ThemorningsunhadlongsincerisenovertheChinesetulouthatMulancalledhome.Asshestoodinthemiddleofthecircularcompoundofconnectedbuildingsthatwasmadeupofherhomeandthoseofherneighbors,shewassurroundedbythemuffledsoundsofthenearbyvillagers.Fromasecond-floorbalconyamothercalledtoherdaughtertobringthelaundry.Inakitchenonthegroundfloor,aspoonbangedagainstthesidesofapotasanothermotherpreparedtheeveningmeal.Fromtheopeningbetweenthebuildingsthatledtothestreet,Mulancouldmakeoutthelowmoosofseverallargecowsbeingherdedtoanewfeedinggroundandtheoccasionalsquawkastheirheavyfeetploddedprecariouslyclosetoastraychicken.Comingfromherownhome,nestledinthemiddleofalltheothers,Mulanheardthesteady

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click,click,clack,clack

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oftheshuttleashermotherandyoungersisterwovefabric.

ButthesoundsdidnothingtodistractMulan.Shehadgrownupwiththem.Shehadspenteverydayofhersevenyearsnexttothesamehandfulofvillagers.Atpresent,theclangsandbangsweremerelybackgroundnoisetohercurrentmission:herdingthechickenstotheircoop.

Unfortunately,thechickenswerenotinthemoodtobeherded.Forthepasthour,Mulanandherfather,HuaZhou,hadbeentryingtomovethesmallgroupoffeatheredanimalsfromonesideofthecourtyardtotheother.Yeteachtimetheygotmostofthebirdsgoinginthesamedirection,onewouldbreakoffandmakearunforit.SweatdottedMulan’sforeheadfromrunningbackandforthinfrontofherfatherasshetriedtostopthechickens.Herarmwasbeginningtoachefromhittingherwoodenstickonthegroundtogetthebirds’attention.Still,therewasabouncetoherstep,andwhileherfatherseemedreadyforthetasktobeover,Mulanwaseagertocontinue.Shelovedachallenge.Andchickenherdingwascertainlythat.

“Steady,Mulan??.??.??.”

Herfather’svoicewasstern,butkind.Lookingup,shesawZhou’swarmbrowneyeslookingdownather.Shemethissmile.Sheknewthatmanypeopleinhervillagewereintimidatedbyherfather.Healwayswalkedwithhisheadhigh,hischestout.Onceafiercewarrior,hisbodyhadgrownmorefragilewithage.Hisshouldersstoopedeversoslightlyandhishairwasnolongerthick.Yethestillhadanairofconfidencedespitethelimpthatforcedhimtowalkwithacane.ButtoMulan,hewasnotfierceorscary.Hewasherfather.Andsheadoredhim.

Atsevenyearsold,Mulanknewshewassupposedtospendhertimehelpinghermothertakecareoftheirhome,butshehadnointerestinweavingorcookingorcleaning.Justtheideaofthoseboringchoreswasenoughtomakeheryawn.Herlittlesister,Xiu,lovedtodo—andexcelledat—thosetasks.Soitwasamuchbetteruseofhertime,Mulanhadarguedonmorethanoneoccasion,forMulantohelpherfather,whohadnosonstodealwiththingslikepeskychickens,andletXiuworkwithhermother.

AloudsquawkbroughtMulan’sthoughtsbacktohertask.Asiffinallyrealizingthatthecoopmeantfoodandrest,thechickensbegantomovetowarditinagroup.Mulanletoutahappylittlewhoop,startlinganoldwomanstandinginsidetheshrinethatsatinthemiddleofthecommunalcourtyard.Shewaslightingincenseatthebaseofthelargephoenixstatuethatdominatedtheshrine.Liketherestofthecompound,theshrinehadseenbetterdays.Tilesfellofftheroof,andmorethanafewboardswereloose.Thestatue,however,remainedingoodshape.Tothosewholivedinthevillage,thestatuewasthemostsacredandimportantpartoftheirlittleworld.Itwasarepresentationoftheirancestors,aconnectiontothosewhohadcomebefore.Everyman,woman,andchildspentatleastsomepartofeverydayintheshrine,enjoyingthestillnessandpeacetheplacebrought.Mostofthetime.

Foronemoment,itseemedMulan’sjobwascomplete.AsMulanstoodback,herfatherusheredthelastofthebirdstowardthecoop’sopendoor.Outofthecornerofhereye,Mulancaughtsightofalonechickenveeringfromtherestofthegroup.Mulanfrowned.Shelookedbackatherfather.Zhouwasdistracted,makingsureeachchickengotinside.Hedidn’tnoticetherewasanescapee.Alookofdeterminationcrossedherface.Quietly,sheslippedaway,duckingandweavingaroundafewneighborsasshefollowedthechickentowardtheroughwoodenbuilding.

Mulankeptherpacesteadyandherfootstepsslow.Inherheadsheheardherfather’svoiceashetoldher,notforthefirsttime,thetaleoftheturtleandthehare.Noonehadbelievedtheslow-moving,deliberateturtlecouldwinaraceagainstthespeedyhare.Yetwhilethehareranhimselfragged,theturtleslowlyandsteadilymadehiswayacrossthefinishline.Apartofherknewthatsheshouldbeliketheturtle:waitandallowthechickentorealizeitwashungryandgotothecooponitsown.Buttheotherpartofher—thepartthatwasvery,verybadattakingthingsslowandsteadyand,similartothehare,likedtosprinttotheend—didn’twanttowait.

Asshewatchedthechickenmovefartheroutofherreach,Mulan’sheartbegantopoundandherfingersbegantotwitch.Herpacequickened.Firstafasterwalk,thenaslowjog,untilshetookoffinasprintafterthechicken.HearingMulan’sfootsteps,thechickenletoutaloud

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Bwack!

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andranfaster,flappingitswingswildly,sendingfeathersflying.

Theracewason!

ThroughthecourtyardMulanchasedafterthechicken.Buteverytimeherfingerswerenearlycloseenoughtoreachoutandgrabthebird,thepeskyanimalwouldducktotheside,gainingfreedomforanothermoment.

Havingnoticedwhathisdaughterwasdoing,Zhoushouted,“Mulan!Forgetthechicken!”ButMulan’sstepsdidn’tslow.

Shebarelyregisteredthefactthatthebirdhadheadedbacktowardthecoopbywayoftheshrineuntilshewasinsidethecircularstructure.Caughtupinthemoment,Mulancontinuedtofollowthechicken,whichawkwardlyflewupandoverthephoenixstatue.Mulantookarunningjumpandfollowed,sailingovertheancientholyrelic.Herfeetmanagedtoclearit??.??.??.butthestickshewasstillcarryingdidnot.

Withaloud

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CRACK!

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