Tao
Chapter 1: The Village of Lanterns
Tao is a little boy like any other... or almost! Tonight, during the lantern festival, he's going to make a strange discovery...
Reading difficulty
Tao lives in a small village at the foot of the mountain. He is eight years old. He lives with his grandmother in a wooden house.
Tao loves stories about dragons. Grandma tells them to him every night. She talks about golden dragons that fly in the sky. Dragons that breathe fire. Tao dreams about them at night.
Tonight is the Lantern Festival. The whole village is outside. There are lights everywhere. Red, yellow, and blue lanterns float in the sky.
Tao watches the lanterns with his friends. They go very high. It's magnificent.
He approaches the river. The water sparkles with all the lights. Tao bends down to look at his reflection.
But something strange is happening. In the water, her eyes are shining! They have a golden light. Like the eyes of a dragon in stories!
Tao's heart is beating very fast. He touches his face. His hands are warm. Very warm. Too warm.
He is afraid. He backs away quickly. He looks around. Nobody has seen anything.
Grandma calls him to come home. Tao runs to her. He doesn't say anything about what he saw. But Grandma looks at him strangely. As if she knows something.
That night, Tao had an incredible dream. He was flying over the mountains. He had large golden wings. Warm fire burned in his chest. He felt strong and free.
When he wakes up in the morning, Tao wonders: "Was it really a dream?"
Grandma is waiting for him in the garden. She has a strange look on her face. As if she knows something important. Something she finally has to tell him.
Tao loves stories about dragons. Grandma tells them to him every night. She talks about golden dragons that fly in the sky. Dragons that breathe fire. Tao dreams about them at night.
Tonight is the Lantern Festival. The whole village is outside. There are lights everywhere. Red, yellow, and blue lanterns float in the sky.
Tao watches the lanterns with his friends. They go very high. It's magnificent.
He approaches the river. The water sparkles with all the lights. Tao bends down to look at his reflection.
But something strange is happening. In the water, her eyes are shining! They have a golden light. Like the eyes of a dragon in stories!
Tao's heart is beating very fast. He touches his face. His hands are warm. Very warm. Too warm.
He is afraid. He backs away quickly. He looks around. Nobody has seen anything.
Grandma calls him to come home. Tao runs to her. He doesn't say anything about what he saw. But Grandma looks at him strangely. As if she knows something.
That night, Tao had an incredible dream. He was flying over the mountains. He had large golden wings. Warm fire burned in his chest. He felt strong and free.
When he wakes up in the morning, Tao wonders: "Was it really a dream?"
Grandma is waiting for him in the garden. She has a strange look on her face. As if she knows something important. Something she finally has to tell him.
Tao lives in a small village nestled in the mountains. His wooden house is at the end of the path, near the bamboo forest. He has lived there with his grandmother his whole life. His parents left when he was a baby, but Grandma never wants to talk about it.
At eight years old, Tao is a curious and cheerful boy. He loves exploring the forest, climbing trees, and especially listening to his grandmother's stories. Every night, before going to sleep, she tells him old legends. His favorites are always about dragons.
"A long time ago," said Grandma, "dragons lived in our mountains. They were wise and powerful. Some had golden scales that shone like the sun."
Tao listens, his eyes wide open. He imagines these magnificent creatures flying in the sky.
Tonight is special. It's the Lantern Festival, the most beautiful festival of the year. The whole village is lit up. Hundreds of colorful paper lanterns float in the night. Red, yellow, blue, green... they rise gently towards the stars like giant fireflies.
Tao walks with his friends through the decorated streets. There is music, laughter, and the delicious smell of rice cakes. People make wishes as they watch their lanterns float away.
"I wish to see a real dragon one day!" said Tao, dropping his red lantern.
His friends laughed. "Dragons don't exist anymore, Tao! It's just stories."
But Tao still believes. He moves away from the group and walks to the river that runs through the village. The calm water reflects all the lights. It's magnificent, like a second heaven beneath his feet.
