问题描述：
“神笔马良”的大概意思!
……
顺便用英语翻译出来!
……
顺便用英语翻译出来!
问题解答：
我来补答
大概意思:
从前,有个孩子叫马良.他很喜欢画画,可是家里穷,连一枝笔也没有.一天,他放牛回来,路过学馆,看见里面有个画师,拿着笔在给大官画画.
马良看得出神,不知不觉地走了进去.他对大官和画师说：“请给我一枝笔,可以吗?我想学画画.”
大官和画师听了哈哈大笑,说：“穷娃子也想学画画?”他们把马良赶了出来.
马良气呼呼地说：“我偏不信,穷娃子就不能学画画!”
从此,马良用心学画画.他到山上去打柴,用树枝在沙地上画天上的鸟.他到河边割草,用草根在河滩上画水中的鱼.他见到什么就画什么.
有人问他说：“马良,你学会了画画,也去给那些大官们画吗?”
马良摇摇头说：“我才不呢!我专给咱穷人画!”
日子一天一天过去,马良画画进步很快.可是他依然没有笔.他多么盼望能有一枝笔啊!
一天晚上,他躺在床上.忽然屋里闪起一道金光,一个白胡子老头儿出现在他面前.老头儿给他一支笔,说：“马良,你现在有一枝笔了,记住你自己的话,去给穷人画画!”
马良真高兴啊!他立刻拿起笔在墙上画了一只公鸡.奇怪,公鸡活了!它从墙上飞下来,跳到窗口,喔喔地叫起来.原来白胡子老头儿给他的是一枝神笔.
马良有了这支神笔,天天给村里的穷人画画.要什么就画什么,画什么就有什么.
一天,他走过一块地边,看见一个老农和一个小孩儿拉着犁耕地.泥土那么硬,拉不动.马良拿出神笔,给他们画了一头大耕牛.“哞——”耕牛下地拉犁了.
大官听说马良有一支神笔,带着兵来捉他,把他带到衙门里,要他画金元宝.马良恨透了大官,站着一动不动,大声说：“我不会画!”大官气极了,就把他关在监牢里.
到了半夜,看守监牢的兵睡熟了,马良用神笔在墙上画了一扇门,一推,门开了.马良说：“乡亲们,咱们出去吧!”监牢里的穷人都跟着他逃出去了.
大官听说马良逃了,就派兵去追.可是马良早已画了一匹快马,骑上马跑远了,哪里还追得着!
一天,他走到一个地方,那儿天气干旱,庄稼都快枯死了.农民们没有水车,用木桶背水,吭唷!吭唷!真够吃力的.马良说：“我来给你们画几架水车吧!”农民们有了水车,都很高兴.这时候,人堆里忽然钻出来几个官兵,拿铁链往马良颈上一套,又把他抓去了.
大官坐在大堂上,不住地吆喝着,“把马良绑起来!”“把他的神笔夺下来!”“快去叫画师来!”
画师来了.大官叫他画一棵摇钱树.画师拿起马良的神笔,就画一棵摇钱树.
大官欢喜得很,急忙跑过去摇,不料头撞在墙上,额角上起了个大疙瘩.画仍旧是画,没变成真的摇钱树.
大官走过来,给马良松了绑,假装好声好气地说：“马良,好马良,你给我画一张画吧!”
马良想夺回神笔,就一口答应说：“好,就给你画一回吧!”
大官见马良答应了,非常高兴,把神笔还给他,叫他画一座金山.
马良不说什么话,用神笔在墙上画了个无边无际的大海.
大官恼怒了,说：“谁叫你画海?快画金山!”
马良用笔点了几点,海中央出现了一座金山,金光闪闪,满山是金子.
大官高兴得直跳,连声说：“快画一只大船,快画一只大船,我要上金山运金子去!”
马良就画了一只大船.大官带了许多兵,跳上船就说：“快开船!快开船!”马良画了几笔风,桅杆上的帆鼓起来,船直向海中央驶去.大官嫌船慢,在船头上大声说：“风大些!风大些!”马良又加上粗粗的几笔风,大海涌起滚滚的波涛,大船有点儿倾斜了.大官心里害怕,着急地说：“风够了!风够了!”马良不理他,还是画风.风更猛了,海水咆哮起来,山一样的海浪不断地向大船压去.
大船翻了,大官他们沉到海底去了.
马良又回到村里,给穷人画画.
大概意思:
Ma Liang and the Magic Paint Brush
This is a story from China about a boy and a magic paint brush that makes everything he draws come to life!
Once upon a time in China, there was a boy named Ma Liang.
Ma Liang's parents had died early so the boy had to support himself by chopping wood and cutting grass. The boy loved painting but he was so poor he could not afford to buy a paint brush!
