Retold by: Song Nan Zhang

THE BALLAD OF MULAN

Legend• A legend is a story retold from one generation to another over many years.• They usually have very few details to be remembered.• There may be different versions of the same legend.• Characters may be based on real people and act like real people, but might also have special abilities and might solve problems that are impossible in real life.

Vocabulary

Farewell (noun)- goodbye, adios, so long, hasta la vista

Soldiers have always had to say farewell to their families when they go off to war.

Each morning, you say farewell to your family. Then at the end of the school day, we each say farewell to each other.

Comrades(nouns)-companions who share your activitiesSynonyms:

• Buddy• Co-worker• Friend• Sidekick• Partner

• They traveled to the battlefields with their comrades.• They became comrades through their 4-H club.• Her comrades were amazed and astonished when Mulan appeared at the door with a dress on.

Endured (verb) - to put up with or last throughSynonyms:

Suffer

Tolerate

Withstand

Stomach

The players had to endure football practice when it was 102 degrees.

I do not want to endure getting my tooth pulled.

Mulan had to endure many cold, dark, nights alone on the battlefield.

What is something that you have to endure (put up with even though you don’t like it)? I have to endure ___________________.

Triumphant (adjective) Victorious (adjective)

• Defeated• Failing• Losing• Unsuccessful• Discouraged

• Failing• Unsuccessful• Losing

Successful

Antonyms:

Having won by defeating another

Armor (noun)-heavy covering used to protect the body in battle.

An old Chinese legend tells the story of a young woman named Mulan.

Long, long, ago, there was much war and fighting in China. The leader of China, the

Emperor, would draft men to join his army. These men would have to say

farewell to their families and go and fight with their comrades.

Sometimes they would win and come home triumphant.

Other times, they would not be victorious.

They were very brave to endure these battles.

The legend says that Mulan showed great courage and became a hero to the Chinese

people.