The Magic Paintbrush: A Tale of Ma Liang

Long ago, in a small village in China, there lived a poor but kind-hearted boy named Ma Liang. He loved painting more than anything else, but because he was poor, he could not afford a paintbrush. Instead, he used twigs and his fingers to draw pictures in the dirt. Despite this, his paintings were so lifelike that people marveled at his talent.

One night, after a long day of drawing, Ma Liang had a strange dream. An old man with a long white beard appeared before him and said, “Ma Liang, your kindness and talent deserve a reward. Take this magic paintbrush and use it wisely.”

When Ma Liang woke up, he found a golden paintbrush lying beside him! He quickly tested it and was amazed—whatever he painted with the brush became real! If he painted a bird, it would fly away. If he painted a fish, it would jump into the water.

Realizing the power of the brush, Ma Liang used it to help the poor in his village. He painted food for the hungry, plows for the farmers, and shoes for the children. Everyone loved and admired him.

News of Ma Liang’s magic paintbrush spread far and wide, and soon, a greedy emperor heard about it. He ordered his soldiers to capture Ma Liang and bring him to the palace.

“Paint me a mountain of gold!” the emperor demanded.

But Ma Liang refused. “The magic brush is meant to help the needy, not the greedy!” he said.

Angered, the emperor threw Ma Liang into prison and took the magic paintbrush for himself. But no matter how hard he tried, the brush would not work for him. He painted gold, but it turned into useless rocks.

Frustrated, the emperor released Ma Liang and said, “If you do not paint gold for me, at least paint a great ocean where I can sail my ships and rule the seas!”

Ma Liang agreed. He took the brush and painted a vast blue ocean. The emperor was delighted. “Now paint a big ship for me!” he commanded.

Ma Liang smiled and painted a magnificent ship. The emperor and his men eagerly climbed aboard.

Then, with a final stroke, Ma Liang painted a strong wind. The waves rose high, the ship rocked back and forth, and soon it was swept far away, never to be seen again.

With the greedy emperor gone, Ma Liang returned to his village and continued using his magic paintbrush to help the poor and bring happiness to all.