In ancient China lived a poor boy called Ling Dang. Ling Dang’s mother died when he was just five. His father soon married another lady. His stepmother was cruel to Ling Dang right from the start. Once her son, Baodan, was born a few years later, she became even more hateful.

Eventually, Ling Dang’s father also passed away. Ling Dang thenlived with his stepmother and Baodan. Though the stepmother disliked Ling Dang, Baodan loved him and was always ready to help him.

Every day, the stepmother would give Ling Dang the most difficult tasks to perform, and when he failed, the stepmother punished him. Whenever his stepmother punished Ling Dang, Baodan would help him. This closeness between the brothers irritated the stepmother even more.

One morning, as usual, Ling Dang asked his stepmother, “What do I do today, mother?”

The stepmother replied, “Take a sheep with you to the town. I want you to get enough money to buy us something to eat. We should be able to eat the item without cooking, and it should also be enough to feed the pigs and chickens on the farm. Not only that, I want you to bring back the sheep as well.”

Baodan was sorry for his brother. “What will you do, brother?”

Ling Dang cheerfully replied, “Do not worry, Baodan. I know what to do. Can you get me a pair of scissors?”

When Baodan brought the scissors, Ling Dang used the scissors to remove the wool from the sheep. He sold the wool for enough money to buy a large watermelon.

When he returned home with the sheep, his stepmother asked, “What did you bring us to eat?”

Ling Dang answered, “I bought us a watermelon, mother. We can eat it without cooking.”

After finishing their meal, the stepmother asked, “We have eaten, but what about the pigs and the chickens?”

“Do not worry, mother. We can feed the skin of the watermelon to the pigs and the seeds to the chicken.” He then proceeded to do as he said.

The next day, Ling Dang again asked his stepmother, “What do I do today, mother?”

The stepmother replied, “Go to the Wild-Wolf gully to graze the sheep.”

“I want to go too,” said Baodan.

The stepmother stopped Baodan, “You can go another day. Let your brother go alone.”

The Wild-Wolf gully was a dangerous place on top of a hill where wolves roamed around, waiting to eat any human or animal. The stepmother knew this which is why she stopped Baodan from accompanying Ling Dang.

She thought, “If the wolves kill Ling Dang, then I will have one less mouth to feed.”

Ling Dang knew everything about the dangers of Wild-Wolf Gully. He felt sad that his stepmother wanted to harm him. Nonetheless, Ling Dang went as asked.

But first, he stopped at the hut of an old shepherd who lived at the base of the hill. “Grandpa, I am taking my sheep to graze in the Wild-Wolf Gully. Can you help protect me from the wolves?”

The old shepherd replied, “You are a brave boy to venture into such a dangerous place. Do not worry. I will help you.”

He then cupped his hands and made a “Roar” sound. “This is the sound of a Tiger. The wolves will not come near you if you make this sound.”

Ling Dang practiced a few times, and before long, he mastered the sound. Thanking the old shepherd, he proceeded on his journey.

When Ling Dang finally reached Wild-Wolf Gully, he thought it was the most beautiful place that he had ever seen. Indeed, it was an unspoilt and peaceful place where one could spend hours together if not for fear of the
wolves.

Ling Dang made the “Roar” as soon as he reached the area which kept the wolves away.

While the sheep were grazing, a fruit tree with bright red fruits caught his eyes.

“The fruits are tasty and luscious looking. I am hungry.”

One fruit was on the ground, so he picked it up and ate it. While eating, he thought, “I still am hungry. I wish I could eat two more of these fruits.”

The next moment, two red fruits fell on the ground before him. Ling Dang thought holding a fruit, “Is this fruit magical? I got two more fruits as soon as I wished for it. Let me try again. I wish to become tall and strong.”

After eating the fruits, Ling Dang went to quench his thirst in the nearby river. He was shocked to see his reflection in the river. From pale, small and thin, he had become tall, strong and healthy.

He thought, “Looks like the fruits in the tree grant whatever we wish for.”

That evening when he went back home, his stepmother thought that a stranger had come home. “Who is this man? He is wearing the same clothes as Ling Dang and is coming with our sheep. But Ling Dang was pale and short and would have been killed by the wolves in Wild-Wolf Gully,” she thought.

“Who are you?” She asked the stranger.

She was shocked when she heard him say, “Mother, it is me, Ling Dang.”
Ling Dang then narrated to his stepmother and Baodan the tale of how he became strong after wishing for it while eating the red fruits.

The next day, the stepmother sent Ling Dang on an errand and called her son Baodan, “I want you to go to Wild-Wolf gully and bring all the red fruits on that tree. We can wish for whatever we want with those fruits.”

Excited, Baodan set off alone on his quest. Soon it was evening, and Ling Dan returned home.

Not seeing his little brother anywhere, he asked, “Mother, where is Baodan?”

The stepmother replied, “I had sent Baodan to Wild-Wolf gully in the morning. He has still not returned home.”

“Oh, mother! What did you do? You should not have sent Baodan alone. Don’t you know wild wolves are roaming there?” said Ling Dang.

Worried, both of them rushed to Wild-Wolf gully. When they reached the fruit tree, they saw wolves circling the tree, and Baodan was lying unconscious on one of the branches. Ling Dang roared and chased the wolves. After bringing Baodan down from the tree, Ling Dang carried his brother home.

When they reached home, Baodan slowly opened his eyes. “I was only able to pluck one fruit from the tree, mother. The wolves attacked me before I could take any more.”

Taking the fruit from Baodan, Ling Dang offered it to his stepmother. “Eat the fruit, mother. You will feel better.”

With tears in her eyes, the stepmother took the fruit from Ling Dang and thought, “I wronged Ling Dang, and he saved my son. I wish I had treated him better.”

She apologized for her behavior and begged for Ling Dang’s forgiveness. From that day on, she treated Ling Dang as her son, and the three of them lived happily together.