The Jade Rabbit · chapter 2 of 3
Into the Fire
跳进火里
The friends light a fire for the hungry old man. Xiao Bai steps forward with a plan that no one wants to hear.
Hear the chapter
Read what you hear
- Narrator 天黑了，河边的风很冷。
Tiān hēi le, hébiān de fēng hěn lěng.
Night fell, and the wind by the river was cold.
- Ah Jin 火生好了！你们看，多大的火啊！
Huǒ shēng hǎo le! Nǐmen kàn, duō dà de huǒ a!
The fire is ready! Look, what a big fire!
- Ah Hong 是我找的木头！你只会在树上玩！
Shì wǒ zhǎo de mùtou! Nǐ zhǐ huì zài shù shang wán!
I found the wood! All you did was play in the tree!
- Ah Jin 我才不玩！我是山里最会生火的猴子！
Wǒ cái bù wán! Wǒ shì shānlǐ zuì huì shēng huǒ de hóuzi!
I did not! I'm the best fire-maker of all the monkeys!
- Ah Hong 好，好，你最会生火。我最会找木头！
Hǎo, hǎo, nǐ zuì huì shēng huǒ. Wǒ zuì huì zhǎo mùtou!
Fine, fine, you are the best at fires. I am the best at finding wood!
- Xiao Bai 阿红，阿金，谢谢你们。你们真好。
Ā Hóng, Ā Jīn, xièxie nǐmen. Nǐmen zhēn hǎo.
Ah Hong, Ah Jin, thank you. You are so kind.
- Ah Hong 小白，火生好了。现在你要做什么呢？
Xiǎo Bái, huǒ shēng hǎo le. Xiànzài nǐ yào zuò shénme ne?
Xiao Bai, the fire's ready. What are you going to do now?
- Xiao Bai 老人三天没有吃东西。我没有鱼，也没有苹果。
Lǎorén sān tiān méiyǒu chī dōngxi. Wǒ méiyǒu yú, yě méiyǒu píngguǒ.
The old man hasn't eaten in three days. I have no fish and no apples.
- Ah Jin 你有草！我去拿很多草，好不好？
Nǐ yǒu cǎo! Wǒ qù ná hěn duō cǎo, hǎo bu hǎo?
You have grass! I'll go get lots of grass, all right?
- Xiao Bai 老人不吃草。我只有我自己。
Lǎorén bù chī cǎo. Wǒ zhǐyǒu wǒ zìjǐ.
The old man doesn't eat grass. I only have myself.
- Ah Hong 什么？不行！你是我们的好朋友！
Shénme? Bù xíng! Nǐ shì wǒmen de hǎo péngyou!
What? No! You're our good friend!
- Ah Jin 小白，你不要去！火很热，你会疼的！
Xiǎo Bái, nǐ bú yào qù! Huǒ hěn rè, nǐ huì téng de!
Xiao Bai, don't go! The fire is hot, it will hurt you!
- Xiao Bai 别哭。你们帮了老人，我也想帮他。
Bié kū. Nǐmen bāng le lǎorén, wǒ yě xiǎng bāng tā.
Don't cry. You helped the old man, and I want to help him too.
- Ah Hong 可是我们不想没有你！
Kěshì wǒmen bù xiǎng méiyǒu nǐ!
But we don't want to be without you!
- Xiao Bai 你们是我最好的朋友。我不会忘记你们。
Nǐmen shì wǒ zuì hǎo de péngyou. Wǒ bú huì wàngjì nǐmen.
You are my very best friends. I will never forget you.
- Ah Hong 小白……你怕不怕？
Xiǎo Bái… nǐ pà bu pà?
Xiao Bai… are you afraid?
- Xiao Bai 怕。可是我要去。
Pà. Kěshì wǒ yào qù.
Yes. But I'm going.
- Xiao Bai 老人，我来了！
Lǎorén, wǒ lái le!
Old man, here I come!
- Narrator 兔子用力一跳，跳向火里。
Tùzi yònglì yí tiào, tiào xiàng huǒ lǐ.
The rabbit gave one great jump, straight toward the fire.
- The Old Man 我接住你了！小白，别怕！
Wǒ jiē zhù nǐ le! Xiǎo Bái, bié pà!
I've got you! Xiao Bai, don't be afraid!
- Ah Hong 小白？小白，你没事吧？
Xiǎo Bái? Xiǎo Bái, nǐ méishì ba?
Xiao Bai? Xiao Bai, are you all right?
- Xiao Bai 我没事。这个火……一点儿也不热！
Wǒ méishì. Zhège huǒ… yìdiǎnr yě bú rè!
I'm fine. This fire… it isn't hot at all!
- Ah Hong 不热？火怎么会不热呢？
Bú rè? Huǒ zěnme huì bú rè ne?
Not hot? How can a fire not be hot?
- The Old Man 因为我不是老人。
Yīnwèi wǒ bú shì lǎorén.
Because I am not an old man.
- Xiao Bai 你……你是谁？
Nǐ… nǐ shì shéi?
Who… who are you?
- The Old Man 小白，你的心太好了，比玉还白。
Xiǎo Bái, nǐ de xīn tài hǎo le, bǐ yù hái bái.
Xiao Bai, your heart is far too good. It is whiter than jade.
- Ah Hong 你要带小白去哪儿？
Nǐ yào dài Xiǎo Bái qù nǎr?
Where are you taking Xiao Bai?
- The Old Man 去天上！我要让大家都看见她。
Qù tiān shang! Wǒ yào ràng dàjiā dōu kànjiàn tā.
Up to the sky! I want everyone to see her.
What changed in the story?
- What have the fox and the monkey done when the chapter opens?
“火生好了！”
- Why does Xiao Bai say she cannot offer grass?
“老人不吃草。我只有我自己。”
- How does Xiao Bai feel about jumping into the fire?
“怕。可是我要去。”
- What surprises Xiao Bai after she jumps?
“这个火……一点儿也不热！”
- What does the old man say about himself?
“因为我不是老人。”