The Kitchen God · chapter 1 of 3
The Man Above the Stove
墙上的画
The Kitchen God, a painting above the stove, sees a boy stealing dumplings and a grandpa hiding wine. Tonight he reports to heaven, and the family has a plan.
Hear the chapter
Read what you hear
- Narrator 灶王爷住在小宝家的厨房里。他是墙上的一张画。
Zàowáng Yé zhù zài Xiǎobǎo jiā de chúfáng lǐ. Tā shì qiáng shàng de yì zhāng huà.
The Kitchen God lived in Xiaobao's kitchen. He was a painting on the wall.
- The Kitchen God 晚上了，大家都睡了。可是我什么都看见。
Wǎnshang le, dàjiā dōu shuì le. Kěshì wǒ shénme dōu kànjiàn.
It's night and everyone is asleep. But I see everything.
- Xiaobao 嘘……没有人。我要吃饺子！
Xū… méi yǒu rén. Wǒ yào chī jiǎozi!
Shh... nobody's here. I want dumplings!
- The Kitchen God 小宝！又是你！这是第五个饺子！
Xiǎobǎo! Yòu shì nǐ! Zhè shì dì wǔ gè jiǎozi!
Xiaobao! You again! That's your fifth dumpling!
- Xiaobao 一个，两个，三个……太好吃了！
Yí gè, liǎng gè, sān gè… tài hǎochī le!
One, two, three... so yummy!
- The Kitchen God 别吃了！你会肚子疼！
Bié chī le! Nǐ huì dùzi téng!
Stop eating! You'll get a tummy ache!
- The Kitchen God 他听不见我。我只是一张画。
Tā tīng bú jiàn wǒ. Wǒ zhǐ shì yì zhāng huà.
He can't hear me. I'm just a painting.
- Xiaobao 咦？灶王爷在看我吗？
Yí? Zàowáng Yé zài kàn wǒ ma?
Huh? Is the Kitchen God looking at me?
- The Kitchen God 对！我在看你！快放下！
Duì! Wǒ zài kàn nǐ! Kuài fàngxià!
Yes! I'm looking at you! Put it down!
- Xiaobao 灶王爷，别说。我给你一个饺子。
Zàowáng Yé, bié shuō. Wǒ gěi nǐ yí gè jiǎozi.
Kitchen God, don't tell. I'll give you a dumpling.
- The Kitchen God 我在画里，怎么吃啊？唉。
Wǒ zài huà lǐ, zěnme chī a? Āi.
I'm inside a painting. How can I eat it? Oh dear.
- Xiaobao 你不要吗？那我吃了。谢谢！
Nǐ bú yào ma? Nà wǒ chī le. Xièxie!
You don't want it? Then I'll eat it. Thanks!
- Grandpa 早上好，灶王爷。小宝还在睡。
Zǎoshang hǎo, Zàowáng Yé. Xiǎobǎo hái zài shuì.
Good morning, Kitchen God. Xiaobao is still asleep.
- Grandpa 现在，我要喝一点酒。
Xiànzài, wǒ yào hē yìdiǎn jiǔ.
Now, I'm going to have a little wine.
- The Kitchen God 爷爷！你不能喝酒！
Yéye! Nǐ bù néng hē jiǔ!
Grandpa! You mustn't drink wine!
- Grandpa 酒在米的后面。没有人知道。
Jiǔ zài mǐ de hòumiàn. Méi yǒu rén zhīdào.
The wine is behind the rice. Nobody knows.
- The Kitchen God 我知道！我每天都知道！
Wǒ zhīdào! Wǒ měitiān dōu zhīdào!
I know! I know every single day!
- Grandpa 灶王爷是画，不会说话。对吧？
Zàowáng Yé shì huà, bú huì shuōhuà. Duì ba?
The Kitchen God is a painting. He can't talk. Right?
- The Kitchen God 我不会说话？今天，我会说！
Wǒ bú huì shuōhuà? Jīntiān, wǒ huì shuō!
I can't talk? Today, I can!
- Xiaobao 爷爷！今天是小年！
Yéye! Jīntiān shì Xiǎonián!
Grandpa! Today is Little New Year!
- Grandpa 对。小年，灶王爷要上天。
Duì. Xiǎonián, Zàowáng Yé yào shàng tiān.
That's right. On Little New Year, the Kitchen God goes up to heaven.
- Xiaobao 上天做什么？
Shàng tiān zuò shénme?
What does he do up there?
- Grandpa 他去见玉皇大帝，说我们家的事。
Tā qù jiàn Yùhuáng Dàdì, shuō wǒmen jiā de shì.
He goes to see the Jade Emperor and tells him about our family.
- Xiaobao 什么事都说吗？饺子也说吗？
Shénme shì dōu shuō ma? Jiǎozi yě shuō ma?
Everything? Even the dumplings?
- Grandpa 还有……我的酒。
Hái yǒu… wǒ de jiǔ.
And... my wine.
- Xiaobao 爷爷！你也有事！
Yéye! Nǐ yě yǒu shì!
Grandpa! You have things to tell, too!
- The Kitchen God 对！我什么都说！玉皇大帝一定很高兴！
Duì! Wǒ shénme dōu shuō! Yùhuáng Dàdì yídìng hěn gāoxìng!
Yes! I'll tell him everything! The Jade Emperor will be so pleased!
- Xiaobao 爷爷，怎么办？
Yéye, zěnme bàn?
Grandpa, what do we do?
- Grandpa 别怕。我有一个好办法。去拿糖瓜！
Bié pà. Wǒ yǒu yí gè hǎo bànfǎ. Qù ná tángguā!
Don't be afraid. I have a good idea. Go get the sticky candy!
- The Kitchen God 糖瓜？等一下！你们要做什么？
Tángguā? Děng yíxià! Nǐmen yào zuò shénme?
Sticky candy? Wait a minute! What are you going to do?
What changed in the story?
- What does Xiaobao do at night?
“我要吃饺子！”
- Where does Grandpa hide his wine?
“酒在米的后面。”
- What happens on Little New Year?
“小年，灶王爷要上天。”
- Why is Xiaobao worried?
“什么事都说吗？饺子也说吗？”
- What is Grandpa's plan?
“去拿糖瓜！”