Brief Summary

The emperor is growing old and needs to choose an heir. He gathers the children of the village and gives them each a seed to grow. Each child is to tend to it for one year, and then return with their flowers to see who will be named emperor. Ping tends to his seed lovingly, but despite his best efforts, the seed does not grow. Ping returns to the emperor with an empty pot, but he is richly rewarded for his honesty.

Reaction

I have read this folktale before and have always loved the moral behind it. As in most Chinese folklore, the meekest, wisest, most humble of characters always reap the greatest reward. This book is great for teaching students to be honest, play by the rules, and not cheat. This book could be used in conjunction with a lesson that involves a game of some sort.