One day, Ma Liang walked past a school and saw a teacher painting with a brush. Without thinking, Ma Liang walked into the classroom and asked the teacher: “I want to learn painting. Can I borrow a paint brush from you?”
The teacher glared at the shabby boy and sneered: “What? A poor kid like you wants to learn to paint? You must be daydreaming! Get out of my sight!”
Quietly, Ma Liang walked away. He had just been snubbed by an adult but he remained composed and calm. In his mind he was thinking: “I just don't believe a poor child is not good enough to learn painting.”
The boy made up his mind to learn to paint by himself.
A Boy Learns To Paint
When he chopped wood in the forest he would draw a bird in the sand with a branch.
When he was cut grass by the river, he would dip a grass reed in water and trace a fish on the rocks.
At night, when he returned to the cave which he called home, he would use a stick of charcoal to sketch on the wall everything he had drawn during the day.
Year after year Ma Liang practiced never missing a day. He drew everywhere he went using anything he could find. If he wasnot actually drawing something he was drawing it in his mind. Every inch of his cave wall was covered with paintings.
Even though he still didn’t have a paint brush Ma Liang had developed some amazing skills.
When he drew a hen on the ground of his village entrance, eagles hovered above.
When he drew a black wolf at the back of the mountain, cows and sheep stayed away in fear.
“It would be great to have a paint brush.” Ma Liang said to himself everyday.
A Wish Come True
One night, feeling very tired, Ma Liang fell asleep while painting. Suddenly, there appeared rays of colorful, brilliant light. An old man with a very long white beard walked out of the light and handed Ma Liang a paint brush.
“This is a magic paint brush, use it well.” said the old man whose beard was so long it stretched to the floor.
Ma Liang was overcome with joy. The paint brush felt heavy in his hand and it shimmered with golden light.
Before Ma Liang could thank the old man, he had disapperared just as suddenly as he had appeared.
A surprised Ma Liang awoke from his sleep. What a fantastic dream! But it could not have been a dream since he was still holding tightly to the paint brush.
Ma Liang drew a bird with the brush. The bird flapped its wings and flew into the sky.
He then painted a fish. The fish wiggled its tail, leapt into the air and into a river Ma Liang had drawn and swam away.
Ma Liang was ecstatic. The old man was right.This was indeed a magic paint brush!
Each day, with paint brush in hand, the kind-hearted Ma Liang helped the poor people in his village.
He painted a cow for the family that needed a cow, a stone mill for the family who wanted a stone mill, and a waterwheel for the family who didn’t have a waterwheel.
Trouble
Very soon, news about Ma Liang's magic paint brush spread to a wealthy local landlord.
The greedy landlord sent two of his bodyguards to bring Ma Liang to him and made the boy draw gold coins and ingots. But Ma Liang was a tough kid and no matter how the landlord threatened or beguiled him, he refused to obey the landlord.
Angry but out of ideas, the landlord ordered Ma Liang to be locked in a stable and not given any food and water. It was thedead of winter and outside the stable the snow was several feet thick. The landlord thought it was just a matter of time before Ma Liang gave in to the cold and hunger.
But what a surprise awaited the landlord two days later when he approached the stable! Through the doorway he could see a bright red light and smell delicious food. Curious, he looked inside the stable. A cheerful Ma Liang was eating piping-hot Chinese pancakes and cooking a pot of stew over a fire!
The landlord knew Ma Liang had drawn the food and fire with the magic paint brush. Livid, he ordered his henchmen to kill the boy and grab the magic paint brush.
A Great Escape
When a dozen men rushed into the stable Ma Liang was nowhere to be found!
With the magic paint brush he had drawn a ladder and escaped over the eastern wall. The landlord and his men followed up the ladder but they had climbed no more than a few rungs before the ladder vanished and they all came crashing down.
They could hear Ma Liang laughing outside the stable!
Ma Liang got on a gallant white horse he had drawn and started riding for the next village. Before long, he heard horse hoofs behind him. The landlord and a dozen men were chasing him on horseback and waving shining blades. They were closing in fast.
Calmly Ma Liang drew a bow and arrow with the magic paint brush. He stretched the stiff bow and aimed the arrow at the landlord. Ping! Went the arrow and struck the landlord right in the throat. The landlord fell off his horse. Ma Liang took the chance to gallop away.
After riding non-stop for a few days, Ma Liang finally arrived at the next village.
More Trouble
After riding non-stop for a few days, Ma Liang finally arrived at the next village. He decided to start life anew at this village.
Ma Liang painted many works and sold them on the street, but every animal drawn was either without lips or with a leg broken.
He didn't want the animals to come to life. He was afraid to let people know about the magic paint brush.