Tao leans over to admire the spectacle. The lanterns are reflected in the water and create dancing points of light. He watches his own reflection.
And then he sees him.
In the water, her eyes shone with a golden light. It wasn't the reflection of the lanterns. It was a glow that came from within her eyes, like two small golden flames.
Tao's heart began to beat very fast. He closed his eyes, counted to three, and opened them again. The glow was still there.
He touches his face with his hands. They are warm, warmer than usual. Much too warm.
Tao backed away, frightened. He looked around. No one noticed anything. The villagers continued to laugh and celebrate.
"Tao! Tao, come!" It's Grandma's voice calling him to come home.
The boy runs towards her without looking back. He says nothing about what he saw. How can he explain? He doesn't understand what's happening himself.
Grandma looks at him strangely. "You seem troubled, my little one. Is everything alright?"
"Yes, Grandma. I'm just tired."
That night, in his bed, Tao struggled to fall asleep. When sleep finally came, he had an extraordinary dream. He was flying above the mountains, carried by large golden wings. The wind whistled around him. He could see the village far below, tiny. And in his chest, he felt a powerful warmth, like a fire that burned without consuming him.
When he wakes up, he no longer knows if it's a dream or a memory.
The next morning, Grandma was waiting for him in the garden. Her face was serious. She knew something. And today, she was finally going to tell him everything.
At eight years old, Tao is a curious and cheerful boy. He loves exploring the forest, climbing trees, and especially listening to his grandmother's stories. Every night, before going to sleep, she tells him old legends. His favorites are always about dragons.
"A long time ago," said Grandma, "dragons lived in our mountains. They were wise and powerful. Some had golden scales that shone like the sun."
Tao listens, his eyes wide open. He imagines these magnificent creatures flying in the sky.
Tonight is special. It's the Lantern Festival, the most beautiful festival of the year. The whole village is lit up. Hundreds of colorful paper lanterns float in the night. Red, yellow, blue, green... they rise gently towards the stars like giant fireflies.
Tao walks with his friends through the decorated streets. There is music, laughter, and the delicious smell of rice cakes. People make wishes as they watch their lanterns float away.
"I wish to see a real dragon one day!" said Tao, dropping his red lantern.
His friends laughed. "Dragons don't exist anymore, Tao! It's just stories."
But Tao still believes. He moves away from the group and walks to the river that runs through the village. The calm water reflects all the lights. It's magnificent, like a second heaven beneath his feet.
Tao leans over to admire the spectacle. The lanterns are reflected in the water and create dancing points of light. He watches his own reflection.
And then he sees him.
In the water, her eyes shone with a golden light. It wasn't the reflection of the lanterns. It was a glow that came from within her eyes, like two small golden flames.
Tao's heart began to beat very fast. He closed his eyes, counted to three, and opened them again. The glow was still there.
He touches his face with his hands. They are warm, warmer than usual. Much too warm.
Tao backed away, frightened. He looked around. No one noticed anything. The villagers continued to laugh and celebrate.
"Tao! Tao, come!" It's Grandma's voice calling him to come home.
The boy runs towards her without looking back. He says nothing about what he saw. How can he explain? He doesn't understand what's happening himself.
Grandma looks at him strangely. "You seem troubled, my little one. Is everything alright?"
"Yes, Grandma. I'm just tired."
That night, in his bed, Tao struggled to fall asleep. When sleep finally came, he had an extraordinary dream. He was flying above the mountains, carried by large golden wings. The wind whistled around him. He could see the village far below, tiny. And in his chest, he felt a powerful warmth, like a fire that burned without consuming him.
When he wakes up, he no longer knows if it's a dream or a memory.
The next morning, Grandma was waiting for him in the garden. Her face was serious. She knew something. And today, she was finally going to tell him everything.
