell cracked and turned to dust.

The Prince grew angry. “Try again!” he shouted. “And this time, use finer materials!”

Koey was sad for her father.