One day, he painted a white crane without eyes. In a moment of carelessness, a drop of ink landed on the crane's face. Magically, the white crane opened her eyes flapped her wings and flew into the sky.
This created a great commotion in the village and before long everyone got wind about the young boy and his magic paint brush.
Local officials immediately reported this "strange happening" to the emperor. The emperor issued an edict for Ma Liang to appear before him and dispatched his guards to escort the young boy. An unwilling Ma Liang was brought by force to the emperor's palace.
Ma Liang had heard many stories about the emperor bullying the common poor people. In his heart Ma Liang hated the emperor and he thought, "I will never paint anything the emperor wants!"
When the emperor instructed Ma Liang to draw a dragon, he drew a big house-lizard; he painted a crow when the emperor ordered a phoenix.
These two ugly creatures fought each other and made a big mess in the palace hall.
Enraged, the emperor ordered his guards to take away Ma Liang's magic paint brush and throw young boy in prison.
The Money Tree
Now the magic paint brush was in the gleeful emperor's hands.
First he drew a mountain made of gold. Then he drew a second one, followed by a third and on and on. He painted one gold mountain on top of another.
Finally satisfied the greedy emperor stood back to look at his mountains of gold.
There weren't any mountains of gold -- only piles and piles of huge rocks!
Suddenly, the rocks tumbled down and nearly crushed the emperor's feet!
Undeterred, the emperor started drawing gold bricks. One by one he painted the gold bricks.
But he felt the gold bricks were too small. So he drew a vey big and long gold brick thatfilled the wall.
Before the emperor could finish, the painting came to life in the form of a huge and long python!
The hungry giant reptile opened its massive jaws and pounced at the emperor. Luckily, the emperor's bodyguards saved him from the man-eating creature in the nick of time.
Not ready to give up, the emperor ordered Ma Liang to be set free.
In a kind and gentle voice, the emperor told the young painter the princess would marry him and he would be made a prince if he agreed to paint what the emperor asked.
Ma Liang pretended to agree -- all he wanted was to get back his magic paint brush.
The happy emperor gave the magic paint brush back to Ma Liang and asked him to draw a money tree.When shaken, gold coins would drop from the money tree.
Ma Liang raised his brush and waved it left and right. A blue ocean appeared before him. Therewas not a single ripple on the water and the sea shone brilliantly like an endless jade mirror.
The angry emperor shouted:"I want you to draw a money tree and you give me the sea!"
Ma Liang drew an island in the middle of the ocean and on the island, a tall and big tree.
"Isn't that the money tree you wanted?" Ma Liang asked the emperor.
The Ending
The emperor laughed. "Quick draw me a boat. I want to shake the money tree." He said hurriedly.
So Ma Liang drew a big wooden boat and the emperor and all his guards boarded the boat.
Ma Liang painted some small ripples on the water and the boat started out slowly towards the island.
"Faster! Faster!" The emperor shouted.
So Ma Liang sketched a few broad strokes in the air.
Immediately huge gusts of wind started blowing. The masts caught the wind and the boatsurged forward in the sea.
"More wind! More wind!" The emperor demanded.
So Ma Liang added more strokes to the wind.
The boat masts caught the wind fully and the wooden boat sailed ahead at full speed.
Now the waves were getting bigger and bigger. The boat was being tossed about in thechoppy waters.
"Enough! Enough!" The fightened emperor waved his hands at Ma Liang to stop.
Ma Liang pretended not to see and added more wind. Waves many feet high slammed againstthe boat and drenched everyone on board.
"Stop drawing! The boat is sinking..." The emperor's hysterical voice was drowned by the roaring waves and the shouts of panic on board the boat.
Ma Liang continued drawing. His paint brush whipped up a thunderstorm. Walls of waves smashed intothe ship amidst horrific thunder and lightning.
The waves finally broke the boat and sank it. The emperor and everyone on board drowned.
After the death of the emperor, the story of Ma Liang and the magic paint brush spread far and wide.
But nobody knew where Ma Liang went.
Some said he went back to his hometown. Other said he travelled to many places and whereverhe went he used his magic paint brush to help the poor.
A Magic Paint Brush
(A Chinese Folk Tale)
Once upon a time, there was a young man called Ma Liang. He was poor and kind and helped a rich man to tend cattle. He liked drawing and drew pictures everywhere. One night, he dreamed that an old man gave him a magic paintbrush and asked him to use it to help poor people. When he woke up, he found the magic paintbrush in his desk.
From that day, he used the paintbrush whenever people needed help. When he saw that people had no water to use in the fields, he drew a river and the river came to life. People could bring water from the river to the field and save a lot of time and energy. When he saw it was difficult for people to till lands, he drew a cow and the cow came to life. People could use the cow to till lands very easily. So when he saw the peoples' troubles, he would use his magic paintbrush to help.
