The Five Chinese Brothers facts for kids
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| Author | Claire Huchet Bishop |
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| Illustrator | Kurt Wiese |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Children's books, picture books |
| Publisher | Coward-McCann |
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Publication date
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1938 |
| ISBN | 978-0-698-11357-2 |
| OCLC | 50015354 |
The Five Chinese Brothers is a popular American children's book. It was written by Claire Huchet Bishop and illustrated by Kurt Wiese. The book was first published in 1938 by Coward-McCann. This story is a new version of an old Chinese folk tale, similar to Ten Brothers.
Contents
What is The Five Chinese Brothers About?
The story takes place in ancient China during the Qing dynasty. There are five brothers who look exactly alike. Each brother has a very special and unique power.
- One brother can swallow the entire sea.
- Another has a neck that cannot be cut.
- The third brother can stretch his legs to amazing lengths.
- The fourth brother can survive being burned by fire.
- The fifth brother can hold his breath forever.
The Fisherman's Adventure
One day, the first brother, who is a fisherman, goes fishing. A young boy asks to join him. The fisherman agrees. To help the boy find fish, the fisherman swallows the whole sea. This makes the seabed dry. The boy starts collecting fish.
However, the fisherman cannot hold the sea inside him for long. He quickly signals for the boy to come back to shore. The boy does not notice the signal. Sadly, the fisherman has to let the water go. The boy drowns in the sea.
Facing Justice and Clever Escapes
The fisherman is accused of causing the boy's death. He is sentenced to be executed. But his four brothers are very clever. They look exactly like him. One by one, they take his place before each attempt to execute him.
Each brother convinces the judge to let them go home briefly. They say they need to say goodbye to their mother. This allows a different brother to return in their place. Each brother uses his special power to survive the execution.
- The brother with the unbreakable neck survives beheading.
- The brother who can hold his breath forever survives drowning.
- The brother who cannot be burned survives being set on fire.
- The brother with the strong neck survives suffocation.
A Happy Ending
After many failed attempts, the judge realizes something important. Since the man cannot be executed, he must be innocent. The fisherman is then set free. All five brothers return home. They live happily ever after with their mother.
