Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The great doors of the palace swung open. Tchang found himself in a mighty hall.It was so high he couldn't see the ceiling for clouds.On a throne at the end of the hall sat the Great Wizard.He glared down at Tchang. 'Well?' he bellowed. 'What do you want, boy?'

Tchang tried to stop shaking. 'I... I have four questions to ask you, sir!'

'HAH!' shouted the Wizard. 'Then you may as well go home right now!I will only answer THREE questions. If you ask me four, I won't answer any of them. So there!'

Tchang thought his legs would fold underneath him. What could he do?There was his poor mother's question, then the old woman's question,then the old man's question, and then the Pearl Dragon's question.For his own sake, as well as his mother's, he desperately wanted to know the answer to the first questionbut he also knew he couldn't let his friends down.So he answered sadly, 'Then I will only ask you three.'

When Tchang had asked his questions a thunderstorm began to rage high up in the hall.The Wizard hurled three scrolls down to Tchang. 'Here are your answers, boy. Now go home!'

Tchang fled from the palace. He leaped down the million stone steps, five at a time.

When he reached the river, the Pearl Dragon was waiting for him.'Well?' it said. 'What did the Wizard say?' Tchang opened the scroll marked 'Dragon'.'He says, if you do something really kind and generous, you'll be able to fly like other dragons.'

'Hmm,' said the Dragon. 'Well, hop aboard and I'll take you across the river.'

At the other side, it reached up and prised the great pearl from its forehead.'This is the only precious thing I possess,' it said to Tchang.'I'd like you to take it, but when you get home, you must throw it into the lake.'

As the dragon handed the pearl to Tchang, its wings grew and grew until it rose slowly into the air.'Look!' it shouted joyfully, 'I can fly!'

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