Then many people knew about the magic paintbrush. But a few days later, the rich man whom Ma Liang helped heard that the magic paintbrush could turn everything to life. He was a bad man so he had an idea to steal the paint brush from the young man. He knew that he could make a lot of money by turning things to life and keeping them. So he sent some people to the Ma Liang's home and took him to the prison. He got the magic paintbrush and felt very happy. Then he invited a lot of his friends to come to his home and showed them the magic paintbrush. He drew a lot of pictures, but they could not become real.
He was very angry and asked some people to get Ma Liang. When the young man came, he said to him, "If you draw some pictures for me and turn them to life, I will set you free." The young man knew that he was a bad man in the village. Of course he did not want to help him. He had an idea. He said to the bad man, "I can help you, but you should obey your words."
The bad man felt very happy and said, "I want a golden mountain. I will go there to gather gold." The young man drew a sea first. The bad man was angry and said," Why did you draw a sea? I do not want this. I want a golden mountain. Draw it quickly." Then the young man drew a golden mountain which was far away from the sea. The bad man saw that and felt very happy. He said, "Draw a big ship quickly. I want to go there to gather gold."
The young man smiled quietly and drew a big ship. The bad man jumped into the ship first and a lot of his family and friends jumped too. When the ship sailed to the middle of the sea, the young man drew a large wave and it destroyed the ship. So the bad man and his friends died.
Finally, the young man lived with his family happily and kept on helping the poor people. So the magic paintbrush was known by everyone.
http://www.topics-mag.com/folk-tales/folk-tale-good-greed-ch.htm
参考资料：http://www.silkroad-childbook.com/magicpaintbrush.html
Ma Liang and the Magic Paint Brush
This is a story from China about a boy and a magic paint brush that makes everything he draws come to life!
Once upon a time in China, there was a boy named Ma Liang.
Ma Liang's parents had died early so the boy had to support himself by chopping wood and cutting grass. The boy loved painting but he was so poor he could not afford to buy a paint brush!
One day, Ma Liang walked past a school and saw a teacher painting with a brush. Without thinking, Ma Liang walked into the classroom and asked the teacher: “I want to learn painting. Can I borrow a paint brush from you?”
The teacher glared at the shabby boy and sneered: “What? A poor kid like you wants to learn to paint? You must be daydreaming! Get out of my sight!”
Quietly, Ma Liang walked away. He had just been snubbed by an adult but he remained composed and calm. In his mind he was thinking: “I just don't believe a poor child is not good enough to learn painting.”
The boy made up his mind to learn to paint by himself.
A Boy Learns To Paint
When he chopped wood in the forest he would draw a bird in the sand with a branch.
When he was cut grass by the river, he would dip a grass reed in water and trace a fish on the rocks.
At night, when he returned to the cave which he called home, he would use a stick of charcoal to sketch on the wall everything he had drawn during the day.
Year after year Ma Liang practiced never missing a day. He drew everywhere he went using anything he could find. If he wasnot actually drawing something he was drawing it in his mind. Every inch of his cave wall was covered with paintings.
Even though he still didn’t have a paint brush Ma Liang had developed some amazing skills.
When he drew a hen on the ground of his village entrance, eagles hovered above.
When he drew a black wolf at the back of the mountain, cows and sheep stayed away in fear.
“It would be great to have a paint brush.” Ma Liang said to himself everyday.
A Wish Come True
One night, feeling very tired, Ma Liang fell asleep while painting. Suddenly, there appeared rays of colorful, brilliant light. An old man with a very long white beard walked out of the light and handed Ma Liang a paint brush.
“This is a magic paint brush, use it well.” said the old man whose beard was so long it stretched to the floor.
Ma Liang was overcome with joy. The paint brush felt heavy in his hand and it shimmered with golden light.
Before Ma Liang could thank the old man, he had disapperared just as suddenly as he had appeared.
A surprised Ma Liang awoke from his sleep. What a fantastic dream! But it could not have been a dream since he was still holding tightly to the paint brush.
Ma Liang drew a bird with the brush. The bird flapped its wings and flew into the sky.
He then painted a fish. The fish wiggled its tail, leapt into the air and into a river Ma Liang had drawn and swam away.
Ma Liang was ecstatic. The old man was right.This was indeed a magic paint brush!
Each day, with paint brush in hand, the kind-hearted Ma Liang helped the poor people in his village.
He painted a cow for the family that needed a cow, a stone mill for the family who wanted a stone mill, and a waterwheel for the family who didn’t have a waterwheel.
Trouble
Very soon, news about Ma Liang's magic paint brush spread to a wealthy local landlord.
