A Chinese Story: 神笔马良 Ma Liang And The Magic Pen

神笔马良 (Shénbǐ Mǎ Liáng) Ma Liang and the Magic Pen

“神笔马良 (Shénbǐ Mǎ Liáng) Ma Liang and the Magic Pen” is a very famous and interesting story for children in China. Magic is a mysterious thing that kids are interested in, so this story is interesting to them and can help them learn how to read Chinese in a fun way.

喜欢 (xǐhuan) v. to like/love

画画 (huà huà) v. to draw/paint

Cóngqián, yǒu gè háizi jiào Mǎ Liáng, fēicháng xǐhuan huà huà.
从 前，       有 个  孩子叫     马 良，  非常         喜欢    画 画。

Once upon a time, there was a child, named Ma Liang. He loved painting very much.
Dànshì tā méiyǒu huàbǐ, jiù yòng shùzhī liànxí.
但 是    他  没有     画笔，就  用   树枝   练习。

But he was so poor that he couldn’t afford a paint brush; instead he practiced painting with branches.
Yìtiān, tā mèngjiàn yǒu rén sòngle tā yìzhī shénbǐ,
一天，他   梦见       有  人    送 了 他一支    神笔，

One night, he dreamed that someone gifted a magic pen to him,
Jīnguāngshǎnshǎn, fēicháng piàoliang.
金 光 闪 闪，             非常        漂亮。

which was glittering and very beautiful.
Xǐnglái jìngrán zhēn de yǒu yìzhī shénbǐ.
醒 来    竟 然    真  的   有   一支  神笔。

When he woke up, there really was a magic pen.
Zhè zhī bǐ huà chūlái de dōngxi dōu huì huó guòlái,
这    支 笔 画   出来  的  东西    都    会  活    过来.

Surprisingly, whatever Ma Liang painted with the magic pen would come to life.
Hòulái, yígè dà cáizhu zhīdào le.
后 来，一个 大   财主   知道  了。

Later, a rich landlord learned about the pen.
Tā bǎ Mǎ Liáng guānle qǐlái, zhǔnbèi è sǐ tā, duó lái shénbǐ.
他  把    马 良     关了  起来,   准备   饿 死他，  夺来   神 笔。

He locked Ma up to get the pen and tried to starve him.
Mǎ Liáng què yòng shénbǐ huàle bǐng.
马 良         却    用     神笔   画 了  饼。

However, Ma Liang drew a cake with the Pen, and fed on it.
Bànyè huàle tīzi, táochū dìzhǔ jiā.
半 夜  画了梯子， 逃出  地主 家。

At midnight, Ma painted a ladder, and escaped.
Méi zǒu duō yuǎn, zhǐ tīngjiàn hòumian yízhèn xuānhuá.
没     走    多   远，  只   听见      后面       一阵      喧哗。

Ma had not gotten far when there was a burst of noise.
Cáizhu qízhe kuàimǎ, zhuī shàng lái le.
财主     骑着    快马， 追      上    来了。

The landlord was riding a horse to catch up with him..
Mǎ Liáng yòng shénbǐ huàle gōngjiàn, zhèng shèzhòng cáizhu de yānhóu,
马 良          用      神笔  画 了  弓 箭,       正      射 中       财主   的    咽喉，

Ma drew a bow and arrow with the magic pen, and shot the arrow right in the throat of the landlord.
cáizhu fānshēn diēxià mǎ qù.
财主       翻身     跌下  马  去。

The landlord fell down from the horse.
Mǎ Liáng pāipāi jùnmǎ, fēi yíyàng de xiàngqián qù le.
马 良         拍拍   骏马，飞 一样    地    向前      去 了。

Ma Liang patted the big horse and rode away.
Key Learning Points:

Dialogue:
    Nǐ xǐhuan zhège gùshi ma?
A: 你  喜欢    这个   故事   吗？

Do you like this story?
    Dāngrán, wǒ hěn xǐhuan Mǎ Liáng de shénbǐ.
B: 当然，      我   很   喜欢      马良      的    神笔。

Certainly, I like Ma Liang’s magic pen very much.

Examples:

Xiǎomíng xǐhuan huà huà.
小 明          喜欢     画 画。

Xiaoming likes to draw pictures.
Bàba jiāo wǒ huà huà.
爸爸   教   我   画 画。

My dad taught me how to paint.
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