The village of Tao is called Autumn Cloud. It is nestled in a deep valley, surrounded by snow-capped mountains that seem to touch the sky. The wooden and stone houses cling to the slopes like birds' nests, connected by paved paths and mossy stone staircases. A crystal-clear river flows through the village, fed by waterfalls in the mountains. It is a peaceful place, almost forgotten by the rest of the world.
Tao is eight years old and lives in the last house in the village, the one at the edge of the bamboo forest. He's lived there with his grandmother for as long as he can remember. His parents disappeared when he was just a baby. "They went on a trip and never came back," Grandma says simply when he asks questions. But there's always a sadness in her eyes when she says those words, and Tao has learned not to press the issue.
Grandmother is a strange woman. Very old, with long white hair that she braids into an intricate bun, she possesses a surprising knowledge of medicinal plants and ancient traditions. The villagers often come to her for advice. She lives simply, cultivating a small garden and selling her remedies at the market.
But what Tao loves most of all are the stories Grandma tells every night. Sitting by the fire, she speaks in a soft, mysterious voice. Her favorite stories are about dragons, those legendary creatures that are said to have once lived in the mountains.
"A very, very long time ago," she said, "before men built their villages, dragons ruled these lands. They weren't like the stories you've heard elsewhere, my little one. They weren't monsters. They were wise beings, guardians of the world's balance. Some controlled the water and the rivers. Others watched over the forests. And the most powerful, the golden dragons, were the guardians of the celestial fire."
"Do they still exist, Grandma?" Tao always asks, even though he knows the answer.
"No one has seen them for hundreds of years. But who knows? Maybe they're hiding somewhere, waiting for the right moment to return."
Tonight is special. It's Lantern Night, the most important event of the year for the village of Autumn Cloud. According to tradition, once a year, on the autumn full moon, each family makes lanterns out of colored paper and releases them into the night sky. It's a way to honor their ancestors and make wishes for the coming year.
The village is transformed. Strings of lights decorate every house, every tree, every bridge. The air is fragrant with incense and the sweet rice cakes that the women are cooking in large pans. Musicians play the erhu and the flute, creating an enchanting melody that blends with laughter and conversation.
Tao wanders with his friends – Lin, a lively girl who dreams of becoming a healer, and Chen, a strong boy who wants to be a blacksmith like his father. They each hold their lantern, waiting for the perfect moment to release it into the sky.
"What are you going to wish for, Tao?" Lin asks.
Tao thought for a moment. "I'll wish to see a real dragon," he said with a smile.
Chen burst out laughing. "You're too old to believe in such nonsense! Dragons are just legends for little children."
"Grandma says they really existed," protests Tao, a little annoyed.
"Existing before is not the same as existing now," Chen retorted. "Come on, let's drop our lanterns from the top of the bridge.We'll see them better then!
But Tao wanted to be alone for a while. "Go ahead, I'll join you," he said. He moved away from the group and headed towards his favorite spot: the riverbank, where it formed a small, calm pool before continuing towards the valley.
The night is clear and the nearly full moon shines like a white pearl. The hundreds of lanterns rising into the sky resemble colorful stars. Their light reflects in the calm waters of the river, creating a magical spectacle. It seems as if the sky exists in two parts: one above and one below.
Tao kneels at the water's edge and drops his red lantern. He closes his eyes and silently makes his wish: "I would like to understand who I truly am. I would like to know why my parents left. And yes, I would like to see a dragon."
When he opens his eyes again, his lantern rises gently, joining the others. He smiles and leans over to look at the water. His reflection ripples slightly on the surface.
And that's when he sees him.
In the reflection, her eyes shone with a strange light. It wasn't simply the reflection of the lanterns. It was a golden glow that seemed to come from within her pupils themselves, as if a tiny flame were burning in her eyes. A warm, vibrant, almost... magical glow.
Tao recoiled, his heart pounding. He touched his face, his eyes. Nothing seemed amiss to the touch. But his hands... his hands were unusually warm. Much too warm. Almost burning hot.