The greedy landlord sent two of his bodyguards to bring Ma Liang to him and made the boy draw gold coins and
从前,有个孩子叫马良.他很喜欢画画,可是家里穷,连一枝笔也没有.一天,他放牛回来,路过学馆,看见里面有个画师,拿着笔在给大官画画.
马良看得出神,不知不觉地走了进去.他对大官和画师说：“请给我一枝笔,可以吗?我想学画画.”
大官和画师听了哈哈大笑,说：“穷娃子也想学画画?”他们把马良赶了出来.
马良气呼呼地说：“我偏不信,穷娃子就不能学画画!”
从此,马良用心学画画.他到山上去打柴,用树枝在沙地上画天上的鸟.他到河边割草,用草根在河滩上画水中的鱼.他见到什么就画什么.
有人问他说：“马良,你学会了画画,也去给那些大官们画吗?”
马良摇摇头说：“我才不呢!我专给咱穷人画!”
日子一天一天过去,马良画画进步很快.可是他依然没有笔.他多么盼望能有一枝笔啊!
一天晚上,他躺在床上.忽然屋里闪起一道金光,一个白胡子老头儿出现在他面前.老头儿给他一支笔,说：“马良,你现在有一枝笔了,记住你自己的话,去给穷人画画!”
马良真高兴啊!他立刻拿起笔在墙上画了一只公鸡.奇怪,公鸡活了!它从墙上飞下来,跳到窗口,喔喔地叫起来.原来白胡子老头儿给他的是一枝神笔.
马良有了这支神笔,天天给村里的穷人画画.要什么就画什么,画什么就有什么.
一天,他走过一块地边,看见一个老农和一个小孩儿拉着犁耕地.泥土那么硬,拉不动.马良拿出神笔,给他们画了一头大耕牛.“哞——”耕牛下地拉犁了.
大官听说马良有一支神笔,带着兵来捉他,把他带到衙门里,要他画金元宝.马良恨透了大官,站着一动不动,大声说：“我不会画!”大官气极了,就把他关在监牢里.
到了半夜,看守监牢的兵睡熟了,马良用神笔在墙上画了一扇门,一推,门开了.马良说：“乡亲们,咱们出去吧!”监牢里的穷人都跟着他逃出去了.
大官听说马良逃了,就派兵去追.可是马良早已画了一匹快马,骑上马跑远了,哪里还追得着!
一天,他走到一个地方,那儿天气干旱,庄稼都快枯死了.农民们没有水车,用木桶背水,吭唷!吭唷!真够吃力的.马良说：“我来给你们画几架水车吧!”农民们有了水车,都很高兴.这时候,人堆里忽然钻出来几个官兵,拿铁链往马良颈上一套,又把他抓去了.
大官坐在大堂上,不住地吆喝着,“把马良绑起来!”“把他的神笔夺下来!”“快去叫画师来!”
画师来了.大官叫他画一棵摇钱树.画师拿起马良的神笔,就画一棵摇钱树.
大官欢喜得很,急忙跑过去摇,不料头撞在墙上,额角上起了个大疙瘩.画仍旧是画,没变成真的摇钱树.
大官走过来,给马良松了绑,假装好声好气地说：“马良,好马良,你给我画一张画吧!”
马良想夺回神笔,就一口答应说：“好,就给你画一回吧!”
大官见马良答应了,非常高兴,把神笔还给他,叫他画一座金山.
马良不说什么话,用神笔在墙上画了个无边无际的大海.
大官恼怒了,说：“谁叫你画海?快画金山!”
马良用笔点了几点,海中央出现了一座金山,金光闪闪,满山是金子.
大官高兴得直跳,连声说：“快画一只大船,快画一只大船,我要上金山运金子去!”
马良就画了一只大船.大官带了许多兵,跳上船就说：“快开船!快开船!”马良画了几笔风,桅杆上的帆鼓起来,船直向海中央驶去.大官嫌船慢,在船头上大声说：“风大些!风大些!”马良又加上粗粗的几笔风,大海涌起滚滚的波涛,大船有点儿倾斜了.大官心里害怕,着急地说：“风够了!风够了!”马良不理他,还是画风.风更猛了,海水咆哮起来,山一样的海浪不断地向大船压去.
大船翻了,大官他们沉到海底去了.
马良又回到村里,给穷人画画.
大概意思:
Ma Liang and the Magic Paint Brush
This is a story from China about a boy and a magic paint brush that makes everything he draws come to life!
Once upon a time in China, there was a boy named Ma Liang.
Ma Liang's parents had died early so the boy had to support himself by chopping wood and cutting grass. The boy loved painting but he was so poor he could not afford to buy a paint brush!
