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If only she were
a boy, Mulan thought to herself, it would be so simple. But girls did not fight
in wars. Oh why oh why had she not been
born a boy, Mulan thought angrily to herself.
An idea grew in Mulan’s mind. Could she do
it? She had to. Mulan knew her father would die if he went to war again.
That day, she bought a horse.
The next morning, Mulan stole her father’s
armor and crept silently from home, disguised as a man. She reported for
duty to the military leader. The leader had never met her father. Besides,
he had his hands full, marching the men from all the villages to the camp.
Mulan fought for many years, some say
as many as ten years. In all that time, no one knew she was not a
man. When the war ended, Mulan was called before the emperor to
receive a special award for her incredible courage. The emperor
offered Mulan a job that would make her rich beyond her dreams. But
Mulan wished to return home to her family. She asked for a good
horse instead which was immediately granted.
Her family was so happy to see her.
Her father was frail, but alive. Her brother had grown into a
wonderful young man. Without regret, Mulan gave her warrior’s
clothes to her little brother, and dressed in the clothes of a
woman. She wrapped her hair in the style of the day. She added rouge
to her cheeks. When she joined her family to watch the sun set, the
warrior Mulan had transformed into a beautiful young woman.
Not long after, friends who had
served with Mulan came to visit. Their eyes grew large when they saw
the beautiful woman before them.
"Who are you?" they
demanded to know. They could hardly believe their eyes when Mulan
answered.
Her story spread across China, to
inspire young girls everywhere. If you love enough and have courage
enough, you can accomplish anything, no matter how impossible it
might seem to others. |