He plunges them into the cold river water to cool them down, but the heat doesn't diminish. It's as if it's coming from within.
Fear grips him. What's happening to him? Is he sick? Should he call Grandma? But how can this be explained?
He looks at his reflection in the water again. The golden glow has disappeared. Everything seems normal. Perhaps he imagined it all? Perhaps it's just the effect of the lanterns' light?
"Tao! Tao, my little one, it's time to go home!"
It's Grandma's voice echoing from the village. Tao jumps up, wipes his hands on his trousers, and runs toward her. He says nothing about what just happened. Not yet. He needs to understand it himself first.
As he walked towards the house, he noticed that Grandma was looking at him in an unusual way. Her eyes, normally so gentle, seemed to be scrutinizing him intensely. As if she were searching for something. Or as if she already knew.
"You seem troubled, Tao. Didn't you enjoy the party?"
"Yes, yes, Grandma. It was very beautiful. I'm just a little tired."
She nods slowly, but Tao senses that she doesn't really believe him. Yet, she doesn't ask any further questions.
That night, lying on his mat, Tao struggled to fall asleep for a very long time. His mind swirled with unanswered questions. Why had his eyes shone? Why were his hands so hot? Was it related to his grandmother's dragons?
Finally, exhausted, he fell into a deep sleep.
And he dreams.
In his dream, he no longer walks on the earth. He flies. High, very high above the mountains, carried by immense wings covered in golden scales that capture the sunlight. The wind whistles around him but doesn't bother him. He feels free, powerful, more alive than ever. Below, the village is just a tiny dot. The mountains stretch as far as the eye can see. And in his chest, he feels something new: an intense, comforting warmth, like a fire that burns eternally without ever consuming him or hurting him.
It isIts fire. The fire of a dragon.
When Tao wakes up the next morning, the sun is already high in the sky. He remains motionless for a long time, wondering if what he experienced was a dream or a memory. Or perhaps... a premonition.
What he doesn't know yet is that Grandma is watching him from the doorstep. She too saw the golden glint in his eyes last night. The moment has come. The moment to reveal the secret their family has kept for two hundred years.
Tao is eight years old and lives in the last house in the village, the one at the edge of the bamboo forest. He's lived there with his grandmother for as long as he can remember. His parents disappeared when he was just a baby. "They went on a trip and never came back," Grandma says simply when he asks questions. But there's always a sadness in her eyes when she says those words, and Tao has learned not to press the issue.
Grandmother is a strange woman. Very old, with long white hair that she braids into an intricate bun, she possesses a surprising knowledge of medicinal plants and ancient traditions. The villagers often come to her for advice. She lives simply, cultivating a small garden and selling her remedies at the market.
But what Tao loves most of all are the stories Grandma tells every night. Sitting by the fire, she speaks in a soft, mysterious voice. Her favorite stories are about dragons, those legendary creatures that are said to have once lived in the mountains.
"A very, very long time ago," she said, "before men built their villages, dragons ruled these lands. They weren't like the stories you've heard elsewhere, my little one. They weren't monsters. They were wise beings, guardians of the world's balance. Some controlled the water and the rivers. Others watched over the forests. And the most powerful, the golden dragons, were the guardians of the celestial fire."
"Do they still exist, Grandma?" Tao always asks, even though he knows the answer.
"No one has seen them for hundreds of years. But who knows? Maybe they're hiding somewhere, waiting for the right moment to return."
Tonight is special. It's Lantern Night, the most important event of the year for the village of Autumn Cloud. According to tradition, once a year, on the autumn full moon, each family makes lanterns out of colored paper and releases them into the night sky. It's a way to honor their ancestors and make wishes for the coming year.
The village is transformed. Strings of lights decorate every house, every tree, every bridge. The air is fragrant with incense and the sweet rice cakes that the women are cooking in large pans. Musicians play the erhu and the flute, creating an enchanting melody that blends with laughter and conversation.