One day, Ma Liang walked past a school and saw a teacher painting with a brush. Without thinking, Ma Liang walked into the classroom and asked the teacher: “I want to learn painting. Can I borrow a paint brush from you?”
The teacher glared at the shabby boy and sneered: “What? A poor kid like you wants to learn to paint? You must be daydreaming! Get out of my sight!”
Quietly, Ma Liang walked away. He had just been snubbed by an adult but he remained composed and calm. In his mind he was thinking: “I just don't believe a poor child is not good enough to learn painting.”
The boy made up his mind to learn to paint by himself.
A Boy Learns To Paint
When he chopped wood in the forest he would draw a bird in the sand with a branch.
When he was cut grass by the river, he would dip a grass reed in water and trace a fish on the rocks.
At night, when he returned to the cave which he called home, he would use a stick of charcoal to sketch on the wall everything he had drawn during the day.
Year after year Ma Liang practiced never missing a day. He drew everywhere he went using anything he could find. If he wasnot actually drawing something he was drawing it in his mind. Every inch of his cave wall was covered with paintings.
Even though he still didn’t have a paint brush Ma Liang had developed some amazing skills.
When he drew a hen on the ground of his village entrance, eagles hovered above.
When he drew a black wolf at the back of the mountain, cows and sheep stayed away in fear.
“It would be great to have a paint brush.” Ma Liang said to himself everyday.
A Wish Come True
One night, feeling very tired, Ma Liang fell asleep while painting. Suddenly, there appeared rays of colorful, brilliant light. An old man with a very long white beard walked out of the light and handed Ma Liang a paint brush.
“This is a magic paint brush, use it well.” said the old man whose beard was so long it stretched to the floor.
Ma Liang was overcome with joy. The paint brush felt heavy in his hand and it shimmered with golden light.
Before Ma Liang could thank the old man, he had disapperared just as suddenly as he had appeared.
A surprised Ma Liang awoke from his sleep. What a fantastic dream! But it could not have been a dream since he was still holding tightly to the paint brush.
Ma Liang drew a bird with the brush. The bird flapped its wings and flew into the sky.
He then painted a fish. The fish wiggled its tail, leapt into the air and into a river Ma Liang had drawn and swam away.
Ma Liang was ecstatic. The old man was right.This was indeed a magic paint brush!
Each day, with paint brush in hand, the kind-hearted Ma Liang helped the poor people in his village.
He painted a cow for the family that needed a cow, a stone mill for the family who wanted a stone mill, and a waterwheel for the family who didn’t have a waterwheel.
Trouble
Very soon, news about Ma Liang's magic paint brush spread to a wealthy local landlord.
The greedy landlord sent two of his bodyguards to bring Ma Liang to him and made the boy draw gold coins and ingots. But Ma Liang was a tough kid and no matter how the landlord threatened or beguiled him, he refused to obey the landlord.
Angry but out of ideas, the landlord ordered Ma Liang to be locked in a stable and not given any food and water. It was thedead of winter and outside the stable the snow was several feet thick. The landlord thought it was just a matter of time before Ma Liang gave in to the cold and hunger.
But what a surprise awaited the landlord two days later when he approached the stable! Through the doorway he could see a bright red light and smell delicious food. Curious, he looked inside the stable. A cheerful Ma Liang was eating piping-hot Chinese pancakes and cooking a pot of stew over a fire!
The landlord knew Ma Liang had drawn the food and fire with the magic paint brush. Livid, he ordered his henchmen to kill the boy and grab the magic paint brush.
A Great Escape
When a dozen men rushed into the stable Ma Liang was nowhere to be found!
With the magic paint brush he had drawn a ladder and escaped over the eastern wall. The landlord and his men followed up the ladder but they had climbed no more than a few rungs before the ladder vanished and they all came crashing down.
They could hear Ma Liang laughing outside the stable!
Ma Liang got on a gallant white horse he had drawn and started riding for the next village. Before long, he heard horse hoofs behind him. The landlord and a dozen men were chasing him on horseback and waving shining blades. They were closing in fast.
Calmly Ma Liang drew a bow and arrow with the magic paint brush. He stretched the stiff bow and aimed the arrow at the landlord. Ping! Went the arrow and struck the landlord right in the throat. The landlord fell off his horse. Ma Liang took the chance to gallop away.
After riding non-stop for a few days, Ma Liang finally arrived at the next village.
More Trouble
After riding non-stop for a few days, Ma Liang finally arrived at the next village. He decided to start life anew at this village.
Ma Liang painted many works and sold them on the street, but every animal drawn was either without lips or with a leg broken.
He didn't want the animals to come to life. He was afraid to let people know about the magic paint brush.
One day, he painted a white crane without eyes. In a moment of carelessness, a drop of ink landed on the crane's face. Magically, the white crane opened her eyes flapped her wings and flew into the sky.
