In a remote and quiet mountain village, there lived a young man named Afu. Ah Fu's parents died when he was a child, and he grew up with the help of the villagers. Although he lived in poverty, he was optimistic and kind-hearted, always with a bright smile, as if all the troubles in the world had nothing to do with him.
The only valuable thing in Ah Fu's family is an old donkey. This donkey is gray in color and thin in figure, but it has accompanied Ah Fu through many difficult years. On weekdays, Afu helps people to carry goods by donkey, earning some meager wages and barely making a living.
One morning, the sun shone through the mist on the village path. As usual, Ah Fu fed the donkey some fodder, patted its neck and whispered, "Old chap, we have to go out to work again today." The donkey seemed to understand his words, shook his tail and meekly followed Ah Fu out of the door.
Their destination is the market beyond the mountain. Ah Fu took a job to transport some newly woven cloth from a fellow villager's home to the cloth village in the market for sale. Along the way, Ah Fu hummed a tune, while the donkey walked slowly and carried heavy cloth. The mountain road is rugged, insects and birds are singing from time to time in the grass on both sides, and the breeze blows, bringing the fragrance of wild flowers, which also makes this trip less boring.
Halfway up the hill, Ah Fu suddenly heard a faint cry for help. Startled, he stopped and listened carefully. The sound was intermittent, like coming from a nearby valley. Ah Fu didn't hesitate at all, so he took the donkey and looked for it in the direction of the sound.
Deep in the valley, they found an old man with white hair. The old man was in rags, pale and swollen at the ankle. Obviously, he sprained his foot and could not walk. Ah Fu hurried forward and asked with concern, "Grandpa, what's the matter with you?" When the old man saw Ah Fu, there was a glimmer of hope in his eyes, and he said weakly, "Good boy, I went up the mountain to collect medicine, and I accidentally fell and sprained my foot. I thought no one would come to save me in this barren mountain. "
Alfred looked at the sky, then at the injured old man, and his heart was troubled. If you send the old man home, this cloth will definitely miss the fair, and you will not only get paid, but you may also lose your trust. But if you leave the old man alone in this valley, the consequences will be unimaginable if you meet a wild animal. After a moment's hesitation, Ah Fu gritted his teeth and decided to send the old man home first. He carefully helped the old man onto the donkey and comforted him, "Grandpa, don't be afraid. I'll send you back first."
The old man was grateful and thanked him again and again. Afu led the donkey along the winding mountain road and walked step by step to the old man's home. The journey is farther than when I came. By the time I get the old man home safely, it will be getting dark. The old man's family was so grateful to Afu that he insisted on keeping him for dinner. Afu was thinking about the market and declined politely. He hurried to the market with his donkey.
By the time they got to the market, Buzhuang had already closed. Alfred looked at the closed shop door, and his heart was full of loss. The day's hard work was in vain, the wages were not settled, and the next day I had to tighten my belt again. But he looked at the tired donkey beside him, stroking its head gently, and said, "Old chap, although we didn't make any money today, it's a good thing that we saved people." The donkey seemed to feel his mood and rubbed his head against Ah Fu's hand as if to comfort him.
Ah Fu returned to the village dejectedly. As soon as he entered the village entrance, he was stopped by the village private school teacher. Mr. Li Xiucai, one of the few intellectuals in the village, takes good care of Ah Fu on weekdays. Li Xiucai saw Alfred looking depressed and asked why. Ah Fu told him the whole story in detail. After hearing this, Li Xiucai gave a thumbs-up instead of blaming Ah Fu and praised him: "Ah Fu, you did the right thing! Money is important, but life is a matter of life. Your kind heart is more precious than anything else. " With that, Li Xiucai took out a few copper coins from her pocket and stuffed them into Ah Fu's hand. "You should take this money first, and you should be in an emergency."
Ah Fu refused, but had to accept it. He was so grateful that he secretly vowed to do more good deeds in the future and repay everyone's kindness.