Tao wanders with his friends – Lin, a lively girl who dreams of becoming a healer, and Chen, a strong boy who wants to be a blacksmith like his father. They each hold their lantern, waiting for the perfect moment to release it into the sky.
"What are you going to wish for, Tao?" Lin asks.
Tao thought for a moment. "I'll wish to see a real dragon," he said with a smile.
Chen burst out laughing. "You're too old to believe in such nonsense! Dragons are just legends for little children."
"Grandma says they really existed," protests Tao, a little annoyed.
"Existing before is not the same as existing now," Chen retorted. "Come on, let's drop our lanterns from the top of the bridge.We'll see them better then!
But Tao wanted to be alone for a while. "Go ahead, I'll join you," he said. He moved away from the group and headed towards his favorite spot: the riverbank, where it formed a small, calm pool before continuing towards the valley.
The night is clear and the nearly full moon shines like a white pearl. The hundreds of lanterns rising into the sky resemble colorful stars. Their light reflects in the calm waters of the river, creating a magical spectacle. It seems as if the sky exists in two parts: one above and one below.
Tao kneels at the water's edge and drops his red lantern. He closes his eyes and silently makes his wish: "I would like to understand who I truly am. I would like to know why my parents left. And yes, I would like to see a dragon."
When he opens his eyes again, his lantern rises gently, joining the others. He smiles and leans over to look at the water. His reflection ripples slightly on the surface.
And that's when he sees him.
In the reflection, her eyes shone with a strange light. It wasn't simply the reflection of the lanterns. It was a golden glow that seemed to come from within her pupils themselves, as if a tiny flame were burning in her eyes. A warm, vibrant, almost... magical glow.
Tao recoiled, his heart pounding. He touched his face, his eyes. Nothing seemed amiss to the touch. But his hands... his hands were unusually warm. Much too warm. Almost burning hot.
He plunges them into the cold river water to cool them down, but the heat doesn't diminish. It's as if it's coming from within.
Fear grips him. What's happening to him? Is he sick? Should he call Grandma? But how can this be explained?
He looks at his reflection in the water again. The golden glow has disappeared. Everything seems normal. Perhaps he imagined it all? Perhaps it's just the effect of the lanterns' light?
"Tao! Tao, my little one, it's time to go home!"
It's Grandma's voice echoing from the village. Tao jumps up, wipes his hands on his trousers, and runs toward her. He says nothing about what just happened. Not yet. He needs to understand it himself first.
As he walked towards the house, he noticed that Grandma was looking at him in an unusual way. Her eyes, normally so gentle, seemed to be scrutinizing him intensely. As if she were searching for something. Or as if she already knew.
"You seem troubled, Tao. Didn't you enjoy the party?"
"Yes, yes, Grandma. It was very beautiful. I'm just a little tired."
She nods slowly, but Tao senses that she doesn't really believe him. Yet, she doesn't ask any further questions.
That night, lying on his mat, Tao struggled to fall asleep for a very long time. His mind swirled with unanswered questions. Why had his eyes shone? Why were his hands so hot? Was it related to his grandmother's dragons?
Finally, exhausted, he fell into a deep sleep.
And he dreams.
In his dream, he no longer walks on the earth. He flies. High, very high above the mountains, carried by immense wings covered in golden scales that capture the sunlight. The wind whistles around him but doesn't bother him. He feels free, powerful, more alive than ever. Below, the village is just a tiny dot. The mountains stretch as far as the eye can see. And in his chest, he feels something new: an intense, comforting warmth, like a fire that burns eternally without ever consuming him or hurting him.
It isIts fire. The fire of a dragon.
When Tao wakes up the next morning, the sun is already high in the sky. He remains motionless for a long time, wondering if what he experienced was a dream or a memory. Or perhaps... a premonition.
What he doesn't know yet is that Grandma is watching him from the doorstep. She too saw the golden glint in his eyes last night. The moment has come. The moment to reveal the secret their family has kept for two hundred years.