This created a great commotion in the village and before long everyone got wind about the young boy and his magic paint brush.
Local officials immediately reported this "strange happening" to the emperor. The emperor issued an edict for Ma Liang to appear before him and dispatched his guards to escort the young boy. An unwilling Ma Liang was brought by force to the emperor's palace.
Ma Liang had heard many stories about the emperor bullying the common poor people. In his heart Ma Liang hated the emperor and he thought, "I will never paint anything the emperor wants!"
When the emperor instructed Ma Liang to draw a dragon, he drew a big house-lizard; he painted a crow when the emperor ordered a phoenix.
These two ugly creatures fought each other and made a big mess in the palace hall.
Enraged, the emperor ordered his guards to take away Ma Liang's magic paint brush and throw young boy in prison.
The Money Tree
Now the magic paint brush was in the gleeful emperor's hands.
First he drew a mountain made of gold. Then he drew a second one, followed by a third and on and on. He painted one gold mountain on top of another.
Finally satisfied the greedy emperor stood back to look at his mountains of gold.
There weren't any mountains of gold -- only piles and piles of huge rocks!
Suddenly, the rocks tumbled down and nearly crushed the emperor's feet!
Undeterred, the emperor started drawing gold bricks. One by one he painted the gold bricks.
But he felt the gold bricks were too small. So he drew a vey big and long gold brick thatfilled the wall.
Before the emperor could finish, the painting came to life in the form of a huge and long python!
The hungry giant reptile opened its massive jaws and pounced at the emperor. Luckily, the emperor's bodyguards saved him from the man-eating creature in the nick of time.
Not ready to give up, the emperor ordered Ma Liang to be set free.
In a kind and gentle voice, the emperor told the young painter the princess would marry him and he would be made a prince if he agreed to paint what the emperor asked.
Ma Liang pretended to agree -- all he wanted was to get back his magic paint brush.
The happy emperor gave the magic paint brush back to Ma Liang and asked him to draw a money tree.When shaken, gold coins would drop from the money tree.
Ma Liang raised his brush and waved it left and right. A blue ocean appeared before him. Therewas not a single ripple on the water and the sea shone brilliantly like an endless jade mirror.
The angry emperor shouted:"I want you to draw a money tree and you give me the sea!"
Ma Liang drew an island in the middle of the ocean and on the island, a tall and big tree.
"Isn't that the money tree you wanted?" Ma Liang asked the emperor.
The Ending
The emperor laughed. "Quick draw me a boat. I want to shake the money tree." He said hurriedly.
So Ma Liang drew a big wooden boat and the emperor and all his guards boarded the boat.
Ma Liang painted some small ripples on the water and the boat started out slowly towards the island.
"Faster! Faster!" The emperor shouted.
So Ma Liang sketched a few broad strokes in the air.
Immediately huge gusts of wind started blowing. The masts caught the wind and the boatsurged forward in the sea.
"More wind! More wind!" The emperor demanded.
So Ma Liang added more strokes to the wind.
The boat masts caught the wind fully and the wooden boat sailed ahead at full speed.
Now the waves were getting bigger and bigger. The boat was being tossed about in thechoppy waters.
"Enough! Enough!" The fightened emperor waved his hands at Ma Liang to stop.
Ma Liang pretended not to see and added more wind. Waves many feet high slammed againstthe boat and drenched everyone on board.
"Stop drawing! The boat is sinking..." The emperor's hysterical voice was drowned by the roaring waves and the shouts of panic on board the boat.
Ma Liang continued drawing. His paint brush whipped up a thunderstorm. Walls of waves smashed intothe ship amidst horrific thunder and lightning.
The waves finally broke the boat and sank it. The emperor and everyone on board drowned.
After the death of the emperor, the story of Ma Liang and the magic paint brush spread far and wide.
But nobody knew where Ma Liang went.
Some said he went back to his hometown. Other said he travelled to many places and whereverhe went he used his magic paint brush to help the poor.
A Magic Paint Brush
(A Chinese Folk Tale)
Once upon a time, there was a young man called Ma Liang. He was poor and kind and helped a rich man to tend cattle. He liked drawing and drew pictures everywhere. One night, he dreamed that an old man gave him a magic paintbrush and asked him to use it to help poor people. When he woke up, he found the magic paintbrush in his desk.
From that day, he used the paintbrush whenever people needed help. When he saw that people had no water to use in the fields, he drew a river and the river came to life. People could bring water from the river to the field and save a lot of time and energy. When he saw it was difficult for people to till lands, he drew a cow and the cow came to life. People could use the cow to till lands very easily. So when he saw the peoples' troubles, he would use his magic paintbrush to help.