As the days passed, Ah Fu still relied on donkeys to help people work for a living. In a blink of an eye, it's autumn harvest season. Every household in the village is busy harvesting crops, and Ah Fu is no exception. He gets up before dawn every day and goes to the fields with everyone, so tired that his back aches.
One day, Ah Fu was harvesting rice in the field when he suddenly heard a noise. He straightened up and looked inside, only to see a group of strangers coming to the village entrance. These people are well-dressed, headed by a middle-aged man, with a lofty outlook, followed by several people who look like a family, all of whom are majestic.
Ah Fu curiously put down his sickle and walked towards the village entrance. I didn't understand what was going on until I got there. It turns out that this middle-aged man is a wealthy businessman in the city, named Zhao Yuanwai. Mr. Zhao came here this time to find an honest and reliable person in the village and help him transport a batch of precious goods to neighboring counties. The job pays well, but it's a long way, and it has to pass through some secluded mountains and forests. If you are not careful, you may encounter danger, so people in the village are hesitant.
Ah Fu thought that he was short of money, and although the donkey was old, it was full of endurance, so it should be a cinch to take some mountain roads. If you can take this job, you can not only earn a lot of money, but also see the outside world. Thinking of this, he summoned up his courage, walked up to Mr. Zhao and said, "Mr. Zhao, I am willing to try." Although I have no great skills, my donkey and I will do our best to deliver the goods safely. "
Mr. Zhao looked at Alfred and saw that although his clothes were shabby, his eyes were firm and he was very satisfied with his simple and honest strength. He nodded and said, "Well, young people are ambitious. But let me be honest, you have to be careful along the way. If there is any mistake in the goods, you have to pay the price. " Alfred nodded repeatedly to show his understanding.
After the two sides negotiated the terms, Afu went home to pack his bags and prepare to leave early the next morning. He fed the donkey the best forage and carefully checked the pack to make sure it was foolproof. In the evening, Ah Fu lay in bed, tossing and turning, unable to sleep, excited and worried. I am excited to finally have the opportunity to make big money and change my life; What worries me is that I don't know what difficulties and dangers I will encounter along the way, and whether I can cope with it freely.
The next day, at dawn, Ah Fu led the donkey to the village entrance. Mr. Zhao is already waiting there with the goods. The goods were packed in several big wooden boxes, which were heavy. Ah Fu and the servants worked hard to move the wooden boxes to the donkey's back and fix them firmly with ropes. Everything is ready, Afu bid farewell to the villagers and embarked on a journey.
At first, the journey was smooth. They walked along the official road, with endless fields on both sides. The farmers worked hard in the fields, and there were several shouts from time to time. Ah Fu was in a happy mood, humming a ditty, and the donkey walked at a brisk pace, as if knowing that this trip was shouldering a heavy responsibility.
However, the good times did not last long. After walking for a few days, they entered a mountain forest. This mountain forest is dense and deep, the trees cover the sky, and the roads are rugged and difficult to walk. Ah Fu held the donkey tightly and walked carefully, keeping his eyes on the movements around him. Suddenly, a gloomy wind roared past, making the branches rustle, and Ah Fu felt a sense of foreboding.
Just then, several dark figures appeared from the Woods. Ah Fu looked intently and saw that it was a group of mountain thieves. These mountain thieves are all armed with sharp swords, and their faces are ferocious. The first big man shouted: "I opened this road and planted this tree. If you want to live from now on, stay and buy road money!" Alfred was surprised and subconsciously pulled the donkey behind him. He knows, this is in big trouble.
The mountain thieves approached step by step, and Ah Fu's palms were all sweaty. He looked at the goods behind him, then at the donkey beside him, secretly complaining. If you hand over the goods, you will not only get paid, but also have to pay a lot of money to Mr. Zhao. What can you do? But if you don't pay, with yourself and a donkey, how can you compete with these fierce mountain thieves?
Just as the mountain thief was about to rush to the front, Ah Fu suddenly had a brainwave. He shouted at the mountain thieves: "Dear heroes, I am just a poor boy, working for others to earn a living." Although the goods are precious, if I can't deliver them, I'll die if I go back. How about this? I'll give you a show. If you think it's interesting, let us go. How about that? " Hearing this, the mountain thieves looked at each other with some curiosity. The big fellow headed by him nodded and said, "Well, if your boy dares to play tricks, don't blame us for being impolite!"
Alfred took a deep breath and went to the donkey. He patted the donkey's ass, then stepped onto the donkey's back with his legs clamped, waved his hands in the air and shouted, "Drive! Drive! " The donkey seemed to understand his intention, spread his hooves and turned in circles, faster and faster. Ah Fu rode the donkey in circles, making all kinds of funny moves, making faces at one time and pretending to fall off the donkey's back at the other, which made the mountain thieves laugh.
While the mountain thieves were distracted, Ah Fu secretly observed the surrounding environment. He found a path not far away, winding to the depths of the forest. Ah Fu's heart moved, and when the donkey turned to dazzle the mountain thieves, he suddenly patted the donkey's neck and shouted, "Go!" The donkey understood, carried the goods and ran away toward the path.
When the mountain thieves came to their senses and found that Ah Fu and the donkey had run away, they immediately became angry from embarrassment and chased them up. Ah Fu rode a donkey and ran wildly among the mountains. Branches scratched his clothes and thorns stabbed his skin, but he completely ignored them. The mountain thief behind him is in hot pursuit, and he is about to catch up. Ah Fu is worried.
Just then, the donkey suddenly stumbled and almost fell. Ah Fu looked down and found that one of the donkey's hooves was stuck in a mud pit. He quickly jumped down and pulled the donkey's leg hard, but the donkey was carrying heavy goods on its back and could not pull it out. The mountain thieves are getting closer and closer, and Ah Fu is so anxious that tears are coming out.
At the critical moment, Ah Fu heard a shout of ShaSheng. He looked up and saw a group of officers and men rushing out from the other side of the mountain forest. The leading officer waved a long knife and shouted: "Bold mountain thief, how dare you do evil here? Don't give in easily!" Seeing that the mountain thieves were in a bad situation, they scattered and fled.
Alfred breathed a sigh of relief and sat down on the ground. The officers and men came to him, and the officer dismounted and asked about him. Alfred told the story in detail. Hearing this, the officer praised his wit and bravery and helped him pull the donkey out of the mud pit.
Under the escort of officers and men, Ah Fu and the donkey finally walked out of the mountain forest. The next journey, they went a lot smoothly. After several days' trekking, they finally reached the neighboring county. Ah Fu delivered the goods safely to the destination according to the address given by Mr. Zhao. After the acceptance was correct, the consignee gave Afu a large reward and praised his integrity and responsibility.
Afu, with a reward, set foot on his return journey with great joy. Along the way, he bought a lot of delicious food for the donkey and specially bought some gifts for the villagers in the village. After returning to the village, Ah Fu became a hero in the village. The villagers gathered around and listened to his thrilling experience along the way. Ah Fu didn't forget everyone's kindness. He took out part of the remuneration and distributed it to the poor households in the village. He also repaired the school in the village.
Since then, Ah Fu's life has gradually improved. He used the remaining money to buy a few acres of land, grow crops and raise a group of chickens and ducks. Donkeys don't have to work as hard as before. Ah Fu leads them to the fields every day and lets them graze freely. Once in a while, Ah Fu will ride a donkey and stroll around the nearby mountains, recalling that thrilling journey, and his heart is filled with emotion.
The story of Ah Fu and his donkey has also been circulated in the village from generation to generation, becoming a beautiful talk in people's mouths. Whenever a child is disobedient, or young people want to give up when they encounter difficulties, the old people will tell the story of Ah Fu, telling them that kindness and courage will always bring good luck. Even if they are in trouble, as long as they hold on with hope, they will surely usher in a better tomorrow.