Then many people knew about the magic paintbrush. But a few days later, the rich man whom Ma Liang helped heard that the magic paintbrush could turn everything to life. He was a bad man so he had an idea to steal the paint brush from the young man. He knew that he could make a lot of money by turning things to life and keeping them. So he sent some people to the Ma Liang's home and took him to the prison. He got the magic paintbrush and felt very happy. Then he invited a lot of his friends to come to his home and showed them the magic paintbrush. He drew a lot of pictures, but they could not become real.
He was very angry and asked some people to get Ma Liang. When the young man came, he said to him, "If you draw some pictures for me and turn them to life, I will set you free." The young man knew that he was a bad man in the village. Of course he did not want to help him. He had an idea. He said to the bad man, "I can help you, but you should obey your words."
The bad man felt very happy and said, "I want a golden mountain. I will go there to gather gold." The young man drew a sea first. The bad man was angry and said," Why did you draw a sea? I do not want this. I want a golden mountain. Draw it quickly." Then the young man drew a golden mountain which was far away from the sea. The bad man saw that and felt very happy. He said, "Draw a big ship quickly. I want to go there to gather gold."
The young man smiled quietly and drew a big ship. The bad man jumped into the ship first and a lot of his family and friends jumped too. When the ship sailed to the middle of the sea, the young man drew a large wave and it destroyed the ship. So the bad man and his friends died.
Finally, the young man lived with his family happily and kept on helping the poor people. So the magic paintbrush was known by everyone.
http://www.topics-mag.com/folk-tales/folk-tale-good-greed-ch.htm
参考资料：http://www.silkroad-childbook.com/magicpaintbrush.html
Ma Liang and the Magic Paint Brush
This is a story from China about a boy and a magic paint brush that makes everything he draws come to life!
Once upon a time in China, there was a boy named Ma Liang.
Ma Liang's parents had died early so the boy had to support himself by chopping wood and cutting grass. The boy loved painting but he was so poor he could not afford to buy a paint brush!
One day, Ma Liang walked past a school and saw a teacher painting with a brush. Without thinking, Ma Liang walked into the classroom and asked the teacher: “I want to learn painting. Can I borrow a paint brush from you?”
The teacher glared at the shabby boy and sneered: “What? A poor kid like you wants to learn to paint? You must be daydreaming! Get out of my sight!”
Quietly, Ma Liang walked away. He had just been snubbed by an adult but he remained composed and calm. In his mind he was thinking: “I just don't believe a poor child is not good enough to learn painting.”
The boy made up his mind to learn to paint by himself.
A Boy Learns To Paint
When he chopped wood in the forest he would draw a bird in the sand with a branch.
When he was cut grass by the river, he would dip a grass reed in water and trace a fish on the rocks.
At night, when he returned to the cave which he called home, he would use a stick of charcoal to sketch on the wall everything he had drawn during the day.
Year after year Ma Liang practiced never missing a day. He drew everywhere he went using anything he could find. If he wasnot actually drawing something he was drawing it in his mind. Every inch of his cave wall was covered with paintings.
Even though he still didn’t have a paint brush Ma Liang had developed some amazing skills.
When he drew a hen on the ground of his village entrance, eagles hovered above.
When he drew a black wolf at the back of the mountain, cows and sheep stayed away in fear.
“It would be great to have a paint brush.” Ma Liang said to himself everyday.
A Wish Come True
One night, feeling very tired, Ma Liang fell asleep while painting. Suddenly, there appeared rays of colorful, brilliant light. An old man with a very long white beard walked out of the light and handed Ma Liang a paint brush.
“This is a magic paint brush, use it well.” said the old man whose beard was so long it stretched to the floor.
Ma Liang was overcome with joy. The paint brush felt heavy in his hand and it shimmered with golden light.
Before Ma Liang could thank the old man, he had disapperared just as suddenly as he had appeared.
A surprised Ma Liang awoke from his sleep. What a fantastic dream! But it could not have been a dream since he was still holding tightly to the paint brush.
Ma Liang drew a bird with the brush. The bird flapped its wings and flew into the sky.
He then painted a fish. The fish wiggled its tail, leapt into the air and into a river Ma Liang had drawn and swam away.
Ma Liang was ecstatic. The old man was right.This was indeed a magic paint brush!
Each day, with paint brush in hand, the kind-hearted Ma Liang helped the poor people in his village.
He painted a cow for the family that needed a cow, a stone mill for the family who wanted a stone mill, and a waterwheel for the family who didn’t have a waterwheel.
Trouble
Very soon, news about Ma Liang's magic paint brush spread to a wealthy local landlord.
The greedy landlord sent two of his bodyguards to bring Ma Liang to him and made the boy draw gold coins and
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